Portugal. The Man brought their electrifying live show to the iconic Lollapalooza festival in Chicago, USA, in 2018, delivering a memorable performance that showcased their unique blend of alternative, indie, and psychedelic rock. This appearance came on the heels of a monumental period for the band, following the release of their critically acclaimed eighth studio album, Woodstock. The album, which dropped in 2017, marked a significant turning point for the Alaskan-bred quartet, propelling them into mainstream consciousness with the colossal success of their single "Feel It Still".
The journey to Woodstock was a fascinating one, as detailed by the band. After years spent meticulously crafting an album titled Gloomin + Doomin, frontman John Gourley was prompted by his father to reconsider their approach, urging them to simply "write songs and then put them out". This paternal advice, coupled with Gourley discovering his dad's ticket stub from the original 1969 Woodstock festival, inspired a radical shift. The band famously scrapped three years' worth of material, opting instead to create an album that spoke directly to the contemporary world, much like the artists of the original Woodstock era.