alt-J are currently on tour in support of their fourth studio album ‘The Dream’ that was recently released in February and brought their big stage production to San Francisco April 1st. With three large illuminated rectangles that housed each member, the UK band kicked off the set with “Bane” from the new album, to welcoming cheers from the crowd. The crowd roared with approval when the opening chords of “Every Other Freckle” started. “The Actor”, another track from the new album, sounded great and breezy as the passing-motion type visuals were displayed behind the band. Songs like “Tessellate” and “Matilda” were great to hear live, but it was the newer songs that were performed like “Chicago” and “Hard Drive Gold” that brought out some interesting exciting visuals, as the former was highlighted by psychedelic-esque vertical and atmospheric type lighting and the latter more of a flashy Vegas-style. Ending the show with “Breezeblocks”, the incredible visuals that were seen throughout the show were just as stunning and left fans more than satisfied with a full and gratifying experience.
Cherry Glazerr were entertaining and solid as the opening band, as they had a varied set featuring a solid mix of their catalog of songs. “Rabbit Hole” was great to hear live, as was “Stupid Fish”, the latter one of their more popular songs.
Portugal. The Man was slotted next, who had local representatives of the Native American community come out first to speak about the native land that we are on. Starting off the set with their fun trio of covers of “For Whom the Bell Tolls”, “South of Heaven” and “Cowboys From Hell” by Metallica, Slayer and Pantera, respectively. Their set was filled with lots of familiar songs like “Live In The Moment”, the first Portugal. The Man song of the set, “What, Me Worry?” And “Waves”. Portugal. The Man was highly entertaining, especially for the more condensed set than their own headlining shows and closed it out with their cover of Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2”, it seamlessly transitioned into “Purple Yellow Red and Blue”.
