By Jack Arnhold, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – With Christ the Redeemer as his backdrop, one of the biggest icons of surf music, Donovan Frankenreiter, is set to headline the Summer Breeze Festival this Sunday, January 13th, at Rio’s iconic Jockey Club.
The Summer Breeze Festival will be taking place this Friday, January 11th, to Sunday, January 13th, at the city’s spectacular Jockey Club, situated on the border between the affluent Gávea and Jardim Botânico neighborhoods.
The festival promises to bring plenty of music, gastronomy, fashion, art and entertainment, while also promoting a message of environmental sustainability and respect for the planet.
Friday’s headliners will be Carrapetas and Black Alien, while Saturday will be taken over by the ‘Rio Porque Tô No Rio’ party, with the festival being crowned by an appearance from Californian surfer, composer and musician Donovan Frankenreiter on Sunday evening.
Frankenreiter is famous for his laid-back, ‘beach bum’ persona and environmentally conscious message. His debut eponymous album was released in 2004 by Brushfire Records, run by fellow surfer-musician Jack Johnson, with whom he frequently collaborates.
Since 2004, Frankenreiter has gone on to release five more albums, 2006’s ‘Move by Yourself,’ 2008’s ‘Pass It Around,’ 2010’s ‘Glow,’ and 2012’s ‘Start Livin,’ and 2015’s ‘The Heart.’ His fans will hopefully get treated to a mixture of songs old and new, including some of his most popular numbers such as ‘Free,’ ‘It Don’t Matter,’ and ‘Move By Yourself.’
The singer-songwriter has been posting frequent updates on social media from his tour of Brazil – which is encompassing Florianópolis, São Paulo, Belo Horizonte and Rio de Janeiro – including a video of him playing football (soccer) with Brazilian footballer Rafael Sóbis, of Internacional.
Commenting on his relationship with the country, Frankenreiter says, “It doesn’t take much to have a great time with Brazilian people, whether it be playing football, on the beach… There have been so many moments where I’ve really felt great energy and great positivity from the Brazilian people.”
What: Summer Breeze Festival
When: Friday, January 11th to Sunday, January 13th; opening times vary
Where: Jockey Club Brasileiro, Hipódromo da Gávea, Praça Santos Dumont, 31, 22470060 Rio de Janeiro
Entrance: R$140 – R$180; available here