By Chesney Hearst, Senior Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – With Carnival 2014 wrapped up, revelers looking to dance the night away to electronic, and all the forms of club music have numerous options in the Cidade Maravilhosa. A few locations have closed in the last couple years, but luckily some new options have come up to keep the late nights lively.
Currently one of the most talked about clubs in the city is the new underground venue Cave in Copacabana. Since its opening it has hosted top notch events including Dutch DJ Eelke Kleijn as part of the Rio Music Conference Club Week and the Friendly Fires and Charli XCX as part of the MECAPresent Rio Festival.
“It really depends on the party more than the club, but Cave and Fosfobox are some the best clubs,” Rio DJ and music producer Leo Justi told The Rio Times.
Also located in Copacabana, Fosfobox is well known for bringing some of the best international and Brazilian DJs to its stage, as well as hosting several of the most popular parties in the city, including the Wobble dubstep parties and IN.BOX house and hip-hop nights.
In Ipanema, Studio RJ often draws large crowds with their Arpex parties and DJs who always keep the crowd moving. While the venue is currently closed for a little remodeling, they should reopen some time this year and are well worth checking out when they do.
In Botafogo, one of the city’s oldest venues, Casa da Matriz is well known for its parties like Veneno and Sundae Tracks with Brazilian DJ Melvin Ribeiro. Elsewhere, in Gávea the venue of 00 (Zero Zero) is considered by many to be one of the finest in Rio. With its outdoor deck complete with bar and dancefloor inside, the venue is known to host various events and acts, including its resident DJs; RV, Bruno Vinelli, Fabio Farinha and Nobru.
Also in Zona Sul (South Zone) in Leblon, the recently opened House of Music occupies the space formerly known as Melt. With two floors, the first with a lounge/sports bar and four large TVs and the second providing more of a club atmosphere with a stage for performing bands and DJs, the Budweiser themed House of Music promises to be a popular nightlife destination in the city during the upcoming year.
“I expect this place to do well and attract the audience we want due to the neighborhood and familiarity of what was here prior,” House of Music partner Marcos Alvite told The Rio Times.
In Lapa, Febarj offers the some of the best in hip-hop for club-goers, while Leviano, with its downstairs patio and upstairs dancefloor with windows that provide a beautiful view of the famous Lapa arches, offers a little bit of everything depending on the night.
Nearby the Espaço Acústica takes up three floors, including a rooftop terrace on Praça Tiradentes in Centro (Downtown). In addition to various DJs spinning, they host several regular events like the upcoming eight-hour party, entitled, Pop ‘N’ Roll BURLESCA (Pop ‘N ‘ Roll Burlesque) on March 15th.
Lagoa’s Miroir is known as a more sophisticated venue. While the drinks and the entrance may be expensive when compared to other Rio clubs, the ambiance is second to none and the preferred location for the glamorous crowd.
Barra da Tijuca’s Nuth often draws large crowds from all over the city to its Zona oeste (West Zone) location. Friday and Saturday nights are typically the most crowded with DJs playing everything from pop to hip-hop to house. Many special event parties are also held during the week. La Isla Beach Club, also located in Barra, is receiving more attention from partygoers and is gaining a reputation for its own unique ambiance.
Another venue continuing to grow in popularity is Alto Vidigal located in Rio’s Vidigal favela community. Regularly hosting some of the best international and national DJs of house music, including Botafogo Social Club (BSC) and recently the iconic Hector Moralez, the venue also offers stunning views of Rio from its hilltop perch overlooking the marvelous city.
For more information about the best clubs and bars in Rio and to find out what events are happening throughout the city each and every night of the week, The Rio Times also offers its Nightlife Guide.
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