By Chesney Hearst, Senior Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – While there will be several temporary and pop-up parties during the upcoming Rio de Janeiro Olympics, there will be numerous other parties and events in well known and loved venues throughout the city. The following is list of some of the best clubs and parties to check out in Rio for 2016.
One of Rio’s most popular clubs is Fosfobox. Located in the city’s Zona Sul (South Zone) neighborhood of Copacabana, the venue is known for hosting DJs that spin a wide range of genres including pop, indie, bass, trap, rap, hip hop, future house, baile funk, techno, and more in the venue’s two main sections: the subsolo (basement) and the Fosfobar.
Known to frequently welcome international guest DJs, Fosfobox also hosts many of the city’s most popular parties and in Rio the party is as important as the venue. Parties can be hosted at different locations and at Fosfobox, the schedule usually offers something for everyone.
Hip-hop and funk parties include the weekly Local Beatz on Wednesdays. DJs at the regular Red Monkey party deliver the best of bass, trap, and future house while DJs at the Soda, Wake Up, Hit Me, Inflamável, and Dobradinha parties are known to spin the best of pop and indie. The 4 Finest Ears and Swing parties are great for tech, minimal tech, and deep house.
The CAVE club, located in nearby Arpoador, is another great venue for tech, trap, rap, hip hop, deep house, and baile funk. It’s known to host the weekly Dose parties on Thursdays with DJs playing hip hop and deep house. The 2Deep party is also known for deep house and bass as are the Inside and Brass parties which feature DJs also playing indie dance, g-house, bass, twerk, trap, rap, hip hop and future bass.
Those who are looking for a more alternative/indie feel should head to Casa da Matriz in the Zona Sul (South Zone) neighborhood of Botafogo. Located in a two-story house, the venue is complete with arcade games and numerous posters giving it a familiar feeling.
Weekly parties include Karaokê Indie on Wednesdays and Veneno on Thursdays while events include themed parties like the Potter Party for Harry Potter fans and the Orange Party for fans of the show, “Orange is the New Black.” Additional parties include the regular Propaganda, Crush, and Keep on Rockin parties.
In the neighborhood of Centro, La Paz is known for hosting some of the longest-running parties in the city. Currently celebrating its third anniversary, the venue is often home to parties that include art exhibitions like Arte Inn and the Lambe Lambe Baile. The club also hosts parties with DJs spiing hip hop, rap, house and more like the AMSTRDM, Doom, Zoeira, and Clap Power parties.
La Paz is almost known to host the Bear Nation and Drag-se parties, important events for Rio de Janeiro’s LGBTQ community. Also friendly to that community and all residents of the city and visitors, is The Week, located in Rio de Janeiro’s Port Zone neighborhood of Saúde.
The club is also known to welcome international guest DJs to its weekly events. Also located in Saúde, Sacadura 154 is known to host top notch events including parties and live performances by international bands and artists.
For house and EDM, the posh venue Miroir in Lagoa is a place to check out. More expensive than some other clubs in Rio, the guest and resident DJs plus the atmosphere, make it money well spent. In Gávea, the chic indoor/outdoor venue 00 (Zero Zero) hosts a range of parties. Weekly events include the O Clube hip-hop, r&b, and soul parties on Thursdays, the Duo house parties on Sundays and Bem Brasil, the Rio hostels party, on Tuesdays. For more house and EDM there is also Barra da Tijuca’s Nuth.
The venues and parties listed above are by no means all that Rio will have to offer, be sure to watch The Rio Times Nightlife Guide for daily listings of events hosted throughout the city.