Monthly Archives: July 2023

The KNUJ Polka Hall ran from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and featured two two-hour shows from Makel’s Fisherman and the Wendinger Band. Schell’s Tent featured two two-hour shows from the Concord Singers, Alpensterne, the Alex Meixner Band, and Squeezebox with Mollie B from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

This year marks the ninth Mollie B, aka Mollie Busta, has performed at Bavarian Blast. Outside of a year where she traveled in Europe and the year the festival was canceled due to COVID, she has not missed a Blast since she started.

“It’s always the people,” Busta said when asked why she comes back year after year. “Everywhere I go, it’s the people. I love to perform for the people. They’re appreciative and they enjoy what we do.”

Busta said her favorite thing to do when performing is taking her microphone and running to different audience members. “This audience is probably better than any other audience as far as their response and how I get them involved,” she said.

A pair of parade walkers from the Oktoberfest float flex for the crowd of parade attendees Sunday.

Busta enjoys several elements of what Bavarian Blast brings to the people of New Ulm.

“I like the fact that when it comes to music there’s such a wide variety,” she said. Like here we got the German and entertaining music during the day with a small dance floor for people to dance on. You have the polka music in the [KNUJ] building where people can dance nonstop all day. And then of course in the evening something different [in Schell’s Tent].”

On Saturday evening, that something different was the stein holding contest. From 7-8 p.m. contests for men and women tested arm strength to see who could hold a stein full of water with one outstretched arm.

The winner of the women’s competition was Paula Thomas from New Ulm. She won with a time of two minutes and forty seconds. The last time she competed was three years ago, where she placed second. She said winning after having come up short the last time she competed felt awesome. She credited her work on ambulances with building the strength necessary to win the competition.

On the men’s side Jeff Kelley brought home the win. His winning time was six minutes and thirty-two seconds. He held his stein out even after he was the last man standing, looking to see how long of a time he could get.

Three members of the Disco Kingz collaborate in a vocal harmony as they transport the audience back to 1977 for classic disco hits Saturday night.

“It feels good [to have won],” Kelley said. “I’ve been practicing a bit. I’ve been stein holding since last October after I won at Schell’s and I was looking for some competition.”

Kelley gained his skill from both practice and his occupation. He trains for stein holding using dumbbells and also gains strength from his job as a plumbing and heating contractor. Kelley encourages everyone to give stein holding a try to have some fun. Each winner won 20 tokens for Bavarian Blast.

The Optimist Club brought back their cheese curds for another year of fundrasing and service. Member Ellie Sveine said encouragement from Blast-goers has made the Club a recurring presence.

“People say they’re the best cheese curds they’ve ever had,” Sveine said. “It is a great fundraiser for our group and we’ve been [having fun] doing it.

Sveine said the group brought ten 40-pound boxes of cheese curds for the event, which totals up to 400 pounds. The group will be bringing one thousand pounds to the Brown County Free Fair coming up in August.

“We love it, it’s what keeps us going,” Sveine said when asked about the Optimist Club being a yearly staple at Bavarian Blast. “We built the trailer for it. We used to just have a table and a tent. We’ve invested a lot of money into our trailer, and we love coming back every year.”

The day ended with two classic cover bands. Disco Kingz brought the audience back to 1977 for some classic disco from 8-10 p.m. and The Hype provided classic rock hits from 10-12 p.m.

5

The iron maiden finally returned to Euskal Herria. It had been nine hard years without her presence and that fact was amply noted at the reception of the respectable: and it is that a sincere and passionate collective clamor accompanied the sextet during the hour and three-quarters that the gig lasted. An authentic show with a thousand and one effects and interactions (both with the monster-mascot of more than three meters and with the public) that made this concert unforgettable for those who were lucky enough to attend it. However, and almost above everything, hovered a sense of victory and total communion among the heavy community. A collective intergenerational celebration, even when the average age was easily over forty-five, and the feeling of claiming an entire musical culture and (almost) no longer a way of living but of feeling music. Iron Maiden it surpassed its last shows in this same venue in 2013 and 2014. Its central position as a unifying element in the history of Heavy Metal is still intact, and it roars almost with more transcendence than ever.

It is true that sometimes everything stays at home, but before someone jumps on me, I have to accept that The Raven Age it’s a good group. Damn, of course it is: refined technique, well-structured songs and a well-constructed and bound finish. The band of the son of Steve Harris (George, guitarist and only original member that continues) enjoyed a great presence of the public (three quarters full on the track, or that sensation was given from above), although far from filling the stands. Unfortunately we couldn’t catch them from the beginning, although on the way we could listen to a sample from the beginning: “Nostradamus” and “Forgive & Forget”, respectively, although for sure they played “Parasite” before.

Once settled, we were able to appreciate a well-established band with the aforementioned support from the public. That at 7:45 p.m. an opening act has that support is not something that happens every day. From the stands (pulling back to the left), the sound was not fully appreciable and at times seemed quite muddled. Even so, the strength of a song like “Tears of stone” kept them afloat, with those measured and cohesive structures: verse-chorus or even more assiduously used verse-bridge-chorus and start again. Everything is well measured and executed, lacking -perhaps- an extra point of explosiveness and punch in front of those immaculate voices and pleasant melodies.

“Seventh heaven”, on the other hand, sounded like a steamroller from the beginning. This was the first song that was not from the new album. Harris’ guitar solo uploaded to the platform, joined by vocalist Matt James’s subsequent handling of an already delivered audience and whom he made chant in unison, made it the best of the concert. But there was still more: to begin with, they matched that last one with “Angel in disgrace” in another show of strength and grit to finish on top with some impressive treble from Matt.

“Grave of the fireflies”, eight minutes long, sounded exquisite and was met with acclaim from the public, who later had Matt illuminate the BEC with their mobiles: the image was spectacular. George Harris, Matt Cox (bass), Matt James and Tommy Gentry (guitar) all took center stage together for another knockout. The five of them left with a “Thank you my friends” from Matt and it took a while for them to return. So much so that it even looked like they weren’t going out.

They did it with the return to the new album (the recent “Blood omen”) with the dizzying solos of “Serpents tongue”. There were several moments in which the guitars could not be heard well, although the choirs for two and three voices (present in almost the entire show) made us enjoy ourselves a lot. The roar of the audience at the end confirmed their acceptance. And the last goodbye came with the famous “Fleur de Lis”, immaculate and almost nothing if we compare it with, for example, “Seventh heaven”. With this we do not want to say that it is not Metal (don’t be rude), we only make a comparison. The success of The Raven Age on this tour it is a fact, and according to what was seen at the BEC he already had a sector of the public won beforehand.

35 minutes were the ones that separated that last moment with the beginning of the main show. Iron Maiden they were going to receive impressive support, but they also had a few things to prove.

1) Overcome the last two shows in this same venue.
2) Bruce Dickinson’s voice status.
3) Emerging victorious from the risky bet with the repertoire.

Anyone who has seen them on this tour or read about their concerts may think that the list is unnecessary, but reading or even watching Youtube videos is not the same as seeing it in situ. That is why I speak in the first person, and I can assure you that they overcame all the challenges that were presented to them. The 2013 and 2014 concerts weren’t entirely perfect; In comparison (I’m talking about personal impressions), what they have done in 2023 has surpassed them and will surely leave a greater mark than those. Bruce is singing better than in 2013 and the repertoire, although risky, was not a problem, surely due to the quality of the new songs. We will delve into this topic below.

Six minutes before the hour, the inevitable “Doctor Doctor” by UFO began to play, a prelude so many times to the great show, with an absolutely dedicated BEC, jumping and singing the song as if we were in the middle of a concert. Seeing thousands of people chanting and humming to the instrumental parts shows why Heavy Metal is a style that has so much roots, dedication and so many tribal cues. We will hardly be able to witness a more incisive self-vindication and “here we are” in most of the manifestations of popular culture.

Vangelis’s movie ending theme “Blade Runner” played next, adding even more anticipation to the beginning of the show, which inevitably came with “Caught somewhere in time”. The audience was overjoyed and chanted the chorus with perhaps more zeal than its successor “Stranger in a strange land”. Of the disk “Somewhere in time” five songs would sound, the same as the last one “Senjutsu” (2021), with which there was only room for five more songs from the rest of his discography. It is true that the songs of the “Somewhere in time” they had uneven reception (all were very well received, but some much more, it is understood), and, on the other hand, choosing five new songs, which are not exactly short, takes a lot of time: forty minutes in total, almost nothing.

Even so, and as we have already pointed out in the introduction, the quality of the last album (damn, the best since “Brave new world” at least!) was a determining factor both in the quality of the show and in its reception. And it is that the validity of “The writing on the wall” is indisputable. Maiden returns on this latest album to build singable songs and attractive choruses, perhaps faded in so many minutes but always with the stamp of quality present. Adrian Smith made the introduction with the acoustic to attack immediately with the electric, an electric that he wore with special brilliance throughout the concert, without detracting from Dave Murray or Janick Gers of course.

“Days of future past” is the short one on the album, only four minutes long, a real joy with its inevitable instrumental intro and the consequent rise typical of the maiden. In this one, Bruce’s voice suffers a bit. Another one from the last album, the voluptuous “The time machine”, was enormous and pleasant. One of the few concessions to the eighties came from the hand of “The prisoner”, an indisputable classic although not at the level of, for example, “Halloweed be thy name” in terms of significance and popularity. Even so, the exaltation of the public was worthy of admiration.

The new album has another ten-minute hit called “Death of the celts”, in which the stage was covered in smoke and the backstage screen evoked a Celtic landscape. The very structure and drive of the song inevitably drags you into developments that seem designed to carry you on the air with their crescendos. And the guitar riff festival took the party to the top in a festive atmosphere like few others. The phase that followed was the most explosive of the night with no less than five eighties songs one after the other.

“Can I play with madness” was an absolute triumph that impressed us, “Heaven can wait” made the audience jump and brought the three guitarists and Steve Harris together in the middle of the stage in an image that stuck with us; “Alexander the great” increased the legend and regaled us with solos from Janick and Dave; “Fear of the dark”… well, you can imagine the revelry and the collective roar. And already as the only concession of Paul DiAnno’s stage, the immortal and never surpassed “Iron Maiden”. Bruce also had the detail to talk about our country (The Basque Country) and to spell Bilbo with his five letters.

The last sample of the new album was with “Hell on Earth”, which lasts no less than eleven minutes. You have to have them well positioned to play this one after the previous ones, but the song displays all its epic in a particularly efficient way and lets itself be loved in its rises, falls and developments, but above all it has a classic aftertaste that makes it special. In this show there was no shortage of the typical fights with the monster, an evolved Eddie who battles against Bruce with laser shots, smoke, explosions and a whole paraphernalia that combines music and performance in a more than entertaining way. The blazes of fire precisely coordinated with the music make your hair stand on end. The direction they go, even the type of flare matches the duration of the notes. Awesome.

We know that Steve Harris, the absolute leader, no longer spends the entire concert up and down and running non-stop, but damn, at his age he still maintains all his charisma, he hit a few races and we also saw him jump on more than one occasion. Bruce handled the public at his whim and with a solvency and know how to be remarkable. He made the fans sing by sectors, made them move their arms from side to side, do the wave… all at the service of the show. “The Trooper”, eternal and mythical, and “Wasted years” (very famous), put the finishing touch to a concert that we could describe as memorable. “Always look on the bright side of live”, the final theme of “La vida de Brian”, unequivocally signaled the end of the show. Incredible, as always, to see thousands of people sing the song at the top of their lungs in a ritual that will always accompany them. Let’s hope the maiden doesn’t make us wait too long next time.

Related

Several people were taken to the hospital following a serious crash in the Town of Genesee Falls. The Wyoming County Sheriff’s Office says an investigation found that 43yo Shilah Muhit of Queens, NY was traveling on Denton Corners Road when she failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection with Route 19A. The car entered the intersection where it collided with a pick up truck causing multiple serious injuries. Investigators say Muhit was found to have nine total occupants in her eight occupant vehicle. A 10yo child was found to have been in the vehicle with no seatbelt, and two other adults were found without seatbelts. A total of six occupants from this vehicle were transported to hospitals, two of which were for critical serious injuries and were admitted at Strong Memorial Hospital. The remaining four, along with two occupants from the pick up, were treated at the Wyoming County Community Health System for non-life threatening injuries. Deputies say Muhit was issued traffic citations for Failure To Yield Right-Of-Way at a Stop Sign and a Passenger Under Age 12 with Improper/No Restraint. Two adult passengers were also issued citations for No Seatbelt.

A Batavia man is accused of attempted assault. According to the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, 31yo Joseph Martino was arrested at the Genesee County Jail for the alleged crime. He was charged with attempted assault. He was issued an appearance ticket and released back to the custody of the jail. Martino is due to appear in Batavia City Court in August.

Sentencing for a Batavia man for attempted murder. 26yo Tyshon Taylor was given 20 years in prison during a showing last week in Genesee County Court. Taylor was arrested last November after police said he randomly attacked a stranger the month prior. He approached the man and stabbed him in the stomach. Last March he pleaded guilty  to attempted murder as a second felony offender. Along with his sentence, Taylor will be on 20 years of post-release supervision.

A number of charges for a Buffalo man accused of leaving the scene of a property damage accident. The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office reports that 31yo Juan Nieves was traveling on Main Street in the Town of Pembroke when he was involved in the incident earlier this month. He was arrested and charged with DWI, aggravated DWI, leaving the scene of a property damage accident, driving with a suspended registration and driving without insurance. Nieves is to answer the charged in Pembroke Town Court in September.

Two women are accused of taking drugs into a local prison. State Police say 32yo Chantelle Christina of North Tonawanda and 24yo Shaniya Johnson of Buffalo had marijuana on themselves while inside the Wyoming Correctional Facility. They are both charged with promoting prison contraband. Christina and Johnson are scheduled to appear in Attica Town Court at a later date.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is co-sponsoring a bipartisan bill that would ban stock trading and ownership by federal lawmakers and boost penalties for violations. Gillibrand has announced the introduction of the Ban Stock Trading for Government Officials Act. She calls it the “most substantive bipartisan effort to date” to ban stock trades by members of Congress. The Senator hopes there will be support from both sides of the political aisle on the bill that’s also co-sponsored by Missouri Republican Josh Hawley. Gillibrand says even with her 2012 STOCK Act in place, there have still been a number of instances where members of Congress and other federal officials have benefited from having stock information before it is made public.

A local state lawmaker has introduced a bill that would prohibit marijuana use in public places, but would also give local municipalities the option of allowing it. Senator George Borrello, who announced the measure last week, says he has received several complaints about the increase in public consumption of marijuana since New York enacted the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act in 2021. The Senator says the bill would create the equivalent of an open container law for alcohol, allowing cities and towns to enact ordinances if they want to allow pot consumption. The measure would also establish a $125 fine for public consumption violations, which is five times the current fine.

The Better Business Bureau reminds parents of the importance of keeping their kids safe from online dangers. Children face threats like cyberbullying, predators, malware, and even scams. A spokesperson for the Bureau’s upstate New York office says protecting children can be as simple as communicating about what they are doing online. The BBB offers a safety checklist for families, which includes items like talking to children, setting rules, checking privacy settings, and monitoring children’s social media presence.

Are you looking to develop new strategies and move your business to the next level? The Wyoming County Business Center thinks the Business Accelerator Academy is just what you need. The Business Center is offering a four-week program with a focus to help business owners discover opportunities and develop a business playbook that will keep them moving forward. The Wyoming County Business Accelerator Academy begins September 6th, and will run Wednesday evenings from 5:30-8:30 at the Wyoming County Agriculture and Business Center located at 36 Center Street in Warsaw. To find out more or to register, contact the Wyoming County Business Center at 786-3764.

The Genesee County Fair kicked off over the weekend. Highlights for the 2023 event include demolition derby, tractor pulls, 4-H animals, live music and more. For a list of events or other information, visit gcfair.com or find The Genesee County Fair Batavia on Facebook.

The 2023 Genesee County Fair is up and running. Today is Veteran’s Day at the fair. A number of exhibitions and shows are on schedule for today with the midway open from 4-9 pm. The Fair Queen Pageant and Crowning will be in the Entertainment Tent from 6-9 pm. For a list of events or other information, visit gcfair.com or find The Genesee County Fair Batavia on Facebook.

The Orleans County 4-H Fair gets underway for its week-long run today. The opening ceremony is scheduled at 6:00 this evening with presentation of colors by Orleans County veterans. Admission is $5 for a weekly pass, or $3 for one day or $1 a day for kids 11 and under. Rides run during designated time blocks each day, and twice on Saturday. The opening ceremonies are set for this evening at 6 pm. For information or a complete schedule of events go to orleans4-hfair.com.

NORTHBOROUGH, Mass. — It wasn’t an average Sunday in Northborough as Joyner Lucas was shooting his newest music video.

The rapper and Worcester native celebrated the grand opening of his newest business venture, Oh Wow Frozen Yogurt and Smoothies.

To commemorate the occasion, Lucas announced on social media he was shooting the music video for his song “Energy” at his shop, and invited his fans to join him for the shoot.

Hundreds of fans turned out.

Lucas told Spectrum News 1 that he’s grateful.

“I’m extremely blessed. All these people came out here to come kick it with me today. I love it thank you guys,” said Lucas. It’s overwhelming. I just opened my first frozen yogurt shop. I got everybody out here supporting me. It’s an amazing feeling, I mean, look at all the people.”

“I love Joyner Lucas, been listening to him for a long it me and I was so inspired to come here that we decided on Tuesday that we were going to make the trip this weekend to come see him,” said Kailee Miller, who drove from Rising Sun, Maryland to see Lucas.

“I’m excited I want to see what’s going on,” said fan Christian Dominguez. “It’s my first time being at something like this. I’m here for the experience.”

Lucas, who is nominated for a Grammy, will release his new album, “Not Now, I’m Busy,” next month.

Mumbai, Jul 23 (PTI) If there is a song which best describes legendary singer Mukesh, it is his own track “Kisi ki muskurahaton pe ho nisaar,” says his son Nitin Mukesh, remembering his music icon-father on his birth centenary.

Born in Delhi on July 22, 1923 as Mukesh Chand Mathur, the artist was part of the famous triumvirate of singers alongside Mohammad Rafi and Kishore Kumar, who ruled the Hindi cinema playback scene for decades.

Also Read | Drake Calls Out Fan for Throwing Vape at Him on Stage During His New York Gig.

Known for evergreen hits such as “Mera joota hai Japani”, “Jeena yahan marna yahaan”, “Kabhi kabhie mere dil mein” and “Kai baar yuhi dekha hai”, Mukesh was “down to earth” and that never changed, said his son Nitin Mukesh.

“One thing that stays most in my memory is his humility and down-to-earth nature, despite being such a famous man and a legend. It was not an act he was putting on. It came naturally to him,” Nitin Mukesh told PTI.

Also Read | Christopher Nolan: Developing AI Technology More Dangerous Than Nuclear Weapons.

He was a simple man and that reflected even in his birthday celebrations which were always a private affair, he added.

“His birthdays used to be a very private affair… And like always we distributed food to the needy. That’s what we did. It made us feel so nice,” the singer said.

The family celebrated the birth centenary with the music icon’s fans at ‘Mukesh Chowk’, an intersection named in his memory, here. The event was attended by Nitin Mukesh, his wife Nishi Mukesh, their sons Neil Nitin Mukesh and Naman Nitin Mukesh, as well as daughter-in-law Rukmini Sahay and granddaughter Nurvi Neil Mukesh.

Nitin Mukesh said the only grand birthday celebration that he remembers was in 1976, a month after which he passed away in Michigan, US, due to heart attack at the age of 53.

“He loved celebrating with family. But, at the time, we were all grown up and convinced him to celebrate (on a grand scale). Four days later, we were to leave for the US and from there he never returned… So, that birthday is etched as a very special memory.”

Back then, the party was attended by the who’s who of Hindi cinema, including Mukesh’s close friend Raj Kapoor and his wife Krishna Raj Kapoor.

“It was providence that he could call his dearest friends, Raj uncle, Krishna aunty. We had a grand party. God must have known that this is his last birthday, so for whatever reason, we celebrated it in a loving manner,” he added.

Mukesh and Kapoor were frequent collaborators and emerged as one of the most successful singer-actor duos in Hindi cinema, known for hit songs such as “Awaara hoon”, “Dost dost na raha”, “Sab kuch seekha humne”, “Sajan re jhooth mat bolo”, “Ramaiya Vastavaiya” and “Bol Radha bol”.

After Mukesh’s sudden demise, Kapoor said in the singer’s death, he had lost his “soul”.

“There was Mukesh – my soul, my voice, I was a mere body. It was he who sang to the hearts of the people all over the world, not me. Raj Kapoor was an image, just a carcass of flesh and bones. When he died, I felt there goes my breath, there goes my soul. I know what went away from me. There was a void… but you get over it and move on,” Kapoor said, as mentioned in his daughter Ritu Nanda’s book “Raj Kapoor Speaks”.

Nitin Mukesh, 73, said it feels great to see that all these songs still resonate with the listeners.

“His repertoire was great. His songs are 47 or 50 years old or more. But all the songs are fresh in people’s minds even today. A song, which describes him the best, is ‘Kisi ki muskurahaton pe ho nisar, kisi ka dard mil sake to le udhaar, kissi ke waaste ho tere dil mein pyaar, jeena isi ka naam hai’ from ‘Anari’,” he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday led tributes to Mukesh as he remembered “the maestro of melody” on his 100th birth anniversary.

“His timeless songs evoke a wide range of emotions and have left an indelible mark on Indian music. His golden voice and soul-stirring renditions will continue to enchant generations,” the prime minister wrote on Twitter.

Neil Nitin Mukesh responded to the PM’s post and thanked him for his kind words.

“Prime Minister Sri @narendramodi ji. Truly humbled & honoured by your magnanimity sir. This is indeed a proud moment for the entire Mukesh family. My father joins me in thanking you. This kind gesture of yours, on this special day, will be etched in our hearts forever,” the actor wrote.

In a tweet, cinema veteran Dharmendra said: “Mukesh sahab will always be remembered with great love and respect.”

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 23 (ANI): Actor Suriya, who is celebrtaing his birthday today (July 23), is all set to star in ‘Kanguva’ and the makers have revealed the first glimpse of his most anticipated film, which shows him as a warrior.

Siva, who has directed movies such as ‘Souryam’, ‘Daruvu: Sound Of Mass’, has collaborated with the South star for this magnum opus. With music by Devi Sri Prasad and visuals from cinematographer Vetri Palanisany, the film will be released in 10 languages in 3D format. The first glimpse is released in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi and English.

Also Read | Kanguva Glimpse: Suriya Looks Ferocious in This Stunning Promo of Siva’s Upcoming Film (Watch Video).

Suriya has also shared the glimpse on his Twitter handle.

நலமா… కుశలమా… ಸೌಖ್ಯವಾ… സുഗമാ… क्या बात हैं… Wassup mate…#GlimpseOfKanguva https://t.co/itW89Vwnb3@directorsiva @ThisIsDSP @StudioGreen2

— Suriya Sivakumar (@Suriya_offl) July 22, 2023

Also Read | Suriya Birthday Special: From Singam to Soorarai Pottru, 5 Stellar Performances of Tamil Cinema’s Heartthrob! (Watch Videos).

Studio Green in association with UV Creations is producing the Suriya and Disha Patani-starrer ‘Kanguva’, which is an action-packed drama and is planned to be released in early 2024.

Studio Green K.E. Gnanavel Raja has churned out many hits in the last 16 years including films like ‘Singam’ series, ‘Paruthi Veeran’, ‘Siruthai’, ‘Komban’, ‘Naan Mahan Alla’, ‘Madras’, ‘Teddy’ and recently ‘Pathu Thala’.

The makers had previously announced the title of the film with an intriguing video.

The title teaser video featured the background of a dark night, unveiling an eagle, a dog, and a masked warrior riding a horse, followed by a massive army. Suriya also informed his fans about the news.

Disha too shared the title look of the movie on her Instagram with a caption that read, “A Man with Power of Fire & a Saga of a Mighty Valiant Hero”. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)

The 19th edition of the Festival MED, in Loulé, took place from June 29 to July 1, 2023. The event attracted thousands of world music enthusiasts to the Historic Area of Loulé, Algarve.

Festival MED featured renowned artists from various musical backgrounds, making it a multicultural and unforgettable experience. Highlights included performances by West African sounds with R&B touches, a reggae legend, Portuguese musicians, and Cape Verdean music. The festival also offered other cultural elements like world literature, cinema, and street art.

Besides music, the festival embraced sustainability, incorporating the UN Sustainable Development Goals and promoting environmental initiatives. The festival’s unique atmosphere in the city’s old town added to the overall enriching experience for attendees.

“We are a festival outside the mainstream and that makes all the difference. People come here not only for the artists but above all for the set of sensorial experiences that may have, which does not happen in other events. We are very happy because we managed, once again, to provide these enriching experiences to those who passed through here, whether through music or simply enjoying a plate of Arabic food, reading a poem or watching a movie, giving a dancing feet at an improvised disco in the backyard of a house or a meeting of friends at this crossroad of people from various parts of the globe,” says the director of the Festival, Carlos Carmo.

Looking forward, the 20th anniversary of the Festival MED in 2024 will invite a guest country. “We are very committed to make it a great edition and that’s why we are preparing some news. We will, for the first time, have a foreign country as guest, and the first will be Morocco. They are our neighbors, a geography culturally different but which is important to know better. But there will be so much more to celebrate this moment and soon we will start announcing what is expected,” advances mayor Vítor Aleixo.

(headline image: Omar Souleyman at Festival MED 2023 – Photo courtesy of Câmara Municipal de Loulé)

Read Rafael Mieses’ review of the festival: Festival MED 23, The Freedom of Music for All

More information at festivalmed.cm-loule.pt/en/

Author: World Music Central News Department

World music news from the editors at World Music Central