By Maíra Amorim, Senior Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO – October and November are set to be big months for music lovers as two festivals hit Brazil with a host of national and international artists performing; SWU Music and Arts Festival (Starts With You – the name is in English) and Planeta Terra.
SWU will be taking place on October 9, 10 and 11 in the city of Itu, in São Paulo. The concept is to bring a taste of Woodstock to Brazil (it was at one point even going to be called Woodstock Brasil), with people camping and uniting to discuss the future of the world and listen to music.
Rage Against the Machine, Os Mutantes and Black Drawing Chalks are set to perform on October 9, with Joss Stone, Dave Matthews Band, Kings of Leon, Regina Spektor, Sublime with Rome and Jota Quest taking up duties on October 10.
Rock giants Linkin Park, The Pixies, Avenged Sevenfold, Incubus, Cavalera Conspiracy, Yo la Tengo and Rahzel will be closing the event on Sunday October 11.
250,000 people are expected during the three days of shows on a farm some seventy kilometers away from São Paulo (the capital) and is easily reached by bus. There are hotels in the city, but crowds will be encouraged to camp, supporting the event’s philosophy of sustainability and contact with nature.
Until August 20th, tickets can be bought for R$95 (student card) or R$ 190 (full price) for each day. Tickets for the three days are R$270 (student card) or R$570 (full price), whilst camping will be R$20 per day extra.
Planeta Terra will be a one-day festival on November 20th, again taking place in São Paulo but this time at Playcenter amusement park. Confirmed attractions are; Smashing Pumpkins, Pavement, Of Montreal, Girl Talk, Yeasayer, Phoenix, Hot Chip, Mika, Passion Pit with more still to be announced. Tickets have already sold out twice, but more are to be made available at a cost of R$100 (student card) and R$200 (full price).
The theme park’s attractions will also be open during the music event which in previous years has seen artists such as Lily Allen, Kasabian, Foals, Jesus and Mary Chain, Kaiser Chiefs, Bloc Party, Sonic Youth and Primal Scream, artists who together have positioned the Festival as one of the most important in Brazil.
Fans of cult band Pavement will get the chance to see the indie group’s reunion at Planeta Terra. After a few years away from the stage, the popular 90’s indie band reunited recently and will be highly anticipated along with Smashing Pumpkins. The band has performed in Brazil twice, in 1996 and 1998, and has a huge fan base in the country looking forward to seeing the group again after twelve years away.