É Carnaval!!!!!!!!!!!!

Despite all the violence problems, Carnival is about to begin in Rio. In fact, it has already started, with the samba schools reharshals at their places and the technical parades held every weekend at the Sambadrome. And if you think about the Cidade do Samba, is carnival all year long.

First, I have to explain that Carnival is not only at the sambadrome. There is party everywhere, in everystreet, just need to have two or more people making music....
The fun thing is to follow the organized blocos, a bunch of people that follow some circuit on the streets, singing and dancing. They have already started doing that, and I will post here some of them.

On next saturday, february 3rd, Banda de Ipanema will do their first parade. Being created in 1965, is now known as a gay parade, where people often honor Carmem Miranda and her costumes. They meet at General Osório square in Ipanema, around 3 pm.

Another option for the same day is the Imprensa que eu Gamo, the bloco from the media people in Rio. They meet around 2 pm, in front of the Mercadinho São José, in Laranjeiras, and start parading around 4 pm. The parade is not so long, but the party is fun.

I still need to write about the carnival days, I will be doing anytime soon!

Enjoy the party! Its just starting!

Movie for all in Rio

All movie lovers in Rio don´t need to be sad, away from their beloved movie theaters during their vacations on this tropical paradise. There is a cult movie chain that promotes parties that connect party, music and cinema (of course). The party place is the historical Odeon movie theater, located on the historical Cinelândia, downtown Rio (there is a subway station there, so is no dificult to find!)

This friday, january 5th, is the night of the movie marathon. Three movies are exibited, and between them, a dj plays. Tickets costs R$ 20 and the marathon starts at 11 pm. On the menu, three premiers (at least for us here in Brazil):

11:30 pm - "Stranger Than Fiction", de Marc Forster.Com Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Queen Latifah,Emma Thompson, Tom Hulce.

2h15 am: “Perfume - The Story of Murder", de Tom Tykwer.Com Ben Whishaw, Dustin Hoffman, Alan Rickman, Rachel Hurd-Wood.

5h15 am: "La Gran Final", de Gerardo Olivares.

At the end, coffee and cakes for the resistant ones.

On wednesday, january 10th, its time for the short brazilian movies. The party Cachaça Cinema Clube presents always some short movies and after, there is a dj playing and, guess what, Cachaça Tasting! All for R$ 5, starting on 8h30 pm. As now is vacation time for students in Brazil, the party gets really crowded. I´d say is better to get there earlier and buy the tickets on advance.
On the menu, three short movies directed by Mario Carneiro, one of the most importants film photographers from the New Cinema Wave in Brazil (around the 60ies). "Arraial do Cabo", from Mário Carneiro e Paulo César Saraceni, 1960;"Iberê Camargo", de Mário Carneiro, 1982; "O Enigma de um Dia", de Joel Pizzini, 1996

There will be also shown some traillers from masterpieces from brazilian cinema in which Carmeiro was responsable for the photography.

New music from Brazil

Brazil is well known everywhere because of its musical quality. Bossa Nova, Samba, Funk, all have been (in a way) important contributions for the world music context. One good thing is to get to know bands at their early start. The fresher, the better!!!!!!!!!! The beggining of the year have good options of music festivals that can introduce those new musicians to the population. Recife hosts every april the festival "Abril pro Rock" (Open to Rock, a work puzzle with the meaning and how it is written the month april, which can also means open), May is the time when Natal hosts MADA (Music food for the soul), held on a beach.

But Rio has their own new talent show - Humaitá Pra Peixe. Starting tomorrow (friday, january 5th) and held until the last weekend, every friday, saturday and sunday, around 7 pm. Every night, two new faces from the local musical scene perform at the small theater at Humaitá, close to the audience. Teatro Sergio Porto is located on Rua Humaitá, 163 - Humaitá.

Tickets costs R$ 24 a night and a profile from the bands can be read at www.humaitaprapeixe.com.br

05/01 (friday) – A Filial / Curumin
06/01 (saturday) – Ordinário Groove Combo / Rio Maracatu
07/01 (sunday) – Rockz / Scracho

12/01 (friday) – Brasov / DuSouto
13/01 (saturday) – Zé de Riba / Tom Bloch
14/01 (sunday) – Revolucionnários / Fresno

19/01 (friday) – Rodrigo Bittencourt / Érika Machado
20/01 (saturday) – Edu Krieger / Casuarina
21/01 (sunday) – Reverse / Eletro

26/01 (friday) – Duplexx / Vugue Tostoi
27/01 (saturday) – Turbo Trio/ Móveis Coloniais de Acaju
28/01 (sunday) – Debate o “Mercado da música para novos talentos”