Authority Zero, Suspeitos Do Costume and M.E.D.O. in a captivating evening at the RCA in Lisbon

On July 15, we were at the RCA Club in Alvalade for another high-level dance party, marking the debut of the American band Authority Zero. What promised to be a simple night of punk rock turned out to be an intense celebration of energy, attitude and passion for heavy music. With a line-up that brought together the international strength of the Americans Authority Zero and the representative weight of the Portuguese underground, with the bands Suspeitos do Costume and M.E.D.O, the concert was more than memorable - it was cathartic.

M.E.D.O.

At 9 p.m. sharp, the band from Faro took to the stage at the RCA with an audience that was still shy and arriving at the venue, and they didn't shy away from the intensity and energy that M.E.D.O. has become accustomed to. Defending their latest album Medo, Sangue e Suor (Fear, Blood and Sweat), released last year, and inserting all the band's well-known classics from their previous albums Monopólio da Violência (Monopoly of Violence), o Produto somos nós (The Product is Us) and Medocracia (Medocracy), always with direct, fundamental and unmassaged lyrics.

Foram 30 minutos em grande, com o vocalista Ricardo Catarro a ditar o ritmo de forma brutal mandando mensagens como “Não existe cena, sem as bandas locais” sem filtros nem concessões e que recebeu de imediato apoio do público presente e que faz todo o sentido. A verdade é que os M.E.D.O. em trinta minutos esquentou mais ainda aquela terça-feira que já era quente e como sempre representou a cena de forma magnifica.

Usual Suspects

The second band of the night to take to the stage at the RCA Club was Suspeitos do Costume, who came straight from Odemira to Lisbon with the same urgency and intensity that has always defined them. With a slightly fuller house, the band showed that they continue to be an unavoidable reference in the Portuguese underground, with attitude, social criticism and a sound that exquisitely balances weight and melody.

A atuação foi curta, direta ao assunto e sem rodeios como manda a cartilha do punk. Músicas como “Remar contra a maré” e “Momentos” esta do álbum homónimo mais recente lançado em 2023, puseram o público em movimento, com rodas e coros a marcar presença logo nos primeiros acordes. Houve espaço para mais temas mais recentes, como “Um corpo a quebrar” e “Consciência” onde a banda reforça a sua visão do mundo moderno desigual, hipócrita e em constante colapso, vale sempre a pena conferir.

In the middle of the night, Suspeitos reminded us why they continue to be one of the most important punk voices in Portugal. No frills, no posing, just straightforward as it should be.

Authority Zero

After a career spanning more than two decades, the Americans Authority Zero finally set foot on Portuguese soil and they didn't disappoint. The band's debut at the RCA Club in Lisbon, on the night of July 15, 2025, will undoubtedly be remembered and was everything the fans expected: energy, sweat, interaction and a parade of anthems that mix punk rock, reggae, ska and melodic hardcore with the authenticity that only the Arizona band knows how to produce.

From the first chord, it was clear that the quartet was determined to captivate everyone present. Jason DeVore, charismatic and tireless in his delivery, even with one of his feet immobilized, transformed the stage into an extension of his punk soul, connecting with the audience immediately. Between screams, claps and constant mosh pits, songs like "A Passage in Time", "Revolution" and "One More Minute" set the crowd on fire - who responded with genuine enthusiasm, singing the choruses at the top of their lungs.

O set passou com fluidez por várias fases da carreira da banda, com espaço para os temas mais recentes de “Ollie Ollie Oxen Free”, mas sem esquecer os clássicos que definiram o som único dos Authority Zero. As transições entre o peso do hardcore melódico e as levadas ska/punk foram feitas com mestria, provando por que motivo continuam relevantes e respeitados dentro da cena, muito pela sua forte identidade.

In a particularly symbolic moment, Jason thanked those present for decades of support, even from a distance, saying: "We've waited a long time for this moment. And now that it's happened, we'll always want to come back." And from the atmosphere inside the RCA, it's safe to say that Lisbon will always welcome them with open arms.