It’s hard to believe it’s been almost thirty years since the world was introduced to the worldly sounds of Eric Hilton and Rob Garza. All these years later, the music of Thievery Corporation still sounds fresh and original in the way it achieves maximum chillness while also incorporating a melange of genres and styles from across the globe. Sure, countless bands and DJs have attempted to copy their style but few have succeeded on the level of this Washington D.C. duo. That may be why – even with more sporadic studio releases in the last decade – Thievery Corporation is still selling out venues to fans eager to bask in the groove, which was the case when they came through Portland, Oregon on Saturday, December 30th for a show at the Roseland Theater as part of their New Year’s run.
Considering their grandiose sound, one might have expected a more elaborate stage setup and lighting. For this show, Thievery Corporation’s production felt weirdly minimal and lacking with no backdrop and only the house lights to enhance the look. Luckily, having four ridiculously talented vocalists on deck still allowed them to deliver a powerful performance. Before those vocalists took place, the band would kick things off with the sitar-laden funk of “Mandala” before Laura Vall to lay down smooth vocals on “Lebanese Blonde,” perhaps their best-known tune. One thing that makes Thievery Corporation a compelling live act is the way they swap in different vocalists for each song. Puma Ptah took the stage for the heavy dub tune “Amerimacka” before Racquel Jones burst out with a barrage of lyrical flow on “Letters to the Editor Orig.” The mega-talented rapper Mr. Lif hit the stage for “Medley 3,” spitting intense verses with a vibey dance soundtrack interspersed with Rob Myers’ guitar spurts. This was immediately topped by Jones returning for the dubbed-out “Originality.” The group would continue this formula throughout the night, with other standouts including the percussion-laded “Exilio,” Frank Orrall serenading the audience with “Heart Is a Hunter,” and a huge call in response rap between Mr. Lif and Jones on a version of “Sound the Alarm” that included a lively percussion throw down.
Though the music of Thievery Corporation still feels fresh, their live show is all about the power of their vocalists. The band would unleash a handful of impressive instrumental moments over the course of the night – like Myers’ rock and roll guitar solo during “History” – but truly it was about the ability of the vocalists to amplify the songs and keep the crowd hyped up. This offered a contrast to Thievery’s recordings, which are more about the production as a whole than the vocals. The vocal strength culminated in the set-closing “Warning Shots,” an amped-up number that saw Mr. Lif, Jones, and Puma all blasting out vocals. It was this song that showcased the real force of Thievery’s music and felt like a proper send-off to end things on a high, even if the band did return for “Sweet Tides” and “Richest Man.” It would be fun to see Thievery with a more elaborate stage setup and lights that do better justice to their music, but their show in Portland was a undeniably fun dance party.
