The Solidarity of the Musical Utopia in Contemporary Brazil

Apart from the current Brazilian mainstream music scenario of huge concerts, there is an informal and organized network of independent musicians united by the ideals of composing refined popular music. Most of which are also united by the search for a national identity expressed by the connection with popular thematic.

Found in over thirty Brazilian cities with recent expansion to neighborhood countries, this group dubbed Dandô provides to its members a network of solidarity that resembles the one of couchsurfing. Such analogy derives from the fact that musicians offer hospitality to other musicians as long as it is reciprocal.

The analogy with couchsurfing, however, does not explain the particularities of such network of solidarity. For example: the definition of an annual calendar of accommodations that is elaborated by a central coordination, requirements for musicians to have at least a recorded album, and the hospitality is only offered by a music producer who will also assist the production of local concert.

This work aims to present a preliminary study of such national-range network through interviews carried out with members (musicians and producers) of a specific region in Brazil. The initial proposal of these interviews is to map how such solidarity network functions, not only from the perspective of an esthetic and musical ideal but also from the reflection of such experience and artistic hospitality upon music renovation and contemporary reality in search for solidarity and for an alternative different from the establishment.