Smooth Sailing On Choppy Waters

Its name translates as “choppy waters,” but Portugal’s Mares Vivas Festival seems to be finding it plain sailing as once again it pulled around 25,000 per day.

The festival has increased its crowd by 20 percent since 2008, when promoter Jorge Lopes started adding international acts.

For its first three years, Mares Vivas operated as a showcase for the best of Portuguese talent and didn’t have much international profile.

The acts helping Mares Vivas to a smooth passage July 14-16 included Moby, The Cranberries, Mika, Manu Chao, Skunk Anansie, and Tindersticks.