The audience attending the presentation of these 64 musical projects how do they interact?
FP: It's so simple. People have a ticket, with a symbolic price, they write who was their favorite in a voting place created for this purpose. The votes are then counted, but they can also do it through facebook after seeing them on stage, the one they like click on the photo of the band on facebook.
After the second round how many bands move on?
FP: In this second phase only five groups go on, choose a maximum of three, because we could not include more. The winning band will record an EP with five themes and record a professional video clip, made by B Studios, which is an audiovisual production company.
Tell me a little about the applications were limited to the vicinity of Torres Vedras?
FP: No, we have accepted applications from across the country. Some made up to a thousand miles round trip to play on our stage. We had a band of Valenca do Minho now on the second stage of the competition. We heard and saw musical projects, not only bands, there were duets or solo artists who also participated. People of many different styles of music mixed. It's more of a feast of music than a band contest which is not the correct term for this event. It is a festival of originals, because they must write their own songs.
This competition was presented in Vila Facaia in Torres Vedras, why you chose this location?
FP: They are very friendly and welcomed the idea with enthusiasm from the beginning. Then we have a privileged place, there is a sense of family, we wanted it to be a party for everyone and not just a musical competition. On the other hand, had good experiences at the concerts we have done here outside the scope of the contest.
The choice of location, outside of major cities such as Lisbon and Porto, was deliberate?
FP: We know the difficulties that exist for young musicians in the cities. If we were to it on Lisbon were other requirements, you need licenses for everything and anything, no big support because the existing money goes for events of larger caliber, with big names, at least is the experience we have. Here, people are willing to support the unknowns, people who are starting with an advantage that is more familiar, more peaceful, you can play longer without being thinking about the noise. It is an association that welcomes our initiative otherwise. At the beginning we have made a qualifying in a club, last year, but the sound was not adequate, the stage here has other features and hence also the choice.
After this massive participation, there are conditions for a second edition?
FP: We hope so, would like to establish a competition that promotes in the long-term national music.
