Latest news and stories about music festivals in Portugal for expats and residents.
Rod Stewart cancelled a concert in the United States citing illness, but was seen hours later watching Scotland's first match in the World Cup. On the 27th of this month, he will headline the 'Day of Legends' at Rock in Rio-Lisbon.
Over the last few days at Porto's City Park, there was a wonderful journey into the world of Gorillaz, the political action expressed by Massive Attack, IDLES or Kneecap, old-school punk rock in the style of Viagra Boys, the tasty return of a Beastie Boy, and even an aerial show by a promising national duo. Here are the 10 best concerts that BLITZ saw at Primavera Sound Porto from Thursday to Saturday. And all around
Trump, Putin and Netanyahu. Palantir, Amazon and Elon Musk. Wars, numbers and AI. All this and the wonderful songs of Massive Attack in an hour and a half of reality that feels like fiction and a show that dresses itself as an act of resistance. On stage with them, a treasure named Elizabeth Fraser, the otherworldly voice of Horace Andy and the saving spirit of Deborah Miller
Kneecap, Massive Attack, and IDLES: three sonically distinct bands, three bands for whom music and politics are inseparable. At Primavera Sound Porto, the causes they champion are also the causes of many of their fans. “It is very much about art expressing that part that not everyone can say.”
In a record-breaking year, Primavera Sound Porto reviews its 14th edition. In an interview with BLITZ, festival director José Barreiro expresses comfort with the festival's scale, but laments “monopolies,” mentioning two bands he is trying to book that “would make the festival a success from the start,” but whose recruitment is being blocked by the power of the giant Live Nation.
Closing the third night of Primavera Sound Porto with an invitation to dance, Moullinex and GPU Panic’s MXGPU will present a special show, designed for the festival, suspended above the audience in a “cage”. Hours earlier, they spoke to BLITZ about the details of a performance they want to be “transformative”.
From Joe Talbot of Idles to Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def), Bootie Brown, and Moonchild Sanelly: Damon Albarn may be the captain of the Gorillaz ship, but on the Primavera Sound Porto stage, the party was lively and well-attended. The headliners of this second night of the festival revisited their classics and showed that the new track 'The Mountain' is just as intense live as it is on the record.
Music festival audiences are more demanding, and promoters are facing more “headaches” in ensuring profitability while maintaining quality.
The coffee brand Buondi is present at Primavera Sound Porto, which is taking place between June 11 and 14. The renewed commitment follows an “extremely positive” first year, which confirmed that the brand's strategic approach “was correct,” notes Jorge Silva, marketing manager at Nestlé Professional, in statements to...
The rhymes are spat out rapidly, the language is an incomprehensible Gaelic, the instrumental draws from electronic music, especially in its ‘rave’ aspect: and, on top of all this, there is a strong political charge that makes their concert more than just a show, it is a sign that it is possible to change the world. Kneecap helped close the first day of Primavera Sound Porto with aggression, dance, and a guarantee: the audience in Porto is much better than the one in Barcelona.
To the sound of the opening concerts, the first day of Primavera Sound Porto begins with shade becoming a sought-after spot. The xx, Ethel Cain, and Kneecap make up the most succulent menu, but that is only later. We walked through the venue to confirm: festival life is more expensive, but rituals do not change overnight. There are images to see from the Parque da Cidade in Porto and of Nation of Language, good folks of electronic pop from New York.
Four years after their last visit to Portugal, returning to the same Primavera Sound Porto, Gorillaz bring their magnificent new album, “The Mountain”, a dialogue between life and death. Featuring some luxury guests on stage, Damon Albarn's band promises a show to remember on a sold-out day in Porto.
This Thursday, the venue opens at 15:30 and the concerts begin about an hour later
The audience deserved to be treated better by an organization that proved to be mediocre
Brazilian singer Ney Matogrosso is among the highlights of the 2026 edition of Festa do Avante!, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The event takes place from September 4th to 6th at Quinta da Atalaia in Seixal, featuring a special performance by Ney and Portuguese guitarist Pedro Jóia. The lineup also includes artists such as Carolina Deslandes, Carlão, António Zambujo, and the Palestinian-Jordanian group 47 Soul.
The North Festival returns to the national agenda after a one-year hiatus. Now at the Maia Sports City, the festival's lineup highlights the return of The Cure to Portugal this Sunday. We have prepared a guide for you with everything you need to know: from the schedules of all the concerts to access to the festival at the new location.
The Primavera Sound Barcelona concerts, which begin this Thursday, can be followed for free via streaming. See the list of concerts that will be broadcast, from The Cure (who perform here on Sunday at the North Festival in Maia), to Gorillaz, The xx, and Massive Attack, the headliners of the Portuguese version of the festival, which starts in a week in Porto.
At an event held this Monday at the Francisco Pinto Balsemão Building, headquarters of the Impresa group, Rock In Rio-Lisbon reviewed the programming for the Music Valley Stage, featuring a special performance by UHF and the presence of the stage curators, Xutos & Pontapés. The World Cup will also be represented at Parque Papa Francisco.
Rock in Rio Lisbon revealed this Monday that the day headlined by Katy Perry is sold out, with tickets only available for the second weekend of the festival
The Coala has already started. It is the first of the summer festivals.
The travelling Misty Fest, which takes place from north to south between October and December, has added four more artists to its line-up
The event schedule for the North Festival, which features the return of The Cure to Portugal.
The event, internationally recognised as one of the best music festivals in the world, is preparing to offer around 140 shows over three days and is already nearly sold out.
The director-general of Everything Is New states that the festival sector remains dynamic despite changes in the music market. In an interview on SIC Notícias' Grande Edição, Álvaro Covões argues that the festival sector remains dynamic and resilient.
The stage gives greater prominence to music and includes live performances that bring viral phenomena closer to the public
The MIMO Festival celebrates a decade in Portugal and this year it will be held in Guimarães in July, bringing together musicians from more than ten countries, with highlights including Oumou Sangaré, Tricky and Papillon.
The Swedish band The Hives are one of the new confirmations for the Vilar de Mouros festival lineup, which returns to the Alto Minho region in August
The Rock in Rio Lisbon 2026 lineup gains new names, with a change noted in the schedule for the stage headlined by Xutos & Pontapés
Banco BPI is the latest sponsor to join Rock in Rio Lisboa 2026, becoming the festival's official bank in Portugal. This partnership is part of a broader BPI strategy to connect with areas of strong emotional affinity, such as sports and music. “With a historical relationship with football, while...”
