words: Paulo Carmona (freely translated by Raquel Pinheiro); photos: Nuno Lopes
With characteristic mastery, Samuel Úria prepared his transition towards solo performances on iconic stages, and the Coliseus were no exception.
Samuel appeared in full splendour, surrounded by a panoply of settings, stages and instruments, all enriched and animated by special guests and a chorus of celestial voices. Everything was in place for the night to be memorable, and indeed, it was.
It all began with 2000 AD, the title song of his latest work, and straight away the breath became a complement to the syncopated rhythm of my shoe soles. There was a touch of spaghetti western about the song, and a festive spirit swept through the entire hall of Coliseu do Porto.
Soon after came Pedra e Cal, and someone whispered in my ear, “Samuel does whatever he wants with his voice.” The procession was only just beginning when he announced the first guest – the Queen of Hearts herself: Carol. The song, inspired by Xico da Ladra, a character from the alleys and narrow streets where the artist once roamed and drew inspiration, unfolded like a fable. Imagination is something Samuel knows how to translate into song, and those who listen closely can feel it.
The audience responded instinctively; the atmospheric intensity rose with every beat, every sway of the hips. Samuel is, by nature, an entertainer, a consummate performer. He communicates with ease, radiates genuine warmth and just the right measure of humility, deeply endearing qualities. The crowd loved him for it, answering his gestures with bursts of applause.
There were more surprises and more guests joining Samuel on stage: Margarida Campelo; Manuela Azevedo, with whom he ventured into the middle of the audience to perform Carga de Ombro in a completely acoustic version, a moment that set the Coliseu ablaze.
Then came Milhanas and Gisela João. Each of them wonderful, each unique. One could not have asked for more. The stage even shifted hands, as the band from earlier days – Flor Caveira – filled the air with rock’n’roll à la carte. Like a chameleon slipping between parallel worlds with a diplomat’s passport, Samuel moved through genres that met and mingled here and there.
A special note must be given to É Preciso Que Eu Diminua, in which the artist seemed to perform a near-penitential act. With the wisdom and craft of a poet, he offered his reflection on what it means to accept one’s own place when standing in the light, gently criticising the hollow vanity and narcissism that often accompany it.
He closed the concert, as he must, with Um Adeus Português. It belonged there, perfectly attuned to the moment.
I left Coliseu do Porto as one might leave a banquet of the gods, with a full soul. And I caught myself thinking: “If this man keeps going like this, what more could I possibly say?”
Oh captain, my captain?
Mondo Bizarre Magazine 