‘People in the mainland are thirsty for rock and roll’

Fortes Pakeong Sequeira

Although local artist and “Blademark” lead singer Fortes Pakeong Sequeira acknowledges that Macau’s audiences are starting to understand what rock and roll is all about, it’s the mainland crowd that shows and shares greater enthusiasm for the genre.
“We’ve got fans in Taiwan and mainland China, and they’re crazy. Mainland people are thirsty for rock and roll. Everybody gets crazy, shouting and they ask for more,” he shared with reporters on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of “Blademark, Exhibition by Pakeong” at Albergue SCM on Wednesday.
The rock and roll band is commemorating its tenth anniversary this year. Pakeong found inspiration from the band’s songs when completing most of the artworks now on display at Albergue’s A2 Gallery.
“I can now fully express myself by combining graphics, visual arts and music and I finally [found] the time to merge them together. All the works here are about rock and roll, my life, my band,” he said.
Looking into the future, Pakeong says he’s eager to play more gigs outside of Macau, and even outside Asia.
Audiences in Macau are probably too well behaved for rock and roll, he conceded.
“The audience in Macau is quite polite. And this is not what I want. I want people to get crazy, so we try hard to drive them and encourage them to be more like us,” he said.
Pakeong acknowledged that most people here might not fully comprehend what rock and roll is: “They think [the genre is] noisy and naughty but we are not. We are telling a story, sharing our lives and feelings.”
Nevertheless, he recognized that Macau’s music scene is slowly changing. “I think more people like our music now. They have started understanding it. They are learning and we are growing, so Macau is changing.”
“Blademark, Exhibition by Pakeong” is on display until September 12.
“Blademark” are marking their anniversary on September 5 with a festival at Albergue, featuring gigs and several booths selling local products, including food and beverages. Three other bands have also been invited to play.