Outstanding....

...concert from Erik Truffaz 4tet yesterday at the Lux Jazz Sessions, where he presented the new album "Arkhangelsk". With Patrick Muller on piano/rhodes, Christophe Chambet on the bass and a very versatile Marc Erbetta on drums.

Video-graffiti from Australia

I just got to know Cindi Drennan as one important visual artist from Australia. In her website I found these beautiful photos from her participation in the 2006 edition of "Sculpture in the Vineyards" art meeting, where she presented her new work - Voice of Light created especially for St Michaels Catholic Church.

Cindi fuses projection, illustration and painting to enlighten - combining projected images with live light painting, she will transform and embellish the church. Imagery fuses illumination drawing on ancient medieval iconography, with contemporary theosophical nuances. St Michaels is situated in Wollombi, somewhere in the giant Australia...

Video installation in Sagres

Well, I couldn't just come back to Lisbon from my vacation is Sagres without taking out all the video gear and do something with it...

So, the last night, with a notorious shortage of money on my pocket, I decided to install a free video ambiance at the mainstream bar "Água Salgada".
The proposal was well received (of course!) and I just had guaranteed my vodkas mixed with natural apple juice for the rest of the night.

Took me about an hour to set up the thulle screens and the two beamers.
The plasma TV was to be shut off and the lighting reduced to the minimum.
I then put one of my pre-recorded DVD's with either warm colors or black/white contrast imagery, and so it went for as long as 3 hours. The so called auto-pilot enhancement.

The effect was really great, hopefully gave them some ideas to bring artistic video to the place (and not only surf videos on the plasma screen!) and the customers were happy. I got happily drunk that night :-)

Performing with D-Generation and Samanta Ray

On my way to Algarve, on vacation, I get this phone call from DJ China, a well known DJ southern Portugal, asking me if I was available to do a gig with his new project in Albufeira Town Square. "Hell yes, man, I sent you and Samanta an e-mail teasing you about this a few weeks ago!". Well, we met so that I could hear the new sounds coming up in the new CD and prepare some stuff.

A week after that I headed to Albufeira and had the chance to meet DJ Tom, who developed the project together with China, and some of their friends that came out that night to help out in the performance.
Tó Neto, one of the early portuguese electronic musicians, and his wife, as well as Samanta Ray, a beautiful australian singer/performer with a serious talent, that I met by chance one month before on myspace and to whom I sent the teasing e-mail...

The stage was mounted on the middle of the town square, the entrance was free, the place was almost packed and we had a great time.

Two nights before, by the way, DJ China invited me also to perform at Capitulo V, in Praia da Oura, which reminded me the violence of 6h long clubbing during vacations time. My mind, I must confess, was somewhere else that night!

I really liked the new D-Generation Project tracks and I am sure it will be a success among music lovers. I must get the reference to post here...

Azure Festival - Super spot, great people

The 3 days we spent in Terceira, Azores, were awesome. The weather was ok, the place of the festival was great and the organization was really fantastic (Miguel, Paulo, Bruno e Rui). When we got there we met a local girlfriend who introduced us to the whole festival people. We were at home (thanks Natacha!).

We didn't take any beamers with us, so the empty projection surface at the chill out area was to stay that way until the end of the festival. And what a shame, as the spot was unique, the music great (20h/day?) and the only thing missing was a nice visual on the surrounding forest. Well, next time...

The main stage welcomed a couple of new local bands, from rock-covers to metal originals. We only performed when the DJs took place, normally around midnight. We had a 6x4 screen next to the stage and a 5.000L beamer. If we have the chance next year, this is definetely something to upgrade (beamers location, stage design and light vs video interaction).
Great concerts to remark: the voice of Starr Faithfull, the beautiful sound of Rosa Negra (mixing Fado with ethnic rhythms), the energy of Kussondulola, the good taste of Goma and the power of Tara Perdida.
As far as the DJs are concerned, I must point out the quality of all local DJs that hanged mainly in the Chill Out zone, especially DJ Psytoon, Lino and João Luis. The lisbon trio Elektrofighterz (Dj Alif, DJ Triboli and DJ Dresh) made a show-off during the days of the festival, also swinging between stages and always putting everyone's feet to dance. Jesus del Campo music was just like his appearance - it came and went very swiftly but with a remarkable presence...

Finally, let me point out the very good company of some Kussondulola musicians, the warm water of Azores, the beautiful women with great spirit and energy, the grilled "lapas" and all crew members from the Festival, especially Soraia.
We hope to be there again next year. We made a lot of new friends, the environment is unique and the festival is really set to grow...

On Vacations and working on new projects

Just returned from Cuba, I am currently on half-vacations (a foot here, a foot there!).
Preparing the Numero-Projecta'07 Festival to take place in November
Preparing new stuff to take to the Azure Festival mid August
Preparing new AV project for September
Setting up the new studio

Allgarve - the party!

Well, this was a perfect Allgarve working-weekend. I took my windsurf board with me and had the greatest windy afternoon for a long time.
At sunset I headed to the Fábrica da Cerveja in Faro and set my rig up. The place was beautifully decorated and all I can say is that it was a real pleasure working with the Desafio Global crew and Alfasom technicians.

My projections were being beamed to a giant wall with a 18.000 L Barco. More than enough, considering the distance. Behind us was a 4x3 LED wall with wacky effects.

I started beaming my visuals together with DJ António Alves , a young dj and producer from Porto, who brought his minimal beats to the most heterogeneous public you could imagine. A really good sound.

After Jacksen came the British duo Various, a live dj/vj act that was great both musically and visually, touching sounds like trip-hop, dubstep, pop and techno, but totally out of place for such an event. I mean, a perfect duo for a dance party, not for an institutional event.
And this point was strongly pointed out when Jan-Eric Kaiser came up to the table, now together with my visuals again, starting with Sadu Adu's "Smooth Operator". Curious to see a true Techno DJ starting his set with this tune, but hey, a great way to break the ice in front of so many ties...

The Architecture and Art Exhibition is really worth while seeing (curated by the Serralves Foundation) and this was a great way to start the "Allgarve" campaign.

Check out the VIDEO

Heading back to Faro... again :-)

Fallen from the sky, a new gig.
Next saturday I will be performing at the Beer Factory in the centre of Faro. We had a chance to perform there two years ago, by the time First Face did their first event. The place is awsome, with very tall white walls at the entrance.

This event is part of a strategic planning of events throughout the country in order to promote Algarve as a tourisc destiny. This particular event will present an Art Exhibition together with the Serralves Foundation from Porto.

Line-up

Pista 1 - Dance

ANTÓNIO ALVES aka JACKZEN [Groob | PT]

Jackzen é um jovem DJ com uma carreira iniciada em 1999. Em poucos anos tem-se vindo gradualmente a afirmar como DJ, como produtor e até como editor e promotor de eventos. Como DJ começa a dar nas vistas em 2001, ano em inicia uma residência no Frágil, em parceria com o seu cumplice de sempre, Kaspar, e outra no mítico e saudoso Meia Cave, no Porto, com André Cascais, com quem viria a partilhar a cabine do Festival de Vilar de Mouros, em 2002. Desde aí, tem levado o seu talento aos melhores espaços do país, tendo passado por locais como Lux, Op-Art, Estado Liquido, Via Club, Olaria, Aniki-Bóbó, Porto-Rio, Indústria, Maus Hábitos, Bazaar, Rivoli, Passos Manuel e Triplex, entre nós, e La Paloma e La Sal em Barcelona, para além do já citado Frágil e do Trintaeum, onde actua regularmente. Como produtor, Jackzen forma dupla com Kaspar, tendo editado um tema na compilação estreia da Groovement, projecto editorial que partilha com Rui Torrinha; remisturou um original dos canadianos Moonstarr; e prepara actualmente a edição do seu maxi de estreia “THX 1138 E.P.”.

DJ JAN-ERIC KAISER [Areal |DE]

Jan-Eric Kaiser é um dos principais DJs e produtores da editora alemã Areal, fundada por Konfekt, Basteroid e Metope. Os seus dois CDs de misturas, “Bis Neun” e “Bis Neunzehn”, converteram-se numa espécie de set de culto, com enfoque no catálogo desta editora, casa de outros grandes nomes recentes da música de dança que nos chega de Colónia, como Ada ou Undo/Redo.
Kaiser vai muito para além do “coser os discos em série”, trabalhando longas misturas de batidas e cortes abruptos, com excelente sentido rítmico e reverência e entusiasmo pelos novos caminhos que o house minimal alemão tem vindo a trilhar nos últimos anos.

Pista 2 - Lounge

BEZEGOL [Matarroa | PT]

Bezegol é um dos principais impulsionadores do movimento Reggae/Rap em Portugal. Nascido e residente na cidade do Porto, apresenta-se multifacetadamente como MC, DJ, Produtor. Foi fundador da Red Towers Clan, a produtora dos eventos “Dope Sessions” (que remontam a 2001) e que contam com convidados especiais como J-Live, Wordsworth, IC3, Harry Love, Plus One (Scratch Preverts), Mr Thing, Skitz, entre outros. Estas sessões estiveram intimamente ligadas ao crescimento da editora Matarroa, e têm servido de plataforma de divulgação aos projectos da mesma.
Bezegol tem sido também responsável por outros projectos: Funkativity e Funkativiteam com Leonor Galvão, Dope Device MC's e Rude Bwoy Sound Against the System, com MC Sooba. É ainda parte integrante do grupo Matozoo e tem, ao longo dos últimos anos, efectuado parcerias para álbuns e compilações quer nacionais e internacionais.

VARIOUS [XL Recordings | UK]

Envoltas em mistério, as duas figuras centrais de Various, Adam e Ian, em torno dos quais gravitam os vários vocalistas convidados, surgiram com um dos mais imprevisíveis e entusiasmantes projectos de música electrónica dos últimos anos – cruzam as batidas ferozes e manifestamente austeras e cruas com melodias claramente pop, numa viagem estonteante que vai do dubstep e do grime à folk espartana ou ao trip-hop mais resistente. A sua singularidade e frescura é afirmada pela forma audaciosa com que intencionalmente põem rótulos de lado e fazem desmoronar divisões entre géneros e estilos na construção de novas formas pop, e sublinhada pelo notável trabalho de imagem com que assinam as suas edições e projecções vídeo.

Big Party at Tamariz Beach

Last saturday more than 2.500 people attended the Absoluto Beach Party right in front of Tamariz.

When I arrived there to set my stuff up, the screen had been dismounted because of the high winds. With no projection screen, I decided to turn the two 4.000 L beamers to the small castle right in front of us.
Although the photos are not great, the effect worked really well. I had to reorganise all my set, as I could only use either bright B/W loops or very colorful ones.
All the stuff I had prepared the night before had no use whatsoever... Starting with a great reggae performance by the One Sun Tribe crew, the event followed with an interesting Hip-Hop presentation by two young rappers. After a short break, the DJ sets began at about 2h with the warm-up DJ, Filipe.

And then the funk really hit the fan with Rui Remix, a very well-known DJ to all clubbers, that was accompanied by Scheriff on percussion, Pizzicato on the violin, Armstrong on the sax and MC Jeff shaking things up.
DJ Tiago Costa (what a great surprise!) rose to the occasion and brought in the missing Minimal House beat.

The night was great (the wind droped drastically in the middle of the night) and the party ended with lots of people dancing on the stage. Great organisation and helpful crew members.


see unedited video

Spanish Video-graffiti + Sankai Juku

On my regular internet quest to discover interesting video-graffiti guerrilla actions, here's another one that took place late December 2006 by the two video-artists from Miga-Label, Nökeö and Decolora, at Alhambra in Granada. They use what seems two 4.500 L beamers placed on a friend's balcony right in front of the world-renown monument. The result is great...
watch video


Here's another video, this time a piece of a japanese dance group Sankai Juku, that is really impressive due to make-up, lighting and body theatre expressionism. The name of Sankai Juku comes from the second generation of Butoh troupes in Japan. Butoh is a japanese contemporary performing art form that evolved during the 60's as an expression of human awareness.
watch video