The Rock Café
There are not many places you go into and immediately form a lasting affinity with. OK I admit I may have been under the influence, but really The Rock Café Albufeira, is such a “typically Portuguese” place, it’s frightening…..a good frightening I hasten to add.
“Typically” because they manage to concentrate on what is most important…..the sound…..décor adequate but never going to win prizes…..which, I quite liked because you feel comfortable: and Portuguese, cause it’s not too big, the musicians all had day jobs (though for the life of me, I really don’t understand how the hell they wake up for it…..) and finally because they are not pretentious and the quality of the music is great.
In the first place, you won’t start to recognise what I am talking about until after 11PM…that’s about the time the music in the public Square (see separate article) finishes and the more sensible ones in our society do the right thing…… go to bed.
The fact that this is The Rock Café don’t expect anything else…..ok it’s not totally heavy (thankfully) and even better, the bands played a selection of new stuff Coolplay (is this rockish), White Stripes, etc, with the majority coming from the older classics….which actually range from Led Zeppelin, Guns, Purple….
I saw two bands, one on Saturday and the other on Tuesday & Wednesday. Quite different, the two, though equal in quality but you are not gonna hear much better live cover versions than this.
The lead guitarists in both bands were really great. I play guitar and I would give my right hand to play like that…..sic
Bass Guitarist great…..one better that the other but still……particularly his rendition of Deep Purple and White Stripes…..
Drummer out of this world…..he just played the place down and never…..I mean never, missed a beat…..
The Singers were never gonna be the Robert Plant…..but they did enough to keep the whole performance blown.
I didn’t get the names of any of them…..apart from Luis, who works in the bar and who was the one that initially told me to come have a listen. But the Bass and Lead guitarist I spoke to said that they had day jobs (one a designer and the other works in Mechanics…..) and that they really enjoyed doing the gigs for fun.
Fek…..Fantastic…..everyone there, young and oldish….hahaha…..had a great time…..if YOU go there and don’t, get a pension……better still, get a life…..haha
