Bloco Sargento Pimenta Opens Rehearsal for Rio’s 2016 Carnival

By Chesney Hearst, Senior Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Well known for mixing the best of The Beatles with Brazilian rhythms, the bloco Sargento Pimenta will hold their first public rehearsal for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Carnival on Sunday, December 20th at Paiol 08 in Lapa. Lasting from 2PM to 10PM, the event will include activities and shows for children and a performance by Bloco Pipoca & Guaraná in addition to Sargento Pimenta’s rehearsal.

Founded in 2010 by a group of thirteen friends in Rio de Janeiro who loved both Carnival and The Beatles, the Sargento Pimenta bloco, a street parade/party held during Carnival, has risen in popularity during the previous five years.

According to organizers, approximately 180,000 people attended their performance at Aterro do Flamengo during the 2015 Carnival. The bloco’s theme this year will be, “Picture YourSELFIE,” a play on the lyrics of The Beatles’ song “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.”

Adding to their repertoire which features “Yellow Submarine”, “Penny Lane”, “Twist And Shout”, “Help!”, “A Hard Day’s Night”, “Ticket To Ride”, “She Loves You”,”All My Loving”, “Can’t Buy Me Love”, “I Want To Hold Your Hand”, “Here Comes The Sun”, and “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”, this year the bloco will introduce their versions of the songs “Oh Darling”, “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away”, “I Saw Her Standing There”, “Eleanor Rigby”, “In My Life”, “Martha My Dear “and “All Together Now.”

The new songs should to range in genre from samba to samba reggae to funk to marchina to maracatu like their previous reinterpretations and are expected to be performed during the practice on the 20th. For the performance, which will begin at 5:30 PM, the bloco’s band will be joined by 140 percussionists who are all students of the bloco’s workshop, known as “brincadeira séria” (serious play).

Before Bloco Sargento Pimenta and the percussionists take the stage, the Bloco Pipoca and Guaraná will perform beginning at 4PM to open the night. Their show will feature well-known soundtracks, jingles, and TV show themes set to Brazilian rhythms.

An all-ages event, the programming for the day will begin with events and activities for children lasting from 2PM to 4PM. The Corre Cutia team will perform and present educational recreation and the Colo no Bloco, a bloco composed of miniature instruments, will perform marchinhas (samba marches) about and for babies and children.

What: Sargento Pimenta Bloco Rehearsal
When: Sunday, December 20th, 2PM – 10PM
Where: Paiol 08, Rua dos Arcos, 24 – Lapa
Entrance: FREE with a donation of 1kg of non-perishable food or mineral water.