If the MED Festival «is the richness of diversity», the presentation of another 18 names on the final line-up only proves it. Nancy Vieira (Cape Verde), Zeca Medeiros (Portugal), Kabaka Pyramid (Jamaica), Tomoro (Japan) and Caamaño&Ameixeiras (Spain) were some of the artists announced for an edition, from June 29 to July 2, at the Historic Center of Loulé, which will have a great novelty: one more entrance to the enclosure.
The presentation of these names took place at the end of the afternoon of this Tuesday, May 16, at Cerca do Convento, in Loulé.
Among the announced artists are also Balkan Taksim (Romania), Nicole Conte & The Spiritual Galaxy feat. Zara MacFarlane (Italy/UK), Monda (Portugal), Poli Ueda (Japan/France), La Sra. Tomasa (Spain) and Svetlana Bakushina Fusion Quartet (Russia/Portugal).
The announced names – 18 in total – join the other 17 that had already been revealed, in March, at the Lisbon Tourism Exchange, which include artists such as Sétima Legião, Sara Correia and Pedro Mafama, the Syrian Omar Souleyman, the Jamaican Horace Andy and the duo Amadou&Mariam, from Mali.
In statements to the Sul Informação, Carlos Carmo, councilor of the Loulé Chamber and director of the MED, spoke of «diversity» as the driving force of this festival.
«MED is the richness of diversity, it is to make known to our visitors musical styles that are completely different from each other, escaping from our comfort zone. That's what guided us to this edition", he said.
For this edition – the 19th – there is a great novelty: the creation of a third access zone to the enclosure, «further to the west».
«Anyone who has been coming to the festival for many years knows that, before, we only had one ticket. In last year's edition, we created another one and, this year, we are going to create one more because we are sure that people are coming in large numbers», explained Carlos Carmo.
Thus, in addition to this new access zone, «further to the west», there will be an entrance through the Municipal Market and another between the Municipal Council and the Market.
«What we are doing is improving what the details are and consolidating some changes», emphasized Carlos Carmo.
Another novelty is the inclusion of Café Calcinha, recently reopened, in the MED. «It is an iconic space that could not be left out. We are going to use it to have an itinerant programme, as will happen in other spaces», explained the councilor.
Spaces such as Casa do Meio Dia or Casa da Cultura, on Rua das Lojas, will also once again be part of the itinerary of a festival that is not just about music: the commitment to cinema, literature, theater or conferences.
Ticket pre-sales, which have already started, are going well, according to Carlos Carmo.
«We are also consolidating sales abroad, which proves a notion we already had: 40% of our visitors are foreigners and a portion already comes to MED on purpose, which makes us very proud but also with greater responsibility» , said the director of the festival to our newspaper.
After the presentation of the names yesterday, there will be two more moments of the kind: on the 26th of June, at Calcinha, all the Festival's local partners will be presented, and on the 2nd of June, at the Cineteatro Louletano, the «great final presentation» of the MED.
Names announced yesterday:
Kabaya Pymarid (Jamaica)
UDJAT invite Pedro Joia (Portugal)
Balkan Taksim (Romania)
Nancy Vieira (Cape Verde)
Moonshiners invite Samuel Úria (Portugal)
Nicole Conte & The Spiritual Galaxy feat. Zara MacFarlane (Italy/UK)
Monda (Portugal)
Poli Ueda (Japan/France)
The Mrs. Tomasa (Spain)
Zeca Medeiros (Portugal)
Jean Christian et le Quator des Rêve Enfouis (Canada/Portugal)
Tomoro (Japan)
Caamaño&Ameixeiras (Spain)
Carpideira (Portugal)
Svetlana Bakushina Fusion Quartet (Russia/Portugal)
Miguel Calhaz (Portugal)
Marco Martins' Low Profile (Portugal)
Venga Venga (Brazil)
Comments