Performers Confirmed for MED Festival 2008 in Loulé, Portugal

Loulé, Portugal –  The organizers of the Med Festival, the fifth edition of which will be taking place in Loulé from the 25th to the 29th of June, have now received final confirmation from all the performers who will be appearing on the event’s two main stages. Caravan Palace, Muchachito Bombo Infierno, Café Tacuba and Tambours du Bronx are among the names who will be appearing for the first time at this year’s event, joining others whose presence has already been confirmed and made public, including Solomon Burke, Balkan Beat Box, Konono N°1 and Zita Swoon.

The event, which is now into its fifth edition, is already considered one of most highly reputed national world music festivals. This year’s bill brings together over 40 performers, including bands and DJs, hailing from the four corners of the world. Quality was main selection criterion used by the organizers, who hope that this year’s event will attract the highest number of visitors ever.

“The number of visitors has risen every year. In 2006, we had 10 thousand visitors, last year we reached 15 thousand and this year we are hoping for 20 thousand”, affirms festival director, Joaquim Guerreiro.

Loulé Municipal Council, which is organizing and promoting Med Festival is seeking to do more than simply offer spectators a top quality performers’ bill. The ultimate aim is to divulge the culture of the Mediterranean lands and the world, transforming Loulé’s historical city centre into a meeting point where various expressions of culture from differing origins, such as gastronomy, plastic arts, entertainment and street theatre, can come into contact with each other.

While Loulé’s historical city centre will be dressed up in warm colors and, for five days, become a mirror of Mediterranean habits and customs, Med Festival’s main calling card will be its performers’ bill. The palco da cerca (convent stage) and the palco da matriz (main church stage), the event’s two main venues, will be the centre of attention throughout the entire festival, which explains why the performers’ bill needs to offer an ever-increasing level of quality. “The challenge grows bigger every year: on the one hand, Med Festival has to surpass itself because that’s what our visitors expect: on the other, we want the festival to continue to be a benchmark in quality world music and cannot, therefore, ever yield to pressure from the mainstream”, explains Vasco Sacramento, the festival’s artistic consultant.

This is the fifth edition of the initiative that once again pays tribute to the best of world music. From soul to jazz, flamenco to samba, afro-blues to fado, bossa nova and hip hop, every rhythm will find a spot on stage at Med Festival 2008.

Main Stages Performers’ Bill

Wednesday – 25th June
21:30 – La Shica (Spain)
22:45 – Balkan Beat Box (Israel)
00:15 – Caravan Palace (France)

Thursday – 26th June
21:30 – Roy Paci & Aretuska (Italy)
22:45 – Jimmy Cliff  (Jamaica)
00:15 – Muchachito Bombo Infierno (Spain)

Friday – 27th June
21:30 – Deolinda (Portugal)
22:45 – Zuco 103 (Netherlands)
00:00 – Zita Swoon (Belgium)
01:30 – Solomon Burke (United States)

Saturday – 28th June
21:30 – Master Musicians of Jajouka (Morocco)
22:45 – Ana Moura (Portugal)
00:00 – Amadou & Mariam (Mali)
01:30 – Café Tacuba (Mexico)

Sunday – 29th June
21:30 – Idan Raichel Project (Israel)
22:45 – Konono nº 1 (People’s Rep. Of Congo)
00:15 – Tambours du Bronx (France)