Brazilian Singer Gal Costa to Play Rio’s Circo Voador Weekend

By Jack Arnhold, Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Fans of classic MPB (Música popular brasileira – a style of post-bossa nova Brazilian pop) will be in for a treat this weekend as Brazilian superstar Gal Costa plays two concerts at Lapa’s historic Circo Voador, on Friday, March 29th, and Saturday, March 30th.

Costa is visiting Circo Voador as part of her tour in support of her latest album, A Pele do Futuro. The 2018 album, her fortieth, has been warmly received by fans and critics alike, with O Globo commenting that, ‘the performance of Gal, balanced between technique and interpretation, is always impeccable.’

The singer collaborated with composers such as Tim Bernardes, Dani Black, and old friend Gilberto Gil to create an album that sounds both modern and timeless, with plenty of nods to the sixties and seventies, when the Bahian artist first rocked the Brazilian national stage.

One of the many highlights from the album which will surely be played for the crowd is ‘Viagem Passageira’ (Fleeting Journey) composed in collaboration with fellow MPB luminary Gilberto Gil.

Another highlight of the album sure to be included in Costa’s setlist is the artist’s first collaboration with composer Djavan in over two decades. ‘Dentro da lei’ (Within the Law) is the first song the pair have produced together since their eighties hits ‘Açaí,’ ‘Azul,’ (Blue) and 1993’s ‘Nuvem negra’ (Black Cloud).

Beginning her tour at the end of last year at the Vivo Rio arena in Glória, Costa also presented a selection of songs from throughout her career, detailing her artistic associations with some of Brazil’s best-loved musicians.

During her previous concert in Rio, she sang the song, ‘London, London,’ by Caetano Veloso, written while Veloso was in exile in England due to ongoing repression from the country’s military dictatorship, as well as Veloso’s 1984 hit ‘Vaca Profana’ (Profane Cow).

Other artists and collaborators the singer is known to pay homage to include Jorge Ben Jor, Dorival Caymmi, Tom Jobim and Roberto Carlos. Fans can hope that this more intimate show will encourage the singer to dig into her illustrious back-catalog.

Songs such as ‘Que Pena’ (What a Pity) from her eponymous 1969 album, and ‘Volta’ (Return) from 1973’s controversial ‘Índia’ are both live favorites that the singer is bound to include in her setlist, as well as the eighties Carnival hit ‘Festa do Interior.’

To commemorate her seventy-third birthday last September, Caetano Veloso wrote, ‘Gal has that mysterious quality that inhabits the few great singers of samba: the ability to innovate, to violate contemporary taste, to launch samba into the future with the spontaneity of those who remember the old songs.’

What: Gal Costa
When: Friday, March 29th, and Saturday, March 30th, 10PM.
Where: Circo Voador, Avenida Mem de Sá, 20230-060 Rio de Janeiro
Entrance: Tickets from R$80; available here