Super Bock Super Rock: It's all in the name

It is one of the oldest festivals in Portugal, and it's back for the 23rd year straight, having migrated from Alcântara to Sesimbra to the Parque das Nações over this period. Artists like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Future, Deftones, London Grammar, Fatboy Slim and Foster The People make the lineup for one of the most celebrated musical events in the country.

What is Super Bock Super Rock?

It is a combination of two things: Super Bock, a well-known Portuguese beer, and Super Rock, that which we love the most – pure, unadultered rock n' roll. Even if this year's lineup hasn't got much rock per se: artists like Future, Fatboy Slim and Pusha T will also play here, but you should have in mind that hip-hop and electronic music are the new rock n' roll, the genres that the kids love the most, the genres that make people rebel against the state of affairs, the genres that are pushing music forward and getting lots and lots of airplay.

Super Bock Super Bock started out in 1995 at the Gare Marítima de Alcântara, featuring artists such as The Jesus & Mary Chain, Morphine, Therapy?, The Cure, Faith No More and Young Gods (hey, it was the 90's). In 1996, David Bowie played there but no one cared. Not because Portugal hates him (who does?) but because the Portuguese football NT was playing the Czech Republic in the ¼ finals of the European Championship, and we tend to love football more than we love music. We don't really like to talk about that game in particular, though.

Where is it held?

Nowadays, it's been held at the Parque das Nações, the Expo '98 site, taking place in and around the MEO Arena. Getting there is easy – just take the train, the subway or a bus to Gare do Oriente, the go-to place if you want to get anywhere from Lisbon. We're assuming you won't be driving around in Portugal during your stay, but if so, be warned – the police will be closing a few streets during the festival and while there are many parking lots, finding a vacant spot might prove tricky.

I've loved your music since Salvador Sobral won Eurovision. Are there any Portuguese artists playing? 

Oh, so you loved Salvador Sobral? Well, look no further – he is actually playing Super Bock Super Rock. Alexander Search is a project he has with a pianist named Júlio Resende, and he'll be playing on the first day of the festival, at the EDP stage, at about 5.30 PM. Later that day you'll have one of our greatest rock n' rollers, The Legendary Tigerman, who'll be playing his next album, "Misfit", release date set for 2018. One of the festival's stages, the LG stage, will feature nothing but Portuguese artists, such as Minta & The Brook Trout, NBC, Octa Push, Keso, Sensible Soccers and Black Bombaim.

Is the festival comfy? What should I wear?

Summer clothes, mostly. And sunscreen. It's an urban festival, so just go casual and you'll be ok. Bring a jacket along in case it gets cold and you're all set up.

Can I still score a ticket? 

Sadly, 3-day passes are already sold out, as well as daily tickets for July 13^th – the day Red Hot Chili Peppers will be playing. But you can still but tickets for the 14^th and 15^th; 55 euros apiece.

Where can I sleep/eat/drink/smoke?

You're in Lisbon, so you'll find plenty of hotels and hostels to accomodate. If you enjot camping, you can also do that – there are special packages that allow you, if you have a festival ticket, to camp for the entirety of the event, courtesy of Lisboa Camping & Bungalows. A free bus will take you from the festival to the camping area. As for eating, you'll always have the chance to check out one of the many restaurants at the Vasco da Gama shopping centre, located right across the festival site. If you're in need of a drink, the festival's sponsored by Super Bock: make of that what you will. And smoking's not allowed inside the MEO Arena, so be warned.