On February 3rd, I saw alt-rock band Portugal. The Man at the wonderful art deco Fox Theater in downtown Pomona, California. A mid-sized city located 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, Pomona has a thriving art scene, with numerous venues for live music. (I’ve seen local bands play at a couple of smaller clubs, and in 2022, saw Two Feet play at the Glass House.)

I’ve never seen Portugal. The Man in concert before, and when I learned they were playing a show in Pomona, a shorter drive and infinitely more convenient location than L.A., it was a no-brainer for me to buy tickets to see them. They’re one of the few major bands who follow me on Twitter (now X), so I have a special fondness for them. The show I attended was the second night of their nationwide Winter of Summer Luv Tour, which began the previous night in Del Mar, and will end in Washington, D.C. on February 24th. Supporting them on this tour is Philadelphia-based dance funk collective SNACKTIME. (Portugal. The Man are playing two shows in Mexico in mid-March, then on May 1st, embarking on what they’ve dubbed The Knik Country Tour, which will run through July 17.)

For those unaware, Portugal. The Man was formed in 2004 in Wasilla, Alaska by John Gourley, Zach Carothers and three others. They eventually relocated to Portland, Oregon, where the band is still based. Over the years, they’ve experienced several changes in lineup, and now consist of founding members Gourley and Carothers, along with Kyle O’Quin, Eric Howk and Zoe Manville. Additional touring members include Kirk Ohnstad, Redray Frazier and Vincent LiRocchi.

They’ve released nine studio albums, their latest of which, Chris Black Changed My Life, was released in July 2023. (Inspired by and dedicated to the band’s longtime friend Chris Black, who died in May 2019, the album chronicles the band’s turbulent few years following the runaway success of their monster hit “Feel It Still”, during which time there was a global pandemic, Gourley suffered from a broken jaw, his and Zoe’s daughter Frances was diagnosed with a rare neurodegenerative genetic disease, and Howk, Carothers and O’Quin all battled different addictions.) 

They’ve won numerous awards, including a Grammy in 2018 for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for their single “Feel It Still”. That song is their biggest hit, reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Alternative Songs chart, where it spent a record-breaking 20 weeks on top. It’s also my favorite song of 2017, and ranks #6 on my Top 100 Songs of the 2010s list.

Portugal. The Man have engaged in political activism and philanthropy in a variety of forms over the years, supporting environmental, animal rights, social justice and progressive political causes, voting rights, and the needs of Native American and indigenous peoples, among other things. In 2020, they founded the PTM Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization primarily focused on funding causes related to Indigenous peoples’ communities. The organization also aims to work toward the improvement of mental health issues, environmental issues, disability rights, and human rights through advocacy, philanthropy, community involvement, and increased awareness. With that in mind, they had Xochimilca artist and activist Xiuhtezcatl Tonatiuh open the show, performing a few of his songs accompanied by a guitarist.

Philadelphia-based band SNACKTIME took to the stage at around 8:15, whereupon they treated us to their high-energy style of music that’s a happy blend of soul, funk, punk, jazz, hip-hop, and R&B. With their exuberant brass-heavy sound, which includes a trumpet, trombone, two saxophones and a Sousaphone, they’re sort of like Earth, Wind & Fire with a bit of James Brown and Parliament thrown in for good measure. They performed for approximately 40 minutes, and with their engaging, playful delivery, were a lot of fun to watch and hear.

According to their bio, the seven-piece act formed “during the height of the pandemic, and began performing free shows that combined their love of music, food, and togetherness in Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square. They quickly amassed huge crowds and became a symbol of positivity and lockdown release, while showcasing the richness of their city’s musical history and community. This progressed to sold-out headlining shows, curation of neighborhood festivals, multiple appearances at Philadelphia 76ers halftime shows, and slots at major music festivals.” Following their tour with Portugal. The Man, SNACKTIME is set to appear at SXSW in Austin, TX, and plans to tour extensively for the remainder of the year.

Portugal. The Man member Eric Howk appeared on stage shortly after 9:00 pm and spoke briefly of his love of playing in the band and recalled some fun times spent performing at other venues in Pomona. He was then joined by the rest of the band, who quickly got down to business with a rousing medley of “Dopesmoker”, “Heart of the Sunrise”, “Heavy Games” and “Bellies Are Full”. Without missing a beat, they immediately launched into “Grim Generation”, from Chris Black Changed My Life. For the next two hours, they played nearly non-stop, without breaks between songs save for one moment when a group of Native Americans from a tribe near San Diego came on stage to perform a sacred song.

Throughout Portugal. The Man’s set, SNACKTIME joined them on a number of songs, adding their lively brass textures and infectious energy to create a truly exhilarating and enjoyable 90slive experience. My only criticism of the show is that the lighting was often dim during Portugal. The Man’s performance, making it difficult at times to see the painfully shy Gourley, who wore both a ball cap and hoodie, and his co-vocalist and wife Zoe Manville, who stood front and center throughout their set. Nevertheless, I was struck by how hard they rock in their live performances, exuding a palpable sense of love and joy. And the sound and production qualities were really outstanding.

After performing 23 songs, they stopped for a touching tribute video for Chris Black and John & Zoe’s twelve-year-old daughter Frances, who’s afflicted with an extremely rare genetic mutation of the DHDDS (Dehydrodolichyl diphosphate synthase) enzyme, which has only been diagnosed in six people worldwide. They then closed the show with spirited renditions of their two biggest hits “Live in the Moment” and “Feel it Still”, both from their 2017 album Woodstock. They quickly exited the stage afterwards, with no encore.

Portugal. The Man Setlist:

1. Dopesmoker / Heart of the Sunrise / Heavy Games / Bellies Are Full
2. Grim Generation
3. Marching With 6
4. So Young
5. Creep in a T-Shirt
6. Modern Jesus
7. What, Me Worry?
8. Champ
9. Easy Tiger
10. Thunderdome [W.T.A.]
11. Dummy
12. Guns & Dogs
13. Summer of Luv
14. Ghost Town / New Orleans
15. Mr Lonely
16. Keep On
17. Evil Friends
18. Plastic Island / Someday Believers
19. Doubt
20. So American / Once Was One
21. People Say
22. Anxiety:Clarity
23. Senseless
24. Live in the Moment
25. Feel It Still