Musicians Evade Security and Perform in Metro and CPTM System Trains

02/20/2017 - 10h40

With their voices, guitars and mandolins, musicians evade security and perform inside of train cars from the Metrô and CPTM (São Paulo Metropolitan Train Company) systems in the capital. This practice is prohibited inside of train cars, and is only allowed in stations at authorized events.

"On the Metrô trains they ask us to leave, but on the CPTM cars they take our instruments", says Pablo Nomás, from the band Teko Porã.

When they get into the train cars, the musicians hang a bag from the bars fixed to the ceiling and immediately start playing. During the performance, passengers get up and make contributions of bills and coins.

Lucas Cyrne, from the State of Pernambuco, also makes a living from music on the tracks. The young musician started out in the train cars doing Bob Dylan numbers, but today performs his own compositions. He prefers cars at both ends of the train, where he believes there are fewer security guards.

On red line (nº3), passengers can see musicians from the band Vertical Jungle. Made up of musicians Wagner Caetano, Freddy Gomez, Nanne Ceatano and Ney Silva, the group has been performing since 2015. With the economic crisis, they all ended up losing their day jobs and decided to dedicate themselves to performing music in the train cars. "In the beginning, it was just a hobby, but afterward we started recording our songs, always with support from folks like these", says Wagner.

AUTHORIZATION

Metrô says that it incentivizes the freedom of expression and that "areas for performances are granted for free depending only on registration and prior authorization". CPTM informed that it is prohibited to turn on sound equipment or play musical instruments that "bother or cause discomfort to other users".

Translated by LLOYD HARDER

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