Recap Portugal. The Man at Turner Hall

Portugal. The Man emerged from a cloud of smoke at Turner Hall on Friday, silhouetted by blue light emanating from globe-shaped fixtures arranged in a spider-like fashion across the stage. It was immediately obvious that the band had grown comfortable playing for large crowds. With huge festivals like Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza under its belt, the group has developed from a small indie outfit into a band of full-fledged performers.

With no introduction, Portugal. The Man opened with “So American” off its new album, In The Mountain In The Cloud. The crowd was immediately energized, feeding off the band’s infectious enthusiasm. The group transitioned seamlessly into “Work All Day” before jumping into a wonderful blend of “The Devil” and the Beatles’ “Helter Skelter.” Some of the songs felt a bit sloppy, but there was no low point in the show.

The concert was a testament to the band members’ talents, and included some older fan favorites mixed in with tracks off the latest release, as well as a cover of David Bowie’s “All The Young Dudes” for good measure. The band somehow managed to have a captivating stage presence while barely saying a word—that is, until someone in the front row handed bassist Zach Carothers a PBR tallboy, and he paused to tell the crowd, “This is pretty fuckin’ cool. And by the way, thanks for this,” before taking a sip.

The group ended its set with the slow and pretty “Sleep Forever,” and, after Carothers snapped a couple of photos of the screaming audience, left the stage. The collective cheer of “Encore!” didn’t bring the group back out immediately, but it soon emerged to the rumble of shoes stomping the dance floor. After a simple “Thank you,” Portugal. The Man launched into “People Say” and had the crowd belting along from start to finish. The band wrapped up the encore nicely with spot-on performances of “Guns And Dogs” and “And I.” The only thing disappointing about the show was that it was difficult to see the band through all the smoke, and at times, hard to hear the lyrics.

Opening act Alberta Cross is a five-piece, Brooklyn-based band fronted by Petter Ericson Stakee, a Jack White lookalike with a British accent. The band’s music ranged from bluesy rock to heavier rock ’n’ roll, a surprising but welcome compliment to the headliners. Stakee commanded all the attention as he continually danced around the stage and wailed into the microphone. As one lubricated audience member put it, “Rock and roll, bitches.”