December 04, 2025 – Portugal. The Man performed a sold-out show at Phillies’s Union Transfer to celebrate their new album SHISH. It’s the band’s 10th studio album, and the room was locked in early. Portugal.
The Man is a psychedelic-indie band anchored by co-founder and Alaskan native John Gourley. Founder John Gourley handles the role of lyricist, guitarist, lead singer, and frontman, while longtime bandmate Zoe Manville is right there with him on vocals and percussion.
Photos + Article by Steve Cerf @stevecerf
As soon as the lights dropped, a thick fog rolled across the stage, and they went straight into the new material. For this tour, the band broke their 23-song set into three parts, starting with a run from SHISH.
They opened with “Denali,” a slower, steady way to ease into the night before moving into “Pittman Ralliers,” which immediately kicked things up. “Angoon” kept that push going, hitting harder live than it does on the album. From there they moved through “Knik” and “Shish,” staying focused on the new record. They closed this stretch with “Mush,” the one that felt closest to classic PTM but still carried the tone of the new album.
Set Two shifted into older material and the room reacted fast. They came out with “Tyonek,” which hit harder live and immediately changed the pace. “Kokhanockers” followed, keeping that same drive and getting the crowd moving. “Got It All (This Can’t Be Living Now)” landed big, one of the first sing-along moments of the night. From there they went into “Head Is a Flame (Cool With It),” a track that always works live, and then “Senseless,” which kept the energy up. “Number One” and “Noise Pollution” rounded out this part of the set, both sounding sharper and louder than the recorded versions.
Portugal. The Man is still psychedelic indie at the core, and with the way they write and the way they sound, they’ve always been clear about who they are. In 2019, they launched the PTM Foundation, focusing on human rights, Indigenous communities, environmental issues tied to their land, and disability rights.
The next set of songs shifted the pace. They opened this run with “So Young,” a lighter moment that still worked live. “Sleep Forever” followed and shifted the room into a slower, heavier mood. They closed the night with “All Your Light (Times Like These),” one of their strongest live songs and the one that clearly felt like the final statement of the show.
Portugal. The Man used the visuals to pull everything together the new songs, the older material, and the message behind it all. At Union Transfer, it felt like they gave Philly the full picture of where the band is right now.
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