Porto is the most beautiful city to enjoy summer evening outdoor gigs

The concert cycle themed "Noites do Palácio" kicks off on 31st July and runs till 31st August, where music takes to outdoor stages. These outdoor concerts deliver summer celebration every Friday and Saturday, always at 9pm, bringing to town some of the most reputed musicians in the Portuguese scene. Tickets are available as of today, and the single cost is 10 euros.
Tickets can be purchased online. 

From António Zambujo, on 31st July, to The Black Mamba, on 1st August, and HMB, on 7th August, then Gisela João, on 8th August, to Jorge Palma, on 14th August, and Diogo Piçarra, on 15th August, to conclude with Blind Zero, on 21st August and Rui Veloso, on 22nd August, the stage is set at the Praça do Rossio, in front of Super Bock Arena - Pavilhão Rosa Mota and with a capacity for 650 seats.

Each show is prepared to guarantee that pandemic control measures are in place, in line with the guidelines by the General Directorate for Health. As such, each seating position is marked, social distancing is mandatory between people from different households, and all entry and exit points will be duly signalled.

"This means the resuming of our activity in the entertainment area and the first big event organised in the city in the post-lockdown", Mayor of Porto, Rui Moreira emphasized during the event presentation, this morning, also attended by the councillor for Youth and Sports, Catarina Araújo.

The event "Noites do Palácio"["Evenings in the Palace", free translation], includes a municipal investment of 200 thousand euros to cope with expenses related to "safety plans, technical means and logistics and the signing of artists", Mayor Rui Moreira explained. Rui Moreira also furthered that "we have given up waiting for any kind of support by the Ministry of Culture, as promised, which was swift to announce its intention to provide active support to Municipalities in the organisation of musical shows, but too slow to explain the rules to access this so called support line worth 30 million euros".

The event is a joint collaboration between the Municipality of Porto and the cultural sector. "We could do it internally, via Ágora, which is experienced in organising large concerts in town", affirmed Rui Moreira, but the purpose was to send a relevant signal to the national cultural fabric in Porto, particularly in the entertainment area. So, eight entities were invited to present proposals as a way of bringing a breath of fresh air and new work opportunities to the several companies that operate in the sector, which has been so hardly hit by this pandemic".

Moreover, the event is to be held in a special location, "precisely next to what was our Field Hospital during the most critical phase of the current pandemic. As everyone is aware, the Hospital was in place for over a month at the Super Bock Arena - Pavilhão Rosa Mota, and it has been dismantled. I sincerely hope there is no need to put the hospital on once again, and that this important concert hall can reopen soon and take on its usual activity", emphasized Rui Moreira.

The "Noites do Palácio" will be organised by two major national producers, PEV Entertainment and Everything is New, which have congratulated the Municipality of Porto for the initiative.

"I want to thank Porto City Hall and the Mayor for this initiative, which is a light at the end of the tunnel for music. We worry, but we have the obligation to show that things can be done safely. I am proud to be from Porto", the founder and CEO of PEV Entertainment, Jorge Lopes enthused.

"Congratulations to the Mayor for his determination and for the support to a sector that despite the post lockdown is still shut. This is a very significant event to boost domestic tourism. Here it is, the invitation to all Portuguese to come to Porto, to visit the city and in the evening, to attend the "Noites do Palácio" initiative", stated the founder and director general of Everything is New, Álvaro Covões, while pinpointing that "other municipalities should take this opportunity to replicate what Porto City Hall is doing".

Miguel Guedes, lead singer of Blind Zero, who are to perform in the Gardens of Palácio de Cristal on 21st August, explains why this is a distinctive attitude by Porto City Hall by saying that "there are musicians, artists, dancers, actors that can barely make ends meet and this is a valuable debate on what should and can be done well and safely. The line-up is amazing and brings us back to life", the musician from Porto enthused.

"This event is of great importance to art and to music. It is an important statement by the Mayor of Porto, to overcome the crisis that has been catastrophic to us. It would be great to replicate this type of initiative in the country. Also, people should get used to this type of organisation, as for a long time, things will be organised this way, with social distancing and protection", he concluded.

Lineup "Noites do Palácio"

31st July - António Zambujo

1st August - The Black Mamba

7th August - HMB

8th August - Gisela João

14th August - Jorge Palma

15th August - Diogo Piçarra

21st August - Blind Zero

22nd August - Rui Veloso