By Bhamika Bhudia, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – As Carnival nears, there is plenty of Samba in the Cidade Maravilhosa, from amazing samba school rehearsals to street blocos. But while Rio may not be a city of nightclubs on a par with New York, London or even São Paulo, there are still plenty of options to keep the stylish on the dance floor late-night.
Club Six in Centro, near Lapa, is usually kicking on a Friday night with an open bar for five hours playing a variation of Hip Hop, Funk, RnB, Dance and live music. Women can get in for R$30 before 10:30PM and men for R$50, but with a flier that may be obtained from the website, further discounts are available depending on the time of entry.
The club has three floors, a pool table and boasts hi-fi visual effects. According to student Dina Varsani, “Club Six plays excellent music so if you’re bored of Samba and Funk music, you can listen to House and Dance as well. The open bar is definitely a plus point and the atmosphere is really lively if you want a good dance and a fantastic night.”
Famous amongst foreigners and Cariocas alike, Melt in Leblon is typically busy both during the week and on weekends, but Saturday night is perhaps the best with DJ Silvio Dib playing House, Funk and Hip Hop. Entrance for women is R$25, and men can get in for R$50. As with most clubs in Leblon, your attire should be a little nicer than for a night out in Lapa, as the club-goers here are dressed to impress.
Located near the Planetarium in Gavea, Club 00 is highly recommended for its outdoor deck and ambient venue. Resident DJ Saddam plays a set of Hip Hop every Friday night with guest DJs playing House music. The bar has a small dance floor and can be a nice getaway from the usual nightlife spots of Lapa, Ipanema and Leblon if you fancy a change. Saturday night kicks off with happy hour from 8:30PM with a quieter scenario, but after midnight, things gear into action with a range of Indie Rock, Pop, Club House and Electronic music.
Nuth has two locations in the city, one in Lagoa and the other in further out Barra da Tijuca. The Barra da Tijuca branch fills up on Saturdays so arrive early in order to avoid a long wait in the queue.
Apparently the wait is well worth it, “It’s a great place, I’ll definitely go back there next time I’m in Rio. There are gorgeous people there, the music is good and the venue is really nice,” says traveler Nicole da Silva. DJ Bernard de Casteja and DJ Renato Alexander play a mix of Pop, Hip Hop and Funk and entrance on the higher end of the scale, is R$40 for women and R$90 for men.
Of course there are many more clubs worth mentioning, including Boox, Baronetti, Casa da Matriz, Fosfobox, Dama de Ferro, and The Week. For a daily listing of Rio’s best clubs, shows and bars, make sure to bookmark The Rio Times Nightlife Guide.
If you are in Rio for one week, one year or one lifetime, it is nice to trade your Havaianas for some chic clothes and indulge in some great House or Hip Hop music. This of course goes double for those that haven’t learned how to dance to samba yet.