Carnival blocks hold private parties in SP with Lexa and marchinhas; see schedule

After another year without street Carnival, the paulistano who wants to put his block to play will still have to wait a little longer. But from this Friday (26), it is already possible to feel a taste, in the diminutive, of what the revelry was like before Covid-19 swept the world.

In São Paulo, Carnival appears this year adapted to events in closed places, with limited capacity and advance ticket sales. Some say that the format is far from the classic concept of the biggest party in Brazil, known for the free outdoors, washed down with cheap drinks sold by street vendors and processions that draw crowds.

But there are also those who don’t give up an excuse to spread glitter on their bodies and listen to music at a time when the city’s health protocols authorize closed parties – provided that with 70% of the space’s capacity, proof of immunization with at least two doses of the vaccine and mandatory use of masks, except when consuming food and beverages. Which, in the case of parties, occurs practically throughout the event, by the way.

Thus, it was left to the carnival groups to abandon the electric trios, reduce the format of their bands to present themselves to the public in the form of concerts, discotheques or even presentations for one person seated.

This is the case of Charanga do França, a band led by instrumentalist Thiago França that has become a traditional bloco in downtown São Paulo. This year, he makes musical performances in spaces such as Casa de Francisca and the Miúda bar.

“It’s not the Carnival that we want, but the Carnival that we can have”, says França. “Being able to practice our profession again and earn money already gives a perspective that the year can be better. If we weren’t in February, it would be as important as it is now.”

According to him, there is an important difference between performing at closed parties to raise money and endorsing the privatization of Carnival – a subject that has been widely discussed since the city hall’s suggestion to gather blocks at the Interlagos Circuit. “We are not going to be seduced by this idea of ​​the ‘blocódromo’. We are having dances that we had before. If Charanga has a procession, it will be on the street, not at the Autódromo.”

The opinion is shared by the members of Minha Luz é LED, a traditional block that parades in the early hours of Rio de Janeiro. The group performs as a post-Carnival party at Cine Joia, in São Paulo, on March 4, but decided not to have an official party to replace the procession.

“We are not ideologically against a private Carnival, we are against just having this type of Carnival. Carnival takes place in the Sambódromo, in the parades in the suburbs, in the blocks that cross the city. Everything should coexist”, says Guigga Tomaz, member of the block.

But it is worth remembering that, even if authorized by the city hall, these parties generate agglomerations – which is not recommended at this stage of the pandemic, say the doctors, we have already had weeks with high occupancy of the ICUs because of the advance of the coronavirus.

In the form of a party or not, some kind of Carnival will take place in the next few days in the capital of São Paulo. See part of the schedule below and, if you leave the house, try to follow safety tips – such as the use of masks and preference for airy places.

now go

The São Paulo block founded in Barra Funda takes to the stage its humorous marchinhas composed over almost two decades. The battery, known as Dengosa, with more than 150 members, appears in a reduced form at the event, but it entertains the revelers — well behaved and seated at their tables.
Francisca’s House – r. Quintino Bocaiúva, 22, Sé, 1st floor, tel. (11) 3052-0547, Instagram @casadefrancisca. Sat. (26) at 10pm. Tickets from R$ 53 in pixelticket.com.br

Lexa’s Block

The singer’s bloco, which in 2020 paraded in São Paulo under the name Bloco da Sapequinha, is performed at Audio. In addition to singing hits like “Barbie” and “Chama Ela”, the carioca promises to invite surprise guests to the stage.
Audio – Av. Francisco Matarazzo, 694, Água Branca, tel. (11) 3862-8227, Instagram @audio. Mon. (28), at 10 pm. Tickets from R$ 70 in ticket360.com.br

Pocah’s Block

The singer and former Big Brother Brasil 21 contestant also performs at Audio with special guests such as Pabllo Vittar and Danny Bond. In the setlist, hits like “Bandida” and “Passando o Rodo” appear.
Audio – Av. Francisco Matarazzo, 694, Água Branca, tel. (11) 3862-8227, Instagram @audio. Fri. (25), at 10 pm. tickets from R$ 90 in ticket360.com.br

Papa Manoel Cordeiro’s Block

The guitar of Manoel Cordeiro from Pará and the sounds of the band Sonora Amazônia guide the nights at Casa de Francisca and Bar Miúda. On the trail, there are carimbós, meringues, lambadas, bregas and, of course, marchinhas.
Girl – pc. Olavo Bilac, 28, Barra Funda, Instagram @miudabar . Sunday (27), at 10 am. tickets from R$ 20 in sympla.com.br
Francisca’s House – r. Quintino Bocaiúva, 22, Sé, 1st floor, tel. (11) 3052-0547, Instagram @casadefrancisca. Fri. (25), at 20h. tickets from BRL 62 in pixelticket.com.br

Moon Go Block

Dedicated to the cream of the 1990s pagode, the group that annually drags revelers in São Paulo takes its repertoire with Raça Negra, Molejo and Soweto to Mundo Pensante. To top it off, three DJs liven up the party with samba, funk and other drums.
Thinking World – r. May 13, 830, Bela Vista, Instagram: @mundopensante. Mon. (28), at 9 pm. tickets from R$ 50 in sympla.com.br

CarnaTrabuca Gardens

Three great carnival groups command the revelry at this bar. The Casa Comigo block plays on Friday (25th), Camisa Verde e Branco performs on Saturday (26th) and, closing the program on Sunday (27th), the carioca Sargento Pimenta shows his revelry in a reduced version.
Trabuca Gardens – r. Haddock Lobo, 870, Jardins. Fri. (25), at 5 pm. and Sat. (26) and Sun. (27) at 12 noon. Tickets from R$ 40 in join.com

charanga do france

The band, which is also a Carnival block, runs four events during the festivities in São Paulo. The first on Friday (25). The following day, the party continues at the Tarantino Brewery alongside the Cornucópia Desvairada and Kazunji groups. On Monday (28), Charanga arrives at the Miúda bar. To close, he gives a presentation at the Mural culture house, in Pinheiros.
Fraternal Union – r. Guaicurus, 27, Agua Branca. Fri. (25), at 7 pm. Tickets sold out, with some units at the door
Tarantino Brewery – r. Miguel Nelson Bechara, 316, Limão. Sat. (26) at 12 noon. advance tickets from BRL 50 and at sympla.com.br
Girl – pc. Olavo Bilac, 28, Barra Funda, Instagram: @miudabar. Mon. (28), at 10 am. Tickets sold out, with some units at the door from BRL 30
Mural House of Culture – r. Luís Murat, 370, Pinheiros. Tue. (1st), at 21:00h. advance tickets from BRL 25 at sympla.com.br

queermesse

Several LGBTQIA+ collectives and blocks from the city come together in this same party — on one track, they play the blocks Minhoqueens, Meu Santo é Pop, Chacoalha Bichona, Sorry Anything, VHS, Sereianos, Domingo Ela Não Vai and Lua Vai; in the other, the DJs from Baile em Chernobyl, Kevin, Miss Tacacá and Ralachão command the sets.
Espaço Barra Funda – r. Barra Funda, 630, Barra Funda. Fri. (25), at 10 pm. tickets exhausted; from R$40 at the door

My Light is by Led and Mateus Carrilho

The group, known for lighting up Rio de Janeiro’s carnival nights with LED on the clothes of its members and revelers, does not parade through the streets this year, but animates the Cine Joia Carnival alongside singer Mateus Carrilho from Goiás.
Cine Joia – pça. Carlos Gomes, 82, Center, Instagram: @cine_joia. Fri. (4), at 10 pm. Tickets from BRL 33.59 at cinejoia.byinti.com

Layback/Selina Patio

The space with bar and skating rink promotes its own Carnival with some well-known blocks from the capital of São Paulo, which perform with the support of DJs throughout the days. There, they play Baco do Parangolé (26), Te Pego no Cantinho (27), Agora Vai (28) and Água Preta (1st).
Layback Patio – r. Aspicuelta, 237/245, Hotel Selina, Alto de Pinheiros. Sat. (26) to have. (1st), at 2 pm. tickets from BRL 30 in linktr.ee/carnavalpatiolayback