With bombastic guitars and prolonged instrumentals, Portugal. The Man take on Heaven for their sold out London show.

Portugal. The Man have been riding the hype wave following the release of their recent single Feel It Still. Reaching top 10 on Billboard’s Hot 100 list, the single blasted the group from the alt-list and into the mainstream sphere. As they take to stage at Heaven this evening, there is certainly an anticipation grand enough to exceed the hype of this one track.

We’re off to an intense start as Portugal. The Man intertwine Metallica’s For Whom The Bell Tolls and Pink Floyd’s Another Brick In The Wall Part 2 into the concoction of Purple Yellow Red And Blue. The pulsating beat fuses the electronic and the guitar melody together, letting the music move alongside their vibrant projected backdrop of ever-changing visuals.

The palpable rhythm propels the show forward in a much more extravagant manner than their recorded work conveys. Head Is A Flame (Cool With It)’s blooming melody gives full playroom for the extensive synth work and flamboyant guitar-riffs of the group. At times Portugal. The Man feel a bit like Alt-J and Cage The Elephant’s illegitimate love child, a bit on the edge, and deeply rooted both in their guitar and electronic elements.

As the songs flow together there is a tangible energy rising, and though willingly reflected by the crowd, there seem to hover a restlessness in the air. The classic guitar melodies combined with the absurd animations certainly create an outlandish atmosphere, but Portugal. The Man’s failing to directly address their audience is the factor of real alienation here.

The mood rises considerably as So Young from their recent release, Woodstock, slowly lingers upon us. The bass is amped up and the crowd is feeling the slower vibe as we spot makeouts, dancing and passionate singing amongst the audience.

Though the passion in the live performance is transcendent, the clearness of their production suffers under the urge to play all the buttons at once. The wall of sound that often occurs makes the distinct changes in their music disappear completely under the weight of the over-elaborate guitar-hammering performance.

Still, Portugal. The Man do know their audience. On songs such as Modern Jesus they do absolutely everything right, creating one of those moments that a lot of people will take away and savour from this night. The stoic chorus, clean melodic lines and savvy bass-work elevates Modern Jesus, giving the song a structure and context in the live show that is sometimes missing throughout the set.

Live In The Moment brings us back to the path of enormous crescendos and massive instrumentals. Despite a strong chorus, an interesting, more sinister vibe, and a deliciously striking drumtrack, the relentless over-instrumentation drowns out the true potential of the song. Coming at you like a wall, the significance of Portugal. The Man’s idiosyncrasy is lost in the sea of sound.

Getting to the beacon of the set, Feel It Still there is unarguably a euphoric feel flowing through the room. Everyone is feeling this one. Though it’s not their most interesting work, the hook is certainly there.

As Portugal. The Man round off a brief encore with Holy Roller (Hallelujah) the fans seem satisfied with the extensive set. Though their enthusiasm for bombastic instrumentals is fascinating and well-suited for a live show, the Alaska outfit do take it a bit too far, drowning out the more fragile specifics of their own production. At their best, Portugal. The Man amaze, yet they do get in the way of reaching their true potential.

Photos: Aurora Henni Krogh