Bonnaroo Band of the Day: Portugal. The Man

As we’ve been doing for the past several years now, we’re making it our mission to help you get acquainted with many of our favorites acts from from Bonnaroo‘s impressive 2017 lineup. As we dig through the entire schedule, we’ll highlight a spread of performers spanning across genres and stages, big and small, new and old, to bring you some of the most interesting, lesser-known, or most highly-reccomened among this year’s crop of artists. Though we’ll be jumping around, we’re loosely working our way through by day, and we’ll also be bringing you some special features and longer guides along the way, to help you plan your weekend before the fest. While these previews won’t span every performer, and might omit some more obvious must-see acts, we hope they’ll serve as a way to help you navigate Bonnaroo’s gargantuan lineup, and to make the most of your busy weekend on the farm!

Grab your tickets right here if you haven’t already, and keep reading to learn more about our Bonnaroo Band of the Day…

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It’s been nearly almost four since the release of Portugal. The Man’s last album, Evil Friends. Not an unusual gap for most acts, but for a prolific, ever-evolving band who dropped seven LPs in under nine years, the wait for album eight- their forthcoming Woodstock, truly feels like an eternity. Hailing originally from Wasilla, Alaska, but headquartered in the Pacific Northwest, PTM’s origins actually came from the premature demise of vocalist John Gourley and bassist Zach Carothers’ prior project, emo/screamo band Anatomy of a Ghost. For more recent Portugal fans, they might sound a bit surprising, but the group’s only two permanent members (they’ve otherwise seen a revolving door of contributors) definitely cut their teeth in the punk and emo world, and even PTM’s earliest Fearless Records releases, press coverage, and tourmates reflected this, albeit with a layer of experimental rock on top, which would guide their sound as it evolved throughout the years.

Portugal. The Man’s breakthrough isn’t something that happened over night, but something they’ve been building and earning for over a decade, touring relentlessly, pushing their psychedelic, progressive, and experimental indie sound to new heights with each release, and earning a fanbase organically with their tireless work ethic. While no single release or song found instant success, it’s a culmination of everything, impressive and essential in its own way, that has made them a beloved, popular act; their sophomore effort Church Mouth found early buzz, 2009’s The Satanic Satanist flexed their musical range, while Evil Friends showed off just how huge and nuanced their songs could be with the right amount of collaboration and extra attention. One of the most interesting and enduring rock bands in recent memory, and incredible live performers to boot, PTM return to Bonnaroo for a fourth time this year- an accomplishment few bands can claim- and with an ambitious, expansive, and long-gestating new LP in tow; it’s sure to be another festival highlight, especially with their late-night slot.

LISTEN | “People Say”