2014.07.17 – Mares Vivas Festival, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal

Date: 17th July 2014
Event: Mares Vives Festival
Venue: Cabedelo
City: Vila Nova de Gaia
Country: Portugal
Support: see timetable

Tracklist:
1. Breathe
2. Jetfighter
3. Voodoo People
4. Omen
5. Poison
6. Rockweiler
7. Thunder (Dubstep)
8. AWOL
9. AWOL Beats
10. Firestarter
11. Run With The Wolves
12. World’s On Fire
13. Spitfast
14. Omen (Reprise)
15. Invaders Must Die
16. Smack My Bitch Up
Encore:
17. Take Me To The Hospital
18. Gun Reprise
19. Their Law

Extra info:
Timetable:
20:30 Skindred
21:30 Modestep
23:00 Xutos & Pontapes
01:00 The Prodigy

Review by The Prodigy Fanboy:
Welcome to Porto! Home of the world famous port wine that was founded on this beautiful location in Portugal. Porto is located along the Douro river and is the direct neighbour of the city Vila Nova de Gaia. Though Porto is the place to visit for cultural reasons it is Gaia who is the official host of the Marés Vivas festival. They proudly present you Skrillex, Joss Stone, Modestep and obviously: The Prodigy.
The festival is located on a small beach in downtown Gaia. It’s an hour past midnight when The Prodigy is scheduled to hit the stage. Unlike last time I saw them (link to Paaspop review) they start off with Breathe. Breathe has always proved itself as an all time classic, and now this self-fulfilling prophecy works even better as an opener! Portugal is hungry for the dance! The crowd dances as if they have just won the world cup (and believe me, they didn’t).
Even though Liam recently told that Jetfighter would not make it on to the album they still play it live. Jetfighter never got the crowd reaction that other new tracks like Rockweiler and Get Your Fight On got. Portugal is no difference. Maybe Liam could consider dropping the whole song since he did the same with the theme. As soon as Omen drops the crowd officially reached the stage of mental illness. Sand is floating around the air making it nearly impossible to scream the lyrics with Maxim. But Portugal doesn’t care, they can scream with sand in their mouths as well.
Normally the crowd calms down after a song or four but when Keith does his round of Firestarter and Run With The Wolves all the Portuguese warriors are still jumping around. Then Liam starts Rockweiler, one of the only two songs that will make it for sure on to the new album. I witnessed all four versions live and this one doesn’t come close to the one they played at it’s Rock am Ring debut. This is a proper song! This is a proper banger! This is The Prodigy all over the place. I’ve heard Rockweiler numerous times but now it definitely got the best crowd response to date.
It’s sad to say that the rest of the set was the typical end of any Prodigy show. They did not play Hyperspeed, nor Comanche or Out of Space. I cared. I missed those songs. But no one around me seemed to care. When Smack My Bitch Up got to its boiling point people were still screaming around me. They didn’t scream for more, they screamed because of the intensity of the show, and because of the energy of the boys. They screamed because it was a beautiful night on a wonderful beach in the lovely country that is Portugal.

Poster: