NOS Alive 2022: Preview

What first springs to mind when you think of Portugal? A lot of food and drink-based thoughts come in thick and fast for us: pastel de nata, piri piri chicken, canned fish, port, vinho verde, ginja, as well as nice weather and world-renowned footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, of course. But music is also a big part of the country’s draw, with Fado dating back to 1820s Lisbon. As well as its history of traditional music, there’s a rich contemporary music scene going on in Lisbon now too with record labels, independent radio stations and a rich and diverse clubbing scene all to be found.

Lisbon is also home to a number of music festivals like Lisb-on, Sónar Lisboa and one of Europe’s best – NOS Alive. After a few years off, NOS Alive is back this summer for its 14th edition, taking place from 6-9 July in its usual spot in Lisbon’s westerly Oeiras region on the banks of the glorious Algés river, just before it opens up into the Atlantic Ocean.

Following the recent return of Primavera Sound in Barcelona and with Glastonbury happening this weekend, we dig a little deeper into NOS Alive’s 2022 lineup, which features a plethora of local Portuguese talent like the recently reunited Da Weasel, Da Chick and Os Quatro E Meia, as well as huge international names likes The Strokes, Florence and the Machine, Haim and, rather surprisingly, Metallica, for one of only a handful of opportunities to catch the iconic heavy metallers this summer. As the festival fast approaches, we highlight eight acts not to be missed on this year’s programme.

Stromae
Following the release of his latest album, Multitude, in March, Belgian hip-hop and electro-pop tour-de-force, Stromae is set to bring the party to the first night of the festival with massive hits like Papaoutai and Alors on Danse, the latter of which even received a Kanye West remix in 2010. NOS Stage, 6 Jul

Fontaines D.C.
A firm fixture on many a festival stage this summer, the boys from the better land, Dublin City’s Fontaines D.C. bring their latest album, Skinty Fia, to the first day of the Lisbon festival this year, which is set to get more than a few people fired up ahead of The Stroke’s headline performance later in the day. Heineken Stage, 6 Jul

Nilüfer Yanya
The insanely talented London singer, songwriter and musician, Nilüfer Yanya released Painless back in March, the stunning followup to her 2019 debut Miss Universe. With accolades like appearing on the longlist for the BBC Sound of 2018 poll, you’ll find the unique alt-rock talent at NOS Alive this summer. Heineken Stage, 7 Jul

Celeste
In 2019 American-British singer-songwriter Celeste topped the BBC’s Sound Of poll, making her the sixth winner of the, for many, life-changing accolade. A number one in the UK Album Chart then followed for 2021’s Not Your Muse, with nominations for BRIT Awards and the Mercury Prize coming shortly after. The gorgeous sounds of Celeste really are perfect on a warm summer’s evening. NOS Stage, 7 Jul

Image: St. Vincent @ The Apollo, Manchester, 2017 by Lewis Burton

St. Vincent
With an impressive array of albums firmly under her guitar strap, including 2012’s collaboration with David Byrne, Love This Giant, as well as 2021’s Grammy Award-winning Daddy’s Home, the inimitable Annie Clark, aka St. Vincent, brings her Daddy’s Home Tour to NOS Alive this year. It’ll be her first appearance at the Portuguese festival and is not to be missed. Heineken Stage, 8 Jul

M.I.A.
We recently caught M.I.A. at Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona and oh man did she understand the brief: give the people what they want and bring the party, even commenting on the fact halfway through her set which included dance routines, costume changes and bags of hits like Galang, Bad Girls and, of course, The Clash-sampling Paper Planes. Heineken Stage, 8 Jul

Phoebe Bridgers
Californian singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers can seem to do no wrong, unless you count smashing her guitar off a fake stage monitor during an appearance on Saturday Night Live wrong, which, for the record, we do not. Two years on from the release of her critically acclaimed album Punisher, as she traverses Europe this summer, Bridgers’ tour swings by NOS Alive. Heineken Stage, 9 Jul

Caribou
Dan Snaith and co always bring the party when they play live – chest-vibrating bass, euphoric vocals and an unmatched onstage chemistry (Snaith’s band always seem like they could just as easily be jamming in a practice room together as they could be playing the main stage of a festival), making for one of the most thrilling acts to catch at a festival. Heineken Stage, 9 Jul

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NOS Alive takes place at Passeio Marítimo de Algés, Lisbon, Portugal, 6-9 Jul

nosalive.com