Vagos Open Air 2013 – Tarantula

Keeping up the arachnid theme, Web were followed by the veteran Portuguese Heavy Metal band, Tarantula. One of the first heavy metal bands in Portugal, Tarantula, fronted by Jorge Marques, provided a powerhouse performance. //embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js Setlist: Spiral of Fear, Afterlife, Dark Age, The Nature of Sin, You Can Always Touch the Sky, Changes Coming, Face the Mirror

Vagos Open Air 2013 – Web

Day two of Vagos Open Air kicked off in style with the Portuguese Thrash Metal band Web. //embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js Setlist: Life Aggression, Mortal Soul, Awake, (In)Sanity, Beautiful Obsession, If Only There Was Light

Vagos Open Air 2013

Yesterday was the first day of the Metal festival Vagos Open Air where we covered Secret Lie, Bizarra Locomotiva, Moonsorrow and Evergreen. Today is Web, Tarantula, Rotting Christ, Iced earth, Gamma Ray and Testament. It promises to be a rocking day, and a big thank you to the organisers for a fabulous event. The atmosphere

Vagos Open Air 2013 – Secret Lie

This weekend (09-10 August), Vagos hosted the annual Metal Festival, Vagos Open Air. With a strong line up, as ever, the festival opened with the Portuguese band Secret Lie and their special guest, Tó Pica of the Portuguese heavy metal legends R.A.M.P.. Including adaptations from Vivaldi, and a sneak preview of a song from their

Vagos Open Air 2013 – Bizarra Locomotiva

The second band of the first day at Vagos Open Air were Bizarra Locomotiva, an industrial metal band from Portugal. Fronted by vocalist Rui Sidónio, and accompanied by Miguel Fonseca on guitar, Alpha on keyboards and Rui Berton on drums, Bizarra Locomotiva took the festival to a whole new level. //embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js Set List: A Procissão

Vagos Open Air 2013 – Moonsorrow

After Bizarra Locomotiva at Vagos Open Air came Moonsorrow, a pagan metal band from Finland. According to Wikipedia, the band ‘incorporates elements of black metal and folk metal in their sound’, and call their music “epic heathen metal”. They certainly got the approval of the crowd, and gave a rousing performance. We even saw some

Vagos Open Air 2013 – Evergrey

Keeping up the Scandanavian influence, Moonsorrow were followed by the Swedish progressive metal band, Evergrey. With an epic 14 song setlist, Evergrey haunted the audiencee. Sadly, I had to leave before the end of Evergrey’s performance, so missed the last few tracks, and also the bands Sonata Arctica and Lacuna Coil. //embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js Setlist: When the

Let the festivities begin…

Starting in late April or early May the village festivals take place across Portugal. Associated with local saints, the festivals are an opportunity to eat, drink, and generally be merry. Nowadays, the evenings are given over to bands who tour the country, playing a mixture of traditional Portuguese music and covers of rock songs. This

Função Publika came to Oiã

Starting in late April or early May the village festivals take place across Portugal. Associated with local saints, the festivals are an opportunity to eat, drink, and generally be merry. Nowadays, the evenings are given over to bands who tour the country, playing a mixture of traditional Portuguese music and covers of rock songs. //embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

Minta and The Brook Trout at Teatro Aveirense

The second part of the concert last Friday was from Minta and The Brook Trout. This four-piece acoustic rock band couldn’t have been more different than Samuel Úria, but the two sessions complemented each other perfectly. A Portuguese band that sings solely in English (the other group I think of like this are Fingertips), Minta

Samuel Úria at Teatro Aveirense

Last weekend we were lucky enough to be able to cover a double bill concert of Samuel Úria and Minta and The Brook Trout at Teatro Aveirense, Aveiro. These were two completely different acts, Minta playing a nostalgic acoustic rock, while Samuel was very much a poet who expresses his poetry through music. Samuel used

Samuel Úria at Teatro Aveiriense

“It’s not one, it’s two,” an original idea by ​​Fernando Alvim, represents no small thing – two concerts in one night with a difference: one of the performances will always be a risk; new blood, something fresh and vibrant that possibly a lot of people have never heard of. The other the audience will know

Minta and The Brook Trout at Teatro Aveirense

“It’s not one, it’s two,” an original idea by ​​Fernando Alvim, represents no small thing – two concerts in one night with a difference: one of the performances will always be a risk; new blood, something fresh and vibrant that possibly a lot of people have never heard of. The other the audience will know

Balla at the Teatro Aveirense

We’ve been a little quiet lately, but last weekend we went to see Balla at the Teatro Aveirense. They were really good, of course, and we were delighted to have the opportunity to be there for the concert and the sound check. Balla, fronted by Armando Teixeiro, are an excellent rock back that play just

Balla at Teatro Aveirense

The few last years have affirmed the composition and production of Armando Teixeira as the most creative and distinctive in Portuguese pop music. Started in 2000, Balla has built a vast sonic imaginary through a discography that experiments with electronic, orchestrations, Latin themes, black music and a variety of solutions in search of the Song.

Grupo Ondas in Malhapão Rico

Our first band of the new year was also our last band of 2012. After wanting the chance to cover Grupo Ondas for ages, like London buses two opportunities came along at once. This time, Grupo Ondas were in Malhapão Rico, a village not too far from Oiã, and the show was well attended, especially

Grupo Ondas in Malhapão

It was a cold Tuesday afternoon and we weren’t able to stay for the whole concert, but thanks to Grupo Ondas for an excellent afternoon. Here’s a sample from the concert: [FAG id=1818]

Grupo Ondas in Oiã

This is the first time we had the opportunity to photograph Grupo Ondas, even though they are a local band from just a few miles away. Afterwards, they were really kind with their compliments and were a fun band to photograph.

Monica Sintra, Nucha e Ana

The last concert of the Festa do Silveiro was another popular Portuguese singer, Monica Sintra. Along with Nucha and Ana, they brought a very successful village festival to a close.

Quim Barreiros at Festa do Silveiro

During September was the Festa do Silveiro. On the last day there was a concert by Quim Barreiros, perhaps one of the most popular ‘pimba’ musicians. Pimba is a relativiely modern variation of traditional Portuguese music, often with a lot of sexual innuendo (pretty much all of which goes over my head). This was the