The crowd’s eyes were lit up in anticipation, much like the bright white lights on stage. The dim lighting and calming smell of incense in the Canopy Big Room did not even come close to masking the excitement in the air.

When Zach Carothers of Portugal. The Man walked onto the stage, any facade of tranquility was completely shattered as the audience burst into screams.

Popularized for their distinctive style, indie rock band Portugal. The Man did not disappoint those looking for a fun concert experience last Friday at Canopy Club.

For fan Jimmy Carter, “unique” is the first word that comes to mind when thinking about the band.

Originally from Wasilla, Alaska, the group combines rock, alternative and psychedelic genres to create their own sound.

Brett Gilbert, who traveled from Indiana University to see the show, agreed with Carter. He enjoys their experimentalist style and that Portugal sets themselves apart from other bands.

“I think their lyrics are very powerful,” Gilbert said. “In ‘In the Mountain in the Cloud,’ which was two albums ago, they have very powerful lyrics and a unique style of music, using strings and just a lot of cool ideas.”

This tour in particular highlighted the offbeat nature of the band. Rather than having a typical opener, Portugal decided on Adam Tod Brown, a stand-up comedian to lead the show, followed by Casper, a German rapper. Instead of performing in huge, popular venues, the band chose more intimate locations for their shows.

“We’re just bringing out all of our friends,” Carothers said between songs. He also mentioned how the band was aiming for “party vibes” instead of a more structured concert.

This carefree attitude worked. When the band charged into their first song, “Church Mouth,” the audience did not need to be prompted to start clapping along. The synthesis of the steady beat of the song, the flashing lights and wild dancing from the audience started the concert off on the right foot.

Portugal played off of the audience well. Not many bands possess the ability to take a pumped-up audience and calm them down with just a few chords. They played with their songs, changing the mood of each one throughout and seamlessly blending one into another.

As they went into “Head is a Flame,” it was clear that although their attitudes seemed carefree, the band truly cared about their music. The band worked well together, and was able to cover for each other when lead vocalist John Gourley missed a line. Regardless of the slight mistake, the strong musicianship of Portugal was evident in their versatility and harmony.

Throughout the show, the band performed their top hits, like “Creep in a T-Shirt” and “Modern Jesus,” but also changed some up by turning them into mashups. They combined their song “All Your Light” with Ghostface Killah’s “A Kilo,” and “Purple Yellow Red and Blue,” one of their most popular songs, with Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall.” The latter worked exceptionally well, as Portugal’s style has often been compared to that of Pink Floyd’s.

One highlight of the night was when the band introduced “Noise Pollution,” a song off of their new album set to come out next year. The guiding beat of the song, along with prominent synthesizers and almost robotic-sounding vocals demonstrated how the band is able to constantly adapt.

“(Their music) is always evolving,” said Remy Doornebos, freshman in LAS. “Each album is different from the last, and a lot of the time it gets more accessible. I like their combination of electronic and acoustic sounds, they’re always trying to find a way to bring in different sounds.”

Portugal’s newest album, “Gloomin + Doomin” has been in production since 2014. There hasn’t been much news on the album, but the band has hinted that they have been collaborating with rapper Mac Miller for it.

“They started, from what I’ve heard right after (their album) ‘Evil Friends,’ and just went underground for a little bit and were working on it,” Gilbert said. “Now, they’re kind of doing a pre-album release for it which is cool. I haven’t heard any specifics about the new album, but I’ve heard some of their songs from their shows and they are pretty awesome. I’m excited.”

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