Author: Mondo Bizarre Magazine

Adventuring Into the Unknown

words: Raquel Pinheiro; photos: Telma Mota

Nothing like going blind and curious into a concert and leave fullfilled. Telma and I wanted to check Soccorro’s, a recent record shop in Porto, new concert room. And so we did.

Cavala, a five piece from Porto, are the band to watch and go to see if they play near you. Renovating elements from Portuguese like Mlef If Dada or Pop Dell’Arte coupled with a pop-punk-post punk approach, Madlen Pinto (vocals, guitar and a bit of everything), Maria Cabral (bass, vocals), Helena Carneiro (drums), Inês Barbosa (guitar, vocals, kora, flute) and Mariana Amorim (melodica, vocals, ukulele, fife) bring us a joyous musical and vocal set, even when their voices speak of less sunnier issues.

Also from Porto, Ideal Victim – Mariana (vocals), Bruno Esteves (guitar), Jimmy (drums), Alex Vieira (bass) – have tints of a blast from 80s American hardcore, transposed for and enriched for today, in a venue, in Porto. Mariana is a force of nature, on stage, jumping to the middle of the audience, screaming, tantalizing. Ideal Victim are loud, very loud, energetic, in your face. Pure raw power.

From Melbourne, Australia, come Pinch Points. Acacia (bass, vocals), Adam (guitar, vocals)), Isabella (drums, vocals), Jordan (guitar, vocals) dressed in their shorts and shirt band outfit bring a fun, groovy, laid-back punk-post-punk performance that permeates the thirteen songs played. Theirs is an infectious sunny disposition to Pinch Points. A perfect match to a hot, sun blazing, Sunday afternoon.