The two biggest stars of Brazilian music, Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, performed together last night in Hammersmith.
Although they were co-founders of the Tropicalia movement in the Sixties and have frequently played together over the years, this was a rare event. They are the Paul McCartney and Mick Jagger of Brazil. Both in their early seventies and armed with just their guitars, they packed out the 3,000-seat Apollo with a largely Brazilian audience. The steaming temperature was Brazilian in flavour, too.
Veloso, dressed in an elegant red and black designer smock, is urbane and sophisticated, while Gil, in a black T-shirt and jeans, is the voice of black Brazil.
There was clearly no rivalry between them and the first part of the show was largely led by Veloso, while the second half was dominated by Gil. The audience knew most of the songs and needed no encouragement to sing along. Veloso’s voice is airborne and transparent, while Gil’s is low and gravelly. They complement each other beautifully. Veloso had most of the sing-along songs, but Gil creates the party mood and plays superb guitar.
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By the end, the hall was on its feet and Veloso sang London, a song written in thanks to the city that was a refuge for both men from the Brazilian dictatorship, after they were detained for nine months in 1969 and then told to leave the country. They didn’t spell it out, but there’s a lesson in there.
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