The Ting Tings at Circo Voador, Lapa

By Fiona Hurrell, Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Indie pop band The Ting Tings will be performing live in Lapa at Circo Voador on April 30th. British duo, Katie White and Jules De Martino, will be showcasing some of their biggest hits along with tracks from their second studio album, ‘Sounds from Nowheresville’, as part of their world tour that will take them through South America before heading on to Europe.

Alexandre Rossi, who manages programming at Circo Voador explained: “It is the first time The Ting Tings will play [here, and we were surprised at] the speed that the news circulated in social networks like Twitter and Facebook. We did not realize they were so popular in Rio.”

Following the supreme success of their 2008 debut album ‘We Started Nothing’, which reached number one in the UK charts selling over two million copies and a further four million worldwide, the band has worked hard to create a sequel that they hope will surpass the popularity of its predecessor.

The ‘Sounds from Nowheresville’, which was released in February 2012, coveys a diverse mix of styles, ensuring each track offers something different from acoustic pop to electro, R’n’B and Rock and Roll.

White claimed that this was their specific intention, explaining “We wanted to make a record that had that much variety that if you played it you could almost shut your eyes and think: ‘Is this the same band on each song?’ We just had no fear and wanted to make a record that was like an MP3 compilation.”

The duo shot to fame in 2008 with the release of their first single ‘That’s Not My Name’ which went almost straight to number one in the UK singles chart. Since then, they have continued to gain international appreciation with their dynamic tracks which have been featured on a number of hit U.S. TV shows including ‘Gossip Girl’ and ‘One Tree Hill’ as well as movies ‘House Bunny’ and ‘Scott Pilgrim Versus the world’.

The success has been a little overwhelming for the pair who started out playing gigs in their hometown of Salford, part of Greater Manchester. Both accomplished vocalists, musicians and songwriters, (White plays guitar, bass drums, bass guitar and cowbell, while De Martino plays lead guitar, bass guitar, drums and piano) it is no surprise that they have been recognized by some of the music industry’s biggest names.

In 2009, The Ting Tings caught the attention of U.S. rapper Jay-Z who is reported to have signed them to his record label Rock Nation. According to a report in British publication, the Daily Star, “The staccato rhythmic style of The Ting Tings sits well with what he does best, so that was the attraction.”

Performing their first gig in the Cidade Maravilhosa, the raw atmosphere of Lapa´s Circo Voador, which has played to host to a huge variety of international musical artists, perfectly compliments the duo’s cool and quirky sound. Fan Fiona Lawson explains “It’s amazing that sounds of just two musicians playing so many different instruments and singing can be mixed to produce such an awesome electronic sound.”

A regular at the Circo Voador, Lawson claims that the venue makes all the difference to the occasion. She adds; “It’s one of the most iconic venues in Rio. It’s the right size too so you can actually see the bands as opposed to stadiums where you sometimes have to watch them on a big screen because you’re too far away.”

Alexandre Rossi agrees, describing: “Several bands like The Ting Tings are accustomed to playing festivals for audiences of thousands. When they arrive at [Circo Voador] they feel like they are in a club again […] We believe it is much better for both band and audience.”

It’s not too late to catch The Ting Tings. Tickets are on sale for R$160 and R$80 for student (under 21) tickets or with a donation of 1 kilo of non-perishable food. Visit the Circo Voador website for details.