Portugal the Man Frontman Pitches Portland To “Esquire” Readers

"You think it’s funny to see that guy dressed like a lumberjack behind the bar, but remember, he did that for you."

Portugal. The Man perform at March for Our Lives, Portland, March 24, 2018. (CJ Monserrat)

Now that Portland has fallen out of favor with fancy British people, it can sometimes feel like the city's reputation is declining. But according to Portugal the Man, the city's still a special place to live.

Apparently, the Portland-based alt-rock band feel like their hometown needs some defending. This week, Esquire published an interview with frontman John Gourley headlined, "Portland Is for the Punk Rock Weirdos. That's Why It's Still Great."

After over a decade as a band, Portugal the Man launched into mainstream ubiquity with last year's hit "Feel It Still." The Portland-based six-piece have since won a Grammy and  shared stages with Bruce Springsteen. Last March, they played a free concert in Pioneer Courthouse Square as part of a student-led protest of gun violence. Now, Portugal the Man is using their clout to assert Portland's livability.

As with most articles that either decry or defend our city, Portlandia and its caricatures are mentioned. "You think it's funny to see that guy dressed like a lumberjack behind the bar, but remember, he did that for you," Gourley says.

Gourley also mentions our plentiful selection of cheap, small concerts and name-checks the Blazers, Pok-Pok and Le Pigeon head chef Gabe Rucker. But for most of the article, the Alaska native writes about Portland as a town of very friendly misfits where, apparently, even altercations lead to friendships: "When things escalate to that level, you realize, 'Oh, wait, we like the same things. This guy likes talking shit, too. Let's be friends!' And yes, that's happened to me multiple times."

Read the full article here.

See Related: Portugal the Man Shouts out the Blazers, Satan After Surprise Grammy Win.

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