By Chesney Hearst, Senior Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Fronted by Oscar-award winning actor Jared Leto, and well known for their energetic live shows and enthusiastic fanbase, American rock band, Thirty Seconds to Mars, return to Rio de Janeiro this weekend for two shows at Lapa’s Fundição Progresso on Saturday, October 18th and Sunday, October 19th.
With hit songs that include “This Is War,” “The Kill (Bury Me),” and “City Of Angels,” sales of Thirty Second to Mars albums total over five million worldwide.
To date, they have four studio releases; their self-titled 2002 debut; 2005’s A Beautiful Lie; 2009’s This Is War; and their most recent album, which they are currently touring the world in support of, 2013’s Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams.
During the current tour, the band played a sold-out show in São Paulo on October 16th as the first of four Brazilian stops. Following the two Rio shows, they will head to Brasília for a performance on the 21st.
Tickets for the first Rio show sold-out in less than two weeks. Originally planned for month of May, the Rio show was rescheduled, due to health reasons, to October 18th. Noting the high demand and apologizing for the inconvenience, the band scheduled an extra Rio show the following day.
At the time of this report, tickets for the Pista – LOTE 2 section are still available here, for the performance on the 19th.
Thirty Seconds to Mars were last in Rio as part of the Rock in Rio 2013 lineup. During that show, Leto wearing an “I Heart Rio” t-shirt, climbed to the top of the festival’s zip-line and glided over audience while continuing to perform.
This delighted many below, as did the acrobats flipping through the air on stage and the release of multiple balloons and confetti into the crowd.
Many members of Echelon Community, as some of the band’s supporters are known, raised their hands in the air to form Triads throughout the show. The Triad, a symbol often associated with Thirty Seconds to Mars, is thought to symbolize the band’s three members, but G1 recently asked Jared Leto if the symbol was actually the sign of a cult.
“It’s not just music,” Leto explained. “It’s not just art. It is a community. It is the feeling of belonging to a place. Not everyone will understand this and that’s okay. Many people ask me if this is a cult. I say, it’s something special. It’s not for everyone. It’s only for those who understand. I truly believe that the Echelon has an idea of how much this means to us. They know this is deep.”
Thirty Seconds to Mars originated in Los Angeles, California in 1998. Founded by Jared Leto as vocalist and guitarist, with his brother, drummer Shannon Leto, the original lineup additionally consisted of guitarist Solon Bixier and bassist Matt Wachter.
Since 2003, however, Thirty Second to Mars has been a trio officially with guitarist Tomo Milicevic as the third member in addition to the Leto brothers.
Athough the brothers began playing music together at an early age, Jared Leto first gained mainstream success through his acting work.
His portrayal of character Jordan Catalano on the short-lived 1994 television series My So-Called Life, marked his entry into the public spotlight. He then followed with his film debut in 1995’s “How to Make an American Quilt.”
Continuing to act after the formation of Thirty Seconds to Mars, Leto appeared in films including 1998’s “The Thin Red Line,” 1998’s “Fight Club,” and 2000’s “Requiem for Dream.”
Shifting much of his focus to Thirty Seconds to Mars and work directing, including multiple videos for the band, Leto returned to acting. He portrayal of a transgender woman with AIDS in 2013’s “Dallas Buyers Club,” earned him both a 2014 Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and a 2014 Academy Award for the same category.
Leto’s showmanship, production talents, strong vocals, and on-stage charisma, in combination with the Shannon’s skillful drumming and Milicevic’s guitar mastery are sure to entertain the Echelon Community in Rio, while gaining new fans during the back-to-back shows in the city.
Who: Thirty Seconds to Mars
When: October 18th and 19th
Where: Fundição Progresso, Rua dos Arcos 24, Lapa
Entrance:R$100-R$200