What you’ll hear and see
The artists
- 5ª Punkada
- Big L on the Road
Who says cerebral palsy or Down Syndrome means you can’t be in a rock band?
Born in 1990ies ̶ like Nirvana, Oasis or Blur ̶ 5ª Punkada are the result of a dream: that of Fausto Sousa who, despite suffering from severe cerebral palsy, decided not to give up on the hope that he could one day become a rock vocalist.
Though many tried to discourage him, he eventually received support from an association dedicated to cerebral palsy patients and founded his band. Fausto was later joined by four musicians suffering from various mental and physical disabilities and they have been rocking the world since!
Three decades and 300 shows later, 5ª Punkada surely had many stories to tell, but hadn’t yet released an album or been invited to any major European festival. But by the end of 2021, a turning point was reached.
Over the last year and half, 5ª Punkada have been seen at various summer festivals, recorded their debut album «Are we punk or not?», became the subject of a critically-acclaimed documentary, were nominated for the Portuguese Industry Awards (Play) and released a photo book of their tours.
In May 2022, they shared the stage with Coldplay, who described them as «the most special band [they had] ever played with», concluding a concert in front of a 50,000-strong crowd.
Every time 5ª Punkada steps on stage, emotions run high. Each of their concerts is a celebration of love and human dignity. An inspiration to us all, the band conveys a powerful message that goes way beyond mere social inclusion: their work is about real participation, and letting music turn us into better, more empathetic people.
On 23.09., Fausto, his bandmates and their music teacher will be joined by three leading figures from the indie punk and experimental scene: Surma, Victor Torpedo and Rui Gaspar.
