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Milhões de Festa 2012 preview: day 1

Now it’s time to check out the bands performing on 20th July, first day of Milhões de Festa. In overall, looks like the day with the most Portuguese bands performing, but that doesn’t mean there’s not quality here with Baroness being absolute headliners, to the joy of many metalheads and others.

(For this article and the following, I’ll review the Taina Stage and the swimming-pool concerts separately, unlike both Milhões and VICE stages, since there’s no overlap and they occur continuously)

Equations © Amílcar Rodrigues

Swimming-Pool Stage

My advice: go early to the swimming pool if you feel like enjoying a swim. And I’m not saying this because of the number of people the pool will have by the peak of the afternoon, but due to a lot of fucking great partying concerts (“a lot”, they’re just four actually). Starting with Jibóia, Óscar Silva’s one-man-show project, consisting of crawling rhythms and guitar-riffs who bite, since its name means “boa constrictor” in Portuguese. Expect great reveries and crazy stuff. Ten points for Slytherin.

The next band is math-rockers Equations – oh come on, I’ve got already a bad fame for lame puns -, and expect nothing but amazing things happening right here. If you were one of the fifteen people who went to see them at the Lovers’ Stage last year you know what I’m talking about: nudity. This year, with the first record released, with an always ready-to-party swimming pool and well, even less clothes, I hate this word but it’s going to be epic. PS: there’s nothing wrong with the frontman’s voice.

ALTO! They’re next and ready to rumble. Also bringing a new album this year (critically acclaimed, nothing special) this band knows their shit and won’t have a problem playing loud and clear. Don’t judge the “Made in Barcelos” tag, it would be a perfectly good band to play at a later hour, showing that this year the swimming pool isn’t just a spot for chillin’.

Way to ruin my speech now with the last name playing here, Lovers & Lollypops Soundsystem everybody. And yes, it’s that good bad. Don’t even expect to hear the most foolish sounds from the turntables of the three big bosses of Portuguese music scene, and have a great DJ set by 5:30 pm, because it makes even more sense that in somewhere else night club by three am. Play The Smiths and Scooter, please be there, it’s not worth it.

New Kind of Mambo @Termómetro 2012 © Musicómetro

Taina Stage

First name of the stage who’s going to compete with the swimming pool is Tren Go! Soundsystem, also a one-man-show who relies exclusively in an electric guitar and pedals. It gets noisy, for sure, with a little help from a loop station. This should be interesting, it’s a similar project to Jibóia and they both start by the same time, make your choices!

Ready for a New Kind of Mambo? Time for the blues-rock to make a hearing in Milhões, in form of a duo, boy and girl, guitar and drums respectively. Yeah, recently it’s been a cliché this format of a band, but the thing is that it works. Go shake a leg with them.

Here’s the first glimpse of metal of the day, it’s Burning Man. Clearly these kids have the school of slugde, and a know-how that translates in very interesting rhythm notations. Metal fans won’t miss this, and maybe the people who already got to see Alto! before.

To enclosure this panoply of sounds that is Taina Stage, Savanna. And the word “panoply” also fits in Savanna’s music, which takes a little of progressive rock sometimes (the keyboards do the resemble), hard rock, sometimes even metal. Sure it is refreshing, and the one name that’s inexcusable for you to not check at Taina this day, even at a nice time.

BARONESS.

Main Stages

Opening the Milhões Stage we have La La La Ressonance, and what a formidable band. I guess it’s correct to call them a veteran band, since they have three albums out and their music is pretty mature when compared with most bands on the lineup. The jazz vibe is indissoluble from their sound, but for sure way more electric and straightforward

Second metal band of the day, Löbo, doom-metal from Setúbal, Portugal. What’s to expect? In first, a little help from RA, Rei Abutre, in the electronics; then, a sluggish and loud guitar persisting; and all of a sudden, the exploding moment where the tension is unleashed and shit, you’re scared as hell. It’ll be fun!

What to say about Sensible Soccers? Great name for a band, penetrating ambience as hell, without forgetting some cool bass and guitar work. Seriously, this gets astonishing. Plus: when you have two Macs, why do you need a drum set for? Chillin’. I’m absolutely sure this will work so much at Milhões. Just charge the sound a lot, please.

This is it, bearded fellas and mustached girls: Baroness. The big name of the day, and the first foreign band to play, uncanny (and I’m not considering League foreign). And all I can think about right now is… it will fuckin’ rock. Fuck subgenres, fuck cheap talk, and hopefully fuck this last album too (I haven’t heard it, but trusting other people’s words it’s a letdown).  Also fuck the “metal fan exclusively”, this is for everyone. Bring it!

The second foreign band is Holy Other, adding electronic to the mixture. I guess they go fish a little bit of R ‘n’B, reminding me trip hop at times, although nothing to do with? Witch house so it seems. It’s the kinda thing to work just right or simply making people uninterested, and to make their task even more difficult the following band is…

…Throes + The Shine! Well actually it’s not a band but two bands, Throes do rock and The Shine are a kuduro act. Glue them together and you have rockuduro, and honestly one of the most interesting projects born in Portugal in the last couple of years. How to describe it? It’s really fucking danceable, you get to feel the intensity of a rock concert and express it in some moves, like in a Buraka Som Sistema concert (reference to the readers unaware of the kuduro genre). And The Shine duo are great MCs as well, it’s so much fun. It will be, I assure you.

Throes + The Shine (batida)

To finish the night, dj sets from Meneo and Glam Slam Dance. Announcing them just like this, because by the hour they occur I won’t be very judicious, but let’s see if they surprise me.

Other bands to check: Youthless and League.

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bernardo@bolachas.org

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Milhões de Festa 2012 preview: novelties & day 0

The new logo, as this is the 5th edition of the festival.

Hard to believe a year has passed since we all last visited Barcelos, such a lovely northern town. The reason? Milhões de Festa. The mythical festival where it’s kinda hard not to fall in love with everything it offers. And it’s back this year! Happening next 19th to 22nd July in Barcelos by the riverside of the Cávado river. But there are some novelties to it.

For instance, say goodbye to the Lovers and Lollypops stage, that attempt at a beach party by the river Cávado, ruined by the Super Bock Super Rock 2011 sandstorm trauma of many festival-goers. And say hello to Taina stage, which might be… kind of like it. Ok, I can’t assure you it is occurring at the same place, but it has some similarities: everybody can attend its concerts – it’s free – and it will take place by the afternoon, as an alternative to the swimming pool concerts (don’t you worry, they’re back and better than ever). The main difference besides one we’ll talk later in this article is, and I suppose, the direction it will take this year. The website of the festival suggests you to bring the pick-nick towel and to sit and chill with your friends, instead of the rocking fest it took place last year. We’ll see.

As for the rest of the stages, they’re staying the same (oh, sorry, SWR Barroselas stage also dropped out, which is unfortunate, putting a stage by the other side of the river wasn’t the best option), remember them: Milhões stage and Vice stage, with concerts alternating between the two stages at the Ribeirinha zone (yeah, no overlaps); the swimming pool stage, one of the greatest (don’t judge its size), and also the two new ones, Patuscada and Red Bull City Gang.

This year there are concerts on the campers’ reception day, or day zero as people usually call it. And music coming from the streets, not the ones usually listened at the bars of Barcelos. Starting with the Red Bull City Gang.

Red Bull City Gang isn’t properly a stage, but many of ‘em. During the afternoon, when the campers are still arriving and putting up their tents, Barcelos will witness some cool bands rocking by the market and other traditional shops:

– The Glockenwise, shitless rockers and resident band (connotatively and denotatively speaking) will play at 4:30 pm by the Mercado Municipal de Barcelos, which means municipal market in Portuguese. It’s on Barreta Street;

– At 5:30 pm, it’s about time Käil brings down Casa Meira with their full-powered electronics. For those who’re wondering, Casa Meira is a hardware store, at Barjona de Freitas Street, number 19;

– An hour later, Aspen’s multifaceted stoner-doom rock will color Largo do Apoio’s esplanade with a Brazilian accent. It’s at Largo do Apoio, doh, which means Apoio’s Square, you can’t miss it;

– And ending this Red Bull City Gang, Cálculo! Because a Whitney wayfarer-glassed MC is a new standard for SWAG. Casa Lurdes already trembles, and that’s not very cool since it’s a clay handicraft store. Go check it for yourself at Fernão de Magalhães Street, number 26, 7:30 pm.

This is really what you need to know a priori, because Bolachas’ schedules will be gladly back, so keep in mind these. They’re also free concerts, if you haven’t guessed yet. And thank you a lot Google Maps.

Or you can also print this, if you’re really unmindful.

By the end of these you should feel your stomach asking for food, and maybe something else, so what to do? Taina Stage is the answer!

“Patuscada”/“taina” means something like foodspree in portuguese, it’s a big meal of the day where you kinda forgets manners and eat a lot, all with heavy drinking too, a big party all in all. For the menu, you’ll have codfish slices, pork sideburns, roasted chicken, grilled sardines… all this with bread, you choose. Even if you’re vegetarian (or someone who takes care of his/her health), tofu burgers and peppers are also on the menu.

As for the musical menu – and don’t forget to consult the incoming Bolachas schedule for the shows’ times – you’ll have Pedro Santos opening and closing the stage as a dj, as also some girl named ANA (Objection! It’s João Alves Marrucho, a male Porto based electronic producer) before his second turn. As for bands, The Glockenwise shall rock again, don’t worry, late people. The other two bands in charge of making music for the patuscada are Johnny Sem Dente, not-too-serious band but a serious rock ‘n’roll band, and the most attractive act of the day, GNOD.

I hope I’ll be drunk/whatever as hell for this one (easy, they’re good!), because their sound just asks for this. Heavy bass guitar loading just enough, with a somewhat danceable drummer beat, and the singer’s voice effects with electronics to go along, that’s the main course for dinner. If you ask me, it’s a perfect sound who allies the metal crowd with the typically hipster taste, so this should be great. InGnodWeTrust!

And that’s what’s the festival got to offer. But that’s not all Barcelos has to offer, oh no. And if you really want to know what’s to offer, well, just go to Milhões de Festa! Because everything’s better in Northern Portugal. Stay close for the analysis of the line-up in the next few days.

PS: Looks like there’s about to happen a MP3 Battle during the festival, you just bring your little shitty mp3 player, get yourself a pair and compete with others. I don’t know much about it besides this, but looks like something I would totally join. And what about some Homem Fino (something like “Draught Beer Man” in Portuguese) playing god knows where? And bands playing while the crowd’s waiting in line to pick their tickets and bracelets? Surprises, little charming surprises. That’s one of the beauties of Milhões.

PS2: The tickets will increase price by 13th July at 11:59 pm, so what are you waiting for?


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▼ bernardo@bolachas.org

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Baroness confirmed to play at Milhões de Festa next July 20. Mssng Barcelos.

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)
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Milhões de Festa 2011: Day Three, the review.

Kim Ki O and Mkrni were meant to play in the previous day but had to postpone their gigs, so they opened the day at the pool stage. When we arrived there, Mkrni was already playing, followed by Narwhal and Nazka. All of them provided nice background music to a game of cards that I invariably lost almost all the times, but the prize goes to the drony/psychedelic outfit Narwhal. I almost got up to go see them, but figured out that losing one more round was probably a better choice. The only band playing on the pool that day that made me get up from my towel was Pega Monstro.

Continue reading “Milhões de Festa 2011: Day Three, the review.”
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Milhões de Festa 2011: Day Two, the review

On the second day, we chose to skip the crowded pool: there was a giant entry line, which means virtually no space to lay a towel, let alone having a spot away from the sun. We took a walk in the city instead, and stumbled into The Glockenwise playing on a quiet garden near the city center, while being filmed by the Videoteca Bodyspace team.

Continue reading “Milhões de Festa 2011: Day Two, the review”