After talking with Manuela Azevedo on Saturday night, we dashed to Vila Real where we met with Rita Redshoes after the concert she gave there and the busy autograph session. It was after half past twelve in the night when we entered the main auditorium of Vila Real Theatre and sat to interview Rita.
The curiosity and the adventurous spirit towards the South by Southwest, to the showcase that she’ll show and also towards America are components that stood out in our conversation. It was also evident a very thought through attitude concerning the way of making possible to participate at the festival and simultaneously have a positive personal and professional outcome.”I confess that I’m very anxious because I feel that it is quite an adventure to go and perform in America”.” I think I face it in a personal learning perspective and also, I want to find out what the festival is like because I believe that it is a very interesting festival where the bands that will represent the music of the future are going to be, or at least of near future of the this following year...the projects that will have greater visibility worldwide. That is why it is a great honour to be able to be there”. “By talking with David, I felt that it is very interesting that even the big names go alone to the festival with a very simple perspective of their music and also the musical solutions that they come up with.
The limitations imposed by the SXSW framework as well as the investment necessary to go to Austin, as required that the live performance characteristics are rethought. “With the conditions that will be made available for us, it will not be possible to take the band, it will not be possible to plan a show. In fact, the spirit of the festival is not even that”, “almost every performance is sparse in terms of the band elements. That made me approach my songs in a completely different way of the one I normally do in a show, and since David is also going, it makes all the sense for us to get together and make something together. I’ll play with him and then he’ll play my songs with me. It is obvious that the songs need to be reshaped, they’ll have a different skin. We’ve be agreeing on what instruments to use and how to do it since it’s just the two of us. How do we allocate tasks in a way that the songs don’t lose their original characteristics.”
The fact that the concert will be reshaped into a duo is by itself a positive experiment. “It is a big challenge to do this and approach the songs in a different way, which is a good exercise for me and it has been interesting. We’ve been having much fun me and David by trying out...now we’ll place this pedal here so that we look more...add a loop...no we’ll use this rhythm box, it has that fun side”.
The motivation to participate this year in the South by Southwest arose in a natural and unexpected way. “I never really thought much about it, neither questioned it because I even thought I wouldn’t be chosen. So I said “We sent it and then we’ll see. Amongst so many people..” and only when I was selected it hit me”.” I face it as a learning process, in a personal way more than anything else and because of that I’m not going there with the pressure of achieving specific results and contracts. I believe that it is more worthwhile to go there in a working spirit, of trying to find out and show the maximum of possible things, but also with my feet steadily on the ground.”
In a festival which will have almost two thousand bands and amongst some will stand out in the next few years, the expectations are limited, not stopping however a certain glow in the eyes and a smile whenever the possibility of giving another step forward in your career is mentioned. “Although America is known as the land where the dreams come true let’s face it, it is difficult for something to happen. I don’t expect for anything to happen neither that a dream will come true but I may get that lucky.” A committed and professional approach is something that is underlying in her speech in some way or another. “I questioned the utility of this investment for a project like mine because of will be shown isn’t the record...it isn’t a normal show”, due to limitations mentioned above. But still, “some contacts are being made to try to get some names and contacts to watch the show”.
“Going to a festival is an investment anyway. Since we do not get any governmental aid it is our investment”, it surfaces as a side thought on the lack of support to divulge the Portuguese music abroad. “We always have a narrow perspective concerning the things we do. For instance, When David was there I believe that Sweden had a governmental representation and there was a Swedish day”, this year Spain also had several initiatives to promote their musicians at the festival. “I’m very sad about that but that is general, not only a South by Southwest thing. I think that the government simply does not support the exportation of the national product. It is impossible for a project like mine or even for David to support a Tour abroad”.
Since internet is a relatively accessible means of communication that may be somehow neglected by the musical industry, with an excessive concentration on MySpace pages. Her opinion was the opposite. “In the industry things do not happen that way. MySpace is a great help. It is closed but the musical media, even publishers and the interested people and managers are very attentive to it”. “Even in the SXSW’09 website and on the other South by Southwest sites, everyone has MySpace, it is rare to see the band website, it has fallen into oblivion. It a matter of allocating resources, there you have everything.”
South by Southwest concerts are mostly of small dimension and the unknown receptivity of the audience is present. The parallelism is made with the Festival “Eurosonic Festival experience” in Groningen. “I had the experience in January of going to a festival in Holland. Obviously it is different we’re not at home, the language is not the same and even if the person is a bit comfortable with the language it is never the same thing, i.e., we don’t have anyone by your side. we don’t go there and find someone that knows our music, therefore it has to be a conquest or not”. Still on the Groningen-SXSW comparison, “the conditions are different. There I went with the band, and to SXSW I’m not. It was a tiny but beautiful theatre and the conditions were different, although with the typical festival spirit, you have 20 minutes to do everything!”
In December, Lisbon held the “Superbock in stock” Festival that started from the same concept as the SXSW in which the environment that one experiences in the concerts should be similar. “there’s so much going on, the people are moving all the time. I think that these festivals are a little bit ungrateful in the way that who’s on stage finds it awkward what comes in and goes out. I enjoyed very much the festival (Superbock in stock) but for those that are on stage in small places, one feels the agitation a lot”.
As a spectator her option is on choosing what concerts to see, more than seeing a little bit of them all. “Since there are simultaneously happening things that you want to see, I think you get that feeling of wanting to go and see a bit of everything. We end up by seeing almost nothing. I chose to “see this artist and that and that’s it”. “It’s the best”. Concerning the SXSW, she already has some idea of what she wants to watch, but it still requires a more thorough thought. “I’m still trying to organise my agenda, trying to make a choice of what I want to watch. I think that there will be interesting and important things to watch but I’m not sure yet. I wanted to see some projects...I would enjoy very much watching Beach House and PJHarvey which performs on the same day as I do".
Rita’s concert is scheduled for midnight on Saturday (March 21st) in the Ace’s Lounge. “I’m happy with the day and location where I’m playing because I believe I was lucky...but obviously it daunts you a little bit simply because we cross the Atlantic to do something in 45 minutes”. Besides the scheduled Showcase some other performances may happen although nothing is confirmed so far. “there are some radio station contacts and some interviews but I’m not sure yet”. In situ advertising is being considered in order to leave their personal mark on SXSW. “David did some flyers at the time and I’m counting on doing that as well. Of course we’ll bring albums and singles and try to spread the word a bit. I think I’ll make some flyers shoe shape, at least they look different. May be someone will notice…".
Communication of her SXSW presence in Portugal should happen mainly through the internet, although different from the one that David Fonseca used for the last two years. “In that aspect, of course I’ll take lots of pictures and I would like to make a diary that I’ll probably post in my blog,blogue, but nothing more than that. I think that is a very personal view, which is also a good perspective of what will happen there, how I see it through my eyes, of being there and seeing what is America and the music...simultaneously their less liberal side”. When referring that maybe the ex USA president George Bush will be present in Texas at the festival time and eventually in Austin, the reply was immediate and with a laugh:-“maybe we’ll see him stop by. I would like very much to see Bush in my Showcase...why not?” but when questioned about using something that could replace his presence the choice was different, “hummm, a frame perhaps...no, if that was the case I’ll put Barack Obama!”.
It was almost 1 am when we finished talking with Rita, ending by enquiring the possibility of other abroad presences. “There is nothing definite yet but we’re making several attempts at the European level not so much in the USA. It is however my intention to try to obtain contracts with publishers there, to distribute and give concerts, it isn’t that simple but we will try”.
I leave here a suggestion for you to see on Saturday the new Rita Redshoes video “Choose Love”, as an anticipation of her presence at the South by Southwest festival.
The curiosity and the adventurous spirit towards the South by Southwest, to the showcase that she’ll show and also towards America are components that stood out in our conversation. It was also evident a very thought through attitude concerning the way of making possible to participate at the festival and simultaneously have a positive personal and professional outcome.”I confess that I’m very anxious because I feel that it is quite an adventure to go and perform in America”.” I think I face it in a personal learning perspective and also, I want to find out what the festival is like because I believe that it is a very interesting festival where the bands that will represent the music of the future are going to be, or at least of near future of the this following year...the projects that will have greater visibility worldwide. That is why it is a great honour to be able to be there”. “By talking with David, I felt that it is very interesting that even the big names go alone to the festival with a very simple perspective of their music and also the musical solutions that they come up with.
The limitations imposed by the SXSW framework as well as the investment necessary to go to Austin, as required that the live performance characteristics are rethought. “With the conditions that will be made available for us, it will not be possible to take the band, it will not be possible to plan a show. In fact, the spirit of the festival is not even that”, “almost every performance is sparse in terms of the band elements. That made me approach my songs in a completely different way of the one I normally do in a show, and since David is also going, it makes all the sense for us to get together and make something together. I’ll play with him and then he’ll play my songs with me. It is obvious that the songs need to be reshaped, they’ll have a different skin. We’ve be agreeing on what instruments to use and how to do it since it’s just the two of us. How do we allocate tasks in a way that the songs don’t lose their original characteristics.”
The fact that the concert will be reshaped into a duo is by itself a positive experiment. “It is a big challenge to do this and approach the songs in a different way, which is a good exercise for me and it has been interesting. We’ve been having much fun me and David by trying out...now we’ll place this pedal here so that we look more...add a loop...no we’ll use this rhythm box, it has that fun side”.
The motivation to participate this year in the South by Southwest arose in a natural and unexpected way. “I never really thought much about it, neither questioned it because I even thought I wouldn’t be chosen. So I said “We sent it and then we’ll see. Amongst so many people..” and only when I was selected it hit me”.” I face it as a learning process, in a personal way more than anything else and because of that I’m not going there with the pressure of achieving specific results and contracts. I believe that it is more worthwhile to go there in a working spirit, of trying to find out and show the maximum of possible things, but also with my feet steadily on the ground.”
In a festival which will have almost two thousand bands and amongst some will stand out in the next few years, the expectations are limited, not stopping however a certain glow in the eyes and a smile whenever the possibility of giving another step forward in your career is mentioned. “Although America is known as the land where the dreams come true let’s face it, it is difficult for something to happen. I don’t expect for anything to happen neither that a dream will come true but I may get that lucky.” A committed and professional approach is something that is underlying in her speech in some way or another. “I questioned the utility of this investment for a project like mine because of will be shown isn’t the record...it isn’t a normal show”, due to limitations mentioned above. But still, “some contacts are being made to try to get some names and contacts to watch the show”.
“Going to a festival is an investment anyway. Since we do not get any governmental aid it is our investment”, it surfaces as a side thought on the lack of support to divulge the Portuguese music abroad. “We always have a narrow perspective concerning the things we do. For instance, When David was there I believe that Sweden had a governmental representation and there was a Swedish day”, this year Spain also had several initiatives to promote their musicians at the festival. “I’m very sad about that but that is general, not only a South by Southwest thing. I think that the government simply does not support the exportation of the national product. It is impossible for a project like mine or even for David to support a Tour abroad”.
Since internet is a relatively accessible means of communication that may be somehow neglected by the musical industry, with an excessive concentration on MySpace pages. Her opinion was the opposite. “In the industry things do not happen that way. MySpace is a great help. It is closed but the musical media, even publishers and the interested people and managers are very attentive to it”. “Even in the SXSW’09 website and on the other South by Southwest sites, everyone has MySpace, it is rare to see the band website, it has fallen into oblivion. It a matter of allocating resources, there you have everything.”
South by Southwest concerts are mostly of small dimension and the unknown receptivity of the audience is present. The parallelism is made with the Festival “Eurosonic Festival experience” in Groningen. “I had the experience in January of going to a festival in Holland. Obviously it is different we’re not at home, the language is not the same and even if the person is a bit comfortable with the language it is never the same thing, i.e., we don’t have anyone by your side. we don’t go there and find someone that knows our music, therefore it has to be a conquest or not”. Still on the Groningen-SXSW comparison, “the conditions are different. There I went with the band, and to SXSW I’m not. It was a tiny but beautiful theatre and the conditions were different, although with the typical festival spirit, you have 20 minutes to do everything!”
In December, Lisbon held the “Superbock in stock” Festival that started from the same concept as the SXSW in which the environment that one experiences in the concerts should be similar. “there’s so much going on, the people are moving all the time. I think that these festivals are a little bit ungrateful in the way that who’s on stage finds it awkward what comes in and goes out. I enjoyed very much the festival (Superbock in stock) but for those that are on stage in small places, one feels the agitation a lot”.
As a spectator her option is on choosing what concerts to see, more than seeing a little bit of them all. “Since there are simultaneously happening things that you want to see, I think you get that feeling of wanting to go and see a bit of everything. We end up by seeing almost nothing. I chose to “see this artist and that and that’s it”. “It’s the best”. Concerning the SXSW, she already has some idea of what she wants to watch, but it still requires a more thorough thought. “I’m still trying to organise my agenda, trying to make a choice of what I want to watch. I think that there will be interesting and important things to watch but I’m not sure yet. I wanted to see some projects...I would enjoy very much watching Beach House and PJHarvey which performs on the same day as I do".
Rita’s concert is scheduled for midnight on Saturday (March 21st) in the Ace’s Lounge. “I’m happy with the day and location where I’m playing because I believe I was lucky...but obviously it daunts you a little bit simply because we cross the Atlantic to do something in 45 minutes”. Besides the scheduled Showcase some other performances may happen although nothing is confirmed so far. “there are some radio station contacts and some interviews but I’m not sure yet”. In situ advertising is being considered in order to leave their personal mark on SXSW. “David did some flyers at the time and I’m counting on doing that as well. Of course we’ll bring albums and singles and try to spread the word a bit. I think I’ll make some flyers shoe shape, at least they look different. May be someone will notice…".
Communication of her SXSW presence in Portugal should happen mainly through the internet, although different from the one that David Fonseca used for the last two years. “In that aspect, of course I’ll take lots of pictures and I would like to make a diary that I’ll probably post in my blog,blogue, but nothing more than that. I think that is a very personal view, which is also a good perspective of what will happen there, how I see it through my eyes, of being there and seeing what is America and the music...simultaneously their less liberal side”. When referring that maybe the ex USA president George Bush will be present in Texas at the festival time and eventually in Austin, the reply was immediate and with a laugh:-“maybe we’ll see him stop by. I would like very much to see Bush in my Showcase...why not?” but when questioned about using something that could replace his presence the choice was different, “hummm, a frame perhaps...no, if that was the case I’ll put Barack Obama!”.
It was almost 1 am when we finished talking with Rita, ending by enquiring the possibility of other abroad presences. “There is nothing definite yet but we’re making several attempts at the European level not so much in the USA. It is however my intention to try to obtain contracts with publishers there, to distribute and give concerts, it isn’t that simple but we will try”.
I leave here a suggestion for you to see on Saturday the new Rita Redshoes video “Choose Love”, as an anticipation of her presence at the South by Southwest festival.
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