The Black Lips have kept a fairly low profile as of late. It’s been three years since their last release, Underneath the Rainbow, and tours have been done in small bursts of dates. Maybe it’s OK that the Atlanta band is resting on their laurels after non-stop touring, recording, and partying pretty much since the turn of this century. That being said, when the Lips made their way to Portland on February 4th they were anything but rusty.
The band’s appearance was part of a two-day blowout at the Crystal Ballroom called Sabertooth Microfest featuring a slew of psych-oriented acts. Also on the bill this night was Ezra Furman who, in his signature dress, gave the audience a set of blistering rock and roll. Furman’s quick set with his band the Boyfriends dwelled heavily on the albums Day of the Dog and Perpetual Motion People. Onstage Furman described his music as “pure intractable frustration” – an accurate description in the best kind of way. The songs played were fast, unforgiving, and a whole lot of fun, with the presence of a saxophone adding an E Street Band touch to a feisty garage glam rock sound. This was hammered home with the closer of “Teddy I’m Reddy”, a catchy sax-laden tune that brought to mind the Rolling Stones’ “No Expectations”.
The much buzzed about Brazilian band Boogarins hit next with a set based around slowly percolating sonic landscapes. With a massive sound that is both poppy and psychedelic, the Portuguese-speaking group tore through a set that brought to mind modern psych acts like Tame Impala as well as legends like Pink Floyd circa Ummagumma. The band’s sound often switched tempos at the drop of a dime even while maintaining a perpetual dance groove. Even though they rarely sing in English, Boogarins showed Portland that their songs are universal, and for this reason they are an act on the verge of much larger audiences.
Gone are the days of the hard-partying band from Atlanta. Yes, the Black Lips have grown up. Lucky for us, there is a rowdiness ingrained in these boys and it was onstage in Portland. Accompanied by a mysterious female saxophone player known simply as Zumi, the band charged through a handful of tunes like “Family Tree”, “Justice After All”, the Velvet Underground-meets-the-trailer-park “Dirty Hands”, and “Raw Meat”. They also busted out new songs off a supposedly upcoming album. Though the album hasn’t been officially announced, the new songs were hard-hitting numbers veering from punk to blues and winning over a crowd determined to dance hard to every moment.
The Black Lips may have kept their set short – playing for exactly an hour – but they kept it tight and on point. Compared to the unpredictable, loose cannon Black Lips of yore, this was a band grown up and professional. That being said, their set in Portland showed that even if they’ve matured, their special brand of sleazy psychedelic rock and roll always retains its charm. Plus, they got more than a few people in the audience excited about the prospect of a new album…perhaps this year?
