So I saw Seu Jorge last night at the Roundhouse in Camden. The building had been refurbished apparently sometime last year, making it a far more presentable place than I remembered.
The concert had been meant to feature Afro-reggae, the 14 piece band from the favelas of Rio, as the opening group but legal battles over contracts, rights and money kept them back in Brazil, and Gilles Peterson took their place in the opening slot. I had been to Gilles Peterson shows before (EXIT festival) but I don’t think his music is well suited to a place like the Roundhouse. The music is chilled, acid jazz with (in this instance) some Brazilian infusions, and it would be ideal as a back drop in a chill room in a club, on in your living room towards the end of a party, but as the opening act in a large venue, it didn’t really go.
Seu Jorge came on at exactly 9, punctual to the minute, and started his set. In addition to all the expected hits (Tive Rizao. Carolina), he did two odd but interesting Bowie covers (Rebel, Rebel and Life on Mars) before launching into a crowd sing-a-long of Jorge Ben Jor’s Mas que Nada ~(think 2006 world cup FIFA song) which got people excited.
Pity it was so cold though, it made going out on the patio area a bit painful….