There are great Samba shows and there are great Samba concerts in Rio de Janeiro. It is very important for you to understand the differences between a Samba show and a Samba concert before you make arrangements to watch one or both of them. Bear also in mind that Samba is not all you can watch during your stay in Rio. Bossa Nova and Forró are also great concerts you can attend. Read below the differences:
Folklorique Show (Samba Included)
This is a Brazilian folklorique show that includes a Samba show section. Do not expect locals in the audience. It is a show formatted to give tourists a musical and visual overview of the Brazilian cultural richness. It is full of lights, beautiful dancers (men and women), Brazilian old-time songs, drumers, luxurious Carnival costumes. The most impressive part are the Capoeira (Brazilian martial art) as well as the Samba show section.
You can go for dinner at a restaurant close by around 8 p.m. and later to the show that starts at 10 p.m. and lasts one hour and a half.
When: Every night
Age range: all ages
Dress code: casual or dressed up
Your expenses: Entrance fee 130 Reais (roughly 80 USD) per person P.S. I can book a seat for you in case you book a day tour with me.
Live Samba Concert
A Samba night at a 19th century 3-storey building creatively decorated with antiques all over the place. It is probably the best and the finest place in Rio de Janeiro to watch a Samba concert. This is the place where locals go, but depending on the day of the week and time of the year they may (or may not) largely outnumber tourists. Therefore the atmosphere may change from one day to another. Do not expect to see costumes since it is not a show but a Samba concert. In other words, a band plays and Brazilians sing and dance (hopefully). You can also have a light dinner or finger-food there.
When: Monday to Sunday (best nights: Friday and Saturday)
Concert start: from 8:30 pm on
Age range: all ages
Dress code: casual or dressed up (flip-flops or sandals allowed)
Your expenses: Entrance fee 30 Reais (roughly 18 USD) per person P.S. I can book a seat for you in case you book a day tour with me.
Live Forró Concert
Forró is a rhythm that originated in the North-Eastern Brazil. Although it is not from Rio de Janeiro, Forró became very trendy in the last years in Rio and many Cariocas (natives of Rio) learned how to dance it. There can be a great opportunity for you to see couples dancing Forró since locals go to a Forró place to really dance it and not only to sing it or to listen to the songs. If you want to have an authentic Brazilian music experience that most tourist don’t have, then a Forró live concert is for you.
When: Best on Mondays (preferably) as well on Thursdays
Age range: all ages, but mostly young
Dress code: casual or dressed up (flip-flops or sandals allowed)
Your expenses: inexpensive entrance fee.
Tip: You can have great dinner there
P.S. I can book a seat for you in case you book a day tour with me.
Live Bossa Nova Concert
“Tall and tan and young and lovely, The Girl from Ipanema goes walking, and when she passes each one she passes goes “a-a-ahh…”. That’s Bossa Nova! The Girl from Ipanema (Garota de Ipanema) was an international hit in mid-1960’s and was attributed to a real beautiful girl living in Ipanema! Nowadays, you can watch a Bossa Nova concert on the street she used to pass to go to the beach. I can pick you up for a light dinner/fingerfood at 8 pm and then take you to the concert that starts at 9:30 pm and lasts roughly one hour and a half. Since Bossa Nova is a quiet type of music do not expect to see dancers.
When: Every night
Concert time: from 9:30 pm on
Age range: all ages, but mostly elderly
Dress code: casual or dressed up (flip-flops or sandals not well seen)
Your expenses: Entrance fee 38 Reais (roughly 24 USD) per person
Tip: Better have dinner somewhere else before you go.
P.S. I can book a seat for you in case you book a day tour with me.
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