Live Music entertainment in Rio De Janeiro
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A
Sacadura
A new addition to Rio’s nightlife, Sacadura is located a few doors down from Trapiche Gamboa in an otherwise fairly deserted stretch of Gamboa. It offers a mix of Música Popular Brasileria (MPB), samba-rock and jazz in a big open venue with exposed masonry and dim lighting. Despite the loud rock pounding from onstage, the crowd was fairly staid when last we stopped by. It’s located north of Centro – take a taxi.
reviewed
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B
Clan Café
Set against the hillside of Corcovado, the unmarked door of Clan Café hides a large open-air patio covered with abundant greenery. Slow-paced waiters shuffle between the many tables as talented musicians fill the air with sound. Tuesday belongs to chorinho, (romantic, intimate samba) while Música Popular Brasileria (MPB) rules on Wednesday, and jazz on Saturday. The music starts around 9pm.
reviewed
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Centro Cultural Telemar
One of Rio's intriguing new additions, Centro Cultural Telemar is a six-story ultra-modern exhibition space featuring multimedia installations focusing on architecture, urban design and video art. The top floor auditorium has a regular line-up of film screenings and concerts. The first floor functions as a library where visitors can peruse art books and design mags; a listening station features eclectic music.
reviewed
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D
Lapa Capadócia
Watched over by an enormous statue of São Jorge (St George, an important saint/deity in the Afro-Brazilian pantheon), Lapa Capadócia offers a combination of live music, tasty appetizers and ever-flowing chope (draft beer) to small, chatty crowds. There’s an outdoor space in the back (that may eventually host a small creperie) and an upstairs, though overall the place feels small and intimate.
reviewed
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E
Clube Guanabara
Located on the edge of Guanabara Bay, this laid-back space provides a great setting for live samba and choro (romantic, intimate samba). Musicians gather around a few plastic tables, while young and old dance and mingle over tall bottles of Skol beer. Best of all is the pier at the end of the club, where you can take a break from the music and get an eyeful of the city coastline.
reviewed
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F
Trapiche Gamboa
A charming live samba joint, Trapiche Gamboa is set in a multistory colonial edifice in Gamboa (just north of Centro) and has a welcoming vibe, with samba musicians gathering around a table on the ground floor, and dancers spilling out around them. It’s best reached by taxi (around R$25 from the Zona Sul).
reviewed
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G
Sacrilégio
Sacrilégio is a major spot for catching live bands in an intimate setting. The outdoor garden makes a fine spot for imbibing a few cold chopes while the music filters through the windows. In addition to samba, Sacrilégio hosts choro, forró and MPB bands.
reviewed
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H
Estrela da Lapa
Inside a restored 19th-century mansion, Estrela da Lapa has an eclectic music scene and hosts bands playing choro, blues and hip-hop. On weekends, shows are followed by a DJ who keeps the dance floor going until late.
reviewed
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Vinícius Piano Bar
Billing itself as the ‘temple of bossa nova,’ Vinícius Piano Bar has been an icon in the neighborhood since the late ’80s. The small, intimate upstairs music space hosts a fine assortment of jazz and bossa nova groups.
reviewed
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J
Far Up
Featuring live music most nights of the week, Far Up is a good destination if you’re hanging out in Botafogo. The program leans toward rock and MPB, although the Tuesday night karaoke session mixes things up.
reviewed
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K
Lapa 40 Graus
This impressive multistory music venue and pool hall has tables for lounging on the 1st floor, pool tables on the 2nd floor, and a small stage and dancing on the top floor (admission to shows is R$5 to R$30).
reviewed
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L
Carioca da Gema
One of the first to bring samba back to Lapa, this small, colorful club hosts an excellent line-up of bands and a good mixed crowd that packs the dance floor most nights.
reviewed
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Semente
This tiny bar hosts up-and-coming samba and choro groups and is an authentic space to find samba’s soul. Sunday and Monday nights are current picks.
reviewed
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Severyna
At night this barnlike dining hall hosts live bands playing forró and other music from Northeastern Brazil. Shows begin around 8pm.
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