The Rio Times · RT Nightlife Desk
Miranda Kassin channels Amy Winehouse at Blue Note · Nova Orquestra tears through Black Sabbath’s Paranoid · Lapa runs at full power · Lollapalooza Day 1 in SP
01
Tonight’s Vibe Menu
Tonight’s Vibe Menu
Friday night in Rio runs the full dial tonight. At Blue Note Rio, Miranda Kassin opens at 8 pm with “Tiny Amy — Tributo Amy Winehouse”, reimagining the late British singer’s catalogue through a Brazilian lens — raw vocals, jazz arrangements and a Copacabana crowd that will know every word. At 10:30 pm the stage flips entirely: Nova Orquestra performs Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid” in full, every track, front to back, with a chamber-rock ensemble. Both shows are part of Blue Note’s Mês das Mulheres March programming. Across in Lapa, Carioca da Gema starts the Friday double with Gabriel Versiani on voice and guitar at 8:30 pm, followed by Familia Moadir from 10 pm — samba de raiz with generational depth. Rio Scenarium opens at 7 pm for a full Friday run through 2 am, with live samba on the main stage and Espaço Dolores spinning DJs from midnight. Beco do Rato has been pouring since 6 pm, no cover, no pretension — just samba in a Lapa alleyway. The weather holds at 26 °C with clouds and a 35 % chance of a passing shower — light layers, easy shoes, and you are set.
Jazz · Tribute
Blue Note double bill — Amy Winehouse + Black Sabbath
Samba · Raiz
Familia Moadir at Carioca da Gema from 10 pm
Samba · Dance
Rio Scenarium full Friday run 7 pm – 2 am
Botequim · Free
Beco do Rato — no cover, open since 6 pm
02
Top Picks Today
Top Picks Today
1Miranda Kassin “Tiny Amy — Tributo Amy Winehouse” at Blue Note Rio — 8 pm, Copacabana. Jazz-soul reimagining of Amy’s catalogue as part of Blue Note’s Mês das Mulheres.
2Nova Orquestra toca Black Sabbath “Paranoid (Na Íntegra)” at Blue Note Rio — 10:30 pm. Full album performance with chamber-rock ensemble. Same venue, second session.
3Familia Moadir at Carioca da Gema — 10 pm, Lapa. Samba de raiz with deep generational roots. Gabriel Versiani on voice and guitar from 8:30 pm opens the night.
4Rio Scenarium — 7 pm to 2 am, Centro. Live samba across three floors of century-old antiquário décor, plus Espaço Dolores DJ set from midnight.
5Beco do Rato — 6 pm to 2 am, Lapa. No cover, samba de raiz since 2005. Cash/PIX at the door, card inside.
03
Full Rundown
Full Rundown
04
Suggested Route
Suggested Route
1
18h30
Carioca da Gema Happy Hour — free entry, dose dupla caipirinha, 50 % off petiscos
2
20h00
Blue Note Rio — Miranda Kassin “Tiny Amy” tribute, Copacabana oceanfront
3
22h30
Nova Orquestra — Black Sabbath “Paranoid” second session, same stage, totally different energy
4
00h30
Rio Scenarium + Beco do Rato — Lapa double to close out, both running past midnight
05
Still Going After 22h
Still Going After 22h
Friday is the night when nothing in Rio closes early. Blue Note Rio runs its second session at 10:30 pm — Nova Orquestra’s Black Sabbath set will shake Copacabana. Carioca da Gema hits full power when Familia Moadir takes the stage at 10 pm. Rio Scenarium keeps the main stage rolling while Espaço Dolores launches its DJ set from midnight through closing at 2 am. Beco do Rato runs until 2 am with no cover. Nova Capela stays open late on Mem de Sá — the last stop for cabrito and cold beer before daybreak.
06
Plan B
Plan B
›Bip Bip — R. Almirante Gonçalves, 50, Copacabana. Sidewalk bossa nova roda — check day-of. Free.
›Jobi — R. Ataulfo de Paiva, 1166, Leblon. Classic botequim, cold chopp, lively pavement crowd. Metro Antero de Quental.
›Copacabana kiosks — Beachfront, open late. Grab a caipirinha and watch the waves under the lights.
›Lollapalooza Brasil Day 1 — Autódromo de Interlagos, São Paulo. Deftones, Tyler the Creator, Doechii, Turnstile. Not in Rio, but the cultural gravity of the festival shapes tonight’s energy across both cities.
›Cypress Hill at Vivo Rio — Sun Mar 22, doors 19h, show 21h. Tickets via Ticketmaster. The weekend’s big concert pick for hip-hop heads.
›Tomorrow (Saturday): Alegria “Tribute to Sade” at Blue Note Rio 8 pm + 10:30 pm. Lollapalooza Day 2 in SP — Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, Skrillex.
›Sunday: Embaralhando 7 — Leo Pinheiro e Sérgio Chiavazzoli at Blue Note Rio 7 pm. Lollapalooza Day 3 — Lorde, Kygo.
07
Getting Around
Getting Around
The weather holds at 26 °C tonight with clouds and a 35 % chance of a passing shower — carry a compact umbrella. The Metrô Rio runs until midnight on Fridays, covering Copacabana (Cardeal Arcoverde or Siqueira Campos for Blue Note), Cinelândia and Carioca for Lapa venues. After midnight, ride-hailing (99 or Uber) is the safest bet. Copacabana to Lapa is roughly 15–20 minutes by car, shorter on Friday nights via the Túnel Santa Bárbara. Keep valuables discreet in crowded Lapa streets, stick to well-lit blocks around Mem de Sá and Rua do Lavradio, and save your bar tabs on PIX where possible.
08
Neighbourhood Picks
Neighbourhood Picks
Lapa
Carioca da Gema, Rio Scenarium, Beco do Rato and Nova Capela — all within a five-minute walk. Start at the Arcos da Lapa and work your way down Mem de Sá.
Copacabana
Blue Note Rio anchors the night at Av. Atlântica, 1910. Beachfront kiosks, Bip Bip for sidewalk bossa, and the seafront promenade keep Copacabana alive until late.
Leblon
Jobi on Rua Ataulfo de Paiva — cold chopp, coxinha, no-nonsense botequim energy. Metro Antero de Quental. Quieter than Lapa but never dull.
Centro
Rio Scenarium sits on the historic Rua do Lavradio in Centro proper. The neighbouring antique shops close by evening, but the street’s bar-crawl energy ramps up from 9 pm on Fridays.
The Rio Times
riotimesonline.com · Nightlife Guide · Published daily · Rio de Janeiro nightlife guide
Compiled by the RT Nightlife Desk — all events verified against official sources.
Blue Note Rio Miranda Kassin Tiny Amy Amy Winehouse 20h Nova Orquestra Black Sabbath Paranoid 22h30 Carioca da Gema Gabriel Versiani 20h30 Familia Moadir 22h Rio Scenarium 19h–02h Espaço Dolores DJ Beco do Rato 18h–02h free Nova Capela Lapa Copacabana Leblon Bip Bip Jobi Rio de Janeiro nightlife Friday March 20 2026 · Tomorrow: Alegria “Tribute to Sade” Blue Note Rio Sat · Lollapalooza Day 2 SP
Compiled by the RT Nightlife Desk — all events verified against official sources.
Blue Note Rio Miranda Kassin Tiny Amy Amy Winehouse 20h Nova Orquestra Black Sabbath Paranoid 22h30 Carioca da Gema Gabriel Versiani 20h30 Familia Moadir 22h Rio Scenarium 19h–02h Espaço Dolores DJ Beco do Rato 18h–02h free Nova Capela Lapa Copacabana Leblon Bip Bip Jobi Rio de Janeiro nightlife Friday March 20 2026 · Tomorrow: Alegria “Tribute to Sade” Blue Note Rio Sat · Lollapalooza Day 2 SP