That’s it, the last day of festival. I woke up early (as usual, you know the drill) and immediately found some hardcore friends who just came from an after-party in Barcelinhos and who were looking to move directly to the swimming-pool. Hold on, fellas, it’s still closed. Go sleep. But enough of revealing some dirty secrets, I too went quickly lunching to be at time for enjoying a long day of swimming. And great music.
Last attempt of making a pyramid – or a triangle, Milhões de Festa’s trademark – failed (notice the guy with orange shorts who was trying to make it on the top falling to the water)
Starting with Grup Ses Beats. For my all-time readers (aka my mom), remember the preview of this last day and me taking a guess on this name? Looks like I got a lot correct: it’s a remix project of oriental music, I’m going to say Turkish, by some DJ in charge of it all, don’t rely on the false-friend name “Grup”. This was pretty bizarre, also fun to dance in water – best feeling ever – and worth the hurry. Enjoy it people, it’s the last day and more of this fun will take a year to repeat.
Naytronix.
And to increase the fun for the afternoon, good news incoming: Merill Garbus, tUnE-yArDs’ frontwoman, was in the area! Why, you say? To help out his bassist and boyfriend Nate Brenner – so I heard, I’m not Carles for these kind of matters – with his own project Naytronix. Which actually looks much more like the alternative project of tUnE-yArDs itself, as for each band needs a person from the other. That and the music itself, clearly going fishing a lot from Merrill’s reveries, albeit being often still with her bass in this one. The couple, with the help from a drummer and Nate’s synth (also going ghetto with a coca-cola’s percussion) were slower than the most partyish songs of tUnE-yArDs, but still quite upbeat and in pose of a rich harmony change during each song. It was pretty enjoyable to me this, suddenly the change of tone and then returning to the previous. This vibe sure got some people grooving in front of the stage with a very pleasant concert, but it wasn’t the winning band of the afternoon who achieved the biggest crowd by the Swimming-Pool Stage to the date.
Moon Duo and LOUD MUSIC.
It was Moon Duo. Some people even had to be by the side of the stage to see them, but this was no good since they were losing all the voracious power coming out of the speakers, pointed to the front of the stage. Pretty respectable the noise these duo (Ripley Johnson of Wooden Shjips and Sanae Yamada) are capable of doing, although there’s a great deal of it due to the male half, given all the reverb and delay and chorus and shit in Ripley’s guitar. Yamada gives the steady drum beat loop out of her synth – repetitious sure, but also the intention for their music. Plus her girly keys (featuring perfectly in the outcome), this wall of sound built by two gives you exactly what you asked for, for just the right amount of time. I think “Stumbling 22nd St.” probably sums the feel in this one good old dysfunctional rock ‘n’roll. It was and made a blast, keep ’em like this.
Dancing in-front of the stage sure looks fun as well. Never change, Rosinha. And do come back next year.
By this time of the festival what else can I say about a DJ turntabling by the pool? That it was fun, refreshing, enjoyable and probably that I ended in the pool dancing foolishness. And that’s exactly what DJ Fitz gave us. And who could ask for a better ending for the swims and dives at Swimming-Pool Stage? Pretty much summed the whole Summer-fun experience for the MdF afternoons. Mssng #1
Palco Taina.
Yeah, another day without setting foot at Taina Stage (well, I could say “on Taina Stage” as well, remembering the Unicornibot’s concert), but I’ll say this: please do return next year with this one. It finally gave a valid alternative for the hardcore guys not too keen on swimming, and the spot worked. Putting a food service (hence its name “Taina”) also revealed to be profitable and useful. Just try to resolve the electricity problem the day 0 had (maybe concerts only for the afternoon?) and you got it, mssng #2
Whatever, let’s say buh-bye to the afternoon and move to the big stages
Because every girl needs a self-esteem boost, nice nail polish SMF (editor’s note: not ms. SMF’s legs)
…only to arrive pretty late. See this time the concerts didn’t delay that much, which was good for obvious reasons, and bad because I did not expected this to happen and arrived to the festival site somewhat late. Missed Al-Madar and Riding Pânico (probably didn’t miss other than the usual riot from these last), I could only expect that L’Enfance Rouge could cheer me up. And it did, given their avant-garde noise rock outspoken. It was fast, furious and stunning, and maybe just too fast, as it was rejected them an encore, tough luck. I think it was due to the delay, at last some measures (probably not the right ones, but measures!). Great start for the night, which was looking much more cheerful than the previous.
“But mooooom, let me play another song!” (no joke intended with the word Enfance), L’Enfance Rouge
“Cheerful”, great choice of words, since the following was no other than the badmouthed Memória de Peixe. And forget the criticism, because this one gave no point to argue (although the MC’s capacities of Da Chick are embarrassing, but I’ll talk about this later on). Bringing the looping guitar riffs and drums onstage, also with the help of the collaborations you already heard on record (translation: I don’t remember all of them, other than the Da Chick feature), this well-disposed duo managed to bring the freshness of a Summer afternoon (them playing at the Swimming would be perfection) and groovy beats reminding of Battles, El Guincho, you name it beach-hipster on rollerskates. Of course their single “Estrela Morena” did the honors for the dancing public, as well as, I must admit, the funky delicious “Fish&Chick”, what a kick (obvious who’s featuring, right?). Good job boys.
Memória de Peixe – Fixe&Chique (episode 5: the return of the pun)
The following were Alt-J, the perfect choice for holding the mood of the audience, although we’re entering different territories here. Actually named ∆(being Alt-J the shortcut for the symbol, buy a mac), this trip-hop approaching quartet isn’t afraid of exploring many genres, mixing it all up with some steady beats and resulting in some (too?) delicate crafted songwriting. Thanks for this, the outcome for the public was some chilling, introspective music, but also these sharp and spicing rhythms making sure no one would fall asleep keep quiet. Yes, I’m kinda standing behing for their music, but for this night? Competent, fearless and fluid. Didn’t feel that uptight. Of course being surrounded by fans did well for my mood, and what dedicated fans (“Breezeblocks” causing the overall hysteria). All in all, pretty good one this here, let’s continue those.
Alt-J at Milhões de Festa’s Stage. TRIANGLECEPTION.
With Black Bombaim/Gnod. Now this one got some complains – “Hey, nice band rehearsal you guys”, “Did you like that one-hour jam back there?“ – but as for myself? Really enjoyed it. Probably one of the reasons for this disapproval was the expectation to hear Black Bombaim’s songs, but people should really considerate the ”/Gnod” part of the title (third concert this MdF, all of them pretty dissimilar). I for once wasn’t expecting such thing. But also wasn’t expecting this amount of noise. Just pure dirt, filthy. Enormous and loud orchestra of electrified instruments these fellas managed to keep for a full hour. And wasn’t it boring for all that time? Well, it seems it wasn’t! First great discharge of the night, at the right time, right place. Let’s keep it this way, shall we?
The “Gnod” in Black Gnod.
Yes, we shall, with Red Fang. Here’s your metal for the day. Only that these sludge kings aren’t a just-for-metalheads band, but a band anybody should put ears to listen. How’s that so? Maybe because their music just kicks ass, plain and simple riff-addictive. Maybe because you can tell those guys aren’t posing, they really look what they are: couple of manly bearbed buddys who enjoy some beer, weed and rock ‘n’roll – who would say they’re from the hipster shrine Portland, Oregon (xoxo you lovely people)? Maybe because people were somewhat saving themselves for this riot, unlike the laziness of last year’s day 3. Maybe because my head said yes several times (by headbanging). Maybe because it’s Milhões de Festa. And maybe, just maybe, one of this year’s edition greatest concerts.
Red Fang.
Crowdsurf of the day.
What is no “maybe” is the concert The Discotexas Band gave right after. On stage, basically every soul and more from the Discotexas recording label who already gave us some sample of their music in the day before (being Moullinex, Xinobi & Da Chick), and what is the outcome? Shit, a pretty elaborate damn funk. I mean exploding, groovy, dancing-obligatory. Great musicians (the usual drum set, bass & guitar with the help of the DJs), all in perfect synch just for ms. Da Chick to arrive and start going mad, and jumpy, and energetics, and just what this music was asking from a MC. Now the only complain about the concert, and in particular about Da Chick: why, just why the fuck do you speak Portuguese in between songs to the audience, being you Portuguese and us Portuguese (the large majority at least) as well? I can only think this is your way to maintain the Da Chick act and all, but for some people this just cuts the vibe, or even if other people are ok with it, they’ll just ignore all those “yeah, bitches” and “Da Chick is in da house”. But hey, you know what, I’m not even the right person to tell you that (at least right here, in this portuguese-based english webzine called after a Portuguese n-HEY, great concert you guys, did sweat a lot. Loved the Michael Sembello’s cover “Maniac”. See you another time.
The Discotexas Band.
But wait, no bizarre concerts for today? Wrong! I present to you, ladies and gentlemen, Shangaan Electro. Here’s the situation: one big guy dealing with all the music in his DJ cabin, except for the part where two ladies sing as well. As for the music, that’s all. But wait, there’s more! Dancing! With those two ladies plus two other guys who I swear they’re elastic. African dancing school right there. Imagine all this with some fast, fast, fast african music and tribal costumes. It’s lovely! And if there were some lost soul who wouldn’t move feet in the previous concert, in here it was impossible. Much due to a circle pit formed by some jackasses, in which no mosh was performed, just a merry go round for some swag masters to show all their (failed) dancing skills in the center of the circle. No, I wasn’t covenant with the dancing in the middle thing. But I sure helped it to achieve a huge hole in the crowd, and in the dancers heart as well since people stopped paying attention to them. What a same. And what a finish for Milhões de Festa 2012. Mssng #3, 4, 5, the heck with it, mssng 4ever MdF. See you all next year.
“I’m the king of the world!”/“And my heaaaaart will go ooooonnnnnnnnnnn”/insert Titanic joke
Oh I almost forgot! Zombies for Money did an exciting afterhours with their crawling beats and fucked up electronic. Way to go, zombie peeps. And here’s how I achieved ending the review being no pussy maudlin. Always a pleasure, Barcelos.
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Photos by SMF
bernardo@bolachas.org