This year’s festival counts on the participation of 18 international acts on the main Super Bock stage and 18 Portuguese acts on the smaller Quinta dos Portugueses Worten stage. Among the famous groups and performers billed this year are Moby, New Order, Black Eyed Peas, Marilyn
Last year, Super Bock Super Rock broke all records with 150,000 people attending the three-day musical event, which included artists Lenny Kravitz, Linkin Park, DJ Fatboy Slim, as well as Portuguese groups Clã, Toranja and Blasted Mechanism. This year’s festival is expected to attract a higher number since the event is not competing with rival festival, Rock in Rio.
Organised by music promotion company, Música no Coração (The Sound of Music), the annual event was the first and largest consecutive musical event to put Portugal on the European rock festival map.
At the official launch last week, held at Speakeasy Bar/Restaurant in Lisbon, organisers and company directors, Luís Montez and Álvaro Cavões, said that every effort had been made this year to avoid some of the problems raised by having so many revellers squeezed in the 320,000sqm Tagus estuary site. These included better and more accessible toilet facilities, improved security and round-the-clock bus services from Gare Oriente (Orient Station) until 3am.
“We see no reason why this year’s event cannot comfortably cater for upwards of 50,000 people a day, without some of the problems we faced last year,” stressed impresario Luís Montez, former Rádio Comercial and Antena 3 director.
The huge site will include bars, fast food stands, folk art and merchandising shops, ATMs, first aid points, better parking and vehicle access, information sites and ticket offices. Both bus operators Carris and train operators CP will offer special services with the latter stopping at Sacavém from Ajambuja (five minutes from the site).
Tickets, costing 75 euros for the three days or 38 euros for one day, are available from the usual outlets such as Fnac, Ticketline 210 036 300 and ATMs. For more details go to site www.musicanocoracao.pt Chris Graeme
