In September 1994, Sónia Tavares, Nuno and John Gonçalves, Miguel Ribeiro and Ricardo Braga enrolled in the Bar Ben Music Competition in Alcobaça and took second place in the competition, to everyone's great surprise, given the band’s short time in existence.
The band performed its first show at the Alcobaça Monastery in July 1995. This was followed by the Belém Cultural Centre (Lisbon) in September 1996 and the Labirintho Bar (Porto) in November 1996.
The Gift masterminded their first record, with the intention of using it as a demo for the media and labels. From this effort, “Digital Atmosphere” was born, a six track enhanced CD featuring interviews and videos, recorded at home but not available in stores. In 1997 the band went on the road, playing at over 30 theatres (many of which sold out) and released video at the end of the tour at Belém Cultural Centre and the Alcobaça Cine-Teatro shows.
Soon after the Digital Atmosphere Tour finished, Ricardo Braga left the band and The Gift was now a four member group once again. In 1998, they established themselves as an independent band forming g their own label, La Folie with the visionary goal of releasing a next record as independents.
Sónia Tavares, The Gift - photo by João Loureiro
In November 1998, the band’s first true record “Vinyl” is released. "Vinyl" combined the potentials of new technologies (samples and synthesizer) with classical instruments (violins, cellos, trumpets, saxophones etc.). “Vinyl” , which was fully funded by The Gift themselves, was named Album of the Year by the Diário de Notícias newspaper a first for a Portuguese independent band and began courting the attention of the labels that previously ignored The Gift’s work. In spite of this, the band chose to stay independent, opting to to use distribution contracts.
From November 1998 through 1999, The band performs over 80 shows, including the biggest Summer Festivals, sells out the most important venues in Lisbon and Porto, wins several awards with the first hit single “Ok! Do You Want Something Simple?” and sells over 35,000 records.
At the end of that year The Gift performs for the first time abroad, in Paris (at La Cigalle) and a few months later participates in the prestigious music fair MIDEM 2000 (in Cannes), taking the first step towards the band’s career outside Portugal.
In early 2000, the band closes the “Vinyl” era, simultaneously releasing the photo book “A Single Diary” (by Ana Pereira) and the video “Single Hand Camera Documentary” (by Gonçalo Covacich), two artistic visions and documentary pieces on the Vinyl Tour. Once again, all the, costs incurred were covered by the band establishing The Gift once and for all as a solid DIY band.
The steps taken abroad continued to gain momentum in June 2000 with the band’s first mini-tour outside Portugal, including dates in Germany (Expo 2000 – Hanover), Macau and again, France (Paris).
At the end of the year The Gift take a break from touring and start writing songs for the next album, some of which are introduced later in 2001 at the Eurosonic Festival in the Netherlands, representing Portugal .
Howie B produces “Film”, The Gift’s second album released again through theirown label, La Folie Records. The band shows its “Film” throughout the country, playing at the Paredes de Coura Festival, the optimushype@meco Festival (sharing the stage with Howie B and Matthew Herbert), at the Interactive TV’s launch in Portugal, live for Sic Radical channel, and radio Antena 3.
“Film” goes Gold at 25,000 units and The Gift win several more awards for its videos (“Waterskin” and “Question of Love” – the album’s first two singles). At the end of 2001, the band was once more invited by Cap Magellan to promote “Film” in Paris.
In March 2002, The Gift flies to the United States to enter the South by Southwest Music & Media Conference in Austin, Texas; in June returned to Paris to perform at the Hôtel de Ville Square; in August Popkomm and Musikfest Am-Ring festivals in Germany; Spain followed in September with shows in Barcelona; in October the band was back in the USA for a short tour in a few north-American cities New York); and in November its first concert in Madrid, Spain, took place.
Of the few performances in Portugal, the Manchester Mad Remixers (which featured The Gift together with Rodrigo Leão and Pedro Oliveira) concerts are a highlight (first at the nightclub Lux, and later at the Frágil and the Clinic bars). This was a project specially created for the "24 Hour Party People" film's premiere.
The band performs in numerous places, Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid, Bilbao, Vigo, New York City, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Boston, San Diego, London, Caracas, Dunkirk, amongst many other cities.
The Gift was invited to open for The Flaming Lips and Cousteau, and at the end of the year, in December 2003, get an invitation to perform for the recently launched Portuguese MTV, recording one of the first MTV Live shows in the history of MTV Portugal.
In 2004, The Gift celebrated its first 10 years in music and returned to album releases. By the end of the recording sessions, The Gift was faced with a double album, where two distinctive but complementary environments surfaced (one more intimate and introspective, the other more euphoric) and in which duality was the key word. The new relese, the first in three years, is entitled “AM-FM”.
“AM-FM” was released in November 2004 with great expectation from the group's fans, who rapidly sold out the presentation concerts in Alcobaça, Lisbon and Porto (a few days after the band's shows in London, New York and Los Angeles. A week after the retail release, “AM-FM” goes Silver and not long after Gold, selling more than 25, 000 copies.
In 2005 they won the MTV Europe Award for Best Portuguese Act.
The album Fácil de Entender, their first live album was released in 2006. Sells over 25,000 units.
The Gift acted with great success on the Expo 2008 Zaragoza, the day of Portugal at the exhibition.
In 2008 and 2009, The Gift's Sonia Tavares and Nuno Goncalves along with fellow musicians, Paulo Praça [Plaza]and Fernando Ribeiro record and tour with their side project Hoje’s: Amalia Hoje. Amalia Hoje garners triple platinum status selling over 85,000 units and is the Portuguese runaway Album of the Year.
2010 The Gift returns to record Their 5th Album explode and invite Ken Nelson [Coldplay, Gomez, Kings of Convenience, Badly Drawn Boy to produce the Album. The Gift spends three months in Madrid recording
2011 is the year of Explode. Explode is released in Portugal on 1 April and immediately goes to number one in the charts where it holds top ten for over 10 weeks.
Explode is scheduled to be released in North America on 27 September 2011
www.gift.pt
2) THE GIFT are a Symphonic Prog band from, London, formed after Mike Morton (vocals, 6/12 string acoustic guitar, piano and string arrangements) and Leroy James (lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals, samples, effects and programming, piano and string arrangements) came up with the idea of creating a band and making a concept album at the same time.
The concept was devised by Mike Morton and was initially meant to be just one piece.
They brought in other musicians to help with the recording, viz. Jim Thomas (bass), Rod Haverhill (keyboards) and David Storey (drums) and THE GIFT was born.
The band made some initial demos and pressed on with the idea. They sent the demos out to various places and general opinion was positive. So positive in fact, that the Cyclops label (responsible for bands such as Mostly Autumn, Pineapple Thief, Saens and Tr3nity) gave them a deal.
THE GIFT had the desire and conviction to record the album itself. The idea initially was to record one multi-themed piece (a suite called Awake and Dreaming), about “savagery and war and the final triumph of piece” (as their MySpace biography notes), but Cyclops felt it need to be longer and asked them to record a slightly extended finish. This ended up as another suite (of 30 minutes in length), called Fountains of Ash about “domestic violence, again seeking solace in the human spirit” (from their MySpace bio).
Their sound is quite varied, but takes on a definite symphonic rock air to it. They have hard rocking sections, pastoral songs, and “complex time signatures, wild key changes and ambitious concepts.”
Their progressive rock influences include Pink Floyd, Genesis (Gabriel era), Yes, David Gilmour, Roger Waters, Porcupine Tree, King Crimson, Tangerine Dream, Rush and Dream Theater. They also take influence from non-prog bands such as Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy, The Who, Beatles, Massive Attack, U2, Sex Pistols and Prince.
Their debut album (a double CD) Awake and Dreaming, was released on October 9, 2006, by Cyclops.
3) The Gift is a funeral grunge band from Washington, DC featuring members of Turboslut, Exosus and Tradition Dies Here. Their debut LP "Mostly in Sickness" is out now on Amor y Lucha Records, www.amorylucha.org. Free tracks can be downloaded and streamed at their website, www.thegift.bandcamp.com.
Concret
The Gift Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And hold it
You would like to spend
More time
Now that our days are full of people
And cars
And million species
All those concret things
The trees and days
The look and cook
The object the subject
Why and where are those concret things?
So just get away
Of this time
Feeling all the nature
The animals
The fresh air
The blue sky
Those nightlives are really gone
Are really gone
Are really really gone
And now here I am
In this weird places with nothing more
Nothing more
With air
With food
And natural flowers
Waiting and waiting for hours
For those concret things
Sitting and thinking in a problem, so normal
In love or drama
Missing the TV near me
Million species
Million cars
Languid lights like the cinemas
More than love
More than that
Working and working for the word concret
The Gift's song Concrete is a reflection on the modern world we live in, where everything is made of concrete and artificial. The lyrics are somewhat ambiguous, but they bring up the question of what is real and what is not. The song begins by referencing "all those concrete things" like nets, and the desire to spend more time with them. The reference to "nets" may be referring to the internet or social media, which are both a part of our everyday lives.
The song then goes on to mention how our days are full of people, cars and millions of species, all of which are concrete and artificial. The verses then mention "trees and days", "look and cook", "object and subject", and wonder where these concrete things are. Perhaps the song is drawing attention to the fact that we are so caught up in technology and the modern world that we forget about the beauty of nature and the simple things in life.
The chorus brings up the idea of getting away from this time and feeling all the nature, the animals, the fresh air, and the blue sky. The lyrics suggest that these simple experiences are being lost in our increasingly artificial world. The song then goes on to mention waiting for hours for these concrete things, sitting and thinking about problems, and missing the TV near us. The last verse speaks about working for the world "concrete", suggesting that this artificial world is all-consuming and we are constantly striving to keep up with it.
Line by Line Meaning
All those concret things like net
The physical, tangible objects and structures, such as a fishing net, that we interact with in our daily lives
And hold it
To grasp, possess and control these physical objects, as if they provide some sense of security and stability
You would like to spend
There is a desire to devote more time and attention towards acquiring and enjoying these material things
More time
An acknowledgement that we are limited by time and feel that we don't have enough of it to experience all that life has to offer
Now that our days are full of people
In modern times, our daily lives are increasingly characterized by the presence and influence of other people and social interactions
And cars
Automobiles have become an essential form of transportation and symbol of status and freedom, shaping the way we live and navigate our world
And million species
The incredible diversity of living creatures that inhabit our planet, highlighting the intricate connection between humanity and the natural world
The concret things
Reiterating the importance and value that society places on physical objects and structures, almost to the point of obsession
The trees and days
The natural scenery and passing of time, which are often taken for granted or overlooked in the pursuit of material possessions and societal norms
The look and cook
Everyday activities and routines, such as cooking and getting dressed, that are shaped by and contribute to our cultural identity and way of life
The object the subject
The distinction between the external, physical world and the internal, personal experience that shapes our perception of reality
Why and where are those concret things?
Questioning the origins and purpose of our obsession with material possessions and structures, and their impact on our lives and society as a whole
So just get away
Suggesting that a break or escape from the pressures of modern life, including the obsession with material objects, may be necessary for personal growth and fulfillment
Of this time
Referring to the present moment, and the need to disconnect from the distractions and noise of daily life in order to focus on personal growth and reflection
Feeling all the nature
Becoming attuned to and appreciative of the natural world, and the connections and beauty it provides
The animals
Recognizing the richness and diversity of animal life, and our responsibility to respect and care for their well-being
The fresh air
The clean, natural atmosphere that is becoming increasingly rare and threatened, due to pollution and overdevelopment
The blue sky
The vast, open space of the sky, which represents both the endless possibilities of life and the inevitable limits of human existence
Those nightlives are really gone
Acknowledging that the hectic, social nightlife of modern culture has its downsides and is ultimately unsustainable or unfulfilling
Are really gone
Reiterating the sentiment that modern society's obsession with material possessions and external pleasures is superficial and ultimately meaningless
Are really really gone
Emphasizing the definitive nature of this cultural shift away from a focus on material goods and shallow pleasures
And now here I am
Recognizing the author's personal experience of this cultural shift and the sense of disorientation and loss it can cause
In this weird places with nothing more
Feeling lost and out of place in a world that no longer values the things that once seemed so important and essential
Nothing more
Understanding that true fulfillment and happiness cannot be achieved through the acquisition of material possessions alone
With air
Finding contentment and solace in the simple pleasures of life, such as clean air and natural beauty
With food
Appreciating the basic necessities of life that are often taken for granted, such as access to adequate and healthy food
And natural flowers
Discovering the beauty and diversity of nature through the delicate and vibrant qualities of flowers and other plant life
Waiting and waiting for hours
Acknowledging that personal growth and fulfillment is a gradual and often painstaking process that requires time and patience
For those concret things
Desiring some level of stability or structure in life, even if it comes from material possessions or societal norms
Sitting and thinking in a problem, so normal
Reflecting on the challenges and struggles of life, while recognizing that these experiences are a natural and inevitable part of the human experience
In love or drama
Recognizing the ups and downs of romantic relationships, as well as the various forms of personal and social conflict that shape our lives
Missing the TV near me
Acknowledging the role that technology and media play in our daily lives, and the sense of familiarity and comfort they can provide
Languid lights like the cinemas
The flickering and ambient lights of a cinema, which evoke a sense of warmth and intimacy in contrast to the harshness of modern urban environments
More than love
Recognizing that personal growth and fulfillment is a deeper and more complex process than simply falling in love or pursuing romantic relationships
More than that
Understanding that true happiness and contentment comes from within, rather than external sources such as material possessions or societal validation
Working and working for the word concret
Acknowledging the difficulty and struggle inherent in the pursuit of personal growth and fulfillment, and the importance of persevering through these challenges in order to achieve true inner peace and happiness
Contributed by Adalyn V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
TheNeoblackdragon
Umas das minhas canções favoritas de vocês. Obrigado :)
andregalas
Incrível como após estes anos todos voltas a uma música e percebes que afinal não era assim tão boa. Na altura não percebia que era uma cópia descarada da modern things da bjork, dos arranjos à métrica, e que o inglês era tão sofrível.