f34 Algarve Nights
Portugal’s annual world music Festival Mediterraneo in the heart of the Algarve is well worth a visit, reckons our Judith Burrows (camera, notebook, suntan).
day world music festival in the heart of the Algarve. The line-up is impressive indeed, and I’m on the coach with Orches- tra Baobab and the Goran Bregovic band (minus the man himself), hoping to get to the venue in time for the final acts of the first night – Femi Kuti and Vieux Farka Toure. But as we glide through avenue upon avenue of brand new high-rise hotels on the coastal route, I panic a little.
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Thankfully we soon head off into the hills away from the tourist parts, to the small market town of Loulé where Festival Med, now in its seventh year, is in full swing. Overlooking the sea but off the tourist route, Loulé retains a natural charm and a strong Portuguese identity, and I am staying in a very pretty and wel- coming hotel situated on a small square, a short walk from the festival venues.
It is 11pm on this balmy evening as I hurry through cobbled streets to the old- est part of town where it appears the whole of Portugal is bopping to Femi Kuti & The Positive Force on the large stage in front of the old church of Matriz.
s we bump along in the over- heated bus taking us from Faro airport to Loulé, I am not sure what to expect from Fes- tival Mediterraneo – a four
The atmosphere is magical. Elderly residents lean out of windows, stroll the streets or participate with young children dancing and playing into the early hours. The narrow cobbled streets are lined with stalls selling ethnic and local products. A group of women of three generations sell raffle tickets. Windows are thrown open to sell local drinks or sweets to passers-by. A woman plaits a young girl’s hair as fire- eaters perform close by.
The next day I am greeted by two elderly inhabitants toasting the air to the full moon, while João Cuña & Luis Fialho – a Portuguese duo – play a set on the classi- cal stage surrounded by al fresco diners. On the same evening, Cacique ‘97, an Afro-beat collective from Lisbon, excite the audience on the Cerca stage with a funky mix of Mozambiquan and Por- tuguese influences, the big horn section rising over a driving bass line and multi- layered vocals. Dance I must!
At midnight the audience gathers to hear the popular and much anticipated Goran Bregovic & His Wedding And Funer- al Band. I stand next to a couple who have driven from Lisbon for the event. They dance vigorously, while singing along to all the songs and he doesn’t disappoint. Actu- ally it is Goran’s band that excels, with a
particularly strong performance by young singer and percussionist Alen Ademovic.
On the third evening I squeeze into the walled courtyard of the Castelo, a small venue that is packed to bursting. Galandum Galundaina are an impressive Portuguese quartet playing a variety of traditional instruments – drums, flutes, goatskin pipes, and strings – whose exu- berance is infectious and soon transferred to the audience of young and old alike. Later, the energetic Orchestra Baobab play a wonderful set on the main stage, which has everyone dancing again.
I can thoroughly recommend com- bining this apparently local yet world class festival with a holiday in the Algarve; the daytimes spent exploring the area and beaches, and evenings enjoying the wonderful festival atmo- sphere and high quality music.
Festival Med takes place at the end of
June. Tickets are very reasonably priced so as to be within easy reach of locals in the Algarve, and Ryanair has regular flights to Faro nearby. If you want to stay in Loulé itself I would suggest early booking at the Jardim Hotel.
www.festivalmed.com.pt www.loulejardimhotel.com/uk
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