The Mar\u00e9s Vivas TMN fest was celebrating this year its 10\u00ba edition so the organization decided to have 4 days of \u201cparty\u201d instead of the usual 3. For those of you who don\u2019t know this Portuguese festival and are too lazy to see my other poor reviews here\u2019s what you need to know: this summer fest happens in the north of Portugal, in the other side of the Douro River, in a city called Gaia. It\u2019s one of the biggest and cheapest festivals in Portugal if not the Cheaper (4 day ticket costing between 50\u20ac and 60\u20ac).This festival always hosts a great variety of musical styles: Indie rock, Punk, Goth rock, pop, garage rock, funk, soul and Portuguese music as well. They\u2019re also known for bringing top bands from the 80\u2019s and 90\u2019s which ultimately joins groups of all ages.<\/p>\n
Day 1
\nThe Sounds
\nThe Swedish rockers entered on stage on time, but unfortunately had some technical difficulties in the first songs (probably something to do with the microphone or the amps);later on Felix’s Guitar failed in \u201cSomething to die for\u201d, anyway the sound improved eventually. Surprisingly this was not the first time they\u2019ve been in Portugal, but you could see that most of the public was listening to them for the first time. They reminded me a little bit of Blondie and to be honest l couldn\u2019t found anything in their music that hasn\u2019t been done before. Their performance was calmer than what I had expected and even when she said \u201cIt\u2019s time to wake up\u201d she didn\u2019t seem to change the course the gig was taking. <\/p>\n
Wolfmother
\nAfter this concert I\u2019m sure the Australian rockers won a considerable number of Portuguese fans; The band has many influences from the rock movement of the 70\u2019s, this guys knew how to take the best of these retro vibes and shaped it into a more modern rock.
\nThey gave a pretty strong and heavy show; the most expected songs of the band were \u201cNew Moon Rising\u201d and \u201cWoman\u201d and they were not afraid to play them at the very beginning. In \u201cWhite Unicorn\u201d the band played a snippet of Another Brick in the Wall by Pink Floyd and everybody started to sing. One funny moment was when keyboardist Ian Peres started to played a little bit of Bach\u2019s Toccata and Fugeu in D minor (i\u2019m sure you all are familiar with. Armed with many improvisations like guitar solos and many other instruments such as maracas, harmonica and tambourine they certainly stood out from other bands that night. <\/p>\n
Franz Ferdinand
\nThe headliners of this day knew very well what they were preparing for the Portuguese public: they kept bombarding us with their most popular songs from their first two albums from the beginning till the end so the fans couldn\u2019t take a breath. Sadly I found that there was little communication between the band and the fans, so I think they could have worked better in this aspect. After the first couple of songs Alex Kapranos took a chance to present two new songs \u201cRight Thoughts\u201d and \u201cScarlet Blue\u201d from their upcoming album, which were well received.<\/p>\n
Setlist:
\n1.\tDo you want to?
\n2.\tNo you girls
\n3.\tRight Thoughts
\n4.\tWalk away
\n5.\tScarlet & Blue **not intro**
\n6.\tJacqueline
\n7.\tMatinee
\n8.\tThe Universe Expanded
\n9.\tWTICSFIFL
\n10.\tTake me out
\n11.\tUlysses
\n12.\t40\u2019
\n13.\tThis Fire
\n14.\tFallen
\n15.\tMichael
\n16.\tOutsiders<\/p>\n
Day 2<\/p>\n
Since very few people knew this old school Hard rock\/Glam band, Mark Rankin (vocals) tried to speak in Portuguese to gain the sympathy of the public, but they served only to warmed up the scenery while most people waited for The Cult. They played songs like ”Don\u2019t Say It’s Over” performed two songs from the new album, ”Break the Silence” and ”Butcher Man”. I think these new songs do not bring anything new to the band (maybe some changes in his voice), there is however a musical evolution to a rock a little more contemporary but somewhat generic. They left for the end the famous ”Steal your fire” and the cover of Cameo ”Word Up” were undoubtedly the songs had more membership.<\/p>\n
The Cult
\nThe last time The Cult came to Portugal in 2010 their performance was not the best Portuguese fans would wanted to see considering the show was a little bit too calm and smooth lacking some strength and perhaps more interaction with the audience. This time there were some changes: Ian was more talkative and dynamic on stage. The ”Old Tigers” (as they called themselves) entered on stage with a small delay, pouring incense in an attempt to create more of a goth-rock atmosphere. On the other side, some things didn\u2019t change: like the tambourine that followed him in most of the songs and the sun glasses that he only took out at the end of the show. Ian also took the opportunity to dedicate a song to Garbage\u2019s \u201cvery sexy lady\u201d Shirley Manson and praised too Gaia\u2019s river view funnily mistaking it by some kind of Sea Port where he thought Portuguese ships sailed to America.
\nTheir repertoire was more dynamic and balanced, starting with some of their greatest hits: Lil\u2019 Devil and Rain but presenting a few tracks from their last album such as \u201cChoice of Weapon\u201d, \u201cLucifer\u201d, \u201cWolf\u201d and \u201cFor the Animals\u201d. I think this mixture of old and new songs gave the show more stamina and less monotony.<\/p>\n
Setlist:
\n1.\tLil\u2019 Devil
\n2.\tHoney from a Knife
\n3.\tRain
\n4.\tLucifer
\n5.\tThe Phoenix
\n6.\tFire Woman
\n7.\tThe Wolf
\n8.\tWild Flower
\n9.\tRise
\n10.\tFor the Animals
\n11.\tShe Sells Sanctuary
\n12.\tLove Removal Machine<\/p>\n
Garbage
\nWell, first I have to say that I\u2019ve read some sensationalist reviews from Garbage\u2019s concerts claiming how ”aggressive Shirley\u2019s temper was on stage and how this eventually distracted and deteriorated her performance and the band”. So hear me out, it\u2019s true that Shirley entered on stage a little bit \u201cfeisty\u201d threatening that any misbehavior from the fans that usually throws sh** up the stage or start kicking and pushing people around will not be successful during the show because she would not tolerate that kind of behavior, of course this was all embellished by phrases like \u201cI\u2019ll tell security guards to f*ck him up\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m on my period, I could eat meat\u201d, but I think this was intended to be funny and humorous and this kind \u201cbad ass\u201d attitude makes part of the whole act and it doesn\u2019t really mean that she\u2019s a crazy b*tch waiting on stage for anyone to f*ck up so she can\u2019t beat the sh** out of that person, she simply doesn\u2019t like concert bullies. Nevertheless she fell in love with the city of Porto especially the architecture because it reminded her of San Francisco and she kept in touch with the audience during the whole show always throwing compliments to their Portuguese fans. Nearing the end Shirley took the opportunity to say goodbye to their Designer since he from now on was going to work for Sigur R\u00f3s.
\nIn terms of the repertoire they played all their greatest hits: beginning with \u201cI Think I\u2019m Paranoid\u201d, \u201cQueer\u201d and \u201cStupid Girl\u201d they choose to Play more of their first albums without forgetting their recently release album, with highlights for \u201cBlood for Poppies\u201d. They left the most acclaimed songs for the end: \u201cPush it\u201d and \u201cOnly Happy when it Rains\u201d it was a nice trip to the 90\u2019s<\/p>\n
Setlist:
\n1.\tAutomatic Systematic Habit
\n2.\tI Think I\u2019m Paranoid
\n3.\tShut your Mouth
\n4.\tQueer
\n5.\tStupid Girl
\n6.\tWhy do you love me
\n7.\tControl
\n8.\tCherry Lips (Go Baby Go)
\n9.\tBlood for Poppies
\n10.\tSpecial
\n11.\tYou Look so Fine (snippet; audience request)
\n12.\t#1 Crush
\n13.\tBig Bright World
\n14.\tSugar (snippet, audience request)
\n15.\tPush it
\n16.\tVow
\n17.\tOnly Happy when it Rains<\/p>\n
Kaiser Chiefs
\nThe night belonged to them, with almost a full enclosure and for the sake of the good times they had their last time in Portugal they gave their best delighting the fans with songs such as \u201cEvery day i love you less and less\u201d, \u201cNa na na na na\u201d, \u201cI predict a Riot\u201d and \u201cRuby\u201d everyone jumped and sang along almost in all of their songs, it was impossible not to move to the sound of their sticky pop\/rock style.<\/p>\n
Setlist:
\n1.\tNever miss a beat
\n2.\tEverything is average nowadays
\n3.\tKinda girl you are
\n4.\tOn the run
\n5.\tGood days and bad days
\n6.\tPut me on the cover of your magazine (Parva cover)
\n7.\tNa na na na na
\n8.\tEveryday i love you less and less
\n9.\tI predict a riot
\n10.\tLittle shocks
\n11.\tModern way
\n12.\tListen to your head
\n13.\tRuby
\n14.\tThe angry mob
\n15.\tTake my temperature<\/p>\n
Encore:
\n16.\tHeat dies down
\n17.\tLove\u2019s not a competition (but i\u2019m winning)
\n18.\tOh my god<\/p>\n
Day 3<\/p>\n
Ebony Bones
\nThe British singer came up on stage with a handful of musicians including two female drummers and as if that were not enough two more performers with masks in the shape of head horses playing what it looked like war drums. The very appearance of the singer with her funky hairstyle and the variety of flashy costumes she wore throughout the concert gave the show a certain visual spectacle of theatrical character. Most of the people watching the show didn\u2019t knew who she was, although she\u2019s quite popular in London and France for example; Portuguese festival-goers enjoyed the concert in a more curious way.
\nShe played a Depeche Mode song \u201cEnjoy the silence\u201d winning the audience and in the end she played \u201cWe know all about you\u201d which depicts an orwellian society (condition that George Orwell identified as being destructive to the welfare of a free society).<\/p>\n
Billy Idol
\nBilly old Billy made me feel like it was the first time I was watching a rock concert (and perhaps It was!) and I could not stop thinking, if this was a hell of a show how it would have been 30 years ago. Though calmer on stage, remains the sex symbol he was in the eighties, gaining the attention of the female audience every time he lifted his shirt proving time treated him well after all this years. He still has that sensual way of singing towards the public and great chemistry with the fans. In the other hand we also had an incredible group of musicians especially Steve Stevens who is truly a guitar virtuoso; everyone was amazed by his extremely fast riffs using rhythms inspired by Spanish guitars; during the show Steve entertained the audience with some solos while the other elements of the group took a little break with. (So did the drummer and keyboardist). Summarizing they had a good repertoire with classics well distributed throughout the show leaving the best of them for the end like \u201cRebel Yell\u201d and \u201cWhite Wedding\u201d (which was played acoustic at the beginning). In ”Sweet Sixteen” Billy told the story of how he wrote the song was inspired by Edward Leedskalnin, engaged to be married to 16-year-old and moved to the United States spending 23 years with constructing the Coral Castle without outside help. Later on the band played a cover of the Doors ”L.A. Woman\u201d changing it to \u201cPortugal Woman\u201d (if women were already in frenzy imagine now).Towards the end of the concert he thanked the staff and the public ”For making my life so fucking great” and after \u201cMony Mony\u201d, for many the night was over.<\/p>\n
Setlist:
\n1.\tReady Steady Go
\n2.\tDancing with myself
\n3.\t(Do Not) Stand in the Shadows
\n4.\tPostcards from the past
\n5.\tFlesh for Fantasy
\n6.\tSweet Sixteen
\n7.\tEyes without a face
\n8.\tKings and Queens of the underground
\n9.\tHeavens inside
\n10.\tL.A. Woman
\n11.\tSteve Stevens acoustic guitar solo
\n12.\tKing Rocker (generation x song)
\n13.\tLove like Fire
\n14.\tRebel
\n15.\tBlue Highway
\n16.\tRebel Yell
\nEncore:
\n17.\tWhite Wedding
\n18.\tMony Mony (Tommy James & The Shondells Cover)<\/p>\n
Gogol Bordello
\nIt was time to dance to the sound of Gogol Bordello; everyone jumped and clapped to death or until it was over. It was well known the personal energy the band puts on their performances, especially Eugene H\u00fctz and Pedro Erazo who were always running, screaming, climbing, dancing and jumping frantically on stage from one side to another so I\u2019m sure no fans went home disappointed(perhaps only with broken feet!). Gogol played all their best hits and as expected people went crazy in \u201cMy Companjera\u201d \u201cPala Tute\u201d and \u201cStart wearing Purple\u201d.The concert lasted until quite late, but the fans resisted fatigue and most of them stayed until the end. <\/p>\n
Setlist:
\n1.\tIntro
\n2.\tUltimate
\n3.\tImmigrant Punl
\n4.\tNot a Crime
\n5.\tMy Companjera
\n6.\tSally
\n7.\tImmigraniada (we are comin\u2019 rougher)
\n8.\tWonderlust King
\n9.\tTrans-continental Hustle
\n10.\tWhen Universes Collide
\n11.\tBreak the Spell
\n12.\tTribal Connection
\n13.\tPala Tute
\n14.\tThink Locally, Fuck Globally
\n15.\tStart Wearing Purple<\/p>\n
Encore:
\n16.\tJam Jelem
\n17.\tSanta Marinella
\n18.\tHarem in Tuscany
\n19.\tAlcohol<\/p>\n
The Hives
\nI was expecting a rock show, but I sure as hell I wasn\u2019t expecting this. I love when a band surprises me and exceeds my expectations and after reading with some skepticism that this was \u201cone of the best rock bands in the present time\u201d I can now confirm it. Maybe its because they seem to really love what they\u2019re playing (or because Howlin\u2019 Pelle is crazy) but you can see they love to play live; and, more importantly, they make sure that no one EVER forgets what a Hives show is like (I know I will not). Every gig has something different that makes it unique, and they certainly appear to be pros at crafting just that. They have a huge ease transmitting their frantic adrenaline to the fans and the power to liberate the most inhibited audiences unleashing that rock spirit that I thought lost in the 60\u2019s\/70\u2019s.
\nFirst they entered the stage looking like XIX century dandies dressed in tail coats and started communicating with the audience; I have to say, Pelle is the chattiest person I\u2019ve ever seen on stage. Always making funny comments and making the audience clap, jump, and sit to his command. (Just like the puppeteer image they had on stage). one of the funniest moments of the night was when Pelle noticed some fan with a sign that said something like \u201cPlease let me play the bass part in \u201cHate to say I told you so\u201d pls pls pls\u201d; so Pelle asked the boy to climb up the stage granting him his wish by saying \u201cDon\u2019t fuck this up\u201d in the end Pelle asked his name and that\u2019s how Miguel will tell this story to his grandsons one day. Another funny moment was at the end of the show when he asked people to sit down (in Portuguese) saying if people didn\u2019t sit down then Anastacia wouldn\u2019t play so you can picture a massive wave of people quickly standing up and laughing. It was a joyful experience and I think any rock lover should have the opportunity to see a band of this caliber.
\nSetlist:
\n1.\tCome on!
\n2.\tTry it again
\n3.\tTake back the Toys
\n4.\t1000 Answers
\n5.\tMain Offender
\n6.\tWalk Idiot Walk
\n7.\tMy Time is coming
\n8.\tNo Pun Intended
\n9.\tWait a Minute
\n10.\tThese Spectacles Reveal the Nostalgic
\n11.\tI want more
\n12.\tDie, all right!
\n13.\tCivilization\u2019s dying
\n14.\tWon\u2019t be long
\n15.\tTick Tick Boom
\nEncore:
\n16.\tGo right ahead
\n17.\tHate to say I told you so
\n18.\tPatrolling Days <\/p>\n
Anastacia
\nHonestly, I hate to say it but this was the least exciting concert of the night. I thought her shows were more energetic, I was waiting to see dancers and choreographies but instead we got too many spiritless songs. I think most of us were expecting to see more of the funky side of \u201cOut of love\u201d and \u201cNot that Kind\u201d. At one moment the microphone failed, but she seemed like an easy-going woman and made jokes like \u201cAt least now you know that I\u2019m singing\u201d; later on someone from the public threw him one of those pageant sash and started to talk like the brainless blondes that pray for world peace, it was funny I\u2019ll give her that. She played a cover from Jay-Z \u201cEmpire state of mind\u201d and a song she sang with Eros Ramazzotti \u201cI Belong to you\u201d where the chorister Maria who is Italian sang his part.<\/p>\n
Setlist:<\/p>\n
1.\tWhy\u2019d you lie to me?
\n2.\tSick and tired
\n3.\tCowboys and kisses
\n4.\tWelcome to my truth
\n5.\tDeeper love
\n6.\tNot that kind
\n7.\tPieces of a dream
\n8.\tI belong to you (il ritmo della passione)
\n9.\tEmpire state of mind
\n10.\tPaid my dues
\n11.\tOne day in your life
\n12.\tLeft outside alone
\nEncore:
\n13.\tI\u2019m outta love<\/p>\n
Summarizing this edition has fulfilled expectations in terms of quality and the variety of musical styles they brought,this was reflected by the number of people who attended the festival during these 4 days (about 95,000); the concerts ran smoothly, without major delays or serious technical problems.Hopefully the Organization continues to exceed expectations of the Portuguese people and continue to invest in diversity and affordability that have become so popular on the national scene.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Mar\u00e9s Vivas TMN fest was celebrating this year its 10\u00ba edition so the organization decided to have 4 days of \u201cparty\u201d instead of the usual 3. For those of you who don\u2019t know this Portuguese festival and are too lazy to see my other poor reviews here\u2019s what you need to know: this summer […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":128,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1861","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-concert_reviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.livestagemusic.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1861","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.livestagemusic.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.livestagemusic.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.livestagemusic.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/128"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.livestagemusic.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1861"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.livestagemusic.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1861\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.livestagemusic.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1861"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.livestagemusic.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1861"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.livestagemusic.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1861"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}