By Mike Frugaletti, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Thursday nights are quickly regaining notoriety as the official starting point for weekend festivities at the new event D-Date at 00 (Zero Zero) in Gávea. The music runs from early evening until sunrise, sometimes still serving a full dance floor until 8AM.
D-Date is the new weekly venture of longtime promoter Pollyana Simoes and Gema TV’s Renato Rossoni, along with their resident DJ, Bernardo Campos.
Campos explains, “The party is divided into two sessions. First the outdoor session on the patio deck of 00 hosts a more lounge and dinner vibe with a guest DJ spinning from 7PM to 10PM. Then we move inside where the dance floor action begins.”
To coincide with the early evening dinner theme, 00 provides a special fixed priced D-Date dinner menu. This menu features affordable and delicious menu items, ranging from a delectable seared tuna to a creamy mushroom risotto and much more.
Musically, D-Date has played host to a variety of local and out-of-town DJs. With deep house, lounge and disco opening up the patio, the public is able to arrive early and socialize. When asked about the musical stylings of the evening, Campos says, “We don’t like to label the music at the party. We can have anything from disco to techno, depending on who’s playing that night.”
The main floor opens up inside around 10PM, when the music is brought up a notch, alluring the public inside with the intense sound and multicolored lighting system. That is when D-Date really starts to distinguish itself, as producer Renato Rossoni explains, “A weekly party just wasn’t good enough, so we added a few more elements, such as making it a 12 hour party, free shots of cachaça served in the early morning around 4AM as well as occasional free appetizers.”
D-Date’s success is due largely to the professionalism behind it. It is not a new formula, just an improved one from partners Pollyana Simoes and Renato Rossoni. Many club-goers in Rio felt that until very recently the city was lacking a fixed weekly party.
This consistency really creates a unique family-like vibe, providing a great social environment. Pollyana Simoes has great experience with this format, as she has already worn the producer’s hat before. From 2004 till 2008, Simoes produced KZA, one of the most well known parties of Rio de Janeiro.
Held every Thursday night at 00, KZA gained fame as the spot for young, beautiful clubbers to go, as well as other DJs and music lovers alike. Resident DJ Markinhos Meskita operated behind the decks, while hosting some of the best DJs in the business, including Gilles Peterson (UK), Phil Weeks (France) and Mark Farina (U.S.).
Unfortunately all good things have to come to an end, as KZA bowed out of the nightlife spotlight. Since, there have been many requests made for the return of the weekly format, which paved the way for the new smash hit night.
D-Date has arrived and it seems that it is here to stay. When asked what makes D-Date and 00 such a good combination for a successful party, Bernardo Campos states, “Its different than most clubs because we offer the options of having dinner and a drink while socializing with friends outdoors, or to get some serious dance floor action until the morning after. A lot of people, like myself love to do both, so 00 is the perfect place.”
00 (Zero Zero)
Av. Padre Leonel Franca 240, Gávea
R$25 with guest list, R$40 without
Every Thursday starting at 7PM