Latest news with #artists
Associated Press
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
How well do you know this year's Glastonbury lineup?
Published [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] Nearly 4,000 artists are slated to perform at the Glastonbury music festival in the U.K. this week — and while there are a lot of familiar names on the bill, including Neil Young, Rod Stewart, Busta Rhymes, Olivia Rodrigo and Charli xcx, there are thousands of lesser known artists performing across the festival's 120 stages. Can you tell the real from the fake? Take the AP quiz and see if you know your Beans on Toast from your Coronary Campaign. True or false, are the following artists performing at Glastonbury this year?
The Guardian
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
PP Arnold on her star-studded life in music: ‘Peter Gabriel and I used to hang upside down in gravity boots'
You've played with a lot of incredible artists – Tina Turner, the Small Faces, Nick Drake, Dr John, George Harrison, Peter Gabriel, Roger Waters, the KLF, Ocean Colour Scene and so many more. If you could collaborate with absolutely anyone, who would it be? Harrison1986 I love to collaborate – basically, I like collaborating with people who want to collaborate with me. I've just worked with Paul Weller and Cast, but a lot of people I'd love to have worked with are no longer with us. Top of my list on a production level would be Quincy Jones. Vocally, how about something with Prince?! And I love Mavis Staples, who's still with us; I've met her. It would be great to do something with Mavis. Of all the artists you've collaborated with, who stands head and shoulders above the rest? Aubrey26 Tina Turner. Simply the best – and what a joy to have her start a career I never planned on. I was in a very abusive teenage marriage. I said a prayer to ask God to take me out of that situation and a couple of hours later I was in Tina's living room, singing Dancing in the Street. I'd gone there to help some other ladies – Gloria Scott and Maxine Smith – get the gig, but another girl didn't show up for the audition. Maxine remembered I used to sing in church and the rest is history. My whole career is all about the unexpected. It think it has a lot to do with manifesting dreams, although being called a 'legend' doesn't pay the bills. Are you going to Glastonbury with a band? GingerTom Yes, I'm on the Acoustic stage with my fabulous band. I've had to edit my set down to 40 minutes, but it's gonna be a great show. When I played in 2022, Diana Ross was on at the same time, but I still had a lot of people come and see me, or tell me they wish they had. This year, Rod Stewart is playing at the same time I'm on, but he's complaining cos he's only getting an hour and a half! As a young singer, you were one of the Ikettes. We all know about Tina Turner's harrowing experience with Ike Turner. I hope it wasn't too bad for you. MovingGelatinePlates The most pleasant part was being on stage every night with that amazing band. We were on the road for two years and probably working 85 out of every 90 days. On the road in a bus, you see everything – a lot of bad behaviour – and I was very young and very shy, so I had to learn how to protect myself, by staying in my place. I wasn't one of Ike's women, so he couldn't control me. Your autobiography, Soul Survivor, is intensely sad. How have you managed to let go of some of the bitterness about the way you were treated, particularly as a late teenager? saultbreakcherry I don't hold grudges. The most horrible thing that's happened to me in my life was losing my daughter. [Debra Arnold was killed in a car crash in 1977.] I had to let her go, but she's with me every day. Unfortunately, in this industry, I also have to deal with a lot of politics, but I have to let it go and stay in the moment. I have to stay rooted in myself and that's how I survive. Your performance with the Small Faces on Tin Soldier is unforgettable. What were they like to work with? revelstoke Oh, just a joy. [Singer] Steve Marriott was like my soul brother. We were very young and enthusiastic: same age, same height. We hit it off immediately musically and dated for a short time. I've just recorded Afterglow, which the Small Faces wrote for me, but liked so much they took it back! If Steve were here now, he'd be the modfather. I miss him dearly and he visits me from time to time in dreams. I had a visitation from him not long ago. What were the sessions for Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer like? steve_bayley I'd had a tough time in America, so coming back to the UK and doing [the musical] Starlight Express and working with Peter was brilliant. I also sing on Don't Give Up, which I've only just found out. We did a version before Peter did it with Kate Bush and I'm on her version singing: 'Don't give up …' towards the end. The sessions with Peter were great fun, especially once I discovered he was also into gravity boots. They're a fitness thing I found out about when I lived in Miami. I used to hang upside down in my garden, doing sit-ups. Peter had them in the fitness room at his house, so we were both into hanging upside down, doing sit-ups. What are your memories of working with Keith Emerson? What's the story about how you gave the Nice their name? William Working with Keith was an absolute pleasure. He was such a lovely guy and so very talented. I knew from the beginning that he had his own ambitions, but I was very happy that he was able to help me launch that period of my career. The band that became the Nice were my backing band [in 1967]. Steve Marriott had introduced me to a Lord Buckley album that had a song on it called The Nazz. With my accent, it sounded like The Nice, and 'nice one' was a really hip expression in the 60s. So it was my idea to call my band the Nice. I saw Keith not long before he passed away and we talked about perhaps doing something else together. I went to the funeral. He loved what he did and when he wasn't physically able to do it any more it would have been very hard for him. I understand some of the money the KLF [as the K Foundation] burned on Jura was rightly yours. Can you tell us about that? pconl Me and Katie Kissoon were the Mu Mu Choir. I sang the hook on 3am Eternal. I was paid a session fee, but the deal was that if they used my solo performance I'd get 5%, which I never got because they claimed it wasn't the song's hook. I've got to let it go now, but it's on their conscience. [The KLF did not respond to a request for comment.] Do you have anecdotes about Andrew Loog Oldham and Immediate Records? Zaropans If it wasn't for Andrew, there wouldn't be a PP Arnold. He was the best manager and he had a vision for me; the only time in my career I've had creative management. Andrew was really into the west-coast girl group thing, so [Rolling Stones keyboardist] Ian Stewart suggested he check me out, and because Mick [Jagger] and I were tight he also drove the conversation. I became part of Immediate's 'industry of human happiness'. We were all very young and Andrew got caught up in the drug thing that went down with a lot of guys in those days and that was the downfall of Immediate. I wish I had someone like that in my life now, but I'm still in contact with Andrew. With you on Immediate and the equally amazing Doris Troy on Apple, the biggest stars of the day were lining up to play backing musician for you both. Any tales you'd care to share? Mr_202 Madeline Bell, Doris and I all had the authentic gospel sound that everybody wanted on their records at the time. Doris and I did that Nick Drake song [Poor Boy, on Bryter Layter] together. Other than Keith Emerson … Steve Howe from Yes was in my band when I supported Eric Clapton on the Delaney & Bonnie tour. There's a thing online somewhere about all the people in my bands who went on to be huge stars. I forget them all, but it was always easier for the boys. There are more women now, but the industry is difficult if you're not a boyband or you're not taking off your clothes to sing. I don't get that. When we came to England, Tina started wearing short dresses and miniskirts, but she was always classy. In Liverpool last year, you covered Shoot the Dove by Paul Weller, a brilliant but little known song of his. How do you decide which songs you cover in live shows? bluelambretta I have to identify with the lyric, the story. Shoot the Dove is about arguments and fights in relationships: 'You kill the love when you shoot the dove.' I can relate to that. I've just done God Only Knows as a tribute to Brian Wilson, but I felt it wasn't right to do it without also doing a tribute to Sly [Stone], so at rehearsal yesterday I decided to do Que Sera, Sera as part of a medley for Glastonbury. 'Whatever will be will be.' I can relate to that as well. A question from my daughter, Astrid: PP, I am six years old. I listen to your songs on my CD player. My favourite is Everything's Gonna Be Alright. My question is: why are you such a good singer? jonathan_liew Astrid, I think it's because I just love to sing. I sang my first solo – a song called We Are Soldiers in the Army – when I was four years old. When I finished, everyone in the church started shouting because they were happy. So that's why I sing: I like to touch that happy spot in everybody. I don't know if you watch CBeebies, but I'm the voice of Cleo Nibbles, the soul mouse in the new Yukee series. A little mouse with a big voice. PP Arnold plays Glastonbury's Acoustic stage on Sunday at 4pm. The previously unreleased The Immediate Sessions is out now on Charly Records. The single Soul Mouse is on Spotify
The Guardian
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Lessons for Young Artists by David Gentleman review – secrets from the studio
You know the art of David Gentleman even if you don't know you know it. Anyone who's passed through London's Charing Cross tube station has seen his life-filled black-and-white mural of medieval people, enlarged from his woodcuts, digging, hammering, chiselling to construct the Eleanor Cross that once stood nearby. His graphic art has graced everything from stamps to book covers to Stop the War posters in a career spanning seven decades. He says he's been making art for 90 years, since he was five. His parents were also artists, and in his latest book he reproduces a Shell poster by his father to show he follows in a modern British tradition of well-drawn, well-observed popular art. Perhaps it is because he learned from his parents as naturally as learning to speak – 'Seeing them drawing tempted me to draw' – that Gentleman dislikes pedagogy. He's proud that he never had to teach for a living, always selling his art. So his guide to the creative life, Lessons for Young Artists, is anything but a how-to manual or didactic textbook. Instead, it's like a visit to his studio where you sit at his shoulder, watching him work, while he shares tips, wisdom, anecdotes. If you have ever wished to take up pencil and paper, whatever your age, this book will sharpen your ambition by demystifying the process, making it feel the most natural and important thing in the world to draw that tree outside the window. The book's beautiful illustrations deepen his laconic advice. As he chats, the artist rifles through drawers to show views of London, Paris, New York. 'Rifling' is possibly the wrong word, for it suggests a chaotic workplace, of which Gentleman does not approve. You should keep your brushes in good nick and your studio tidy. Then again there are no rules, he admits, remembering how Edward Ardizzone used to work at the kitchen table surrounded by his family. The artist's workspace may seem a secondary issue but he's not alone in stressing it: Leonardo da Vinci paid attention to what an artist's room should be like in advice to young hopefuls written more than 500 years ago. In one of Gentleman's engrossing, calming drawings, his studio has a big window looking out on the city, designs on clipboards neatly hung up, a row of brushes, a couple of glasses of water (for watercolours). It's a workplace to envy, peaceful yet connected with the world. This is really a guide not just to the technical skills an artist needs but achieving an artistic state of mind. Gentleman lures you into his day-to-day work. 'Take a sketchbook with you everywhere you go,' he says, again like Leonardo, adding that it should be pocket-sized and the accompanying tools minimal. Too heavy a kit will 'become an excuse not to take it with you'. He adds watercolour to his drawings, either in the studio or in the open. A Suffolk church is seen through overgrown late summer weeds, with watery blotches in the sky. It started to rain as he worked: 'I like the way the spatters of rain are visible on the paper.' Another happy accident is a drawing of his son playing the piano that acquired an extra foot: a burst of motion in an otherwise tranquil scene. You find yourself not just wanting to be an artist but to be David Gentleman. 'Becoming an artist,' he says, 'is about learning to look at the world with a very sharp eye. When you walk down the street, try to pause and notice your surroundings.' On the facing page is a watercolour shot through with sunlight of the now-gone King's Cross gasometers, by a trashy canalside, ducks floating on the silver-touched water. Finding beauty in the neglected, unnoticed moments that pass us by is a lesson that can be applied to anyone's life, 'Young Artist' or not. This is diamond advice, lightly given. Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion Lessons for Young Artists by David Gentleman is published by Particular (£20). To support the Guardian, order your copy at
The Guardian
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
PP Arnold on her star-studded life in music: ‘Peter Gabriel and I used to hang upside down in gravity boots'
You've played with a lot of incredible artists – Tina Turner, the Small Faces, Nick Drake, Dr John, George Harrison, Peter Gabriel, Roger Waters, the KLF, Ocean Colour Scene and so many more. If you could collaborate with absolutely anyone, who would it be? Harrison1986 I love to collaborate – basically, I like collaborating with people who want to collaborate with me. I've just worked with Paul Weller and Cast, but a lot of people I'd love to have worked with are no longer with us. Top of my list on a production level would be Quincy Jones. Vocally, how about something with Prince?! And I love Mavis Staples, who's still with us; I've met her. It would be great to do something with Mavis. Of all the artists you've collaborated with, who stands head and shoulders above the rest? Aubrey26 Tina Turner. Simply the best – and what a joy to have her start a career I never planned on. I was in a very abusive teenage marriage. I said a prayer to ask God to take me out of that situation and a couple of hours later I was in Tina's living room, singing Dancing in the Street. I'd gone there to help some other ladies – Gloria Scott and Maxine Smith – get the gig, but another girl didn't show up for the audition. Maxine remembered I used to sing in church and the rest is history. My whole career is all about the unexpected. It think it has a lot to do with manifesting dreams, although being called a 'legend' doesn't pay the bills. Are you going to Glastonbury with a band? GingerTom Yes, I'm on the Acoustic stage with my fabulous band. I've had to edit my set down to 40 minutes, but it's gonna be a great show. When I played in 2022, Diana Ross was on at the same time, but I still had a lot of people come and see me, or tell me they wish they had. This year, Rod Stewart is playing at the same time I'm on, but he's complaining cos he's only getting an hour and a half! As a young singer, you were one of the Ikettes. We all know about Tina Turner's harrowing experience with Ike Turner. I hope it wasn't too bad for you. MovingGelatinePlates The most pleasant part was being on stage every night with that amazing band. We were on the road for two years and probably working 85 out of every 90 days. On the road in a bus, you see everything – a lot of bad behaviour – and I was very young and very shy, so I had to learn how to protect myself, by staying in my place. I wasn't one of Ike's women, so he couldn't control me. Your autobiography, Soul Survivor, is intensely sad. How have you managed to let go of some of the bitterness about the way you were treated, particularly as a late teenager? saultbreakcherry I don't hold grudges. The most horrible thing that's happened to me in my life was losing my daughter. [Debra Arnold was killed in a car crash in 1977.] I had to let her go, but she's with me every day. Unfortunately, in this industry, I also have to deal with a lot of politics, but I have to let it go and stay in the moment. I have to stay rooted in myself and that's how I survive. Your performance with the Small Faces on Tin Soldier is unforgettable. What were they like to work with? revelstoke Oh, just a joy. [Singer] Steve Marriott was like my soul brother. We were very young and enthusiastic: same age, same height. We hit it off immediately musically and dated for a short time. I've just recorded Afterglow, which the Small Faces wrote for me, but liked so much they took it back! If Steve were here now, he'd be the modfather. I miss him dearly and he visits me from time to time in dreams. I had a visitation from him not long ago. What were the sessions for Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer like? steve_bayley I'd had a tough time in America, so coming back to the UK and doing [the musical] Starlight Express and working with Peter was brilliant. I also sing on Don't Give Up, which I've only just found out. We did a version before Peter did it with Kate Bush and I'm on her version singing: 'Don't give up …' towards the end. The sessions with Peter were great fun, especially once I discovered he was also into gravity boots. They're a fitness thing I found out about when I lived in Miami. I used to hang upside down in my garden, doing sit-ups. Peter had them in the fitness room at his house, so we were both into hanging upside down, doing sit-ups. What are your memories of working with Keith Emerson? What's the story about how you gave the Nice their name? William Working with Keith was an absolute pleasure. He was such a lovely guy and so very talented. I knew from the beginning that he had his own ambitions, but I was very happy that he was able to help me launch that period of my career. The band that became the Nice were my backing band [in 1967]. Steve Marriott had introduced me to a Lord Buckley album that had a song on it called The Nazz. With my accent, it sounded like The Nice, and 'nice one' was a really hip expression in the 60s. So it was my idea to call my band the Nice. I saw Keith not long before he passed away and we talked about perhaps doing something else together. I went to the funeral. He loved what he did and when he wasn't physically able to do it any more it would have been very hard for him. I understand some of the money the KLF [as the K Foundation] burned on Jura was rightly yours. Can you tell us about that? pconl Me and Katie Kissoon were the Mu Mu Choir. I sang the hook on 3am Eternal. I was paid a session fee, but the deal was that if they used my solo performance I'd get 5%, which I never got because they claimed it wasn't the song's hook. I've got to let it go now, but it's on their conscience. [The KLF did not respond to a request for comment.] Do you have anecdotes about Andrew Loog Oldham and Immediate Records? Zaropans If it wasn't for Andrew, there wouldn't be a PP Arnold. He was the best manager and he had a vision for me; the only time in my career I've had creative management. Andrew was really into the west-coast girl group thing, so [Rolling Stones keyboardist] Ian Stewart suggested he check me out, and because Mick [Jagger] and I were tight he also drove the conversation. I became part of Immediate's 'industry of human happiness'. We were all very young and Andrew got caught up in the drug thing that went down with a lot of guys in those days and that was the downfall of Immediate. I wish I had someone like that in my life now, but I'm still in contact with Andrew. With you on Immediate and the equally amazing Doris Troy on Apple, the biggest stars of the day were lining up to play backing musician for you both. Any tales you'd care to share? Mr_202 Madeline Bell, Doris and I all had the authentic gospel sound that everybody wanted on their records at the time. Doris and I did that Nick Drake song [Poor Boy, on Bryter Layter] together. Other than Keith Emerson … Steve Howe from Yes was in my band when I supported Eric Clapton on the Delaney & Bonnie tour. There's a thing online somewhere about all the people in my bands who went on to be huge stars. I forget them all, but it was always easier for the boys. There are more women now, but the industry is difficult if you're not a boyband or you're not taking off your clothes to sing. I don't get that. When we came to England, Tina started wearing short dresses and miniskirts, but she was always classy. In Liverpool last year, you covered Shoot the Dove by Paul Weller, a brilliant but little known song of his. How do you decide which songs you cover in live shows? bluelambretta I have to identify with the lyric, the story. Shoot the Dove is about arguments and fights in relationships: 'You kill the love when you shoot the dove.' I can relate to that. I've just done God Only Knows as a tribute to Brian Wilson, but I felt it wasn't right to do it without also doing a tribute to Sly [Stone], so at rehearsal yesterday I decided to do Que Sera, Sera as part of a medley for Glastonbury. 'Whatever will be will be.' I can relate to that as well. A question from my daughter, Astrid: PP, I am six years old. I listen to your songs on my CD player. My favourite is Everything's Gonna Be Alright. My question is: why are you such a good singer? jonathan_liew Astrid, I think it's because I just love to sing. I sang my first solo – a song called We Are Soldiers in the Army – when I was four years old. When I finished, everyone in the church started shouting because they were happy. So that's why I sing: I like to touch that happy spot in everybody. I don't know if you watch CBeebies, but I'm the voice of Cleo Nibbles, the soul mouse in the new Yukee series. A little mouse with a big voice. PP Arnold plays Glastonbury's Acoustic stage on Sunday at 4pm. The previously unreleased The Immediate Sessions is out now on Charly Records. The single Soul Mouse is on Spotify
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Telegraph
An insider's guide to the pretty Portuguese city you've never heard of
When the New York Times chose Coimbra as one of the top 52 Places to visit in 2025, even the Portuguese were slightly puzzled. Despite being Portugal's third-largest city, medieval hilltop Coimbra is – unlike its more famous siblings, Lisbon and Porto – still little known outside its own country. Sitting beside the Mondego River in central Portugal, Coimbra is often compared to Oxford (Coimbra has the oldest university in Portugal, founded in 1290, now a World Heritage Site). The city boasts Roman, Jewish and Moorish influences, a Gothic monastery and a royal palace. But the city, with its maze of cobbled streets, is also percolating with a new cool vibe, thanks to its stylish restaurants (many feature in the 2025 Michelin Guide), fado bars, renovated townhouses and independent boutiques. Once the capital of Portugal, Coimbra has always attracted the nation's writers and artists. And as a university town, it has a reputation for academic and political debate (during the dictatorship, which ended in 1974, it was a hotbed of dissent against the regime). Having so many students around keeps the city young and energetic (walk the streets and you'll see them suddenly loom into view in their traje (flowing black capes), books under their arms). Many stay on after graduation. All the locals I met stressed how happy they are to live here, rather than a hectic, big city. The layout of the town dates back to the Middle Ages, when Coimbra was divided into an upper city (Cidade Alta) – where the aristocracy and clergy lived, now the site of the main university – and the lower city (Baixa de Coimbra) by the river, inhabited by merchants and artisans, alongside the Jewish quarter. Now, the latter is where most of the buzzy new bars and eateries are to be found. Although located inland, Coimbra is very green. The riverfront, with its pedestrian walkways and bicycle paths, has all the charm of Porto, but without the crowds. The romantically brooding Botanical Gardens next to the Roman aqueduct offer shade in the heat, and there's a fabulous beach, half an hour from the city. Based at the 22-room Sapientia Boutique Hotel near the university, I opted for history during the day, and light hedonism at night. Founded by two couples, the four-star hotel is themed around famous writers (rooms are decorated with book covers and manuscripts), setting the tone for literary exploration. It's the steepest part of the city, so I was glad of my flat shoes – but at wine hour (6pm sharp, when the bell at the university's 18th-century bell tower rings), the view from the hotel's panoramic terrace, over the historic centre and Mondego River, was magical. You can do most of the major sites in one hit. Built on the grounds of a former royal palace, the university is famed for its baroque library, the Biblioteca Joanina, and the ornate Chapel of São Miguel, covered in 18th-century azulejo panels. The library was meticulously recreated for Disney's latest Beauty and the Beast film. During your precious 15-minute slot (do book), you'll marvel at the Rococo decor, including shelves adorned with gold leaf, and hear about the secret bat colony who maintain the 600,000 rare books by eating bugs. Nearby is the Machado de Castro National Museum – once the administrative, political and religious centre of the Roman era, and full of exquisite Romanesque statues. It stands on the site of a Roman forum, and you can even explore the well-preserved cryptoporticus below. After a day of religious architecture, I headed for a sunset drink at rooftop 'lounge bar' Passaporte, then for supper. Coimbra's reputation as a foodie paradise is well-deserved – local specialities include monkfish fillets with clam rice (grown in the Mondego rice fields), bacalhau (salt cod) and veal steak, as well as an astonishing array of petiscos (similar to tapas). For traditional Portuguese dishes (salt-cod baked, fried, roasted, or in soups or stew), there's the charming Solar do Bacalhau in the Baixa de Coimbra. But there are also exciting new culinary ventures. Chef Sergio Silva has launched 24-seat Safra, on a narrow street, serving delicacies such as tartare, croissant and shallot pickle, and lamb with cauliflower and honey vinegar. And neighbourhood joint Carolino (decorated with mid-century furniture) has great fish, artisanal bread and pizzas, plus the chef's mother's crème brûlée. The following day, I explored the flatter 'downtown' district around the Santa Cruz Church, which houses the tombs of Portugal's first two kings. Next door is Café Santa Cruz, a beautiful historic spot, long loved by writers and journalists. If you take the bridge across the river, you'll find the ruined Gothic monastery of Santa Clara, founded as a house of the Order of the Poor Clares. This monastery was dissolved in 1311, but rebuilt by Queen Elizabeth, wife of King Denis of Portugal, who was made a saint in 1626. I had lunch at Otrovador opposite the Romanesque Old Cathedral, and became fascinated by an extended family celebrating a diamond wedding upstairs (always a restaurant seal of approval). Then I moved on to shopping in the old town. The cobbled Rua Ferreira Borges, which runs from the Church of Santa Cruz to the river front, has the best bookstores, patisseries (there's a shop devoted to meringues) and vintage emporiums, plus Somm, a cool new wine atelier (it was on this trip that I discovered a predilection for sparkling Bairrada wines, produced near Coimbra). Keen to make sure I was getting as far beneath the skin of the city as possible, I hired Jose Manuel Santos of Madomis Tours for the day. He drove me to the atmospheric Montemor-o-Velho Castle (also improbably a venue for heavy metal concerts); then on to seaside city Figueira da Foz, 25 miles west of Coimbra, with its famous white sand beach and the rolling waves which lure Californian surfers half way across the world. Here, I had perhaps the best meal I've had all year – at Olaias, owned by chef Mónica Gomes (also in the Michelin Guide), at the town's Arts and Entertainment Centre overlooking the park. Gomes is renowned for giving the classics a daring edge, and the results are mouthwatering dishes like squid with ginger and coriander, cockles in honey, and cheese ice cream with sponge cake. After dinner, things tend to get musical in Coimbra. It's a city thoroughly in love with music, and I heard live bands everywhere I went – though the highlight was the music festival which played out across Coimbra's streets during my visit, with marching bands and impromptu jazz in front of the Santa Cruz church. On my final evening, I stopped for a pop-up supper and a fado concert at the Cultural House aCapella, set in a 14th-century chapel in the Jewish quarter. There, I watched an elderly married couple perform the mournful rhythms and haunting lyrics of the Portuguese 'blues', as the audience began to cry and hug each other. Truly, I thought, this is the real Portugal – still, somehow, a little discovered secret, and begging to be experienced. The essentials Liz Hoggard was a guest of Sapientia Boutique, which has rooms from €245 per night, with breakfast. TAP Air Portugal flies from London Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester to Porto (one hour from Coimbra) and Lisbon (two hours from Coimbra) from around £120 return. Coaches (with Rede Expressos, from €6 one-way) and trains (with Comboios de Portugal, from €20 one-way) connect both cities with more information, visit
