The main ingredient of a good show isn't special effects, lights, or explosions… It's a good repertoire.”
In preparation for show , we interviewed each member of the band to find out what they thought and what to expect from this last show. Our first interview was with the great Felipe Machado.
WM: As we all know, this will indeed be the last show of the To Live Again Tour. But what the fans really want to know is, will it be Viper's last show?
FM: This is the last show of the tour, but it doesn't mean it's Viper's last show. The tour far exceeded our expectations, so much so that we had to increase the number of shows to reach more cities. The online response was great, our fans are the best in the world. At this moment, however, we can't say what will come next, especially since Viper has always been a very intuitive band (for better or for worse). We weren't even thinking about doing a second show in São Paulo, but there were so many requests that we felt obliged to satisfy our fans and friends. It's a way of thanking the wonderful audience at the São Paulo show at the beginning of the 'To Live Again' tour. After the end of the tour, the next step is the mixing and release of the live DVD/CD 'Viper Live in São Paulo', which will happen on April 8, 2013. We'll probably do some promotional shows, but they certainly won't be in the full 'Soldiers/Theatre' format. But that also depends a lot on everyone's schedule; I have my own projects, Andre has his solo career… Anyway, let's wait for the DVD to come out.
WM: What was, for you, the highlight of this series of 25 shows?
FM: It's hard to say, because there were so many. The show in São Paulo, with all that production, the wonderful audience, and the packed house, was certainly one of them. The first show in Santo André, in a small venue, was incredible because it was the first time we played the repertoire after so many years. Shows in Belém, Fortaleza, Porto Alegre… offstage, the highlight was the trips with childhood friends, the fun with the crew… I only have two words to say: 'Thank you, Martin.' Guilherme knows what that means.
WM: What would you say to the fans who traveled kilometers to see the band's show and to those who traveled kilometers to see multiple shows?
FM: We can only thank these people for coming and hope they left satisfied. As I said, our fans are the best, very dear and affectionate towards us. Proof of that is the new website
www.vipermaniacs.com.br, which they created with a lot of effort and hard work. It's incredible. I hope the show was exactly what they expected, or even better.
WM: What was the biggest lesson and learning experience you took away from this tour?
FM: It's hard to say there's one lesson, but I'd say it's worth reliving the dreams. Because this tour was a trip down memory lane, not only for the audience who got to hear the songs from that era, but also for us, who got to be on the road again after so many years. The lesson is also that time creates respect for the individualities that each of us has; today I understand much better who we are and even who we were. It's funny to see how each of us has become a very different person from who we were back then, and yet, exactly the same… Regarding the shows themselves, I learned that the main ingredient of a good show isn't the special effects, the musicians' technique, the lights or
explosions… it's a good repertoire. It seems simple, but it's true. And Viper's songs have matured very well.
WM: What do you think would have happened to Viper if Andre hadn't left after that show at Dama Xoc in São Paulo so many years ago?
FM: Impossible to know, right? Certainly, Evolution wouldn't be exactly the same if Andre had sung it; maybe not even the songs would be the same, maybe there wouldn't even be a sound like Evolution's. If Andre
hadn't left, his other bands wouldn't have existed either, maybe Viper would have moved abroad… How can we know?
WM: One of Viper's greatest successes, the excellent album Evolution, was released exactly 20 years ago. Can fans expect some kind of celebration to commemorate this great milestone and this great album?
FM: There are reasons to celebrate, really, because it's a very cool album. We have some ideas, but nothing is set in stone yet.
WM: In 2013, the release of the DVD and double CD Live in São Paulo was already announced. How are the preparations going for this big release? Is Viper preparing something special for this occasion?
FM: It's still a ways off, so nothing's planned yet. But of course we'll do something, maybe some shows, maybe a new tour… at the very least, I think the date deserves a big celebration.
WM: Will you be recording anything at The Farewell Concert in São Paulo on December 2nd for the Live in São Paulo DVD?
FM: This is just for behind-the-scenes purposes, since the show that will be on the DVD will be the first one, filmed by Maurício Eça and produced by Dogs Can Fly. The second show in São Paulo should be included as a bonus, as well as the shows in other cities. We filmed the entire tour, so we have a lot of material for bonuses.
WM: The To Live Again Tour was a different kind of tour, marked by emotion. It was clear to the fans who saw the show how much fun the band was having on stage and how you all remain friends after so many years. What was the part or parts of the show that moved you the most?
FM: The whole tour really had that emotional element, especially because it stirred up people's nostalgia. We also had a lot of fun, despite the fatigue from the show format – some shows lasted up to 3 hours. The best moments were some from Soldiers, like Nightmares and Soldiers, and the traditional Theatre songs, like To Live Again and Living for the Night. It was also exciting to see the crowd singing the choruses in general, including Rebel Maniac, which marked another era, but which we couldn't leave out.
WM: Will the To Live Again Tour be missed?
FM: Absolutely! Anyway, in 2017 Soldiers turns 30 (hahaha). Look out for the 'To Live Again… Again' tour!
WM: Leave a message for the Viper fans who are insistently asking the band not to break up after this tour.
FM: Don't worry! The band isn't breaking up, it's going to keep going, but on a 'Viper timeline', meaning... I have absolutely no idea what's going to happen.
VIPER's tour closing show takes place on December 2nd at Via Marquês. Tickets are on sale at Ticket Brasil .
