Portugal the Man Steals the show in NYC

While spending a week in Princeton, NJ for work last month, I was able to escape over to NYC one night and catch a pretty great show. Playing at the Rumsey Playfield in the middle of Central Park was a co-headlining tour featuring Grouplove and Portugal the Man. Despite already catching both bands at Lolla earlier in the summer, it was a no-brainer to attend.

This pair spent about two months on tour together this summer, and the NYC date was the final night of the run. Both bands had been alternating opening up for each other, and on this occasion it was Grouplove that started the night. Now I'm no stranger to Grouplove, catching their set and ranking them highly at both Big Guava Fest and their headlining Metro show this year. However, I was less than impressed with this fun California band this time around. They didn't quite command the attention of the crowd that I've become accustomed to, and that subsequently seemed to affect the bands energy.

The feeling of slight disappointment from one of my favorites having an off night was quickly erased once Portugal the Man hit the stage. Following the same model from Lolla, the band came on stage playing Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall Part 2" before jumping into their arguably biggest hit, "Purple Yellow Red and Blue." This was just the first of eight songs played off their brilliant 2013 album, entitled Evil Friends.

Throughout the next 90 minutes, the guys from Alaska dazzled the audience with a 21 song setlist and some amazing lasers that stretched on top of the Central Park crowd. One of the most notable notes from the night was the high amount of cover songs performed. In addition to Pink Floyd, the group covered Black Sabbath, Ghostface Killah, Oasis (one of my all time favs), the Beatles, and even a fan friendly sing-a-long of the 'Always Sunny in Philadelphia' tune "Day Man."



It was a pretty entertaining setlist to say the least. The strongest section came during the end of the set, with "Atomic Man," "Modern Jesus" and "Creep in a T-Shirt" being played consecutively to end the night.

After seeing Portugal the Man for the first time earlier this year, their performance in NYC solidified my fan-hood in them. I recommend them for any alternative rock fan. Hopefully they'll make the trip down to Florida for a future tour.

CONCERT RATING: 3.5 Stars 



SETLIST:

1. Another Brick in the Wall Part 2 
   (Pink Floyd cover)
2. Purple Yellow Red and Blue 
3. All Your Light (Times Like These) 
4. "Sabbath Sludge" (medley of Black Sabbath riffs) 
5. Kilo 
   (Ghostface Killah cover)
6. The Home (partial) 
7. Waves 
8. Hip Hop Kids 
9. Evil Friends 
10. Day Man (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia song) 
11. So American 
12. People Say 
13. Everything You See (Kids Count Hallelujahs) 
14. Don't Look Back in Anger 
    (Oasis cover)
15. Atomic Man 
16. Modern Jesus 
17. Creep in a T-Shirt 
18. Someday Believers 
19. Sleep Forever 
20. Smile (partial) 
21. Hey Jude 
    (The Beatles cover)

CONCERT REVIEW: Trampled by Turtles, Live in Madison

While on the road for work a few weeks ago, I was able to catch a Trampled By Turtles show in Madison, Wisconsin. For those unfamiliar with the band - yes, that is their actual name. The group actually hails from nearby Minnesota and is highly regarded in the folk rock community. They've been together for over 10 years and put out their 4th studio album earlier this year.

The show took place at the Overture Center, which was a beautiful venue. It was a theatre setup, giving Hurray for the Riff Raff.
the show more of a 'Broadway' feel than a folk show in a college town. The room definitely played into the performance, as the entire audience sat in the dark for the duration of the show. Trampled by Turtles took the stage just after 9pm following opener -

Initial impressions was that this was a true strings show. The 7 members of Trampled by Turtles constantly lined up front stage with their respective string instruments and jammed out tunes. For several songs, the group was joined by a local string quartet, adding even more string instruments into the mix. I myself am not accustomed to shows with no percussion or electric instruments. But Trampled By Turtles made it work, making up for the lack of loud instruments with a big group playing as one.

I thought the most talented member of the band was violinist Erik Berry. Throughout he night, Berry constantly stirred up loud ovations with his violin solos. He played above everyone else and was very enjoyable to hear.

Lead singer Dave Simonett wore a cowboy hat all night and didn't interact too much with the audience. He led the band through the majority of the groups well-known tunes, which he seemed to play at a faster tempo than on the studio versions. He also spent time on the slower songs to create a more intimate setting. Some of my favorites were "Wait So Long" and "Codeine."

A true highlight of the evening was a delightful cover of the Pixies "Where is My Mind." The band added an excellent wailing violin into this rock classic, giving the song an entirely new feel. It was a great cover that had the audience singing.


Trampled by Turtles played a 3 song encore bringing their total performance to just over an hour and a half in length. After all the shows of 2014, I can relate it most closely to a more laid back Old Crow Medicine Show. These guys don't necessarily have the same high energy or sing-a-long moments, but they're still plenty enjoyable to see live. I'm always in to support a solid folk rock band!

Concert Rating: 3 Stars




SETLIST:

1. Are You Behind The Shining Star? 
2. Western World 
3. Victory 
4. Codeine 
5. Wild Animals 
6. Hollow 
7. Lucy 
8. Repetition 
9. New Orleans 
10. Alone 
11. It's a War 
12. Winners 
13. Where Is My Mind? 
    (Pixies cover)
14. Silver Light 
15. Midnight on the Interstate 
16. Keys to Paradise