The Report

THE REPORT THE T(H)REE ISSUE

Lisbon & Oporto “I WENT TO PORTUGAL AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED...”

Mariana Baldaia

**** "O Monstro

is the voice of WINTER 2011."

- Ponto Alternativo, Portugal -

Vincent Tsang

THE JOURNEY

MACAU TO PORTUGAL 18.000km/22hours Following the CD releases in Macau and Hong Kong, the T(h)ree project came to conquer new boundries and break frontiers, spreading the music buzz to artists and listeners in Portugal. With two scheduled concerts in Museu do Oriente, Lisbon, on the 21st and 22nd of January the team and project leader David Valentim gathered the resources and possibilities to bring six musicians from the East, with the help of Cultural Director for Fundação Oriente, Mr. João Amorim.

Been promised by the Organization to have the full flight and 4 night stay in Lisbon at the famous AVIZ Hotel, the 6 musicians: António Vale da Conceição, Vincent Tsang, Joey Chu, Choi Sai-Ho, Alok Leung and Adrian Ma - came forward for

the “one of a kind” chance to make contact with the European audience through a project where boudaries were never a problem.

On the 19th of January 2011, departing from Hong Kong International Airport, doing a stop-over in Paris Charles de Gaulle and arriving at Aeroporto da Portela, Lisbon, on the next day they fiercelly gathered strength to validate the day without sleeping. The horror of jetleg is imense. In the exact moment that one is having a meal in Portugal, someone else in Macau is having the opposite meal. Since it´s an 8 hour difference lunch in Portugal is at the same time as dinner in Macau.

And their body comprehensively reacted to those changes - tired eyes, numb arms and sensitive ears.

Apart from that, the whole journey is quite the beauty scape. Floating between clouds and airplane seats can be and is a moment of profound peace. Harmony appears from strange factors to make it possible to think and concentrate on what is to happen. It is mostly about appreciating the fact that one has the chance to travel for a purpose - to play music, to share an emotion and to gather a collection of many others that will arise and act over our lives. This is the core of an experience. The Journey had just started, and all of the six musicians knew the nets were drawn for the butter fly catch. www.myspace.com/projectothree

Speaking of which, The T(h)ree Issue is about...

1.Calendar 2.The T(h)ree Project 3.Lisbon Concert/Museu do Oriente 4.Oporto Concert/Pinguim Cafe' 5.Media Coverage 6.A Vida Portuguesa 7.Thoughts/Ideas/Concepts 8.Next Issue

C.M.Lisboa

19/01/2011 - DEPARTURE FROM HK 20/01/2011 - ARRIVAL AT LISBON

SIC TV SHOW RECORDING 21/01/2011 - T(H)REE CONCERT I 22/01/2011 - T(H)REE CONCERT II

24/01/2011 - TRIP TO OPORTO+SOUNDCHECK 25/01/2011 - OPORTO CONCERT 26/01/2011 - TRIP BACK TO LISBON+INTERVIEW 27/01/2011 - DEPARTURE FROM LISBON 28/01/2011 -ARRIVAL AT MACAU

THE CALENDAR

THE DAY-BY-DAY GUIDE TO WHAT I DID IN PORTUGAL Since the preparation phase of the trip we outlined a schedule we to put up, managing the distribution of time and energy through the ten day trip. Between travellings, rehearsals, meeting, concerts, interviews, press conferences, formal dinners and sight seeing, the whole plan went basically down the drain. It’s not that it was unsuccesful, it’s just

that life becomes so unpredictable in situations like these that we have to adapt so much as into transforming our lives in the lives of others.

I carefully thought about his and the main conclusion is that I gained more changing the inicial plan that I had gained time and experiences because of it. Running around with the 6 musicians and the promoter

David Valentim got me into understanding more intricately what goes on and what has to happen in the music business. Together with the 02MAMUTES Music Agency I got around into understanding their future plans and this must mean to Portugal through their second decade of the milenia.

Chapter One So it all starts with the very known and steady Ferry Trip to Hong Kong, departing from Macau - the Jet Foil. Sailing directly to the Hong Kong International Airpot the first Airplane trip was destined to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. After the long 16 hour trip, made of floating clouds, blockbuster movies (Megamind, The Town, Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the WereRabbit, The Last Air Bender, The Simpsons), cold and dried-up food, a couple of champagne glasses and a whole lot of writting, the urge to burn up a cigarette at first chance was imense.

Paris doesn’t have a Smoking Lounge so we had to undergo the sacrafice of exposing our bodies to a -1C degree temperatue to nicotine up the box. It’s actually refreshing... if well coated. The fact that we went from 17C degrees to a 18 degree differ-

ence was a shock, but also a welcome song to European sensations. There is a particular cold to Europe, almost a perfumed one.

Or maybe it’s because we’re in Paris. Anyway, after a 2:30 hour wait we got into the Airbus destined to Lisbon. I hadn’t realised before how close to the residential building areas the Portela Airport actually is. I mean, I’ve seen more distant objects from a 30th floor building in Macau then in an airplane landing in Lisbon.

It was quite the adrenaline rush. Your eyes seem to be transformed into Tilt-Shift lenses. Reality undergoes a sequence of lenses that make it look miniaturized. Buildings, cars, the whole landscape just looked made out of foam, plastic and toothpicks... Brilliant! We finally land after avoiding hitting an old woman on a wheel chair ;)

The Taxi driver we got was also quite the European. A heavy, short man with a unfitting jacket and a wool hat protecting the not so hairy head he covered. He was a retired soldier, a witness of the ‘74 Revolution in Portugal, a man who knew the city´s lingerie but somehow forgot where our Hotel was. We both knew the Hotel wasn’t a problem to find. He took good advantage over the situation. Or did he? The fact is we went through a part of the city, Av. da Liberdade, where we could see street art interventions by the Twins (Os Gémeos) from São Paulo, Brasil.

The enormous paintings covering old abandoned mansions were a sight to behold. These well known artists have a very propper and respected style within the street art scene.

They have ascended from the brasilian Favelas to the

great Art Galleries and Art Capitals of the World (Paris, London, New York, Tokyo, etc.) being an inspiration for the new generations of street artists emerging from the art underground, today. It is an interesting form of art, a democratic one - street art. The Twins are the most effective example of how plastic artists have projected their work outside the canvas and frame, outside the galleries and museums. The City is the all powerful medium to message in. In fact, it is the ultimate form of democratizing, of educating and establishing the cultural routes for people and their future. From a physical presence to a virtual guide (i.e.: Google Earth) it is from the city’s soil that all emerges, that culture establishes it’s self and gives way for creativity and transformation.

We finally got to the Hotel. The old Hotel AVIZ - which stands near the grand statue of the Marquis of Pombal, the great architect and mastermind behind the reno-

my door and asked to hurry up. We had a TV show to go to.We were to present the CD on a talk show with Rui Unas, a celebrated star in Portugal. That meant good public-

“SO, THERE I WAS... SLEEPING WHERE EVITA PERÓN, AMÁLIA AND GULBENKIAN LIVED...

AND DIED.” vation of Lisbon after the 1755 earthquake that left the capital in ruins - glamorously awaited our arrival with arms well opened... to ask for forginveness after telling us our rooms weren´t ready. We had to stop for a moment though, so sitting on the hotel lobby we started looking for the art pieces scattered around the premissis. Old paintings and china porcelain covered the walls and tables. Silk sofas and arabe rugs gave the contrast red against the dark green walls. I learned that the AVIZ gained notority over the lasting years. It was the first luxury hotel in Lisbon and it had welcomed great names in the cultural, litterary and political world. That amazed me. Some of my personal icons had stayed there, drank there, talked and made love. I couldn´t believe it untill I went to my room.

A single room, old structure, just with enough space and confort to be well on my own. I layed down for a few minutes, I couldn´t believe I was actually totally horizontal and uninterrupted. The morning light was conforting but sleep inducing.

I closed my eyes just enough to fall a sleep. So, there I was... sleeping where Evita Perón, Amália and Gulbenkian lived... and died. I was hoping to catch a glimpse of a ghost of them... but I had better chances in dreaming of them than actually meeting them, in a spiritual world.

10 minutes later, David knocked at

ity and a free lunch. So, after a quick shower and fresh clothes we drove off to SIC. SIC is the number one channel in Portugal. It´s privately funded but it is of most popularity because it reachs and spreads into a network of Cable TV and Public TV. We were going to play Cable. We got there just in time to have lunch. A Tuna Struddle... a strange concept for food, since Struddle is always sweet and Tuna is a fish that doesn´t go well sweet. But I tried it and it was actually great. Not sweet but I get it why they call it Struddle... it´s like a pie, kind of.

Any way, I was going to play the song of the T(h)ree album Para Maria and actually played two. I was kind of disappointed by the fact that I didn´t get to meet Rui Unas.

We were just there to record the music segment and the interviews and all were to be recorded afterwards...

What a shame.

Anyway, it was interesting to be there. I mean, SIC has enormous studios - not the case - and very well equipt. We recorded the songs in 15 minutes, with time to re-record and test drive the whole thing with the program´s segments. The crew was incredibly nice and there was even a techniciam from Macau.

We found out that we knew each other from sometime ago because his father is to be chapioned in Macau with a Street with his name.

He was talking about that with his friends and I over-heard and commented that I was from there. He knew my parents, my friends and was actually thinking of coming to Macau in early March. The world is a small place. Later on that day, we hung out in downtown Lisbon, waiting for the jet lag to hit us full frontal. We had to wait for dinner time, it was the official ceremony dinner with the Eastern Musicians.

We went to downtown Lisbon on the Theatre street where the Coloseum stands. The Restaurant was of typical Southern Portugal Cuisine called Casa do Alentejo (House of Alentejo). At first sight, the building is quite the hidden charm. Inside, the tune´s completely different. Of extreme historic value, the house is covered in arabesc tyles and patterns, profoundly influenced by the moorish style and history in portugal. This is because the South ern part of Portugal was greatly influenced by the North African tribes. The portuguese call the southerners Moors, as to their arabic descendence and historic weight. In the North they are called Tripeiros (Gut Eaters) because of their Saxon and Celtic influences that, like the Scottish, eat the intestines of the pig. It survives today, still, as a traditional dish in the Northern part of Portugal. When we sat at the table we finally understood how big the house actually was. It had interior patios, fountains, staircases up to 4 floors, a ball room with an Italian Theatre, a Bar, a Café, a Restaurant and a VIP and Members area. I was amazed with the preservation work they did on the house. It must have been a very hard job to maintain and restore all of the original elements and still make it a functional house for different occasions and people. The place wasn´t expensive although their service would argueably be first class. It would be a 4 star place.

The Hotel was waiting for us at the end of the day. Having had a great meal, the body was starting the succumb to it´s needs. Sleeping was the only destiny.

On the next day, and still being affected by the jetlag, I woke up at 5:30 am. It seems impossible that after a 5 hour sleep your body is screaming alarm clocks at you.

But that´s just what happens to someone that hasn´t an adjusted biological clock. An 8 hour difference is a violent thing to over come and you slowly jump back from it when your eyes get used to sun light in opposition to night-time. The day was to be of great concentration. It was C-DAY, concert day, and our moods, energies and skills should be in harmony, should be concentrated on the same point. It´s a hard task to feel prepared. Feel-

ing prepared is quite different from being prepared.

Although independet from each other, each of these notions depend on each other even if it´s far more important to feel good than to know you´re well. So, I took a strole through the awaking city. It´s a beautiful moment in Lisbon. The light shines in a very peculiar way. Painters, photographers, film directors, they´ve all did something regarding this capital´s lighting. And you feel it on your skin, in your eyed and heart. It´s breath taking. But, it´s a busy city. So don´t be surprised if you feel you´re the only one going through those moments.

To be honest, I was glad I was going through that by my self. It felt more personal.

End of Chapter One.

Antonio Conceição

“THE LIGHT SHINES IN A VERY PECULIAR WAY. PAINTERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, FILM DIRECTORS, THEY´VE ALL DID SOMETHING REGARDING THIS CAPITAL´S LIGHTING.”

18.000KM OF SONGS

THE T(H)REE PROJECT

Antonio Conceição

What happens when you get a guy, who knows a bunch of other guys who play music, talks them into working for free and gives all the money away for charity?

One of the most original, hard to accomplish, mindblowing musical compositions the world has yet to see.

It’s actually something of an art wave or a vanguard, a group of people who have accomplished in physical form something that for ages has been only seen in theoretical speech - to build music with someone you’ve never met, seen or heard before. To some of the participating groups of this CD, they have still not met their foreign allie. So, what the hell am I talking about?

This is the story of 30 year old David Valentim, a Portuguese Citizen living between Hong Kong and Macau at the time of the Eurekan moment. As an architect, joining pieces to make a better, improved and

aesthetically interesting building is something of an instinct combined with science. But making the same approach towards music and musicians is a manifestation of alchemy. Valentim saw this approach when he was in Hong Kong. Having organized FLASH, an underground show/festival of music in the Pearl River Delta he saught out to make his resolutions bigger. He thought of how to bring his country (Portugal), Hong Kong and Macau closer together through music. He thought about the fact that making music in the same place is no longer a concept of our times. So he sort out to make this happen through the internet, talking to friend musicians and complete strangers to join on a project with a cause. Exactly! The T(h)ree project was never a self profit idea. It’s a life and music celebration and a service being made, a helping hand, through music and artists. It’s safe to say that no artist refused to help and joined in the project without much thaught.

In fact, the numbers say it all: 2 Publishers - Bloom.cn (Macau) & Cobra (Portugal); 34 Bands; 72 Musicians.

14 tracks resulted from combination of talents. And yes, the bands involved are the so called talented section of musicians in your record shop. From Portugal: alla, Norberto Lobo, A Naifa, Hipnótica, Erro!, Kubik, The Allstar Project, AbztraQt Sir Q, :papercutz, [f.e.v.e.r.], Bernardo Devlin, Tiago Guillul, Olga, B.i.r.u.l:ex, Macacos do Chinês, ch’os, Rocky Marsiano. From Hong Kong: Modern Children, False Alarm, Gloria Tang, Innisfallen, Joey Chu, Wilson Tsang, A Roller Control, S.T., Fragile, A.O.S., Unixx, Elf Fatima, Winnie Lau, Dj Kawayama. And from Macau: O Monstro, Lobo Ip, Faye Choi, Evade, N1D. When you run your eyes through the

whole list keep in mind that you’re both looking at respectable artists in the music scene and new comers with alot to give. I mean, you have the experienced musicinas like A

and borders of what we would call the traditional compositions of any pop music culture. In fact, this CD isn’t the so called Pop Wonder. It’s actually closely made reflection of what musicians are doing and h o w they do it together. Between the unhorthodox and the safe sample lays the instinct of all these artists. To better understand the whole picture, check-out the also amazing videos that were produced, one in each country, to celebrate the project.

David Valentim

“BETWEEN THE UNHORTHODOX AND THE SAFE SAMPLE LAYS THE INSTINCT OF ALL THESE ARTISTS.” Naifa, Norberto Lobo, Tiago Guillul, Wilson Tsang, Fragile, Evade and N1D, who’ve already conquered a share of the music market in their countries and outside them aswell.

Then you have the newcomers with sold out albums like O Monstro, Rocky Marsiano, Elf Fatima and The Allstar Project. This benefits the album with the whole nuance of experimented musicians working with new blood, crossing the styles

“HonQon” by Abstract Sir Q+Joey Chu. “Sea of Amnesia” by Wilson Tsang+Bernardo Devlin.

Chapter Two

THE LISBON CONCERT THE DAY-BY-DAY GUIDE TO WHAT I DID IN PORTUGAL

Antonio Conceição

There is something of a strolling breeze in Lisbon. It’s that slightly strongue air that travels through sea and city and wipes your face when you walk through a shadow.

It’s perfumed with all the sents it touches. That’s how I made may way to the Museu do Oriente (Oriente Museum). I followed the breeze. Carrying only my guitar and dressed up for the occasion, I took my wine tasting voice to the auditorium and made the sound-check.

Other artists were already there, Norberto Lobo, Olga and Choi Sai-Ho aka S.T.. They were burning up the amps and microphones when I walked in. But out of the dark, from the audience’s chairs pops-up the Senior Technician holding up a credencial and asking who I was. After telling him what I was doing there we walked me to the backstage where we all got prepared and did our routines before the show. I left my case there and went to the stage. It was full of instruments, full of lights and silk screens for S.T.’s projections. It caused quite a shock to see that auditorium looked much bigger from the stage. A night to remember would come, I hoped.

The whole sound-check took a little more than 25 minutes. It’s a simple set-up. A voice microphone and a guitar amp with a sweet touch of Gain and Reverb.

That’s how I like my cocktails. We gathered later, after

everyone had their sound-check done and had dinner at the Museum. The Museum was quite impression aswell.

It looked like a monument. An immense cube covered in royal stone and glass, with billboard letters with it’s name, imposing it’s presence by the busy streets adjacent to it. The entrance is quite interesting aswell. To access the main auditorium you’d have to go through the museums exhibitions, through a bar/lounge and the Stanley Ho room, which is a multi-purpose room with 3 enormous windows to a Tejo River view. So simple, yet so beautiful. Because of the museum’s size I figured that they hold a lot of different activities and programs.

From Kid’s Workshops to Top Artist’s shows, the museum also looked like a place where people hang-out during the day and during the night. It’s brilliant and alive.

It was about 8:30 pm and we’d had dinner already, at the cantine. It was a nice place to eat. To closed, maybe, but with decent people and food being served. So we went up to the top floor and smoked a cigarette just before we would get ready for the show.

The view, again, was wonderful. And the artificial light was also sweet, because part of the top floor’s wall was covered in gold paper leaves.

The light was reflecting on gold...

Lais Pereira

herme Canhão went in with their fuzzy and crazy guitar effects. It wasn’t the concert I was expecting from the acoustic guitar virtuoso.

But, I was glad I met him and heard him do what he was currently composing. The final show was S.T. with his very psychadelic, industrial and arythmic beats. Crossing sound samples with on-stage violin playing and eccentric dancing, he lit up the crowd in the end. I enjoyed the videos very much. They were a mixture of Video Jamming and sound reacting programming done on realtime. After the concerts we headed to Bairro Alto, the night life neighbourhood in Lisbon. It’s made out of 15 blocks of old buildings with bars and pubs on every inner street.

The night was quite cold so it finished earlier than expected. We went back to the Hotel a little after 2:00 am.

Lais Pereira

The Concert started at about 9:50 pm. It’s almost custom in Portugal the show schedules be late. They have the habit of eating dinner quite late or start early to end late.

So, the 20 minute delay was the obvious thing to happen on a night like this. O Monstro started-off the night with some slowmotion songs.

Love songs the most. And after his 25 minutes act Olga came on stage with a whole seccion of traditional percussions from Portugal. The percurssionists were a group of kids from the North of Lisbon, on the suburbs, that keep carrying the traditional Portuguese drumming.

They weren’t part of the T(h)ree Project. But because they work so hard to keep this tradition alive they became guest stars of that night.

At the same time CDs were being sold on the auditorium’s entrance.

Both from the T(h)ree Project aswell as the Artist’s own CDs. This was to be a resulting effort to promote even more the Eastern Artists in Portugal. I believe it went quite well. Some purchases were made and autographed at the sight. Wilson Tsang, Joey Chu, S.T. and Alok’s work were there for sale.

After the 20 minute break, Norberto Lobo and his side-kick Guil-

“A VOICE MICROPHONE AND A GUITAR AMP WITH A SWEET TOUCH OF GAIN AND REVERB. THAT’S HOW I LIKE MY COCKTAILS.” Day three had risen a beautiful day.

The temperature was a fine and comfortable cold. The Sun, again, was making use of the city by casting so well cut out shadows that the scenario resembled a shadow puppet theater. Bliss.

After a Portuguese breakfast, with a Meia de Leite (Latte), toast bread with butter and a Nata (Egg Tart) the day went off in a cruise.

I walked the whole downtown area again, passing through the Coliseum, the old Arabic train station (Rossio) and a whole lot of different plazas. I was tired after the 2 hour walk. So I pit-stopped again for a Bica (Expresso) and admired the great street called Rua Agusta. It

is a very important street because it is the heart of commerce in downtown Lisbon and it has such an historical importance that it stands exactly the same since the time it was built (1801). It is oriented to West, to where the Portuguese set sail generations and generations ago. It´s a street that leads to a plaza called Praça do Comércio where most of the Government´s Bureaus are. As I looked at all of this I couldn’t stop thinking of how historical a city can be. How much time each rock that is pilled up someway has. How many stories each detail has. In Praça do Comércio, in one of the walls of the Bureaus´s Buildings there still lays the Bullet that caused the assas-

sination of the Last King of Portugal, in the 1900s. The hole and the bullet still remain there in memory of the Republic and because it was a turning point in Portugal. I think this detail, just by its self, constitutes how much the citizens and the government value the importance of their living history, the history that is around you and that still participates in your life. I found that they consider these details as a definite and important part of their identity and their Portugality. And after all this, I also thought to my self: “This was the longest expresso ever.”

3:16 pm. I think I had my share of Lisbon walking and visiting. After going back to the Hotel for a quick change, I was back at Museu do Oriente.

There is a part in every concert that I enjoy watching, the sound-checks.

It´s like being on the backstage of a theatre play. Everything is NOT ready and you seldom see a show being built by the actors themselves.

Yes, musicians build up their show, with roaddie help. But they command the troops. So the whole process becomes a dance of tests. This works, this doesn’t. Lets try this and that and in the end you see what the

Lais Pereira

artist´s intentions are and you understand the adaptations that where necessary to make and to do. The whole thing went along time, actually, until 20 minutes before the show started.

As always, the show was delayed quite a bit. But it was good that happened. A lot of the audience came late and so the crowd packed up nearly at the starting of the first band.

The show was very interesting. The bands that played that night were all very experimental but musically experienced. Technically, Abstract Sir Q was an incredible band. They waltzed with detuned songs and uncertain rhythms. The drummer was actually the most expressive of the group, acting like a robot on a drum machine. I wasn´t used to see a very methodic musician on the rhythm section. Then, Wilson Tsang came on stage with Joey Chu and the other Chinese musicians. Their show was a meld of Tom Waitts and Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. This made the whole crowd very amused, since these two reference bands are very well known in Portugal. And since the concert was mainly of Eastern Musicians, they reacted very well.

The biggest applauses of the night were for them when they collaborated on a song with Bernardo Devlin.

It was a performance to remember.

The last performance of the night was by Hipnotica. It wasn’t what I expected as well. I had heard them before and their sound was extremely different from what they are now. They came on with African beats and angelical lyrics about the world, nature, the stars. It felt a bit too much of “sugar, spice and everything nice”. And their collaboration with Chinese Opera singer living in Portugal, Mrs. Kao Bei, wasn’t at all a successful performance. I hope they are luckier next time. All through the concert the audience was applauding and on the last song the picture became quite nice because the musicians called all of the organization and the other musicians and they all sang a song together. It felt like a good way to say goodbye.

Sunday was on the day after and that meant that Lisbon gathered all it´s youth and other generations in the same neighborhood. We were back at Bairro Alto and the night was more alive than day time.

Mariana Baldaia

Chapter Three

THE OPORTO CONCERT THE DAY-BY-DAY GUIDE TO WHAT I DID IN PORTUGAL

After the great Sunday rest and a train trip to Oporto, Monday brought it´s full energy again. With the occasional family visit the trip to Oporto was so short that I barely had the time to do anything else than prepare for the concert. The whole setup was quite simple, but since my Agency 02Mamutes was working on a Think Tank or Do it yourself kind of work I had to grasp the opportunity to work fast and efficiently. From the North part of the city to the South side I engaged in asking who had the necessary material to setup my show. So, with a few phone calls and some

owed favours I managed to get things ready by the end of the first day. Later that night, me and the Agency went to visit the establishment where the concert was going to be at. Right in the heart of downtown Oporto, near an old italian opera and theatre house was Pinguim CafĂŠ. The concept of this place is very rich which turns it into an iconic place in Oporto. It functions as a Gallery, a Concert Hall, a Bar, a Library and a Spoken Word sallon (Poetry Reading). People from all ages, all areas of the city, rich and poor, gather there for the sole purpose of enjoying life

and culture within a comfortable and tiddy place.

The building is an old typical Oporto building, made out of large cold stones, small old glass windows with wooden covers and doors. We might say that it is a building that remains basically the same since it was once built. So, the atmosphere that we feel holds great identity and cultural linkage with the people that go there. Paulo Pires, the owner, had said once that he brought his grand-parents to the bar, before it was opened to the public, so that they would tell him how that old house was suppose to look like at the time. So,

with a few elements being appointed by his relatives he sought to decorate the place mixing the old elements with very modest new elements. You can say that he was the first to start the stylish downtown night life in Oporto, since alot of other bars opened with the same characteristics as this one.

So, the meeting at the Pinguim was a bottle of wine time from ending. We checked the hall and lighting, everything ok! What we had to do now was to expect a full house and an anxious audience. Oporto is a special place for this show because it is more melancholy than Lisbon.

Concert Day, again. But this time no great anxieties came across me.

The day had risen calm and cold, although the sun had a place to sit.

This day, I went to meet some old partners and friends. So, we met up near the concert hall, in a hostel called Magnolia. The reason to go here was that I was friends with the owner and he had just opened for business. It is located on the old part of Oporto, near to the Fine Arts University. It’s a magical place because, and making part of the emerging Oporto style, it is an old building, 5 stories high, dating from the 1900s and covered with art objects in all areas: dormitories, living rooms, restaurants, bar, etc.. And

it has an outside patio as big as the buildings area. The view over the river is fantastic and lighting is also very strong. The project is a success.

They’ve opened business less than a year ago and it is already paying off the big investment they made. I remember they thought it would be a risk to on-go an activity like this but it paid-off after all. Hugo Lima, the owner, gave us a banquette to welcome us at his Hostel. I joined Maria Begasse, a portuguese photographer in London, André Melo a film director and Masters Student at FAMU (Film Academy) in Prague and Mariana Baldaia an Oporto Graphic Designer and Fundação Serralves contributor for a pleas-

Carlos Silva

ant afternoon talk about what each of us was doing and what in Portugal was happening and who was making it happen. All of them have been producing one way or another.

Either from their own cost to commissioned and paid work.

In London, Begasse explained that the art market is too crowded. The competition is fierce and you only get your chance if the Press discover you or if your a protoge of some sort. Value isn’t given to you there, it is discovered. So, basically, an artist is created more easily than what he can create. But in Prague, the picture is quite different. Melo explained that there is space for newcomers and the opportunities exist.

Mariana Baldaia

Adriano Ramos

Maria Begasse

Begasse came “WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT YOU asthrough the concert as the ACTUALLY HAVE TO BE GOOD p h o t o g r a pevent’s h e r s.

Tomás Gamboa TO GET THE OPPORTUNITY. made the sound IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW engineering and recordings of the YOU GET DISCOVERED, WHAT event.

10:30 pm the MATTERS IS THAT YOU ARE At house was already full. The bar was UNDENIABLY GOOD. packed, the seats

“What happens is that you actually have to be good to get the opportunity. It doesn’t matter how you get discovered, what matters is that you are undeniably good. The country is in such an economical stress that it watches over it’s self to be just and fair in the arts world. Because it’s always hard to have public money being used for artistic or cultural affairs instead of something else.”

This says alot of each country and it brings us to a conclusion about how to use resources and make them reliable to what is supposed to happen. Commission and Support, yes!

But the opportunities should go to who deserves them, regardless of who they are where they are from.

“FAMU, for instance, is an Academy made out of more foreign students that Chezch students. This is because they understand that their business isn’t just educating it is creating success. It doesn’t matter who you are, it matters that you know who you are and that you’re good at what you do.”, says Melo.

Baldaia on the other hand was quite amazed at what the others were saying. In Portugal, the scenary is very different. The opportunities and the help that artists get in all areas is almost none. Apart from some private investors, such as banks and foreign galleries, the government in-

vests a very small amount of money for the creating artists, which makes it very hard to succeed. But, on the other hand, this condition imposed onto the artistic community makes them more creative and takes them to break boundries. For instance, street art has risen alot in Portugal, because it is the kind of expression that does not count with money profits although it publicizes very well and strongly artists and their work. Because everyone can see it and access it. It is also a relatively cheap way of working and producing work recovering old Pop Culture concepts and applying them into contemporary times. What makes Portugal unique, says Baladia, is that you see artists producing in relative quantity and quality without engaging into financial incoms or support.

They create because they do. They obtain more honor in arts because of that.

Our friendly meeting finished on time to get the instruments and the amps. Begasse helped me with the moving and setting up. Adriano Ramos, another photographer, aswell

all taken and alot of people standing around, talking, drinking and reading some books.

The concert was suppose to start at 11:30 pm, but I had to go in half an hour before. This is not common at all in Portugal. People never show up on time, but this time it seemed it was different. The concert went very well with the audience singing along through all the songs and making back vocals that accidentally made so much sense that they will be featured on the definite recordings.

It was an hour and half later and O Monstro was playing the last song of the night. The applause was breath taking and right after the performance alot of people gathered around to congradutale and hug and kiss. Many old friends and fans came to the concert, showing their support and friendship. The Pinguim registered an entry of 488 people on that night, untill the concert finished. Not bad for a single gig in the town where O Monstro was created. It was a great and compelling night.

MEDIA COVERAGE FROM PORTUGAL TO THE WORLD

RASCUNHO // MUSIC & ART REVIEWS Três comunidades sob a mesma T(h)ree Demonstrar que o «encontro de raízes» não impede «fuga ao tradicionalismo» é um objectivo de T(h)ree, compilação de música moderna e alternativa made in Hong Kong, Macau e… Portugal.

Três dezenas de bandas, divididas aos pares ao longo de 15 temas, visitam e unem a música moderna e alternativa de Portugal, às das cidades de Macau e Hong Kong. Esta é a proposta do primeiro de três capítulos de T(h)ree, compilação criada por David Valentim. Após ter vivido em ambas as cidades chinesas, este arquitecto de formação encontrou-se com o RASCUNHO no Museu de Oriente, espaço que se preparava para receber nomes inscritos no verso deste álbum como Ölga, Norberto Lobo, O Monstro ou os orientais S.T., Joey Chu e Wilson Tsang (foto).

T(h)ree, o baptismo desta compilação, leva-nos a pensar que se deve às três comunidades integrantes deste projecto: a portuguesa, a macaense e a de Hong Kong. Que outros motivos o levaram a escolher este nome?

Por a letra «h» estar entre parêntesis, também pode ser considerado árvore, devido às diferentes ramificações que podem surgir de um projecto como este. O que estou a fazer é semear uma árvore musical que esperemos que no futuro cresça, seja regada, apoiada a nível institucional e por quem a ouve. No fundo, estamos a falar de raízes musicais e ramificações culturais.

Fala em futuro e em novas edições. Podemos então supor que existirão novos capítulos neste projecto? É uma trilogia asiática, com Portugal e a sua música como base, e onde os outros dois territórios integrantes vão mudando de álbum para álbum. Este primeiro volume é de Hong Kong e Macau, depois serão outros dois territórios asiáticos, e o terceiro irá pelo mesmo caminho.

A compilação acaba de ser lançada, mas começou a ser criada há mais de um ano. Como é que surgiu a ideia de conceber este projecto?

Surgiu quando vivi em Hong-Kong, onde desenvolvi alguns projectos musicais, nomeadamente na produção de eventos de música underground. Esta experiência permitiu-me conhecer muitos músicos locais e alternativos, todos eles desconhecedores da música portuguesa, o que me fez pensar que estava numa situação privilegiada para juntar a música moderna e alternativa de Portugal com a de Hong Kong e Macau.

A que especificidades musicais se refere quando fala em música moderna?

Os emigrantes de hoje em dia já não são os de antigamente, que tinham um certo saudosismo, amor incondicional à Pátria, e esperavam que o D. Sebastião regressasse numa tarde de nevoeiro. Com a Internet e as novas tecnologias, estamos muito mais próximos e, no meu caso particular, quando estou em Hong Kong e Macau sinto-me ligado a Portugal. Quando digo moderna e alternativa significa que quero fugir a tradicionalismo: ao fado ou à música popular portuguesa, até porque hoje em dia há um novo sentimento na emigração.

Encaixar nessa definição de música moderna e alternativa ajuda a justificar a forte presença da música electrónica. Esse foi o factor mais importante na escolha das bandas?

Tal como referi, fiz vários festivais de música alternativa em Hong Kong e Macau, dos quais escolhi as bandas que melhor exprimem o que se faz dentro da música moderna local. Tentei perceber quais eram as qualidades delas e, depois, tentei juntá-las com músicos portugueses que enfatizassem essas mais-valias e adicionassem novos elemen-

Há projectos musicais portugueses que sejam conhecidos em Macau ou Hong Kong?

Não há vida para além do fado. A Macau vão muitos fadistas, bandas dos anos 90 que já não estão muito na moda e até músicos de intervenção com carreiras que se prolongam desde o 25 de Abril. Em Hong Kong é quase zero: no máximo existe um ou outro fadista que vão lá.

Com o decorrer deste projecto, as bandas orientais já lhe deram algum parecer relativamente às portuguesas?

O contacto delas com a música portuguesa começou com o T(h)ree, já há quase dois anos. Todos aqueles que entraram na compilação adoraram ou ficaram muito surpreendidos com o que receberam do seu parceiro português.

O contrário também se fez sentir. A Gloria Tang (de Hong Kong), que cantou uma música com o Norberto Lobo, ficou muito surpreendida com o que este fez, tal como o ST (também de Hong Kong, na foto) também ficou com os Balla. Essa ligação depois fez com que eles também tentassem conhecer um pouco mais a música de Portugal.

Eu sou apenas a ignição de um projecto que depois ganha vida própria e ajuda a suprimir falta de ligação, não só entre estas três comunidades, como entre Portugal e o mercado muito fechado do resto da Ásia.

By: Luís Carlos Soares http://rascunho.net/artigo.php?id=3302

LPM // COMMUNICATIONS AGENCY T(h)ree ao vivo no Museu do Oriente Segunda, 03 Janeiro 2011 16:18 O projecto musical T(h)ree reúne-se, pela primeira vez em palco, para a apresentação do álbum que junta músicos contemporâneos de Portugal, Hong Kong e Macau, em dois concertos inéditos, que acontecem no Museu do Oriente, a 21 e 22 de Janeiro, às 21h30.

Uma selecção de 20 bandas e músicos dos dois lados do globo, que desenvolveram este projecto através da Internet, sem contacto directo, actuam agora em parceria, em dois dias de festa do lançamento do álbum, na qual cada tema é interpretado por um artista português juntamente com parceiros de Hong Kong e Macau.

A música moderna dos três países é dada a conhecer através de parcerias musicais exclusivas e momentos de comunhão musical inesquecíveis, juntos no mesmo palco.

Portugal, Hong Kong e Macau têm novas vozes, novas formas de expressão, prontas a serem ouvidas através das suas singulares abordagens. O projecto T(h)ree é uma forma de motivar toda uma geração de ouro de músicos que lutam diariamente para partilhar a sua paixão, talento e visão do mundo.

O conceito surge não só com o compromisso de materializar um encontro de culturas, mas também, com o desejo premente de incentivar a produção musical local, levando-a para longe das suas fronteiras, chegando a territórios distantes, dando forma e início a novos contactos musicais e culturais que, de outra forma, nunca teriam lugar.

encontro.

Espectáculo T(h)ree Um projecto musical entre Portugal, Hong Kong e Macau 21 e 22 de Janeiro 21h30 Auditório Preço: € 12,00 (um espectáculo), € 18,00 (dois espectáculos) - Desconto de 20% a menores de 30 anos M/ 12 Duração: 150’, com intervalo Ouvir aqui: http://www.sendspace.com/file/k9kfua Ver aqui: http://www.sendspace.com/file/8el3ab 21: O Monstro (Macau) António Vale da Conceição é O Monstro. Um projecto musical íntimo e desconcertante onde a guitarra é poesia, cantada em forma de sussurro. www.myspace.com/projectothree

PROGRAMA: Dia 21 Ölga Os Ölga estão de regresso aos palcos nacionais para rodar uma sonoridade cada vez mais eclética e cativante.

Já com dez anos de carreira, o trio continua apostado em surpreender a cena indie-rock nacional.

Norberto Lobo Na música do guitarrista Norberto Lobo reside uma qualidade rara: a ideia nova, a busca pelo inaudito, coexiste nela com a composição e a interpretação enquanto exercício pessoal de comunicação e de desbravamento em comunhão com o público.

Choi Sai Ho / S.T. (Hong Kong) Choi Sai Ho é um músico electrónico e artista audiovisual. Os seus trabalhos na área da música e imagem Este projecto nasce, também, sob o desígnio do diálogo abrangem diversos géneros musicais como a electrónipuro, sem barreiras, na mistura de processos criativos, ca, o downtempo, o avant-garde, o experimental e o sonoridades e diferentes formas de fazer música, num hardcore digital. mundo que vive sem espaço e sem distâncias, onde a tecnologia é a principal fonte de ligação e o ponto de

Dia 22 : Joey Chu e Wilson Tsang (Hong Kong) Joey Chu, uma das mais talentosas pianistas de Hong Kong, é influenciada por diferentes tipos de música, do clássico ao rock, passando pelo pop e jazz. As suas peças minimais soam dramáticas, com uma melancolia repleta de melodias perfeitas.

Wilson Tsang é designer, artista audiovisual e compositor de Hong Kong. Para além dos seus projectos a solo, Wilson também compõe para desenhos animados e para filmes independentes. Wilson Tsang irá ter Bernardo Devlin como convidado.

AbztraQt Sir Q Um grupo de músicos cujos destinos se cruzaram no Extremo Oriente. Fechados no seu próprio mundo, o Xing Palace Place e o seu magnífico jardim, desconstroem canções e deixam-se embalar pela cacofonia. Inventam-se dialectos, reinventa-se a ortografia, subverte-se a fonética, recusam-se as convenções. Não procuram o óbvio mas acabam por encontrá-lo...

Hipnótica Com 16 anos de existência e com mais de oitos álbuns e EP’s editados, os anteriormente electrónicos Hipnótica estão agora mais brilhantes que nunca. Tocam músicas alegres, repletas de vozes melodicamente ricas, em que o folk junta as mãos às batidas electrónicas e as vibrações eléctricas se cruzam com ritmos africanos. Os Hipnótica irão ter como convidada especial Cao Bei, cantora de ópera chinesa e intérprete de gu zheng.

Museu do Oriente, Avenida Brasília | Doca de Alcântara (Norte) | 1350-362 Lisboa Tel.: 213 585 200 | E-mail: info@foriente.pt adicionais para a Comunicação Social: Margarida Pereira :: Isabel Carriço LPM Comunicação Tel. 218 508 110 :: Tlm. 961 334 957 :: 965 232 496 E-mail: margaridapereira@lpmcom.pt :: isabelcarrico@lpmcom.pt Ed. Lisboa Oriente, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 333 H - Escritório 49, 1800-282 Lisboa www.lpmcom.pt

T(H)REE LEVA DOIS DIAS DE MÚSICA AO MUSEU DO ORIENTE 5 DE JANEIRO DE 2011 T(h)ree é um projecto musical que junta pela primeira vez num mesmo álbum, músicos contemporâneos de Portugal, Hong Kong e Macau. Depois de um ano e meio de gravações, o disco chega finalmente a Portugal a 17 de Janeiro.

A festa de lançamento do álbum terá lugar nos próximos dias 21 e 22 de Janeiro de 2001, no auditório do Museu do Oriente, em Lisboa e contará com actuações posição e a interpretação enquanto exercício pessoal de únicas de projectos musicais de Macau, Hong Kong e comunicação e de desbravamento em comunhão com Portugal. o público.

Norberto Lobo é um auto-didacta, característica que é Dia 21: passível de causar surpresa tendo em conta a técnica virtuosa que demonstra. O seu percurso, precisamente O Monstro (Macau) por não ter passado por qualquer trâmite académico, Com os primeiros cristais de gelo regressa também na dando provas evidentes de uma visão lúcida e rica da sua estação, à sua estação, a Voz do Inverno – O Mon- música presente e passada, existe completamente para stro, de Macau. E com ele traz o calor dos seus segre- lá de uma óptica escolástica, enciclopédica e cronológidos, das suas confissões e de poemas escritos a sujeitos ca dos gestos e das tradições artísticas. tão objectivos como os nomes que os enunciam.

A música é a sua vida, a sua vida é música, a sua música Neste Inverno, O Monstro cumpre a promessa de re- na nossa vida uma bênção, um passo em frente para gressar a Portugal, de regressar ao sítio onde pela última uma felicidade que Norberto Lobo nos ajuda, a cada vez tocou e onde pela primeira vez este ano irá aquecer momento em que o ouvimos, a compreender e concrecorações e almas em Português. tizar.

António Vale da Conceição é O Monstro. Um projecto musical íntimo e desconcertante onde a guitarra é chão Choi Sai Ho / S.T. (Hong Kong) de poesia cantada em forma de sussurro. Apaixonante e Choi Sai Ho é um músico electrónico e artista audiosecreto, O Monstro é a voz do Inverno. visual. Os seus trabalhos na área da música e imagem Ölga Os Ölga estão de regresso aos palcos nacionais depois de uma gratificante passagem pela multi-cultural NovaIorque, palco ideal para rodar uma sonoridade cada vez mais eclética e cativante. Já com dez anos de carreira, o trio continua apostado em surpreender a cena indierock nacional.

As montanhas que se erguem na erupção de riffs sónicos e batidas galopantes, ocultam paisagens contemplativas, mas agora, quando ultrapassadas, revelam também praias que convidam a mergulhos e danças ao pôr-dosol.

Norberto Lobo Na música de Norberto Lobo, guitarrista original e independente, reside uma qualidade rara nas progressões estéticas da criação sonora dos dias de hoje. A ideia nova, a busca pelo inaudito, coexiste nela com a com-

abrangem diversos géneros musicais como a electrónica, o downtempo, o avant-garde, o experimental e o hardcore digital.

Os seus trabalhos foram seleccionados para festivais multimédia como o Perform Media Festival 2006 (EUA), VideoBrazil Festival 2007 (Brasil), Microwave International New Media Arts Festival (Hong Kong), Experimentica 2010 (Grã-Bretanha), etc.

Sai Ho foi considerado pela revista Time Out Hong Kong, o melhor músico electrónico do território.

Dia 22: Joey Chu e Wilson Tsang (Hong Kong) Joey Chu é uma das mais talentosas pianistas de Hong Kong. Depois de muitas experiências musicais na sua adolescência, decidiu explorar o lado performativo inerente à música, integrando a banda “A Company” com a qual viria a lançar um álbum em 2006.

Influenciada por diferentes tipos de música, desde o clássico ao rock, passando pelo pop e jazz, as peças minimais de Joey soam dramáticas, com uma melancolia repleta de perfeitas melodias.

O seu álbum a solo de piano está previsto ser lançado em 2011.

Hipnótica

Com dezasseis anos de existência, e com mais de oitos álbuns e Eps editados, os anteriormente electrónicos Hipnótica estão agora mais brilhantes que nunca. Tocam músicas alegres, repletas de vozes melodicamente ricas, onde o folk junta as mãos às batidas electrónicas e Wilson Tsang é um designer, artista audiovisual e com- as vibrações eléctricas se cruzam com ritmos africanos, positor de Hong Kong. numa mistura de deixar o coração a sorrir em tempos Os seus trabalhos nestas áreas têm sido apresentados de crise. Os Hipnótica irão ter como convidada especial com regularidade em revistas, exposições, teatros e con- Lina Sun, uma virtuosa tocadora de Gu Zheng. certos ao longo dos últimos quinze anos, tornando-o um dos artistas mais respeitados no território.

Dois dias de concertos únicos, com várias parcerias Como músico independente, Wilson Tsang é convida- musicais exclusivas, e momentos de comunhão musical. do em 2004 e 2005 pela Little Ásia Creative Meeting Música moderna de Portugal, Hong Kong e Macau, no para representar Hong Kong em Taiwan e Coreia do mesmo palco.

Sul, respectivamente.

Para além dos seus projectos a solo, Wilson também Preço: compõe para desenhos animados (Lonely Moon e Very 1 dia - €12 Fantastic, de Stella So), peças de teatro (Ending World, 2 dias - €18 encenado por Andy Ng) e para filmes (This Darling Pack 2 dias + CD - €25 Life, realizado por Angelina Chen) Wilson Tsang tem quatro álbuns editados: Stuck In Desconto de 20% a menores de 30 anos.

Traffic (2003), Little Cold Red (Harbour Records 2005), Bilhetes à venda nas bilheteiras do Museu do Oriente e Night Suite (2006) e o aclamado Whale Song (Lona Re- na Ticketline cords, 2008) Wilson Tsang irá ter Bernardo Devlin como convidado. http://musica.sapo.pt/noticias/concertos/t(h) ree_leva_dois_dias_de_musica_ao_museu_do_ AbztraQt Sir Q oriente Um grupo de músicos cujos destinos se cruzaram no Extremo Oriente, algures entre o ruído da metrópole e o murmúrio da natureza.

Fechados no seu próprio mundo, o Xing Palace Place e o seu magnífico jardim, desconstroem canções e deixam-se embalar pela cacofonia. Inventam-se dialectos, reinventa-se a ortografia, subverte-se a fonética, recusam-se as convenções. Não procuram o óbvio mas acabam por encontrá-lo...

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SANTOS DA CASA // RADIO SHOW T(H)REE - MUSEU DO ORIENTE Publicada por Fausto da Silva em 00:35 21 e 22 Janeiro, 2011 UM PROJECTO MUSICAL ENTRE PORTUGAL, HONG KONG E MACAU Auditório 21.30 T(h)ree é um projecto musical que junta, pela primeira vez num mesmo álbum, músicos contemporâneos de Portugal, Hong Kong e Macau. A ideia surge não só com o compromisso de materializar esse encontro de culturas mas também o desejo premente de incentivar a produção musical local, levando-a para longe das suas fronteiras, chegando a territórios distantes, dando forma e inicio a novos contactos musicais e culturais que, de outra forma, nunca teriam lugar.

Este projecto nasce também sob o desígnio do diálogo puro, sem barreiras, na mistura de processos criativos, sonoridades e diferentes formas de fazer música, num mundo que vive sem espaço e sem distâncias, onde a tecnologia é a principal fonte de ligação e o ponto de encontro.

Nos ramos deste empreendimento, nascerão outros frutos dos quais se apresenta agora o primeiro rasgo. T(h)ree traz para o mesmo campo músicos distintos que pela primeira vez estão em contacto, reagindo pela complementaridade de uma simples canção, que vai e vem até atingir o seu fim. Músicos de comprovado talento internacional deram o seu total empenho na criação do que irá ser um projecto único e universal.

O objectivo do projecto T(h)ree é o de promover e desenvolver a música moderna feita nestes três territórios, criar uma relação musical entre eles, expandir o mercado, criar um nome, uma marca, uma referência no panorama musical e associar a música moderna alternativa à solidariedade Para atingir estes objectivos foram convidadas cerca de trinta bandas e músicos dos dois lados do globo para tocar em parceria. Para cada música haverá um artista ou banda portuguesa a tocar em conjunto com parceiros de Hong Kong e Macau. Tudo feito e desenvolvido através da Internet, sem contacto directo entre eles. É tempo de nos orgulharmos da música feita em Portugal, promovê-la e partilhá-la com o mundo. Sem saudosismos mas sim em direcção ao futuro e a novas maneiras de aproximar diferentes povos. A música é uma das formas mais eficazes de aproximação entre pessoas culturalmente distantes. Portugal, Hong Kong e Macau têm novas vozes, novas formas de expressão prontas a serem ouvidas através das suas singulares abordagens. O projecto T(h)ree é uma forma de motivar toda uma geração de ouro de músicos que lutam diariamente para partilhar a sua paixão, talento e visão do mundo.

Parte das vendas do álbum será doada a instituições de ajuda no combate ao cancro.

O projecto T(h)ree contará no seu primeiro volume com as seguintes colaborações:

1. Hipnótica (Portugal) + Unixx (HK) – Perfect Betrayer Os Hipnótica são considerados a melhor banda de jazz electrónico em Portugal. Quatro álbuns lançados, reconhecimento da crítica e um novo rumo musical a despontar, os Hipnótica são uma banda de escuta obrigatória para todos os que querem conhecer a nova sonoridade de Portugal.

Unixx são um dos melhores exemplos do rock feito em Hong Kong. Letras profundas e uma sonoridade sofisticada são as principais características desta banda, que continua a atrair novos fãs desde a sua formação em 2001.

2. Balla (Portugal) + Modern Children (HK) + S.T. (HK) – 6860 Milhas Balla é a banda mais conhecida de Armando Teixeira, um dos produtores e músicos mais influentes em Portugal.

Da Weasel, Bizarra Locomotiva, Bulllet, Boris Ex Machina e Ik Mux foram projectos pelos quais passou e com os quais deixou marcas no panorama musical nacional.

Modern Children é o nome de uma das melhores novas bandas de Hong Kong e, provavelmente, uma das mais peculiares. Todos os membros são multi-instrumentalistas e as suas músicas percorrem os caminhos da electrónica e do rock, com um toque muito épico nas suas canções. O seu antigo violinista e Dj chama-se S.T. e foi considerado o melhor músico electrónico de Hong Kong, segundo a revista Time Out. 3. Ölga (Portugal) + Innisfallen (HK) - What Should We Ölga é uma banda de rock experimental portuguesa, que tem seguido comercialmente o seu caminho, sem nunca perder o seu carácter. Três álbuns lançados e todos aclamados pela crítica são o seu legado até agora.

Innisfallen são uma banda rock com grandes influências britânicas. A qualidade da sua música e o seu profissionalismo em palco fez deles estrelas e hoje em dia são uma das mais famosas bandas de Hong Kong.

4. AbztraQt Sir Q (Portugal) + Joey Chu (HK) – honQon Os AbztraQt Sir Q são uma banda avant-garde portuguesa única mas, ao mesmo tempo, influenciada por bandas locais dos anos 80 e 90, como os Mler If Dada e os Pop Del’ Arte. O seu álbum foi um dos acontecimentos do ano em Portugal e, desde então, passaram a ser um nome a seguir no panorama musical português.

Joey Chu é uma talentosa pianista e cantora clássica que tem trabalhado com músicos influentes em Hong Kong, como Wilson Tsang, Alok Leung e os A Roller Control. O seu trabalho vai desde a pop até ao experimentalismo, e a sua voz é de rara beleza.

5. Erro! (Portugal) + A.O.S. (HK) – The Double Life of Jeremy Buthan Erro! É um projecto musical de João Palma, um dos músicos mais multifacetados na música portuguesa underground dos anos 80 e 90. As raízes musicais portuguesas podem ser ouvidas em quase todas as suas composições, não obstante do estilo praticado.

A.O.S. é um projecto de música electrónica experimental de Hong Kong. A sua música é intensa, hipnótica e profunda, mas com um estranho sabor dançável. Comercial mas alternativo ao mesmo tempo, A.O.S. é já uma promessa no panorama musical local.

6. Kubik (Portugal) + Evade (Macau) + Biru (Portugal) – Circulo em esferas (versão H.P.R.) Kubik é um músico electrónico português, com uma sonoridade tão peculiar que tem originado reconhecimento nos quatro cantos do mundo. As suas composições são de uma criatividade única, tendo sido convidado a tocar com nomes importantes da música europeia e norte-americana, como Mike Patton e os Fantomas.

Evade são uma banda electrónica de Macau, cuja singularidade do seu estilo tem angariado fãs um pouco por toda a Ásia. Electrónica com coração e uma voz angelical tornaram os Evade a mais importante banda macaense a surgir na última década.

Biru a.k.a B.I.R.U.L.eX é a nova designação para o movimento hip hop escrito e cantado em português. Filho de África, Biru é mais do que uma voz e um microfone, elevando a consciencialização lírica e musical em torno de uma simbiose perfeita com o público, esteja ele num grande palco ou numa roda de rua, sob uma base instrumental ou a cappella.

7. F.e.v.e.r (Portugal) + False Alarm (HK) – Sirvana Os F.e.v.e.r. são uma banda de rock industrial portuguesa e a única do género com projecção internacional. Com quatro álbuns editados, sendo o último produzido por um famoso produtor norte-americano, os F.e.v.e.r. misturam com perfeição a música dançável electrónica, com as poderosas linhas de guitarra.

Com dez anos de existência, os False Alarm são, provavelmente, a mais conhecida banda de indie rock em Hong Kong. O carisma do vocalista Ling e os concertos electrizantes que têm dado ao longo dos anos tornaram-nos num caso único de sucesso e longevidade na música moderna local.

8. The Allstar Project (Portugal) + Elf Fatima (HK) – Abadeh The Allstar Project são uma das bandas pioneiras do pós rock em Portugal. A sua música poderosa mas delicada ficou conhecida além fronteiras, tendo sido convidados a tocar em vários países.

Os Elf Fatima são o paralelo dos The Allstar Project em Hong Kong. Uma das mais respeitadas bandas locais, as suas músicas são agressivas e tocantes ao mesmo tempo, e o seu estilo é extraordinariamente complexo.

9. Norberto Lobo (Portugal) + Gloria Tang (HK) – Bafo de Shiva Norberto Lobo é um virtuoso da guitarra e um músico que coloca toda a alma lusitana na sua música. O som da guitarra não poderia ser mais mágico, os seus concertos são intensos, cheios de sentimento e a sua fama tem chegado além fronteiras. É um dos grandes nomes da nova música portuguesa.

Gloria Tang é a vocalista da famosa banda indie Goodmorningloria. A sua música é influenciada pela bossa nova e as suas letras têm uma poesia tão inocente como contagiosa. Uma das vozes mais doces da música moderna de Hong Kong.

10. Bernardo Devlin (Portugal) + Wilson Tsang (HK) – Sea Of Amnesia Bernardo Devlin é um músico experimental português, mais famoso pelo seu trabalho como vocalista dos Osso Exótico, uma das bandas avant-garde mais importantes em Portugal. É uma referência para todos os que seguem estas pisadas musicais.

Wilson Tsang é um músico experimental, considerado o melhor no seu estilo em Hong Kong. As suas composições em piano são misteriosas e tornam-se mais e mais profundas à medida que repetimos a audição.

11. :papercutz (Portugal) + Fragile (HK) – Twelfth Projecto electrónico português liderado por Bruno Miguel, :papercutz é uma baseado numa música pop aventureira, que busca no equilíbrio entre o electrónico e o acústico e atinge um organicismo instrumental, com melodias de sonho, vozes pop e ambientes cinematográficos.

Os Fragile são uma inovadora banda pós rock de Hong Kong, que junta música electrónica nas suas com-

posições. Melodias fortes e uma componente cinematográfica latente transformam a música dos Fragile numa exaltação de paixão e intensidade.

Faixas Bónus: 12 - O Monstro (Portugal/Macau) + Lobo (Macau) – Para Maria O Monstro materializa-se no corpo e na voz de António Conceição, compositor multifacetado que viveu toda a sua juventude em Macau. Projecto único, íntimo, O Monstro sussurra canções de amor e canta-as ao ouvido com uma desenvoltura tremenda. Canção Diário é o primeiro registo do músico que reparte os seus dias pelo oriente e ocidente.

Lobo é um dos Djs mais conhecidos no panorama musical de Macau e uma figura unanimemente respeitada entre Portugueses e Chineses. No princípio do século XXI foi o líder de uma das bandas mais carismáticas de sempre da música moderna de Macau, os DR., tendo lançado depois um álbum a solo, reconhecido pela crítica de Hong Kong.

Muito mais que um mero Dj, Lobo é um experimentalista incansável em busca de uma vertente mais intelectual na área da música electrónica.

13. A Naifa – Esta depressão que me anima (versão de Winnie Lau) Podemos dizer muito em relação à música criada pela Naifa, mas talvez a descrição que melhor lhes assente é o de ser uma banda que toca o fado do século XXI. Formada por Luís Varatojo e por João Aguardela, e com a voz única de Maria Antónia Mendes, a inclusão d’A Naifa neste álbum é emocional pois surge em jeito de homenagem a Aguardela, sendo este o primeiro registo da banda depois da sua morte.

Winnie Lau é uma violinista, pianista, cantora e compositora de Hong Kong que tem percorrido o circuito alternativo local através da sua banda False Alarm (também nesta compilação). Este seu primeiro registo fora da banda prova que há uma carreira a solo pronta a ser explorada.

Preço: Preço: €12,00 (um espectáculo), € 18,00 (dois espectáculos).

M/12 Duração: 150’, com intervalo APESAR DE O DISCO SÓ CHEGAR ÀS LOJAS A 17 DE JANEIRO, JÁ ESTÁ À VENDA NO SITE DA COBRA DISCOS EM http://www.cobradiscos.org/ http://santosdacasa.blogspot.com/2010/12/three-museu-do-oriente.html

A TROMPA // ONLINE MUSIC CRITICS O álbum “T(h)ree” vai ter a sua festa de lançamento nos próximos dias 21 e 22 de Janeiro 2011 (21h00), no Museu do Oriente, em Lisboa. O álbum “T(h)ree” é o resultado de um projecto musical que junta num mesmo disco, em temas partilhados, músicos de Portugal, Hong Kong e Macau. Depois da edição asiática, chega agora a vez da edição nacional: Dia 21 O MONSTRO (Macau) ÖLGA NORBERTO LOBO + GUILHERME CANHÃO CHOI SAI HO / S.T. (Hong Kong) Participação especial: TOCÁ RUFAR Dia 22 JOEY CHU (Hong Kong) WILSON TSANG (Hong Kong) ABZTRAQT SIR Q HIPNÓTICA Participações especiais: BERNARDO DEVLIN CAO BEI (China) Os bilhetes custam 12€ (um dia) e 18€ (dois dias) e estão à venda no Museu do Oriente, na FNAC, na Worten e em ticketline.pt. http://a-trompa.net/destaque/festa-de-lancamento-do-album-three?utm_source=feedburner&utm_ medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ATrompa+%28A+Trompa%29

PONTO ALTERNATIVO // MUSIC CRITICS MAGAZINE Concerto: T(h)ree – Choai Sai Ho + Norberto Lobo + Ölga + O Monstro 23jan11 21 de Janeiro, Museu do Oriente, Lisboa Texto por António M. Silva / Fotografia por Lais Pereira De Lisboa a Macau e Hong Kong vão uma cambada de quilómetros, mas verdade seja dita, as marcas de distância são mínimas: fala-se muito português por lá, até a calçada é igual à nossa… E com o advento da internet, a música tornou-se ainda mais universal e ajudou a aproximar os três países. Prova disso mesmo é a recém-editada compilação T(h)ree, que neste fim-de-semana convidou os artistas que nela participaram para actuar em Lisboa.

Convenientemente organizada no Museu do Oriente, a noite trouxe quatro artistas que de Hong Kong a Portugal representam bem o que se vai fazendo em termos musicais por este mundo fora – mesmo com uns milhares de quilómetros entre eles.

O frio foi o grande adversário da noite, e acabou por tolher um pouco a energia e a vontade de sair de casa, mas tenho que dar o braço a torcer a António Conceição. Ou O Monstro. De mansinho, armado com escritos que presumimos serem da sua autoria, soube impor-se e ao seu próprio ritmo no espaço do Museu. A sua música, a sua voz e em última instância a sua expressão era toda ela inverno: não por ser fria, mas por ser altamente expressiva. Situados na noite, o caminho estava aberto para os Ölga. Pelo frio, por destoar d’ O Monstro, por antecipar Norberto Lobo ou por puro desinteresse, o colectivo não cativou. Atenção, não são maus, mas indie-rock antes do rapaz auto-didacta que Mudou de Bina há tão pouco tempo, não caiu também quanto pensava. Valeu por ‘Paul Simon’, um dos temas da banda que ainda está nos ouvidos.

Era nele, em Norberto Lobo, que a noite culminava. Noberto não é jardineiro, nem tão pouco engenheiro, mas constrói paisagens como ninguém, ornadas por Guilherme Canhão, seu comparsa nos Tigrala e metade furiosa dos Lobster (se não conhecem, vão a correr ouvir ambos os projectos). É um mago da guitarra de seis cordas de aço, que poria boquiaberto o mago maior Carlos Paredes. É sob o risco da heresia que escrevo estas linhas, mas ver Norberto Lobo sentado a dedilhar é como observar o Mestre a segurar as doze cordas dos destinos de Portugal.

Obviamente que Norberto o faz com a genuidade de um jovem que vê crescer o Alentejo pautado pela modernidade de ventoinhas eólicas; com a coragem de quem navega o Douro; com a inocência de uma criança que sopra um dente de leão. Mas a sua genialidade reside precisamente num paradoxo: a sua inocência musical, assente a maturidade com que pinta estes simples retratos mentaisatravés do dó-ré-mi das suas notas. Norberto Lobo é um paisagista sobredotado que caiu num caldeirão quando era pequeno. Qual Ayrton Senna, acelera Portugal adentro e pinta tal qual como são os seus recantos auditivos – e arrisco dizer, sentimentais. Que paisagem, que cor, que árvore, cheiro ou sentimento falta a Lobster? Que Portugal falta a este trovador paisagístico das seis cordas? Nenhum, digo eu mero ouvinte de um confortável assento que viaja por este pais fora. Vale a pena embarcar nestas “viagens de Norberto”, tão oníricas quanto reais, tão bucólicas quanto citadinas… mas no fundo, tão pacíficas e sinceras, como a nossa vida, feita de dicotomias agitadas que afinal querem reflectir a nossa desejada paz de espírito. A excelência de Norberto está em pintar com a guitarra como Goya pintava com um pincel. Num percurso em que Norberto nos guiou, qual xamã de vestes simples mas barba sábia, cumpriu-se a máxima: a viagem em si (interior, introspectiva e pessoal) foi muito mais importante do que a chegada.

A noite não terminava aí, mas estava há já muito ganha. Choi Sai Ho era quem se seguia. A electrónica – ou a música puramente digital, como soou por vezes – apareceu acompanhada dos trabalhos audiovisuais, da autoria do artista de Hong Kong. O terceiro país em representação aparecia finalmente em palco, mas as contingências temporais (Âlcantara não é bem ao virar da esquina….) obrigaram a que abandonasse o Museu do Oriente mais cedo que o desejável. Para trás, uma noite agradável, de céu limpo e calmaria instalada. Norberto Lobo acabou por roubar (no bom sentido) algum protagonismo aos outros intervenientes, sem precisar de grandes artifícios para o fazer. E fê-lo de forma merecida.

T(H)REE LISBON CONCERT/MUSEU DO ORIENTE ALL PHOTOS BY LAIS PEREIRA FROM PONTO ALTERNATIVO FEATURED IN PRINTED ARTICLE

http://opontoalternativo.wordpress.com/2011/01/23/concerto-three-choai-sai-ho-norberto-lobo-olgao-monstro/4_st_1/

TUNESMITH PRO // MUSIC MAGAZINE David Valentim & T(h)ree: A Chinese-Portuguese Cross-Cultural Musical Adventure

By Eric de Fontenay http://china.musicdish.com In 2009, music producer David Valentim began producing the album T(h)ree, which brings together for the very first time modern musicians from Macau, Hong Kong and Portugal, in original and unique duets. The album was released in Hong Kong and Macau in May 2010, while David continued working on the release of the European edition.

David also organized the “Hong Kong Flash” and “Macau Flash” music events, in which many bands from the local underground musical scene performed to large audiences. Chochukmo, Hard Candy, Unixx, Wilson Tsang, False Alarm, Evade, Pixeltoy, Kun Chi Ching, S.T. and many others performed in those shows.

What was the inspiration for this cross-cultural musical project? And why the choice of Portugal?

I am a Portuguese that has been living the last years of his life between Portugal, Macau and Hong Kong. And just that fact gives you the whole answer. But to be clearer, I have been developing strong friendships with local bands since I arrived in Asia and I had the privilege to get deeper into their local musical scene.

I always found it unfortunate that none of them knew anything about the modern Portuguese music, which I consider one of the best in Europe nowadays. Adding to that fact, the Portuguese were one of the first westerners to reach Asia exactly 500 years ago. I think I had a whole set of good reasons to do something meaningful that could approach the two sides of the world. Music was the key to it.

As I had some experience in concert production, I decided to take it another step and produce a whole album with collaborations between Portuguese, Hong Kong and Macau musicians. Sounds natural, right?

This is the first T(h)ree album. Will there be future projects with other territories, and if so, any hints on which?

How many are you planning on producing?

There will be other T(h)ree releases, for sure. I will be in charge of at least two more. The second volume is in production now, and the new territories will be revealed when the first songs come out. I can tell you that Portugal will be a common territory in all of these volumes, while the other two will continue to be located in Asia, but won’t be repeated from one album to another. It will be a “Portuguese - Asian Musical Trilogy”.

The album was created entirely via virtual “collaborations”. Could you elaborate a little more on that process?

How did this virtual collaborating as opposed to getting together in a studio affect the creative process and final product?

The concept of the album was that indeed: that musicians should only contact each others through internet. How did they manage to do it? Well, with lots of passion, I must say. You need to really love what you are doing to create something with a person that you have never seen or heard about before and still make it sound great and unique.

The process was complex in some cases, with a lot of demo sharing. In other cases, it was surprisingly simple: one part started the song and the other ended, in a very short period of time.

There was a lack of studio gathering effect, for sure. It was not the warmest way to play with a guest musician. But at the same time, it was also challenging, like being part of a game when you don’t know how it will finish. In the end, you feel that each side tried to surprise the other with their musical skills and vision, and the songs ended up being a peaceful clash between extremely talented musicians from different cultures.

I recognized some of my favorite HK artists on the compilation, including UNiXX and Elf Fatima. What was the artist selection process in China and Portugal?

The selection of the artists was according to five basic principles: Music quality, influence in their local musical scenes, innovation and capacity to work in a team. I said five, right? The last one is probably the most important: I needed to be a fan of their music. I wouldn’t have it any other way. They would never disappoint a fan.

Any plans to bring this project on the road? Maybe a China-Brazil-Portugal tour?

There were already three album release parties in Hong Kong and Macau, with more than fifteen performances.

Right now I am preparing an album release party in Portugal as well, in which I will take some Chinese musicians to play together with their Portuguese musical partners. It will be the first time that they will meet face to face and I am sure they will all give very touching and memorable performances.

Regarding future events, well it would be great if it could happen but I don’t think we can put this kind of show on the road. It would involve many musicians, with many “hard to match” schedules, a huge budget and a big team in the backstage to support the entire project.

You collaborated with Bloom Creative Network on this project. Could you tell me a little more about them?

Bloom Creative Network started as a bookstore in Macau and gained a new life last year with several cultural projects. I know how difficult it is to make something culturally professional in Macau and the people in charge of Bloom tried hard to do it. That is why I invited them to distribute the album T(h)ree under their label. I wanted to attract the public attention to their effort in creating an iconic cultural brand in Macau. The freshness of the T(h)ree project could have been the step they needed to solidify their position in Macau and help them give the first moves in Hong Kong as well.

Unfortunately, due to their lack of experience in the music business, Bloom didn’t do a good job during the whole process of promotion and distribution, and the

CD never had the impact that it should have had. It was a shameful wasted chance to create a strong partnership between two entities that wanted to raise the level of the cultural scene.

After that, I tried to look for an extremely professional and respected alternative label that could release and represent the album in Europe. Fortunately, the Portuguese label Cobra, owned by the seminal, highly influential band Mão Morta, became interested in the project and will release the European edition later this year, with a brand new package and some differences in the line up.

As a music producer, what projects are you working on now?

I am working on the release of the European edition of the album T(h)ree, plus producing the two album release parties that will take place in Lisbon on the 21st and 22nd of January 2011 at the Museu do Oriente.

More than 10 Chinese and Portuguese performers will play in those shows.

I am also producing the second and third volumes, plus developing my own music.

http://tunesmithpro.ning.com/profiles/blogs/david-valentim-amp-three-a

Cable and Public Network Channels

VIDEO COVERAGE “A ÚLTIMA CEIA” SHOW WITH RUI UNAS FROM SIC RADICAL

INTERVIEW FOR “TOP+” MUSIC PROGRAM FOR RTP1 NO AVAILABLE FOOTAGE

“CÂMARA CLARA” CULTURAL TV SHOW FROM RTP2 http://camaraclara.rtp.pt/

“PÚBLICO” NEWSPAPER ONLINE VIDEO INTERVIEW BY CULTURE MAGAZINE “IPSILON”

http://videos.publico.pt/Default.aspx?Id=df645292-428b-4b73-a16a-1bb9514c5feb T(h)ree (o primeiro), em concerto no Museu do Oriente Fonte: Ípsilon David Valentim, arquitecto, conheceu a maioria dos músicos reunidos nesta colectânea nos eventos de música que organizou em Macau e Hong Kong. O primeiro disco é apresentado no Museu do Oriente, dias 21 e 22 de Janeiro, onde se pode conhecer também os projectos a solo de cada participante no disco.

Imagem, Entrevista, Edição e Realização: sandra.oliveira@ publico.pt

Chapter Four

TAKE COVER FROM THE MEDIA It was before, during and after that the media pressured to make statements and give opinions on whatever was related to the T(h)ree Project, Music in Macau and being a Portuguese Musician on a foreign country. The problem was that people didn’t really know anything about me.

And it was a bit insulting to say I was a foreiner in my own place of birth. I don’t believe that the Portuguese understand Macau, or any other place where the Por-

tuguese went and established for a while.

From young journalists to more mature TV hosts, the questions were always the same. “How did you get involved? What do you feel about music in Portugal? How do you communicate in Macau? Why are you in Macau? Do you think it’s important to do projects like these?” I do understand the necessity of these questions, but they become irrelevant after many answers given the same way.

The first interview I had to give was to a journalist from the TV Program Camara Clara, a culture program well known and with the best reviews in Portugal and in Europe.

The questions during this interview were quite interesting. They, of course, were interested in the most common questions but also made some challenging ones, such as: “What portuguese music do you hear in Macau?�

In fact, this is an important question for the portuguese. I answered that they are very responsible for the bad and horrific music that is being heard outside of Portugal and that their condition as music creators is being publicizes the best way.

People want to know the good part of music, the good artists, those who are appreciated for their

work and quality. Instead, the communities scattered all over the world are fed with Pop/Folklore songs that have no interest and have no quality what so ever. So, the responsibility for have a bad reputation in the music industry is totally theirs. But, being a Macau citizen who lived in Portugal I know where to find what I want because I also know what I want. In other decades, the Portuguese community in Macau was given good concerts and quality shows

by Portuguese artists. So good, that they attracted other communities, nonspeakers of Portuguese.

So that meant something.

That meant that we knew, in Macau, what to get and where to get it from.

Further more, the journalist asked me about the process of participating in this project. It was com-

pletely done through the internet. Some artists never met each other. What did I think of that.

I answered that it didn’t matter. Any of it. We spoke in a common language: music. And although it might be considered a special form of language and communication, to me, it is not. Because it is the oldest and most intense form of appreciation of what is around us.

We react to sound, any sound. And what makes music different is the fact that it is organized. Music is a sequence of organized sounds that depend on many things: rhythm, repeating, melody, harmony, cadence, etc.. The way we manipulate those elements makes a group of sounds seem like words, of visions, or thinkable feelings. We are sensitive to music the same way we

are sensitive to sounds.

But we relate more to music than to sounds because we identify human action.

Music only exists with time. It is not like a painting that is there, wether you look at it or not. In order to have music, one must play it, execute it.

And those two verbs are dependent of human impulse, human gesture, human action.

So, the fact that it was done through the internet does not change much.

We did it the same way as we would if close together. We played.

Another Journalist, from the TV program TOP+, asked me and fellow musician from Hong Kong Choi Sai-Ho, what we thought about the opportunity to be in Portugal to play in this concert. Choi Sai-Ho said he thought that it was a good opportunity to make the Portuguese understand that on the other side of the world we made music aswell.

And it didn’t necessarily mean it was completely different. It meant that both countries could relate through music, the same way they could relate on other things. On the other hand, I replied that this opportunity came along because: 1. I was invited by a person who had experienced and lived enough to understand that

these activities and shows were very important; 2. I was there because the openess of mind of the place where I worked (ICM) was good enough to understand the importance of one’s work outside the office; 3. I was also invited because of the chance to represent Macau in Portugal and on an event like this one. We must always take responsibility of who we are, what we do and where we are from. I accepted this invitation, also, because I wanted to represent Macau.

The last question of this reporter was to me. He asked if I could see a future in Macau for Portuguese bands. I replied that it wasn’t up to Macau to decide that. It was up to

the portuguese bands to be open enough to come to Macau. People in Macau are a difficuld audience.

They have high-standards and don’t always support the Made In Macau Artists. But if someone from outside is bringing something new, then they need to have courage, they need to conquer this audience. I do feel the need for more Western influences in Macau. But I also think that the West needs more Eastern influences in order to achieve the cultural understanding and acceptance. This rules out the possibilities of having misconcieved ideas form both sides. When the water is crystal clear, there is no room for doubt.

You may drink it.

NOTE: This chapter was inserted to include part of the interviews that were not given or made available to viewers.

António Conceição

What's this? Turn the page...

A VIDA PORTUGUESA

THE DAY-BY-DAY GUIDE TO WHAT I DID IN PORTUGAL

Chapter Five Dutty came and went in a blink of an eye, or simply just after I did whatever I had to do. And during these moments I came across a few nice features to both the cities I went to, Oporto and Lisbon. I say nice because of the simplicity and easyness of satisfaction I found while vitising. One of those places, the most important, was the antique shop called “A Vida Portuguesa”. This is shop of old things made today, vintage products that kept the same name, the manufacturing process and the same design and communication strategy they had 50, 60, 70 years ago. It´s amazing they way it is decorated and arranged. It looks like an old warehouse, remodeled to fit a functional purpose and still be beautiful and stylish.

This idea came from writer and politician Catarina Portas, who investigated and wrote a book on these products - “Numa Casa Portuguesa”. Her extensive research took about 5 to 6 years and only then did the book come out to stores. The book had so much impact that she decided that those products had to come closer to the public, since they still existed and still made a relatively sustainable profit from them. The fact is, when the shop was established all the brands envolved errupted profits in a way they never did. Out of nothing, the brands were “hip” again. They were stylish and vintage which made the younger generations look for it and appreciate. And it made older generations remember things that they thought they would never see again.

To tell you the truth, it doesn´t take a genius to understand that any product that induces recollections is a succesful product, and potentially a luxury ou hi-priced item. When I went to the shop I asked for the owner. She wasn´t there, but I did have the chance to talk with the shop keeper. I asked if it would be possible to talk to someone about the shop, it´s business, their objectives. He said he was available for a little talk. He told me how the concept of the shop made him want to work for it. It wasn´t a necessity. He was working somewhere else already but when he saw the whole thing he was so amazed and excited that he chose to stay there. He spoke about the public, the shoppers. They go there for many reasons. Some of them collect the items from the shop, slowly buying different parts of big collections, others just come in to look at everything and touch

them and smell them (yes, smelling is part of it because one of the most succesful products are the old Soaps and Shampoos, clothing detergents and washing products, all vintage).

Actually, the whole shop is a voyage of perfumes. From the cleaning products, to old paper prints and wooden, glass and clay objects, old brand candy and cooking products.

The shop brings you the smells and colors of the past. It’s a trip through time.

The keeper also told me that one of the rooms was so packed that they had to rent the upper first floor to keep things more safely. So we went to the second floor. This section of the shop was as special as the first.

Mostly they sold old books, first editions, classic posters of portuguese modernist artists. They sold handmade baskets and wine pots, traditional shoes and clothes. It was a delicate cultural shop.

This concept kept ringing on my head the whole time I was in Portugal. The shop I visited was in Lisbon, but like the Keeper told me they also opened a shop in Oporto.

I asked how they kept the shop alive since it is not visible from the main downtown streets. He said that they did alot of activities, speacilly small concerts with folk, modern, expressive artists inside the shop. These activities functioned as publicity acts for both the parties. Known artists were promoting the shop and the shop was promoting them as the Good Artistry of Portugal. This interaction between everyone was quite interesting and it kept me very alert to what would happen there.

We said goodbye and he gave all the that I need to contact the owner, since I exchanged a IC card. Attached was the cities cultural agenda and promotional packs they distribute free through Lisbon. Great!

A VIDA PORTUGUESA OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF PRODUCTS. THESE ARE SOME OF THEM.

TASTES BETTER IN PORTUGAL www.avidaportuguesa.com/

BORDALO PINHEIRO PORCELAIN Bordalo Pinheiro is known sculpture who made his style very known in Portugal and the world.

A GIRL´S DELIGHT

A MAN´S DELIGHT

A Gift Box with Perfumed Soap, Chocolate, Rice Candy, Tooth Paste, A Gift Box with Perfumed Soap, Viarco Pencils and a Note Book.

Port Wine, Sardines, Bath Minerals.

MAN SHAVING KIT

THE TRADITION THE FATIMA KIT KIT

A Box with the essencials for shaving and mouth washing.

A Box with elements of traditional folk culture in Portugal.

A Box with Portuguese Folk religious items (Holy Water, Mary Figure, etc.)

THE VIARCO PENCIL COLLECTION

TRADITIONAL VIANA CLOTHES

TRADITIONAL PORTUGUESE TOYS

The Old Pencil Brand Viarco Box, with Pencils and Illustrated Notebooks

From a part of Portugal with very strongue traditional styles, these clothes are symbol of Portugal.

Played alike around the world, these Toys are also a symbol of how times have changed and children aswell.

Catarina Portas - Owner of A Vida Portuguesa

THOUGHTS IDEAS CONCEPTS

Chapter Six THE DAY-BY-DAY GUIDE TO WHAT I DID IN PORTUGAL So, to come to a conclusion of what was this trip, I would like to announce a few of ideas that came across during my stay in Portugal.

The first idea would have to be related to the T(h)ree Project. I believe that the IC should become a sponsor and publisher of a project identical to the T(h)ree Concept, marketing the Made in Macau Artists and bringing the foreign artists to Macau, participating on a joint effort to create music and/or other products.

And going through the Concept of the Creative Industries, I believe that Macau should also be

a corner point in Asia where one can find the Vintage Products that were made in the South East Asia, such as the shop “A Vida Portuguesa”. This would be an opportunity to make something unique in Macau aimed at the asian consumer and obviously to the foreign public.

This stands as a historic research and apply it’s efforts on profitable business and cultural exchanging. Macau is and has always been a meeting point between cultures. And this condition should forever more be fostered and helped.

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