Bixiga 70 return to Dublin

Bixiga 70 at The Sugar Club, Dublin, 25 July 2024

To quote Martin Luther King, 'I had a dream....'. My dream had nothing to do with civil rights, however, instead it centred on music. It was back in 2017, when reading through the pages of a reputable music magazine (few of them left now and at exorbitant prices too!), that I chanced upon a piece about Brazilian Afrobeat ensemble, Bixiga 70. The band had completed gigs in the UK, but nowhere was there any mention of them coming across to Ireland to play. This, I thought, was astonishing. 

Dublin now being home to much of Ireland's estimated 70,000 Brazilian community (admittedly many of whom are students on short-term visas), I felt an immediate urge to try and bring Bixiga 70 over here for a gig. The ex-pat Brazilians would go wild for this kind of entertainment. The only snag was I have little experience of promoting gigs and where to begin? A plan had to be put in place.

My initial idea was to try to contact the band themselves through their management. I sent off an email to their European tour manager and they replied saying they'd be happy to come to Dublin. Finding a venue to accommodate them was the only issue. So I got in touch with The Sugar Club in Dublin's Leeson St . Finally - without the promoters contacting me - in 2018 the Southside venue, known as 'the home of culture', booked the São Paulo outfit. 

The ensuing gig was a riot of horns and other effects all leading to a massive party vibe. I was correct in my assumption - the Brazilian community came out in force for what was a memorable occasion. Since then the band have returned to Dublin, most recently last night. They have now performed here three times, plus gigs in Galway and Cork to boot. . Sometimes dreams do come true!

Bixiga 70's latest LP, 'Vapor' is out now on Glitterbeat Records https://bixiga70.bandcamp.com/album/vapor