Concert and festival previews and reviews.
The second show of the concert series we’re presenting in partnership with Mercado Negro (Aveiro, PT’s finest venue) takes place next Friday. This time around we bring you Zachary Cale and The Black Swans, two of the best American songwriters the 00s have brought us. Here’s what other people said about their latest records…
It’s somewhat ironic that our series of concerts, the Bolachas Sessions, was born on All Souls’ Day. Some of our favorite Portuguese and international artists will come by our favorite venue in the town of Aveiro, Portugal, Mercado Negro (at least for the next few concerts) to show why they managed to find a place in Bolachas peeps’ hearts… and also their music, of course. Wanna know who’ll be next for making an appearance at Mercado Negro and right here on bolachas.org? I’ll tell you by the end of this review.
Cavalheiro and his buddy Maroto
While I don’t reveal that (and while you forget scroll down exists), why not telling you how off we flied in an ambitious start with Cavalheiro? In no need to get in an airplane to arrive at Aveiro city, this fine gentleman Tiago Ferreira born and raised in Santo Tirso, Porto – only actually born in the big city – decided it was time for Aveiro to know and appreciate some of his charming songs. Only accompanied by his acoustic guitar and an additional lead guitar player, they presented their latest EP Ritmo Cruzeiro (which you can all listen to on his bandcamp), along with songs from their other EP releases, Primeiro and Farsas.
Right, enough ass kissing already. How did it go?
“Cheeeeeese”
Pretty good, in fact, aside from a little annoying amp problem, which decided that the middle of the concert would be the perfect time to start choking and losing voltage. Nice little prima donna, you stinking guitar amp. I guess the choosing of equipment for room concerts sure seems criterial. Oh yeah, it took place in the big red room of Mercado Negro, instead of the auditorium. No tickets, completely free for the public! Well, little it matters now, it’s over. Session #02 will not be free, but you don’t get to see both Zachary Cale and The Black Swans everyday, right? Here’s your spoiler.
Wait, I’m not finished, few more things to say. As for example the dry and disguised humor of mr. Cavalheiro, hard to get reaction from the crowd (less timid by the end for it, it all ended well), or the fullness “Carmo” achieved missing half of the instruments, as well as an even better than the record “Boa Sorte”. And how to forget those two bonus tracks, and here’s the second surprise, two covers! Because let’s make a big finale switching singing language and doing “Dancing in the Dark”, by Bruce Springsteen – impossible of ruining and confirmed – and “Desire Lines” of Deerhunter. Man, how I missed an encore. To be solved by attending other Cavalheiro’s concert. If not possible, next Bolachas Session is up to next November, the 23rd, see you there!
Mercado’s Red Room
As for the bands performing at #2, I’ve already told somewhere in the article. Never too late for a Halloween trick. The treats are on us.
BSC
bernardo@bolachas.org
All photos by João Peça
The lineup for the first Portuguese edition of the Primavera Club festival is finally complete. From the bunch of Portuguese and Spanish artists confirmed in the last round of announcements, we’re excited to watch the likes of Sensible Soccers, You Can’t Win Charlie Brown and Tropa Macaca again. Head to the Primavera Club website to learn more about those acts.
DSS
We told you not to miss it and I hope you blindly followed our orders.
When was the last time you went to a gig and had a reception with free fruit salad on a stick and plethora of drinks to choose from? Lugar Comum, the promoters from the Coimbra show, really did their best to make sure you were in the right mood to properly enjoy some Sonny & the Sunsets, despite the rainy and windy weather outside. In the beginning of the concert, the band sounded a bit sloppy though, indicating that perhaps it wasn’t a very good idea for us to sit down on the ground on a non-seated venue. Bands don’t soundcheck thinking about people sitting on the ground, you know. In spite of that, there’s nothing not to love about songs like “Reflections on Youth” or “Love Among Social Animals”.
Finally the sun has arrived. Dreary days seemed to have ended and now that shining yellow star just said “Hello!” making everybody happy and willing to watch some shows properly. By the afternoon you could notice joyous smiles flooding the river shores that in these days is more like a grassy beach.