Linda Martini spent the last two weeks crossing the country on the successful “Liga de Clubes” tour, a cleverly titled run of shows that embraced the intimacy of smaller venues. The journey concluded with a matinée performance at the emblematic Salão Brazil in Coimbra — a fitting final chapter in a series of concerts built on closeness, atmosphere, and emotional immediacy. The occasion also marked the band’s tenth appearance in the student city, ending a three-year absence.
We counted the days until Sunday arrived. A light drizzle settled over the city — a gentle interruption that, given the recent weather, felt more like a quiet blessing than an inconvenience. Linda Martini were returning to a room that had already welcomed them three times before, and one that holds its own shared memories for those who follow their path closely.
Shortly after 6:30 PM, André Henriques, Cláudia Guerreiro, Hélio Morais, and Rui Carvalho stepped onto the stage of the darkened Salão Brazil. What unfolded over the next hours was a masterclass in indie rock shaped by introspection and release — the sound of a band that, over 23 years, has become one of the defining pillars of Portuguese alternative music.
With “Sinto a cabeça cair” setting the tone as an introduction, the first true impact came through the opening riffs of “Cronófago”, the same sonic doorway that begins their debut record “Olhos de Mongol”. From that moment on, the setlist moved like a carefully traced map across the band’s history, weaving together songs from “Olhos de Mongol”, “Casa Ocupada”, “Errôr”, “Turbo Lento”, “Sirumba”, and their most recent chapter, “Passa-Montanhas”.
Landmark tracks emerged naturally along the way — “Belarmino vs”, the sharp-edged single “Boca de Sal”, and the unforgettable “Ratos”, its refrain “Os ratos vão-me devorar!” echoing long after the final note. A powerful pairing of “Super Fixe” and “E Não Sobrou Ninguém” then pulled the audience deep into the restless pulse of “Errôr”.
By then, the audience was fully under the band’s spell. Linda Martini’s characteristic reserve between songs remained intact, with only brief exchanges shared among themselves and with the crowd. Their music speaks the language of a raw, unfiltered teenage angst, and so even the quiet pauses for tuning instruments felt meaningful rather than empty. Silence settled over the room — and was respectfully held.
A wave of memory washed over the venue with “Lição de Voo Nº1”, taken from their first EP “Linda Martini”, one of the densest emotional moments of the afternoon. That backward glance was followed by a ten-year leap forward with “Putos Bons”, greeted with equal warmth. The atmosphere turned hypnotic with “Corações Rápidos”, whose layered structure and surging intensity — carried by André Henriques’ voice — recalled the emotional landscapes of “Casa Ocupada”, particularly “Mulher-a-Dias”.
A brief spoken moment broke the musical flow, as André encouraged civic engagement and participation in the presidential elections taking place that very day. Then came “Faz-se de Luz”, one of the band’s short, explosive bursts — a flash of adrenaline designed to clear the air before the return of longer, immersive compositions built from the layered textures that define their sound.
The ritual of the false ending arrived when Cláudia Guerreiro smiled and said, “although this is the last one, there are still two more — and you know that…”. What followed was inevitable: “Cem Metros Sereia”, and with it, a moment of total communion. Voices rose together, first singing, then shouting, and finally locking into the song’s closing chants in perfect unison with the band, just as recorded on “Casa Ocupada”. The applause that followed was not just loud — it was deeply felt, a tangible expression of the bond between artist and audience.
The circle closed the same way it had opened: with Olhos de Mongol. This time, it was “Dá-me a Tua Melhor Faca” that delivered the final blow, sealing the afternoon with a surge of sound that gave way to a thunderous ovation from a crowd that stayed rooted until the last vibration faded.
No setlist can satisfy everyone, particularly when a band carries more than two decades of music behind them. Even so, the absence of “Mulher-a-Dias” and “Nós os Outros” was felt — songs whose repetitive phrasing and natural invitation to audience participation would have flowed seamlessly alongside “Cem Metros Sereia”.
Similarly, “S de Jéssica” and “Queluz Menos Luz” remain prime examples of Linda Martini’s talent for crafting atmosphere through instrumental layering, pieces that function beautifully as interludes and reveal the architectural care within their sound.
Still, there is no overstating the strength of what was delivered. Linda Martini once again proved their ability to transform a room into a shared emotional landscape. The on-stage sound was pristine, the energy unwavering. Touring fatigue never surfaced — only wide smiles across the quartet’s faces, and the unmistakable sense that yet another cathartic chapter had been written, this time for the many dozens gathered inside Salão Brazil in Coimbra.
Special thanks to Linda Martini.
Text & Photo: Filipe Gomes
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