Rio de Janeiro Nightlife Guide for Friday, March 13, 2026

Lara Estelita brings “Jeito Lindo” to the Blue Note Rio tonight — the debut of a show that arrives after more than one million streams across platforms and a press reception that calls her one of the most visceral voices in the new generation of Brazilian music. The format mixes inédito repertoire with reinterpretations that weave MPB and poetry into a confessional performance — “each verse a confession, each refrain a reunion,” as the venue describes it. Estelita’s vocal approach is direct and emotional, rewarding the Blue Note’s intimate salão where every breath and inflection carries. This is the Mês das Mulheres programme’s Friday anchor — the third year of the Blue Note Rio’s commitment to gender equity in its March programming. The calçadão and piano bar open from 5 pm — free entry, no ticket required. Tickets for the salão via Eventim. The Blue Note Rio sits on Avenida Atlântica, 1910, in Copacabana — on the boardwalk, at the foot of the beach. Tomorrow (Saturday): Betta performs a visceral Alanis Morissette tribute — “You Oughta Know,” “Ironic,” “Hand in My Pocket” and the catalogue that defined 1990s rock. UBC members receive 50% off throughout March.

The Circo Voador — the 2,200-capacity open-air venue under the Arcos da Lapa — hosts “O Xaxadinho + Tocaia” tonight. Tocaia is an all-women forró quarteto formed by Renata Neves, Mari Jasca, Paloma Ronai and Bela Ciavatta — a group that has emerged over the past three years as one of the most compelling projects in the new forró scene, combining virtuosic instrumental work with arrangements that dialogue across multiple Brazilian musical traditions. The baile format keeps the dancefloor at the centre: forró pé-de-serra, experimentação, and the kind of rhythmic pulse that moves a room from the first note. Tonight’s special guests cross generations: Ilessi, Chico Chico — son of Cássia Eller, a songwriter whose own catalogue has built a devoted following — and Carol Olly. The night starts at 8 pm. Tickets from R$60. The Circo Voador sits on Rua dos Arcos, under the iconic aqueduct arches, in the heart of Lapa — five minutes from Rio Scenarium, the Carioca da Gema, and the Beco do Rato. Metro Cinelândia or Carioca.

Friday is the Rio Scenarium’s biggest night. The three-floor casarão on Rua do Lavradio, 20, fills from 7 pm and stays packed until 2 am — the crowd is a mix of locals, tourists, couples, groups, and people who came for dinner and stayed for the dancefloor. The Palco Scenarium runs double live sets through the evening — samba, MPB, choro, gafieira — with a DJ set on the Palco Dolores mezzanine from around 11 pm. The ten thousand curated antiques give the room a density that no other venue in Lapa can match: grandfather clocks, taxidermied animals, vintage bicycles, mechanical music boxes, gas lamps, and the original wooden floors of the nineteenth-century building. Friday cover is the highest of the week — typically R$40–50. Reserve early or arrive before 8 pm. The kitchen runs full Brazilian fare alongside cold chope and caipirinhas. The Rua do Lavradio antiques corridor is a destination in its own right — walk the block before entering. Metro Carioca or Cinelândia, ten minutes on foot.

Friday is the Carioca da Gema’s strongest weeknight — the house on Avenida Mem de Sá, 79, opens at 18h and runs until 4 am, the longest operating hours of the week. The evening begins with Gabriel Versiani on voz e violão from 20h to 21h30 — a free opening set that previews the night’s energy with acoustic samba and MPB. The main show begins from 22h — check @barcariocadagema for tonight’s headliner. The double-bill Friday format typically runs two full sets on the main stage, with the crowd building steadily from the Versiani opener through the late headliner. The Happy Hour deals run from opening: dose dupla de caipirinha de limão, cerveja Original at R$12.99, 50% off selected petiscos. Cover applies for the main show. Reserve through the Fever app for a table, walk-ins seated from 18h. Three minutes from the Beco do Rato along Rua Joaquim Silva. Five minutes from Rio Scenarium. Metro Cinelândia, ten minutes on foot.

Friday at the Beco do Rato is when the courtyard fills to capacity and the samba spills into all three areas — indoor salão, covered terrace, and the open-air courtyard. The bar on Rua Joaquim Silva, 11, in Lapa has been running seven days a week since 2005, founded by Márcio Pacheco and built around samba de raiz, choro, and the genuine energy of Lapa at its most unpretentious. Friday brings the biggest crowd of the week alongside Saturday — arrive before 10 pm for a position near the courtyard stage. The repertoire centres on partido-alto, samba de terreiro, and the pagode de mesa tradition. No cover charge — the model is supported by the bar and kitchen. Cold beer, caipirinhas, pastéis de angu, carne-seca com abóbora, cachaça Gabriela. With only 32% rain tonight, the courtyard is a good bet — the best outdoor conditions since last week. Three minutes from the Carioca da Gema, five from Rio Scenarium, and ten from the Circo Voador. Metro Cinelândia.

›

›

›

›

›

›

›