Photo: Presse (Gustavo)
While our scene becomes more and more interconnected, festival line-ups become more and more global. Portugal’s Neopop has invited many leading DJs and live acts from all over the world to play at the Castelo Santiago da Barra, however between August 8th and 11th there’s also plenty of regional flavour to be experienced in between sets by the likes of Jeff Mills or Nina Kraviz. Gustavo Pereira has been tirelessly working within the local scene for around two decades now and as one of the people behind Neopop made sure to represent the scene from which the festival emerged. We caught up with the Portuguese DJ, who recorded an exclusive mix ahead of this year’s Neopop festival!
You have been active as a DJ for almost two decades now and in this time stayed closely connected with Portugal’s club scene that has drawn a lot of attention to it recently. How have you experienced the past few years?
Well, Portugal always had ups and downs but I think we had always a strong and important dance scene! I feel I had a great school at our scene in the end of the 90s, also with the music the people around me were listening to. The Portuguese crowd has always been super demanding, well-educated and willing to get to know new stuff. In all kinds of music in general we have lots of knowledge. Having said that, I always has great times playing in Portugal and recently we got the attention of people from all around the world. It’s always great to mix up cultures and meet new people and experience new crowds.
You’re one of the people behind Neopop. What is important to you when programming the festival – and what is your highlight of 2018?
Every year, people ask me what am I going do for the next edition, they tell me it’s not an easy task. My goal is to do better and better and keep surprising people year after year. It’s not easy to program a festival for twelve years and keep people interested on it. There is a lot of new events showing up but the Neopop team is always working to provide a better experience for the ones who continue to visit us. About highlights it’s not easy to pick just one… St Germain because of the meaning they have for me personally and because we’ve been working to have them for years. James Holden & The Animal Spirits because it’s one of my favorite projects nowadays. Solar and Zadig because they are our lovely residents, Ricardo Villalobos because it’s his first time at Neopop!
With the Castelo Santiago da Barra, Neopop has found quite an extraordinary location. How did that come about and isn’t it difficult to organise a festival in such a historical building?
Actually we are not inside the castle, we are in the middle of an amazing scenario. We have the harbour on one side, the castle on another, then the river and the sea and the lighthouse. We started twelve years ago and till now we keep improving our relation with the city hall and the population of Viana do Castelo. Everyone understands the importance of the festival and they support it.
Together with Pedro Filipe Rodrigues, you formed the DJ duo Freshkitos in 2004. What characterises your relationship with each other?
We started more or less at the same time, Pedro before me. I started as his manager and agent until after two or three years I started DJing as well. We’ve been friends and shared lots of adventures together like the mythical Maré Alta afterhours on a boat that lasted for 20 hours. We then started Freshkitos and were touring for years every weekend, founded Gare Club in Porto and much more. Nowadays we have different projects but we maintain our friendship and also playing together, not so often since we also have our solo projects now, but often enough.
Your exclusive mix ahead of this year’s Neopop takes it slowly and puts on emphasis on atmosphere. What was your idea behind it?
I don’t follow trends at all when I buy music or when I play it, so I normally go where I feel I have to go, playing the music I like and that I’m in the mood for. I hope you like it!
Stream: Gustavo – Neopop Festival 2018 Mix
01. Untitled
02. Shinichi Atone – Free Access Zone 5
03. Ciudad Feliz – Positive Directions
04. Untitled
05. Untitled
06. Model 500 – The Passage
07. Voice Stealer – Undercover
08. Heretic – Trite Progression ( Matt Walsh Remix )
09. Jack Cutter – Serpent Strut ( Larry Heard´s Finger Deep Club Mix )
10. Fluxion – En Route
11. Hakan Lidbo – Sustain ( Omar Santis Remix )
12. Urulu – The Nautilus
13. Brothers Black – Annexe ( Hiver Remix )
14. Untitled
15. Alex Danilo – Inside ( Len Faki Deepspace mix )
16. Spencer Parker – Shape Fascination ( DJ Deep Dub)
17. Untitled
18. Untitled
19. Binary Function – Ackf1n
20. Untitled
21. Eduardo De La Calle – Against Kurus
22. Untitled
Groove präsentiert: Neopop Festival 2018
August 8 to 11, 2018
Line-Up: Ivan Smagghe, St Germain (live), Mr Herbert Quain (live), Rui Vargas, Diana Oliveira, Frank Maurel, Freshkitos, Magazino, Nuno Carneiro, Tiago Fragateiro, Adriatique, Agents Of Time (live), Apollonia, Ben Klock, Nastia, Recondite (live), Solomun, Switchdance, Trikk, Aleksi Perälä (live), Dj Nobu, Dopplereffekt (live), Mozhgan, Solar b2b Intergalactic Gary, Tijana T, Dexter, Terzi, Tiago, Len Faki, Jeff Mills, Joseph Capriati, Paula Temple b2b Rebekah, Ricardo Villalobos, Cardia, Gusta-Vo, Anna Haleta, Carlos Souffront, Conforce (live), Vrilski (live), Zadig b2b Marcelus, Ruuar, Sepypes, Kink (live), Josh Wink, Marco Carola, Nina Kraviz, Paul Ritch (live), Nuno Di Rosso, Serginho B2B Zé Salvador, 400PPM (live), Dax J, Dorisburg (live), Fjaak (live), Freddy K, Lewis Fautzi, Dj Lynce b2b Solution, João Carvalho
Tickets: Festivalpässe ab 75€
Castelo Santiago da Barra
Viana do Castelo
Portugal
