Trocobrahma

As skint as I was, I managed to get myself to the New Picket to attend the Trocabrahma Culture Jam, an event that I hoped would "synthesise the finest in established and emerging UK and Brazilian music talent for an incandescent must-see live show, urban art and truly exclusive collaborations".

Now, I'll be open with you, I think of this event as nothing more than a cynical marketing tool to embed the Brahma brand into youth culture, developed by a brewery with a 2006 market capitalisation of $41.7 billion dollars. But we'll push that aside for now. Although I didn't see the full line-up, what heralded unfortunately did not live up to its own hype: Romulo Froes, King Creosote, Tony Da Gatorra, Gruff Rhys and Tita Lima. I don't know if it was just the mood I was in, or maybe the beer I was drinking, but none of what I saw even hinted on the flair that one associates with Brazilian music. This chiefly demonstrated by Gruff Rhys (who's solo stuff isn't bad) and Tony Da Gatorra's collaborative set, who's mind numbingly arid sound seemed hopelessly monotonous and unfitting. One guy I missed, Ben Westbeech, from what I've heard, would have enthused life into what should have been an invigorating experience.

Anyway, as cynical and despondent as I may sound, money permitting of course, I hope to go see Diplo (as part of the same event) for a dose of grizzly hip-hop. Brahma anyone?

MP3: Gruff Rhys - Candylion DOWNLOAD / Zshare
MP3: Ben Westbeech - Hang Around DOWNLOAD / Zshare
MP3: Diplo - Must Be A Devil DOWNLOAD / Zshare