There were two concert evenings at Parque Urbano do Seixal, in the district of Setúbal, which aimed to promote artistic proposals that have intervention as a central element of their speech: from politics to social criticism, from environmental activism to the struggle against discrimination against race and gender, including issues -issues related to the defense of cultural identity and the right to self-determination, as highlighted by the information released today by the organization.

Festival do Maio is an initiative of the Municipality of Seixal with the artistic direction of musician Luís Varatojo and, according to the organization, aims to continue the legacy of resistance and struggle “which is a sign of the identity of the people and the history of the country. municipality”.

“At a time when we are witnessing the rise of populism and authoritarian currents around the world, and when the order of the day is to feed misinformation – especially through the spread of fake news – it becomes urgent to intervene, inform and awaken consciences. . ; like Zeca used to say [Afonso]: ‘What is needed is to warn people’”, said the organization.

The arts, he added, and especially music, play a fundamental role in enlightening and mobilizing citizens and in pursuing ideals that lead to a more developed and more just society.

On the first day of the festival, May 26, Peaches (Canada), an LGBT rights activist who is considered a figurehead of the Electroclash movement in the early 2000s, will perform.

He has performed in several European countries, in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand – under his own name at several major festivals. In Portugal, Persik went through the Nos Alive Festival in 2017 and most recently through the new Kalorama Festival, in Lisbon, in September 2022.

Moullinex also performed on the same day, the alter ego of Portuguese producer, DJ and multi-instrumentalist Luís Clara Gomes.

“From science to art, spontaneity to formalism, organic to artificial, isolation to community, Moullinex thrives at the crossroads. In it he creates music that lives within the confines of the dance floor, and enables introspection when heard in the intimacy of ‘headphones,’” the organization explains.

Also on the 26th, the program featured the appearance of Prétu Chullage, rapper, ‘dizer’, producer and ‘sound designer’ from Cape Verde and raised on the southern outskirts of Lisbon (Seixal).

He has released three albums (“Rapresálias”, 2001, “Rapensar”, 2004 and “Rapressão”, 2012) and several collaborations with other musicians.

Prétu is his latest project, a work based on his African and electronic references in which he expresses his thoughts on colonialism, Pan-Africa and the political context of Africa and its diaspora.

On the 27th, the poster was composed by Gabriel o Pensador (Brazil) and Sam The Kid with Orelha Negra and Orchestra.

The pioneer of the hip hop movement in Brazil, Gabriel o Pensador showed in a show celebrating his 25-year career that he is more than just a rapper: he is a composer, musician, storyteller and, most importantly, a communicator, says the organization.

In the repertoire are new hits “I’m happy (I killed president 2)” and classics such as “Retrato de um Playboy” (1993), “2345meia78” and “Cachimbo da paz” (1997), “Astronauta” ( 1999) and “Until When” (2001); apart from songs from his recent work “Sem Crise”, such as “Surfista Solitário” – a version of Jorge Ben Jor’s hit “1980” -, and “Linhas tortas”, a song that tells of his trajectory, from essays he wrote in his days from school to he becomes “O Pensador”.

Sam The Kid returns to concerts under his own name, performing with his usual band, Orelha Negra (Fred Ferreira, Francisco Rebelo, João Gomes and DJ Cruzfader), as well as with a 24-piece orchestra led by maestro Pedro Moreira.

As in previous editions, poetry videos shot by artists from various fields – singers, actors, writers – will mark the spaces between performances.

GC // MAG