Live Recap: Alt-J with Portugal. The Man and Windser at Credit Union 1 Arena
Alt-J played the Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago last Saturday night, in honor of their brand new album called The Dream.
The evening opened up with independent artist Windser from Santa Cruz, California. Windser is the moniker of lead vocalist and songwriter Jordan Topf, but Topf was joined by his live band to perform his songs like “July” and “Memory” to the arena crowd. Windser’s bright guitar riffs blended with his hooky beats and buttery vocals, making him the perfect bridge between fans of Portugal. The Man and Alt-J. If you like Michigander, Del Water Gap, and Yoke Lore, be sure to keep an eye on Windser for more new music in the near future.
Next up, anticipation built up around the room and fans in the front row grew visibly antsy for Portugal. The Man’s set to begin. The moment felt very theatrical and dramatic, as fog machines pumped smoke onto the stage and throughout the room, and a screen provided a bright backdrop to the dim stage. Colorful lighting rigs that framed the stage began to flash in time to their upbeat mix of rock and psychedelic pop, while the screen flicked through varying visual clips to accompany each song. From the second Portugal. The Man hit the stage, they amplified the volume and energy swirling around the room, and the audience enthusiastically sang along to songs like “Live in the Moment” and “What, Me Worry?” Their set closed out with “Feel It Still” and “Purple Yellow Red and Blue”— each of these songs receiving overwhelming cheers as fans recognized the opening riffs.
As the adrenaline from Portugal. The Man’s show still bounced around the arena, the stage began to transform for Alt-J to close out the night. After about a 40 minute change over, the curtain at the front of the stage dropped to reveal approximately ten-foot high risers boxed in by screens. Soon, the three members of Alt-J made their way to their spots on the risers and the dark stage was lit up by projections of large candles reflecting on the box that enveloped the band. Throughout the show, the projections shifted to simulate everything from falling rain, moonlight, a fish tank, the Northern Lights, ocean waves, and blooms of flowers— just to name a few. Pictures don’t do the spectacle justice, but the way the projections perfectly complemented to tone and moods of each song really elevated the magic of Alt-J’s hypnotic performance. The audience remained in awe as Alt-J shuffled through their entire catalog alongside the stunning visualizations— they of course heavily featured newer songs from The Actor like “Bane,” “Losing My Mind,” and “Chicago” (which got an extra hometown cheer), but there was no shortage of familiar tunes like “Tessellate,” “Matilda,” and “Fitzpleasure” from their earlier records. Just as Alt-J started performing “Taro” from their debut album, Gus Unger-Hamilton of the band noticed that one audience member needed assistance getting out of the crowd, and the show stopped while fellow crowd members helped them to safety. The band ended up dedicating the song to them, and the moment was a reminder of how important it is to keep a sense of community and camaraderie at shows.
Before the show ended, Alt-J reinforced that positive message of community by making sure to let everyone know that they stand with the people Ukraine— as an image of the country’s flag projected onto the screen, Unger-Hamilton shouted “fuck Putin!” before they launched into their hit “Left Hand Free.” The wonderful evening closed out with another fan favorite “Breezeblocks.”
You can relive some of the show by checking out the photo gallery below, but there’s nothing better than catching this top-tier production in person, so be sure to see what tour dates are coming next here.
