Street Art + Jazz Sinfônica

When people ask me about São Paulo, I usually reply saying that it is a “more than it meets the eye” city. Even though the city center offers its own architectural beauty, I wouldn’t call it a reference for tourists. However, when it comes to the cultural offering, or having initiatives for leisure time, São Paulo truly is an amazing city, which not only provides you with a wide variety of choices, but also choices for whatever time of the day you chose. This past weekend I took Saturday’s afternoon (again) to walk around the city center and visit a new Street Art exhibition, and Sunday morning to visit, for the first time, the magnificent “Sala São Paulo” and enjoy a concert from the Jazz Sinfônica orchestra of São Paulo.

Street Art - Um Panorama Urbano

Contrary to what I expected, the Street Art exhibition is not by itself a reason to go to the Centro Cultural. However, if you’re in the zone and you have 15/20 minutes to spend, it still is worth seeing. Even though it advertises more than 5 artists in the flyer, you hardly get to see more than 2 works from each of them. 

For me, Banksy and Vhils (hometown street artist from Portugal) were clearly the most appealing names, but taking into account the high hopes I had, I got a bit disappointed. I was kind of expecting something like a small tour throughout the past years of each of the artists but instead I only got a very small flavour and generic presentation over what they have been doing in the Street Art scene. I was particularly drawn into the the works from Jef Aerosol, a French pioneer from the eighties who is known for his portraits of celebrities and, as always, the painting from Nunca, one of the most stylish graffiti artists in Brazil. Also from Portugal we had “Mais Menos” with a pretty strong political and critical stand in the works displayed.

 

 

 

The entrance is free, and it will take you no more than 20 minutes to go through the entire exhibition, so if you’re close to Praça da Sé go check it out.

Jazz Sinfônica – Concertos Matinais

Knowing that I like classical music and jazz, early in the week my girlfriend asked me if I was up to a concert Sunday morning, in “Sala São Paulo” from the Jazz Sinfônica Orchestra. Immediate question - “how much will it cost us?” -  and immediate answer - “It’s free, but limited entrance”. Allowing the general public to visit one of the best concert halls (if not the best) in the Latin America, and giving them the chance to experience a truly unique concert from a great orchestra without having to spend a single coin, is something worth valuing, so here goes my big up for whoever was the responsible for this initiative.

The concert hall by itself is worth the visit. The way is mixes the classical and historical feeling with some more modern elements in its architecture and design is simply remarkable. It is not in vain that the “Sala São Paulo” always comes as a top 3 must-see locations in any São Paulo tourist guide.

The show lasts a little bit more than an hour and it presents several Brazilian composers. It was the first time I saw an orchestra of this type, and I loved it. I’ve been to some classical music concerts, but adding the drums and some other jazzy essential elements gave it a whole new flavor. The The maestro explained and contextualized each of the seven “acts” that were played, and was able to make a very good connection with the public from the beginning until the end.
In the end, the concert earned a huge standing ovation, and for sure I will dig more about this Jazz Sinfônica orchestra and its endeavors.

Noite de Improviso + Il Trovatore

How good is it to experience different live shows and performances? Past week I had my first night of live improvisation comedy and went to my first opera ever.

Noite de Improviso @ Comedians

If you have been looking for a good live improv show, this is it! 3 guys on stage and 1 invited guest will assure that you laugh until you can’t take it no more. During approximately 1 hour and a half these guys will present you to several improv group techniques (some of them really impressive, requiring a very sharp memory), making the show really interactive with the crowd. As far as I’m concerned, maybe too interactive!!! No, it really is fine, but damn, from a crowd of two hundred people I was one the chosen targets! Basically I got to watch a guy performing Daniel Simoes as business consultant in the funniest situations picked out from the crowd ideas.

The venue – Comedians – is really impressive in the inside. You sit all around the stage in small 4 person tables, you can order different types of drinks and the food menu is really OK (mainly based on appetizers and small portions). The entrance is R$ 40 and the show will be on every Wednesday night at 9pm. Totally worth it!

Il Trovatore @ Theatro Municipal de São Paulo

I have wanted to go to an Opera since my sister got in the Conservatorio Nacional in Portugal. No better time than the season’s opening opera at Theatro Municipal. Il Trovatore is a famous four acts opera which premiered back in 1853 in Rome. It truly is a different experience. The acting and the music are both so powerful and intense that you are easily sucked into the story, even if you have a hard time understanding every piece of it. The Municipal Symphonic Orchestra of São Paulo is simply amazing, and even though it plays below the stage, it earned a round of applause as if they were as important as any of the main characters.

The Theatro Municipal of São Paulo, located in the city center, is a beautiful and historic place which definitely deserves a visit. For R$ 40 I got a decent seat (not sure if me and my girlfriend sat where we were supposed to though), and experienced some unique and truly astounding moments. Il Trovatore will be on until the 22^nd of March during different days of the week. An experience that I will repeat for sure!

Ratos de Porão + Dead Fish (09/03/2014)

Yesterday I got to take part in a historic moment of the Brazilian Punk-Hardcore scene. Still being alive and still playing on the road after 33 years of existence is an accomplishment that few bands have in their repertoire. Ratos de Porão recorded their first album in 1984, and this year they are celebrating its 30^th anniversary. To commemorate, the band put up two shows, bringing back the original line-up that recorded “Crucificados pelo Sistema”.

I got to the venue right before Dead Fish started playing. This band dates back to the early nineties, and coincidently this year they are also celebrating the 10^th anniversary of one of their most well succeed albums – “Zero e Um”. I am not the biggest fan when it comes to punk-rock or melodic hardcore, but I gotta give it to these guys, this was a pretty damn good show. The vocalist was unstoppable during the entire show, and the drummer really is nothing short than amazing. The band played the album from the beginning to the end, making the crowd go insane. A crowd with a lot of young blood that was able to boost the band with their sing-along and unstoppable moshpits. It was a great opening for Ratos, which surprised me at all levels. The only negative point to mention was the sickening teenagers and posers taking selfies with their iPhones during the entire show. Or maybe it is just me getting old and grumpy.

Now to Ratos! Back in February 2013, I had just arrived in Brazil when I got to see Ratos for the first time playing at home(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6oKHkJm_yQ). That was simply an amazing and brutal show, which even surpassed the one I’ve seen from them 7 or 8 years ago in Portugal. I knew this wasn’t going to be the best show I would see from them, but it was also not supposed to! This was supposed to be an historic and fun show. And it was!! Jão, the current guitarist went to the Drums, Mingau came back from the dead (1984), left the bass with Ultraje a Rigor and took the guitar for the night, Jabá also returned and took the bass and João Gordo assumed his front-man position. As expected, the setlist covered “Crucificados pelo Sistema” but it also included some other early 80’s classics that you hardly get to see at any Ratos show. Hell yeah, old school style!!!! I missed those usual classic punks and more of those die-hard Ratos fans in the crowd, but still, the moshpit was insane - old school pogo, no fancy dancing, beer and sweat in the air, and memorable singalongs. Given the songs played, the setlist hardly had any song with more than 2 minutes which allowed the crowd to keep the energy during the entire show. A Ratos show is simply CHAOTIC, and you got to love that! After one encore and several Ratos chants from the crowd, it was time to go home.

In the end, everybody left the place smiling. It was a different show from Ratos, a show in which you could see the guys having fun going back in time. I take my hat off to Ratos de Porão, not only as Brazilian classic band, but as an international classic band! Oh, and from what I heard, a new album is coming! “RATOS! RATOS! RATOS!”

MAC show!

Hip Hop straight from the south side! Tonight!

C.C.M.

Tribute to one of the oldest bands that is still around!! I'm looking forward for a night of classics!

DESTRUCTION PARTYYY!

You know what to expect when Mr. Miyagi is on stage! Beer in the air and skates rollin' over your heads!

DESTRUCTION PARTYYY!!!!

"Fado - História de um Povo"

“Fado – História de um Povo” is a musical by Filipe La Feria now playing in the “Casino do Estoril”. The play tells us the story of Fado from its very beginning in the 19th century until its biggest modern symbol in Portugal – Amalia Rodrigues. The musical is organized in a way that allows you to understand the several influences that Fado had until it became what it is today. Throughout the show several tributes to Fado singers are made but unfortunately many of them I couldn’t recognize. Still, there were also several names that I knew – Maria Severa, Alfredo Marceneiro, Ary dos Santos, Carlos do Carmo and of course Amália Rodrigues.
The cast is superb and the dynamic of the show is simply amazing. There’s always so much going on in the show with the artists on stage, people coming from below the stage, or even dancers descending from the ceiling right on top of our heads. The scenarios, costumes and all the accessories used are also brilliantly created.

I would recommend this musical to every Fado lover, and for those who are not big fans of the genre, it’s a very good way to get some knowledge on the music that represents the roots of the Portuguese people.

Summer's Main Event - TODAY!!!!

Friends, beach, party and good shows! You can't miss this one!

New blood on the scene!

The first band – Cold Blooded – 4 friends that got together to bring something really fresh to the scene. They kind of have some different influences from what we’re used to hear in Portuguese bands, and for me that’s definitely a plus! Don’t miss out their first demo!

MYSPACE

The second band – Shape – was brought to life in 2009 but only now they’re putting out their first demo. From what I got to hear in their myspace it sounds pretty good. I’m really looking forward to see their energy live. My friends from Black Rain are going to release their tape in the next days! Another one that you shouldn’t miss!

MYSPACE

Finally, if you want to see both bands live, here’s your chance! This Saturday they’ll be playing in Cacilhas along with 3 other terrific bands! Once again, feeling pumped!!

John Dyer Baizley

Its guys like these that remind that I have a blog to post some stuff that I find interesting. This time it was the lead singer from Baroness that really got my attention with his artworks. I knew some of his illustrations from Kylesa and Baroness, which by the way were pretty awesome, but I had no idea of how good this guy was. I dug some information on him, and I was amazed at the number of projects with which he has already been involved. Besides the already mentioned Kylesa and Baroness, Baizley has already contributed with some sick artwork for bands like Pig Destroyer, Darkest Hour, Kvelertak or Vitamin X.
I’ll leave you with some examples of his artwork but don’t hesitate to look the internet for some more. It’s really worth it.

Juicy Records

"Juicy Records begins to leave its mark in 2010. Not to reinvent, nor to divide in worthless categories of genres and aesthetics, but to serve as a platform for projects that transport contents through music. Music with content is music that transmits something. Values, messages, emotions, stories…all of these have been brought to us over many years by music, and now it’s time to gather some friends and give something back."

"Some people have asked me why am I doing this, why drag my money, my time and my energies on something that can be a total failure just by looking at the state of things nowadays…my answer: I’m just doing me, I’m just following an old dream and creating something to share with everyone. All my life I have been inspired by music. Not only by the bands playing on stage, their words, but also by the people standing on the backstages, working hard to make things happen. I have been on both sides, but most of the time I am just a kid in front of a stage waiting for that burst of sound that makes me feel alive…to all those kids, I bring JUICY RECORDS to life. It’s kinda my way to say thank-you to hardcore and music in general. It was all a dream…but maybe it is finally coming true."

A great DIY initiative by my friend Ema (Walkthewalk). I truly admire people like him, that are not afraid of taking the risk and throw themselves to a project that fulfils their dreams. Go check the website and support the most you can!

Juicy Records Website

New stuff that is worth checking!

I wasn't aware of American VI until I read a small review here. It's always worth listening music coming from Johnny Cash, but the most amazing thing is that the album came out in February 2010 and Cash died almost 7 years ago.

Well, it's not really the most innovative thing from Mindset, but still this "Time & Pressure" has the straight edge feeling that I like. You can expect fast songs always with a message behind the lyrics.

New York legends are back! Quite a surprise this one. "Death to Tyrants" wasn't really my thing, but this new album sure surpasses its predecessor. I'll probably write a small review on the album for my other blog.

We know that when the Wu-Tang boys get together to put something out usually the result is good. "Wu-Massacre" isn't genious but it sure offers around 30 minutes of entertaining and solid Wu-Tang rap!

Regarding this one, it's probably the best album I've heard so far this year. Unfortunately, they lost a bit of the Motorhead touch, but still they pulled out an amazing set of 10 songs. My friend Gonçalo will probably write a review on this album pretty soon.