BATUCADA SOUND MACHINE, New Zealand’s greatest exponents of Afro Beats, Brazilian rhythms and Pacific Soul, are Europe-bound for the third time – a gruelling six-week tour with over two dozen performances in eight countries. Batucada Sound Machine’s last New Zealand performance before their latest overseas adventure is at Auckland’s 420 on Karangahape Road on Friday 8 July.
Formed in 2003, the ten-piece band describes itself as a “cultural melting pot” and, indeed, other influences include funk, hip-hop and reggae. Put it all through the Batucada blender and you’re left with an infectious mixture which beckons the dance floor.
Festival favourites, Batucada Sound Machine has played at WOMAD Festivals in both New Zealand and overseas, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, several smaller European festivals, and most of the major NZ festivals – Big Day Out, Parihaka International Peace Festival, Raggamuffin, Rhythm & Vines and Splore.
In August the band will play at their biggest festival yet – Hungary’s Sziget Festival, which attracts over 350,000 people. With a dozen stages, BSM are privileged to play on the Pop-Rock Main Stage, one of just 25 acts over the five days; others to play the Pop-Rock Main Stage include the Chemical Brothers, Good Charlotte, the Prodigy and Pulp.
Batucada Sound Machine’s tour kicks off in Wales on 15 July at the Llangollen Fringe Festival and the following day they play the prestigious City Of London Festival. After Britain the tour takes in Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Hungary, Austria and the Netherlands, with the band playing four gigs in South Korea on the way home.
BSM vocalist Richard Setford said, “I can't wait to get into the European summer – the camaraderie, the bad tour food, the snoring, the tantrums, the in-jokes, the soju and the schnapps. With a new album under our belts and a couple of new additions to the band, this tour could just about be the most exciting thing to happen to Batucada Sound Machine.”
Batucada Sound Machine’s performance at 420 next week will see the band debut material from their forthcoming third album (released in Europe in August and in NZ early next year). The band will rest up for a few weeks upon their return to New Zealand in late August, preparing to hit . . . the New Zealand festival circuit . . .
WHERE – 420 (Karangahape Road), Auckland
WHEN – 9pm, Friday 8 July
TICKETS – $20 (through Eventfinder)
DOOR SALES – $25
