Fado in Lisbon

A Tasco do Chico Fado club

My hostel in Lisbon did Fado (a type of music unique to Lisbon that is kind of similar to the Blues) tours twice a week, one of which lined up with our second night in Lisbon. Seeing as we pretty much slept all day, we had plenty of energy that night, so we figured why not?

Anyway, the tour went to a strip of Fado clubs in Barrio Alto, and the one they took us to there was cool (also about as big as a postage stamp). They pretty much have an open mic there, but since they didn’t have anyone who wanted to get up, the doorman got up and sang. He didn’t have a voice to lure birds out of the trees, but that just kinda added a bit of salty-old-dude roughness to it. 

Oh, and the drinks were dirt cheap, too. I gave the guy getting drinks for our table a 5 euro note, and he came back with a pint of beer and 3 euros in change. The place across from us was making half-liter mojitos and caipirinhas for 5 euros. I passed on those. It seemed the wisest decision.