Alaskalaska @ Hard Club, Porto, 22.07.2023.

© Marcos Leal/Mondo Bizarre Magazine

 

words: Marcos Leal (freely translated by Raquel Pinheiro); photos: Marcos Leal

Londoners Alaskalaska debuted in Portugal last Saturday Night in a single date on Hard Club, in Porto.

The wait for the concert, scheduled for 9:30pm, but starting about10pm with an unannounced opening act, was spent between drinks, cigarettes and conversation. As a warm-up, Black Sombrero, from Gaia, played some songs characterized by a more direct rock sound in the vein of Queens of the Stone Age or Foo Fighters. They were well received by the audience that made them feel welcome, despite some errors in the execution of the songs, taken with ease.

One more cigarette and a drink while waiting for Alaskalaska. The quintet, formerly a sextet presented their album Still Life (2022) opening with Growing Up Pains (Unni’s Song). The song, with a beginning and slow progression served as a good introduction for what was to follow. Alaskalaska has members with a background in pop and jazz and their sound comes from this combination of different influences described by themselves "art dream-pop". From what war heard, they’re not far from the description.

The concert was mild, but engaging in its jazz-infused pop and R&B touches, never boring, never predictable. Without major interruptions or interactions with the audience Alaskalaska maintained a great performance, proving to be very good live. In the short interventions between songs, due to the declared shyness of vocalist Lucinda whose father said he was Portuguese, she said she was very happy to play for the first time in Porto and to thank the way the whole band was received by the concert promoter.

After a setlist includedind songs from their two original albums in which main singles, such as Rise And Shine and Monster and Pressure could not be left out, Lucinda announces the last song of the night, Still Life, the title track of their new album. An announcement that provoked a reaction from the public signalling they wanted more.

Still Life, a song that made those attending dance, was the farewell to Porto’s audience. As Lucinda had said, “was a good one”.

Lucinda, John-Duarte, Fraser Rieley and Co., left under claps from an audience waiting a never happened encore.

© Marcos Leal/Mondo Bizarre Magazine