Carnaval

Being in Salvador Bahia during Carnaval was a very eye opening experience. First and foremost, let’s not even front, it is a big, BIG party. Anyone that comes to Carnaval and says that it’s not one of the biggest parties you’ve ever seen is either blind or really oblivious to the thousands of people, dancing and kissing in the streets (sometimes they’re doing all of these things with you). What intrigued me the most was the fact that everyone was smiling and enjoying each other’s company. It was like a huge family gathering that spilled out into the streets and everyone was invited, ultimately making connections with each other all in the spirit of joy (allegria? Is that how you spell it Luiza?) I had a great time when we first came to Brazil back in November (Sao Paulo) but this time definitely put Brazil into a whole new perspective. Since Salvador is closer to the beach there’s an easier vibe of relaxation and a readiness from the people that just screams ‘Let’s have some fun!’.
Another big highlight from Carnaval is the music. These songs will constantly remind me of the time I spent in Salvador all the days of my life. Even though I have no idea what the song titles are I know the chorus (Na na na….Na na na NA na) and honestly I think that’s all I really need to know. The crowds on the streets were a bit pushy, but once you realize that it’s not a disrespectful push and it’s all a part of the traditional fun you start to push them right back. Mainly, the crowds are so huge and the music is infectious that people just want to be closer to the front so they can take in all the sights and sounds of Carnaval. I’ve been to street fairs before, but none of them come anywhere close to Carnaval. This has been a highlight of the tour, and I’m sure a lot of the team feel the same way.

Two Down, Two To Go

The Shanghai event has come and gone so fast it almost feels as if it never happened. Unlike Moscow, which marked the inauguration of our year-long experience, Shanghai was something we had been looking forward to for such a long time that after it was over it seemed more like a dream than Moscow did. Not that the Shanghai event sucked or anything. I truly enjoyed the drum battle with Tom Middleton and The Lab. Anything that can expound on the true elements of Hip Hop will always be enticing for me. I was also pleasantly surprised by Hard-Fi, whom I had never heard of prior to the Shanghai event, but then again most artists I’ve been exposed to during this journey have been new to me, which is just another aspect of what makes this experience so cool. And speaking of cool, anyone who was in attendance at the Shanghai event will definitely remember one thing - the cold. We were fortunate enough to be in China during a period in time when they were having one of the worst winters in over a decade. On the night of the event it was snowing, which I was told is a sign of good luck in China. If that’s the case then the Smirnoff Ten should be incredibly lucky for the next eight months, because it snowed quite heavily during the weekend of the event.
Inside the event were more innovative ways of enjoying nightlife. One of the bars featured a cocktail list, which had the honor of being the longest in the world. There was a Martini Bar, which featured a nice relaxed lounge type feel and the stage area was always alive with people dancing, jumping and shouting along with the music. Where the Shanghai event differed from the Moscow event was mainly with the amount of people. I can remember being in Moscow, moving through the crowd at a very slow pace or just avoiding the most concentrated crowd areas at all costs until they died down. That wasn’t really a problem at the Shanghai event. Most of the time the crowd was evenly spread out either at one of the bars, at the Birch Forest or at the stage area. At no time did it seem overwhelming with people. It was a good crowd and a good vibe throughout the night. But damn if it wasn’t cold!
I’m looking forward to seeing what the Paris event will be like. If the one in Moscow will be mainly remembered for its frenetic energy and large crowd, and the one in Shanghai will be remembered for it’s musically engaging, spacious charm then I wonder what Paris will have to offer? Whatever it is I’m sure it will be original and unexpected. And I can’t wait to see it.