Home Videos # 15

The National - Fake Empire (live)



(filmed on the 06-08-2009 at the SW09 Festival in Zambujeira do Mar, Portugal)

Home Videos # 14

Frankmusik - 3 Little Words (live)



This is probably as close as I'll ever get to the feeling of having a future pop star playing for me and about a dozen more people in what could be my living room...

(filmed on the 04-12-2008 at Cabaret Maxime in Lisbon, Portugal)

Home Videos # 13

Robyn - Be Mine (live)



Robyn was the support act for Madonna's incredible show last Sunday in Lisbon, and I don't think there could be a better way to open a wonderful evening, so here's a video of herself being super cute while performing one of the songs from her last album (yep, swedish pop, all kinds of amazing, etc.). As for Madonna and her intense Sticky and Sweet extravaganza, expect a more detailed report soon!

(filmed on the 14-09-2008 at Parque da Belavista in Lisbon, Portugal)

Home Videos # 12

Björk - Army Of Me (live)



No questions here: after more than one year on the road, the Volta tour has sublimed itself to the point of absolute perfection. More fluid, still making no concessions, with an intense and hypnotic build-up set, and amazing new details in every song, inducing an even more complete and out-of-this-world sensory experience that starts as a ritualistic ceremony and ends up in a total ecstatic and celebratory mood. So if the concert I saw last year in Switzerland was already splendid, this one was simply beyond words.


Goldfrapp - Ooh La La (live)



I have to confess that although I really like Goldfrapp, I also had some reservations towards the "Seventh Tree" album, but this show completely won me over and actually made me look at that record with a different perspective. So from its beautiful more-intimate numbers like "Utopia", "A&E" or "Little Bird" to the roaring energetic electro anthems like "Number One", "Ooh La La", "Train" or "Strict Machine", it all really felt like a collection of very special moments.


(filmed by JP on the 07 and 08-08-2008 at the SW08 Festival in Zambujeira do Mar, Portugal)

Home Videos # 11

MGMT - Of Moons, Birds & Monsters (live)



Apart from a couple of more immediate songs, the atmosphere of Oracular Spectacular could be difficult to translate into a live concert, but MGMT did not disappoint at all. Playing with a full live band, no concessions were made as they reinforced the psychedelic elements heard in their music, with an hypnotic set full of 70's progressive rock influences. Still, the best moment came in the end when the rest of the band left the stage, leaving Andrew and Ben alone to perform the infectious "Kids" like there was no tomorrow, on top of a pre-recorded instrumental track.


Vampire Weekend - Campus (live)



Late afternoon, sunny and warm weather, smaller tent, it was the perfect set for these guys catchy african-influenced indie pop songs. Visibly having as much fun as the rest of us, their energy and positive vibes were absolutely contagious, making it completely impossible for the audience to stand still and not starting to jump like maniacs.


(filmed on the 10-07-2008 at the Alive!08 Festival in Algés, Lisbon)

Home Videos # 10

The National - Ada (live)



An intimidating auditorium (compared by vocalist Matt Berninger to the United Nations conference room), a crowd eager to show their love and respect, a shy start (both from band and audience), a full bottle of red wine later and, finally, everyone (band and audience) losing their inhibitions and behaving in an intense manner, like there was no tomorrow. This was the love story of a very special evening with The National.

(filmed on the 11-05-2008 at Aula Magna in Lisbon)

Home Videos # 9

The Clik Clik - My Dunks (live)



I had read about this band some months ago and at that time, after checking their MySpace page, it appeared to me that there was a lot of potential. So it was with great joy that, during my stay in London, I stumbled across one of their gigs, for the time being still in a small packed bar, in front of just a few dozens of people (though I suspect that is about to change). Their sound is a versatile electro-indie-pop mash with a bit of grime thrown in and a lot of that fresh enthusiasm that defines this new wave of young British bands. For example, the song shown in here is an hilarious story about a love triangle between a boy, a girl... and his dunks. Yes, those white Nike dunks need to remain perfect and pristine white. Pure infectious stuff!

(filmed on the 04-01-2008 at the Bosh! party in London)

Home Videos # 8

Bjõrk videos from the Paléo Festival... (and sorry for the bad-quality sound)

Earth Intruders




Pleasure Is All Mine




The Anchor Song




(filmed on the 25-07-2007 at the Paléo Festival in Nyon, Switzerland)

SBSR Day 3 (Home Videos # 7)

Interpol - Obstacle 1



Interpol ended up as the biggest surprise of the festival for me. Although being one of my favourite bands playing, I had always thought that their geometrically perfect songs were too dark and special to be totally efective at a big open-air festival like this. After the intensity felt during their performance, I have to say that I was obviously wrong. And what's even funnier is that they just had to be themselves for the magic to happen. Never underestimate the hypnotic powers of an Interpol song.


TV On The Radio - Let The Devil In



No one is making music like them nowadays and that also means that their trademark sound is probably too apocalyptic and loaded with small details to be fully appreciated at daylight by an open-air crowd. Their solution was to bring more physical elements to their songs, resulting in some very intense and involving moments. Still, I'm anxiously waiting to see these guys again in a more intimate venue.


The Gossip - Standing In The Way Of Control



Besides other attributes (the smallest of which certainly not being her powerful voice), Beth Ditto has a special aura and that was felt during The Gossip concert. Communicating a lot with the audience, it feels almost too easy to like her and ending up in complete connection, even when the music is really not that extraordinary. The result? Some more thousands of people falling into The Gossip cause.


(filmed on the 05-07-2007 at Parque Tejo, Lisbon)

SBSR Day 2 (Home Videos # 6)

LCD Soundsystem - No Love Lost + New York I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down



James Murphy was the man of the festival, with his frenetic common-guy pose. If Arcade Fire speak to our emotions, LCD Soundsystem appeal is mainly physical, making it impossible to stand still. Punk, funk, disco, electro, house, everything was touched with infectious doses and highly effective results, building a state of euphoria that can only be translated with one word: "Yeah!".

(filmed on the 04-07-2007 at Parque Tejo, Lisbon)

SBSR Day 1 (Home Videos # 5)

Arcade Fire - Black Mirror + No Cars Go



Expectations were high and they definitely didn't disappoint. Their music is perfect to be played live and the intensity they put in their performances is totally contagious, making each song seem as a huge celebration and taking the whole crowd into a frenzy state of mass adulation.


Bloc Party - Waiting For The 7.18 + Banquet



Bloc Party were professional and efficient, though their second album is sounding more and more irregular to me, as if they're taking themselves too seriously, and I felt a bit of that at the concert as well.


Klaxons - Atlantis To Interzone



if you read this blog regularly, you'll already know that Klaxons are one of my favourite bands right now and their concert confirmed my suspicions. Even though suffering from sound problems that affected their performance, the enthusiasm they're feeling while doing what they're doing is palpable, as well as the sense of urgency that I love about them.


(filmed on the 03-07-2007 at Parque Tejo, Lisbon)

Home Videos # 4

Patrick Wolf - Accident & Emergency (live)




Patrick Wolf - The Magic Position (live)



Patrick Wolf showed yesterday in Lisbon that he's a complete artist, giving space to his many intriguing sides at once, from the extravagant singer to the forrest folk troubadour, from the viola player to the piano virtuoso, in a show that mixed cabaret elements with an intimate encounter. It was also really nice to see that there's a common and even slightly shy guy behind the thousand masks, making the full artist seem even more charming.

(filmed on the 18-04-2007 in Lux, Lisbon)

Home Videos # 3

Cibelle - Minha Neguinha (live)



Is she a nice girl or is she a nice girl? Here's Cibelle being cute and wonderful last week in the show she gave in Lisbon. I went there not real in the best mood for a late-night concert and ended up being overwhelmed by the contagious simplicity and intimacy of the evening. The perfect balance between simple and beautiful songs, some experimental sounds and an overload of good feelings.

(filmed on the 22-02-2007 in Santiago Alquimista, Lisbon)

Home Videos # 2

Madonna - Lament (live)




Madonna - Music (live)



Tomorrow I'll be flying to Amsterdam and, besides other good things, my visit will also include seeing Madonna live once again, this time on the Confessions Tour. For the meantime, these are two videos I made two years ago, during the Re-Invention Tour stop in Lisbon.

(filmed on the 13-09-2004 in Pavilhão Atlântico, Lisbon)

Home Videos # 1

Kanye West - Diamonds From Sierra Leone (live)




Kanye West - Touch The Sky (live)



(filmed on the 17-07-2006 in Jardim do Marquês de Pombal, Oeiras / Lisbon)