Íris - Cold-shouldered by Allgarve

They don’t feel discriminated against because they have a very loyal following – but this doesn’t stop them criticising the musical line-up of entertainment that’s being promoted across the region this summer. Ask Domingos Caetano, Íris’ leader, for example, why the band has never played as part of the «Allgarve» musical programme?

“We haven’t managed to get to that level. Maybe the organisers don’t consider that we’re a quality product of the Algarve”.

But curiously, this is the only local band to have won two gold discs, and two silver for the region – from the sale of their albums.

Íris made it’s début in 1979, and is still going strong. The group has a new disc, «Sueste», brought out last November. “It has a very much more ethnic sound than our previous discs, harking back to our Moroccan ancestors”, explains Domingos.

Indeed, it took two years to produce - “we didn’t want to hurry anything” - and was recorded in its entirety at the band’s studio in Fuzeta.

Lulled by the rain and characteristic winter light of the Sotovento (Eastern Algarve), Íris spent many an afternoon at work in the studio, recording and experimenting. They even managed to get ideas for the next album “which could be another innovative style” to add to their curriculum.

“I can say that we were the first Portuguese band ever to organise a concert with an orchestra and then record it live”, on CD and DVD – very much like big names on the international scene have done, including Americans “Metallica”, and the German group “Scorpions”.

“In the beginning, we wanted to work with the “Orquestra do Algarve”. We thought it would make sense, and be good for the region. We made contact, but at the time they had a conductor who didn’t think it was a good idea. Perhaps he thought it would “diminish” the orchestra, in some way”.

Bulgarian violinist Emiliano Petrov, a teacher at the conservatory of Vila Real de Santo António, ended up supporting the idea – and the album that emerged from it was released in 2007.

But, in spite of their success, Íris has never truly been accepted. Even Domingos Caetano acknowledges this. The problem lies in the songs that launched them into the limelight – a cover of the celebrated «House of the Rising Sun» by The Animals, and another of «Knocking on Heaven’s Doors», by Bob Dylan.

Sung in Portuguese, with a strong Algarvian accent, ‘Ó Mãe Aquele Moçe Batê-me’ and ‘Atira-te ó Mar’ became instant popular hits.

But “there are many people who don’t rate these songs – particularly people in key positions, for example, on national radio”.

The two hits became so synonymous with the Algarvian band’s image that it was difficult to move on from the “stigma”, be it with more recent works, or the group’s repertoire as a whole.

Questioned on the current panorama of Portuguese music, Domingos recognises the new surge of young artists, but points out that one can still “count on one’s fingers” the number of Portuguese bands promoted by national radio.

Born and raised in Fuzeta, “I never imagined becoming a musician”, Caetano elaborates. “My dream was to be a vet, as I love animals. Then one day, one of my brothers brought a guitar home for me – and that was it!”

He spent a few years at music school and then began his career in music – always in the Algarve. Intriguingly, he worked at the former 5-star Atlantis Hotel, in Vilamoura, very much “sui generis” (creating his own style).

“We totally changed the concept of a hotel band! I remember we even played “Black Sabbath”! I ripped my shirt off on stage. It was crazy! People loved it! They came from other hotels just to hear us play in the evenings”, he recalls.

“But, at the same time, I learnt to like singing “swing” and Frank Sinatra numbers, and now I’m working this sort of material” – soon to be presented.

But of his whole career there is “one story that will never be forgotten”, which took place in the company of Íris. It was a trip to the Azores where the group had a concert scheduled for midnight on the same night.

Domingos isn’t a keen flyer. He was delighted when he thought the trip had been cancelled due to a strike – but the concert organisers called in a private jet “which shook like a jellyfish” and was flown by a rookie pilot.

They ended up landing on the wrong island (Faial). Then, with their nerves already in tatters, were loaded onto a boat. There were high winds blowing, and rolling waves battered them all the way. By the time they arrived at their destination, it was already long past midnight, and the band was weak nausea and sea-sickness.

“I saw the crowd all singing and decided to get up on stage all the same!” It was two in the morning. “I grabbed the microphone and the night was amazing. Even today people are still talking about that concert!”