For all the legendary reformations (the Pop Group, Ultramagnetic MCs, et al.), plus the near-sacred return of Jeff Mangum after so many years, Portishead delivered the best live sets of the festival on Saturday and Sunday nights (their first U.S. gigs since Coachella 2008). Trading sheer volume for nuanced dynamics, they picked their spots to attempt massive sonic statements in the booming, non-acoustics of the Convention Center. The downtempo splendor of "Glory Box" became even more narcotizing when Geoff Barrow's turntable scratches took over midway through. And as the martial staccato bludgeoning of "Machine Gun" started, you could feel the visceral impact of ach slug; on Sunday night, Chuck D even came onstage to spit the first verse of "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos" atop the mechanistic rhythm.Also on Sunday, during "We Carry On," which nods to Silver Apples' 1969 song "Oscillations," the group brought out the Apples' Simeon to provide some extra noise.

It speaks to Portishead's strength that the most breathtaking moment of the festival was their spare, harrowing take on "Wandering Star," delivered by Beth Gibbons, Barrow, and Adrian Utley alone. Mute between songs all night, Gibbons showed her gratefulness to the enthusiastic festival-goers by suddenly leaping out into the crowd and surfing at the show's end. -- AB

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