Dino D'Santiago and Os Tubarões concert at the MED Festival will be "special"

In statements to the Lusa news agency, Carlos Carmo said that the concert that brings together the Algarve native of Cape Verdean origin and the legendary band from that country, on Saturday night, will be "special and unique", considering it to be "something unprecedented" to have "the most contemporary vision of Dino d'Santiago".

The 21st edition of the festival has Cape Verde as the guest country, in the same year that it celebrates 50 years of its independence, and 54 concerts are planned, with more than 300 musicians of 30 nationalities spread across 12 stages.

Tubarões are a Cape Verdean band that during the first phase of its existence, between 1969 and 1994, became famous for its morna, coladeira and funaná, with one of its vocalists being the famous Ildo Lobo, now deceased.

Dino D'Santiago is a Portuguese musician, composer and activist of Cape Verdean descent who grew up in Bairro dos Pescadores, a former shanty town in Quarteira, a city in the municipality of Loulé, where his parents had moved when they arrived in Portugal.

The festival director also highlighted the performance on Thursday night by Ferro Gaita, considered a true institution in Cape Verde and who act as ambassadors of funaná, a traditional musical genre from Cape Verde.

"Our perspectives are always very ambitious. Therefore, we are very optimistic that we will have a good festival, that we will have a good program", said Carlos Carmo, adding that the weather "will help, we will have hot days and tropical nights".

The festival director also highlighted the Cesária Évora Orchestra, which will perform on Friday night, a project formed by members of the original band of this famous Cape Verdean singer, who are determined to keep the artist's memory and repertoire alive.

Also noteworthy is the concert, "which is filled with special emotion", in homage to Sara Tavares, a Portuguese singer and composer of Cape Verdean descent who died prematurely and became known, initially, as the winner of the Chuva de Estrelas competition, in 1994, the year in which she also won the Festival da Canção.

In addition to these highlights, the MED Festival will also feature many other artists, such as bassist Adam Ben Ezra, the band El Sonidero Insurgente, Mitsune, Virgem Suta and Filipe Sambado.

The Japanese band Mitsune, the Jamaican band The Congos & The Gladiators, the band Grèn Sémé (Reunion Island) will also be performing in the historic centre of Loulé, and the names of the Portuguese bands Homem em Catarse, Filipe Sambado, Virgem Suta, Cristina Clara, Nomad, Gil Fesch and Nuno Pinto - Guitar Duo, A Cantadeira, Nanook and Eduardo Ramos have also been revealed.

The lineup also includes Salvador Sobral, who will perform with the Spanish artist Sílvia Pérez Cruz, Carminho, O Gajo & As Sanfonas da Ponte Velha, Stereossauro, Ana Lua Caiano and Pedro Joia, the last three in a project prepared for the festival.

The Malian Vieux Farka Touré, Jeneile Osborne, better known as Queen Omega, from Trinidad and Tobago, the Puerto Rican iLe, the Welsh Cerys Hafana, the Portuguese Milhana, A Garota Não, Valter Lobo will also be present at the MED.

The festival officially kicks off on Wednesday at 9:30 pm on the Palco Castelo stage, with a free concert featuring artist Ceuzany, a Cape Verdean artist born in Senegal.

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