Porto Drum Show 2024

The lineup includes Bill Evans, Vincen García, Chris Coleman, Ash Soan, Keith Carlock, Craig Blundell, Thomas Lang, Camille Bigeault.

German drummer Morritz Müller is the latest confirmation in the program of the 5th edition of the event, which will also feature Portuguese musicians Mário Costa (best jazz album at the Play – Portuguese Music Awards) and Alexandre Frazão, at the Alfândega do Porto, from the 25th to the 27th of this month. 

German Morritz Müller, one of the great talents of the new generation of drummers worldwide and a member of the band The Intersphere, is the most recent addition to the Porto Drum Show 2024 (PDS) lineup, as the countdown begins for the three busy days that will turn the “Invincible City” into the capital of European percussion, from the 25th to the 27th of this month, at the Alfândega Congress Center.

Morritz Müller – who has also produced work for Steve Lukather (five-time Grammy Award winner), Alice Cooper, and Rick Springfield, among others – will join other renowned musicians in the program of the 5th edition: Vincen García, performing on the 25th; Bill Evans, Keith Carlock, Chris Coleman, Camille Bigeault, and Mário Costa, all on the 26th; and Ash Soan, Thomas Lang, Craig Blundell, and Alexandre Frazão, on the 27th.

The only event in Portugal that makes the drum the throne and the drummer the king, and one of the most well-organized festivals in Europe in this speciality, is becoming increasingly musically diverse, which is also reflected in the event’s design. It goes beyond the main stage, where concerts and live sessions will take place, to gain other forms and provide the audience with complementary experiences.

We are talking about the space where numerous showcases, jams, live performances, and product presentations will take place, the JOCAVI Stage – featuring names such as Tatanka (The Black Mamba), Daniel Cardoso, Mariana Gomes, Iuri Oliveira, Alex Antunes, and the Mr Beans Collective project – but also the Education Zone, where various masterclasses and workshops will be run by well-known names, a Showroom, with around 50 companies and music instrument brands participating a Leisure Space, and a Food Corner.

The Futebol Clube do Porto, for example, is one of the institutions that will be present, organizing some activities, with some surprises expected…

The organization of the Porto Drum Show is led by a name used to large stages, Hugo Danin (Atelier de Percussão do Porto), one of the renowned Portuguese drummers and, for the last 15 years, one of the most relevant educators in the field of percussion in our country. A name present in various projects of many well-known artists: GNR, Pedro Abrunhosa, Carolina Deslandes, Cuca Roseta, Bárbara Tinoco, Bárbara Bandeira, Marta Ren & The Groovelvets, Tatanka, and many others.

s a way to highlight the instrumental diversity of the PDS, the inaugural night (October 25) of the festival will kick off at 10:30 PM, not with drums under the spotlight, but with the bass of Vincen García, “one of the most prestigious artists in the current jazz and funk scene internationally,” states Hugo Danin, speaking of this sensation bassist, one of the most streamed artists, accumulating hundreds of thousands of followers and millions of views.

This will be a debut on national soil, and this welcome live show will feature the latest work from the Spanish musician – “Ventura” – accompanied by a band that “will delight the lovers of fusion sounds,” emphasizes Danin.

The evening on the 26th (10:30 PM) will belong, in turn, to the well-known American saxophonist Bill Evans – with his VansBand Allstar – one of the great names in international jazz, with about thirty albums released, several global distinctions, and career that has included collaborations with Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin, Willie Nelson, Mick Jagger, The Allman Brothers Band, and many others who are part of the history of world music.

Bill Evans will start his two-month tour across various European stages at the Porto Drum Show. “An honour,” as highlighted by Hugo Danin.

Experiencing the Porto Drum Show is breathing in the technique, the emotion and the sweat (re)percussed on the drums, yes, but the event aims to “go further, gradually, in a natural way,” acknowledges the organizer, in line with other internationally recognized events.

At the PDS, the drummer reigns and will continue to do so, but the event is already preparing the future audience of the festival, which will take on greater musical diversity, as explained by Hugo Danin, who aims to maintain a growth rate of over 30% per year. “We want, in the short term, to exceed the issuance of 2,500 daily tickets,” he justifies. Evaluate the lineup, and such a goal does not seem difficult at all.

Porto Drum Show – Schedule

Day 25
Vincen García, 10:30 PM, Welcome Live Show. “Ventura,” a Spanish term synonymous with special moments of prosperity and risk, aptly summarizes the essence of Vincen García’s debut album. A prophetic title that sets the stage for an exciting musical journey, with ten captivating songs filled with vibrant energy and frenetic transitions. Each track speaks to Vincen’s art, promising a dynamic experience that transcends the limits of conventional music.

Day 26
Camille Bigeault, 12:00 PM. One of the most notable drummers of the new generation, not only from France but globally, and a force of nature with unique musicality. She is known for her mastery of polyrhythms, ostinatos (a musical phrase persistently repeated at the same pitch), and complex meters, and will be in Portugal for the first time.

Mário Costa, 2:30 PM. Winner of the best jazz album at the Play – Portuguese Music Awards 2024, leader of the project Chromosome and one of the brightest national performers. He has performed with Miguel Araújo, Ana Moura, Émile Parisien, among others, demonstrating the quality of Portuguese musicians alongside major names in international jazz.

Chris Coleman, 4:00 PM. The American is a unique and emblematic name in African-American culture. He has collaborated with Beck, Chaka Khan, Rachelle Ferrel, among others.

Keith Carlock, 7:00 PM. The American, who has played alongside Sting, Steely Dan, John Mayer, Toto, and many others, is an extraordinary musician with an impressive resume, from pop to jazz. He is inducted into the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame.

Bill Evans, 10:30 PM, Live Show. The American has approximately thirty albums released, several global distinctions, and a path that has included collaborations with Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin, Willie Nelson, Mick Jagger, The Allman Brothers Band, and many others who are part of the history of world music.

Day 27
Craig Blundell, 12:00 PM. The British drummer is primarily recognized for his contributions to progressive rock and is one of the most influential musicians in the educational and creative landscape. He has evolved on stage and in the studio with artists of the caliber of Steve Hackett and Steve Wilson.

Morritz Müller, 12:45 PM. The German drummer is one of the great talents of the new generation of drummers worldwide and a member of the band The Intersphere. He has collaborated with Steve Lukather (distinguished five times with Grammy Awards), Alice Cooper, and Rick Springfield.

Alexandre Frazão, 2:30 PM. One of the major references of “made in” Portugal in the specialty. He has developed artistry with Mário Laginha, Ala dos Namorados, Resistência, or TGB, to name just a few milestones in his career.

Ash Soan, 4:00 PM. The British drummer is one of the most sought-after musicians today, known for his unmistakable groove, “certified” by hundreds of collaborations with such iconic artists and diverse sounds as Adele, Snow Patrol, and Tori Amos, to name a few.

Thomas Lang, 7:00 PM. The Austrian drummer has a career spanning over four decades, which has established him in the critics’ eyes as one of the most influential international drummers. He has performed with the Vienna Art Orchestra, Kelly Clarkson, Falco, and others.

JOCAVI Stage (showcases, jams, live performances, and product presentations):

Day 26
Daniel Cardoso (with Zildjian), Mariana Gomes (with Sabian and Sonor) and live performance from the Mr. Beans Collective project (Ricardo Danin on drums, Zé Nuno on guitar, Filipe Neves on bass, and Pancho Tarrabica on percussion)

Day 27
Daniel Cardoso (with Zildjian), Iuri Oliveira (with LP), Alex Antunes (with Sabian and Sonor) and Mr. Beans Collective.

Education Zone (masterclasses and workshops):

Day 26
Gabriel Bruce. Drum composition – development of language and creative paths on the instrument.

Jaume Pradas. Rudiments and introduction to Flamenco.

Rui Rodrigues. Discover your voice – how not to skip stages in learning the drums.

About Hugo Danin
Hugo Danin is one of the most renowned drummers in Portugal. Author of two books dedicated to teaching drums, he has stood out in the last 15 years as one of the most important educators in the field of drums and percussion. In addition to being the director of Atelier de Percussão do Porto, he is a guest professor at the Leeds Drum Academy in England, where he regularly promotes masterclasses and private lessons.

After graduating in Music Production and Technologies and a Master’s in Music Education, Hugo Danin also attended the well-known Drummers Collective in New York, where he studied with important names such as Kim Planfield, Michael Lauren, Mike Clark, Ian Froman, and Bobby Sanabria.

Always confirm with the concert hall or promoter the conditions of access, confirmation of the date or time, ticket place of sale, price, and availability.

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