See, in its 19th-century start in Lisbon, fado was on the fringe. Singers were sailors, bohemians and prostitutes. They performed in taverns, alleys and brothels, telling stories of love and loss in the neighborhood: who stabbed whom, who went to bed with whom. The fado scene has long been scrubbed of rough types and rough places. Fado is sung by both men and women, usually one at a time and backed by a few acoustic guitars. The singers don't really dance, but the genre has its own gestures: faces on the verge of tears, fists raised in despair, hands on hearts.
It's less music you groove to and more soulful performances that leave you thinking about your worst breakup and deciding it probably wasn't as bad as the singer's was. Sometimes the shudder of his voice and the pained look on his face are enough to bring them to tears. Then there are the people who seem to only care about their photos. So when the show at Senhor Vinho wrapped up around midnight on a recent Friday, Duarte headed to a new underground venue, for serious fado fans.
Related: Portugal is exhibiting human skin with smutty old tattoos. The vaulted room is packed with long wooden tables topped with tea lights and drinks. Classic fado album covers hang all around.
People are chatting and smoking and signing the walls. That is, until Pedro de Castro, the well-known Portuguese guitar player who owns the space, shouts for his pal Duarte to sing a few fados.
Everybody quiets down. Later in the night, drums come out, colorful lights come on and people dance. Toni Frissell, , Library of Congress See, in its 19th-century start in Lisbon, fado was on the fringe. Isabel Zuzarte So when the show at Senhor Vinho wrapped up around midnight on a recent Friday, Duarte headed to a new underground venue, for serious fado fans. Sign up for our daily newsletter.
