domingo, dezembro 26, 2004

The final countdown

Hi everyone!
Chirstmas is over and now all the attentions are drawn towards the New Years Eve. For those in Rio de Janeiro, still loads of things to be done before the super-mega-ultra party on the beach to wave 2004 good bye!

Dec 27th - monday
On Monday, the best bet for those that likes alternative Rock n’ Roll is Maldita. This party happens on Casa da Matriz (www.casadamatriz.com.br) , a nightclub that reminds some friend’s house. The djs Zé and Gordinho plays the best of Rock, specially from the 90ies. Maldita starts around 11 PM, and entrance costs R$ 6 until midnight and R$ 10 after. Rua Henrique de Novaes, 107 – Botafogo
Other option if you would like to check the samba that is heard all over Rio between carnival, is to go to Carioca da Gema (www.barcariocadagema.com.br) in Lapa. On Monday nights, the show is done by Paulão 7 cordas, with his band, playing all the best sambas ever made. Ave. Men de Sá, 79. Entrance around R$ 10 / 12 (depends on the day.

Dec 28th - tuesday

Tuesday, time for some tex-mex party at Guapo Loco (www.guapoloco.com.br) in Leblon. Starting on 11 PM, until 1 AM, you pay R$ 35 (if you are a guy) or R$ 15 (girls) and all the national beer, water, frozen margueritas and a surprise dish from the chef you can drink and eat are included. The ones that arrive later than 1 AM, pays R$ 20 (male) or R$ 10 (female) to enter the place, plus all you consume. The music there is pop and rock that can be listened in every pop radio station across the globe. Good things is that is full with cariocas, expecially now, when universities and schools are out for summer break. Rua Rainha Guilhermina,
Ever wanted to check those funk parties, but afraid to go into the slums / favellas? So are the middle class cariocas. Well, on Tuesday, you (and them) can check this kind of music that can’t make you stay still on Bombar Leblon (www.bombar.com.br) on Ave. General San Martin, 1011. Also, some djs play axé music (the one that is heard in Salvador during carnival ) and hip hop. Entrance R$ 20 (male) / R$ 10 (female). Starts around 10 PM.

Dec 29th - wednesday
Wednesday, before going to the night life, come to the Rio English Group meeting. We are a bunch of people that enjoy meeting new people, travellers from everywhere and locals. The only rule is to speak english, but locals can give you some portuguese lessons too. We will meet by 9 PM, at The Irish Pub – Rua Jangadeiros, 14 – Ipanema, in front of General Osório Square, next to Fazendola Restaurant. Just ask for the english Group, and they will show you where we are. http://rioenglishgroup.blogspot.com / www.theirishpubrio.com
After the meeting, how about more samba in Lapa? For Wednesday, I recomend going to Dama da Noite (www.damadanoite.com.br). Between X-mas and New Years, they are presenting shows from singers and musicians from Portela and Imperio Serrano, two samba schools very traditional and that share the same area – Madureira, in the suburbs. On Wednesday, dec 29th, Noca da Portela will be performing there. Rua Gomes Freire, 773.

Dec 30th - Thursday
On Thursday, year is almost meeting its end, how about going to the biggest brazilian music party in Lapa? Brazooka and its djay, Marcelo Janot always brings lots of people to Casa da Matriz on Fridays, with this all brazilian music party. For dec 30th, there will happen a Superbrazooka, at their other club – Teatro Odisséia (www.teatroodisseia.com.br). With Marcelo, Empolga às 9, the Casa da Matriz carnival bloco will perform live, making everything a carnival. Entrance costs R$ 16 and its all happen on Ave. Men de Sá, 66 and the houses opens on 9 Pm and the shows starts on 11 Pm.

Dec 31st - Friday
Friday, the whole thing happens on the beaches, expecially Copacabana. But this is too much info for this post. I’ll do more later on....


All best!
Gabriela

domingo, dezembro 05, 2004

Up again in Rio

Hi!
Yes, I know I've been away for sometime, but now here I am with some update on what is going on in Rio!

Here is my sugestions for what is cool going on in the city!

Many foreigners comes to Rio looking for the funk parties, with all those Miami Bass inspired music, rappers singing about their sexual conquists and the girls with the smallest clothes I've seen...
Usually, these parties happens inside the favelas (slums), which has not been a cool place to be around these days. But on the next friday 10th - There will be a funk party in Lapa, at the Circo Voador - http://www.circovoador.com.br . The party is called HAPAX , and Tati Quebra-Barraco, Mr. Catra and Bateria da Grande Rio (drummers from a samba school) will play. Gates will be open by 10 PM Tickets cost R$20 . The Circo Voador is located on the heart of Lapa, below the arches.

On that same day, good options for those that want to discover the brazilian Rock n' roll. For those fans of a more melodic kind of tune, with good conections with samba, brazilian popular music, jazz, you must go to the Los Hermanos concert, in Canecão (near Rio Sul), on friday 10th / saturday 11th / sunday 12th. Even having and latin name, this 3 guys band was formed on the Catholic University patio, on the begining of the 90ies. To get to know more of them, here is their website - http://www.loshermanos.com.br. Shows starts around 10 PM and tickets are from R$ 30 to R$ 45.

The sugar loaf is also a place for some rock n'roll this weekend. Titãs, one of the oldest rock bands in Brasil (they have been on the market since the 80ies) will be playing on the project "Oi Noites Cariocas", at the Morro da Urca, on friday 10th and saturday 11th. Tickets with the tram ride included cost R$ 80. More info on the website - http://www.oinoitescariocas.com.br

Later on, more news about the Samba schools reharshals. Stay tuned!



sábado, setembro 25, 2004

Besides the film festival

Yes, I know that there is much more happening in town than this huge film festival! So, here are some things going on in Rio

- The samba clubs in Lapa: they are always a must go! I like expecially Carioca da Gema, Dama da Noite and Memórias do Rio. Carioca is at Ave. Men de Sá, two blocks from the big arches of lapa. The other two are on the same street, Av. Gomes Freire (thats the next street after Carioca da Gema, that crosses Ave. Men de Sá), if you turn left, there is Dama; if you choose make a right, a couple of blocks down, there is Memórias. All with good food, live music and people

- Also in Lapa (has anyone noticed how I love that area?), there is an amazing show tonight. I'm dying because I won't be able to go, since I've already plans for the night, and I had already seen this show twice. Lenine, a great composer and singer, will be performing at Circo Voador (just below the arches). He is from Pernambuco, but have lived in Rio all his life. Tickets R$ 24.

- On the south zone, check Casa da Matriz. No matter which party they have, is good, for those that like alternative music, which a good audience. More info on their website - www.casadamatriz.com.br
- the last one: Samba schools have already started their reharshals and choosing their songs for next year parade. For tonight, I'd reckon three: Mangueira (Rua Visconde de Niterói - Maracanã) / Salgueiro (Rua Silva Teles - Tijuca) / Vila Isabel (av. 28 de setembro - Vila Isabel) . Take a taxi and say you want to go to "quadra da Mangueira / Salgueiro / Vila Isabel". Tickets cost around R$ 10 - 20

thats all for now!
Gabriela

sábado, setembro 18, 2004

International Film Festival in Rio

Hi everyone, here is my list for the international film festival that starts on sept 24th.
The tickets can be bought starting on sept 21, at Rua Voluntários da Pátria, 53. They vary between R$ 12 and R$ 4, depending on where is the movie theater.

Here is my list: on the parentheses, is the title of the movie in portuguese
Sat 25th
2 PM - Double Agent (Agente Duplo) , from Eric Rohmer, about spies during the Spanish Civil War, in the 30ies. (Ipanema 2)
Sunday 26th
1:30 PM - A Thousand months (Mil Meses), from Faouzi Bensaldi, from Morroco - a 8 year old boy is between the conservative positions of his mom and the liberal positions of his grandfather. (Botafogo2)
6 PM - Control Room (Central Al Jazzera) - about Al Jazzera tv channel (Unibanco 3 - Botafogo) 9:30 PM - Born into brothels (Nascidos em Bordéis) - about the children of the prostitutes in Calcutta, won an award in Sundance ( Unibanco 3 - Botafogo)
Saturday 2nd october
4 PM - The selling of the Pentagon (O Pentágono à Venda) - from Peter Davies, about the machine of advertising from the Pentagon.(Unibanco 3- Botafogo)
8:30 PM - Deewaar - indian movie from Bollywood, about a indian that is captive from pakistani for 30 years. (Botafogo 2)
Sunday october 3rd
6:30 PM - 18 J (Premiere Latina) - 10 episodes by argentinian directors about the attack to the israelli association in Buenos Aires (Unibanco 1- Botafogo)
15h- Dev - bollywood movie also - 2 cops get togheter to fight against a criminal and a cop. (Botafogo 2)
Thursday 7th
10 PM - Nine Songs (9 canções) - In london, the love story of a couple is told by their sex life. Performances of Primal Scream, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Franz Ferdinand (Unibanco 2 - Botafogo)

Thats all for now, good festival to everyone! Gabriela

domingo, setembro 12, 2004

What's up in Rio

Hi everyone! This blog was created to give to the backpackers and independent tourists in Rio an local eye on the attractions that are going on in Rio. If you have any especific question regarding that, send an email to gabriela.godoi@gmail.com
I'll try to update this every sunday, with a good review about what is going on the city daylife and expecially, nightlife!

have a good time in Rio!

Gabriela

What's up from mon 13th to sat 18th?

Hi!
To start, I'll post some events that will happen this week in Rio, at night. If you have any doubt or want other info, leave a comment.

monday - sep 13th
The best bet of the night is Orquestra Imperial. It is a big band formed by regular muscians, that during the week play with their bands. So, on their only day off - which is monday - they get together to play old sambas and romantic latino songs. Pay attention on the beautiful voices of Thalma de Freitas and Nina Becker, they are great! This all happens at http://www.ballroom.com.br, at Rua Humaitá, 110 - Humaitá (just after Botafogo). The show starts around 11 PM and tickets costs R$ 20

tuesday - sep 14th
For the night, try some bossa nova and jazz, at Centro Cultural Memórias do Rio (Ave. Gomes Freire, 289 - Lapa). Its starts at 6 PM and costs R$ 10.

wednesday sep 15th
DJ Marcelo Janot hosts an all brazilian music party in Leblon every wednesday - Identidade Musical - at Melt (Rua Rita Ludolf, 47). Costs R$ 25 and starts at 10 PM.

thursday - sep 16th
What about some black music? The Bukowski (Rua Paulino Fernandes, 7 - Botafogo) hosts the party Chá Preto Musical (Musical Black tea), with black music classicals like funk, soul, samba and rock. Costs R$ 8 and starts at 11 PM.

friday - sep 17th
I'm not a big fan of his, but 50 Cents will be playing in Rio on friday. He will be part of the Rio Rap Festival - www.riorapfestival.com.br Tickets cost around R$ 60 . The problem that the venue - Pier Mauá - may change during the week, due to problems with the loudeness of the sound and the lack of acoustic treatment on the place.

For those that want to see the real samba from Rio, the place to be is Carioca da Gema - www.barcariocadagema.com.br - friday is the night that Tereza Cristina and Grupo Semente perform. They are great! The house gets very crowded, so try to arrive as soon as possible. The venue opens at 6 PM and costs R$ 16

saturday - sep 18th
Every friday there is this very cool party at http://www.casadamatriz.com.br in Botafogo, called Brazooka. Once a month, the owners do a big edition of this party on their other club, in Lapa - http://www.teatroodisseia.com.br, called Superbrazooka. DJ Marcelo Janot play only brazilian music, going from samba, old bossa nova, brazilian pop music to the latest hip hop and rock from Brazil. And the live attraction will be the house Bloco - Empolga às 9. Its at Ave. Men de Sá, 66 - Lapa. Starts at 10 PM and costs R$ 16

BEST BET: Its hard to judge, but I have two favorites: Orquestra Imperial on monday and the Super Brazooka on saturday.