Rio de Janeiro Nightlife Tonight: Vanessa Ebons in Lapa, September 23, 2026
Rio de Janeiro · Nightlife
If You Only Go to One Place
Vanessa Ebons at Carioca da Gema
The Rio singer and songwriter brings contemporary samba to Lapa, in a room that holds a few dozen tables. Doors open at 7.30 p.m., the show starts at 8.30 p.m., and entry is R$30 (about US$6).
Tonight at a Glance
- —Vanessa Ebons · Carioca da Gema Doors 7.30 p.m., show 8.30 p.m., entry R$30 (about US$6).
- —Who she is A Rio singer and composer, known as Nessa, from the contemporary samba scene.
- —Tickets The house sells through Zig, linked from its own event page.
- —Tables The house holds reserved tables until 9 p.m., then releases them.
- —Friday has changed Doors, first show and main show now run 7.30 p.m., 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
- —Heavy rain An orange warning runs to 11.59 p.m., with 50 to 100 mm of rain possible.
- —Arts week The Semana de Arte do Rio runs across Lapa and Centro until 27 September.
Tonight, Wednesday 23 September 2026, Lapa runs a midweek show at its lowest price, under heavy rain. All times below are Rio de Janeiro time, four hours behind London.

What’s On Tonight
Carioca da Gema lists Vanessa Ebons tonight. Doors open at 7.30 p.m. and the main show begins at 8.30 p.m.
The house calls her a Rio singer and composer, known by the affectionate nickname Nessa. It places her in the city’s contemporary samba and MPB scene, the broad Brazilian songwriting tradition.
Contemporary samba here means the living Rio tradition rather than a revival act. The room seats a few dozen people, so the singer works close to the tables.
Entry tonight is R$30 (about US$6), the fixed rate for Tuesday to Thursday. Friday, Saturday and the eve of a public holiday cost R$35 (about US$7).
The house sells through Zig and links to that page from its own listing. It holds reserved tables until 9 p.m., half an hour after the show begins.
The Friday Timetable Has Moved
The house has changed what it publishes for Fridays. Its page now gives doors at 7.30 p.m., a first show at 8 p.m. and the main show at 10 p.m.
Yesterday the same page gave doors at 6.30 p.m., a happy-hour set at 7 p.m. and the main show at 9.30 p.m. Doors and the early set have moved an hour later, the main show by half an hour.
If you booked a Friday from an older listing, check the time again. A cached page will send you to the door an hour early.
Tuesday to Thursday and Saturday are unchanged. Only the Friday block moved.
Four Nights, Four Different Bands
The house has now published the rest of its week. Each of the four remaining nights carries a different act.
Friday has Família Moadir, samba passed from father to sons, with Mr Moadir, Márcio Sorriso and Marquinhos Ferreira celebrating the old masters. Thursday brings Samba da Constituição, with doors at 7.30 p.m.
The house then closes on Sunday and Monday. Saturday brings JP Silva back, with doors at 8.30 p.m. and the show at 10 p.m.
That rotation is the point of the place. A visitor who returns twice in a week hears two different groups at the same fixed price.
It also explains the low midweek entry. The house sells the room and the tradition rather than the name on the poster.
A Second Stop in Lapa
Rio Scenarium at Rua do Lavradio 20 opens tonight at 7 p.m. and runs to 1 a.m. Its own page names no act for tonight, and we could not confirm one from a listings site.
It publishes no cover price either. Recent listings for the house have run from R$30 (about US$6) at the half-price rate to R$60 (about US$12) full.
It is a few minutes away on foot, and the walk is exposed in this rain. Treat it as a second stop rather than a plan.
The Weather Tonight
The national forecaster has an orange warning out for Rio until 11.59 p.m., with 50 to 100 mm of rain possible. It carries a moderate risk of flooding and landslides.
The city service Alerta Rio expects showers under cloud, between 16°C and 23°C. Carioca da Gema is indoors, so the rain matters for the journey rather than the night.
Where to Go
Carioca da Gema — Lapa
A samba house with a mezzanine on Avenida Mem de Sá, open since 2000. The room is small and the tables sit close to the stage.
- TonightVanessa Ebons. Doors 7.30 p.m., main show 8.30 p.m.
- EntryR$30 (about US$6) Tuesday to Thursday, R$35 (about US$7) Friday and Saturday.
- This weekSamba da Constituição on Thursday, Família Moadir on Friday, JP Silva on Saturday.
- TablesHeld for reservations until 9 p.m., then released.
- TicketsThrough Zig. Telephone and WhatsApp (21) 98556-0834.
- AddressAvenida Mem de Sá 79, Centro. Metro Cinelândia, then a short walk.
Money and How Paying Works
We convert at R$5.1414 to one US dollar. That is the Banco Central PTAX closing sell rate published this afternoon, Wednesday 23 September.
Entry is a fixed price rather than a per-artist one. Food and drink are billed separately, at the table.
Bars usually add a service charge of about 10 per cent, called serviço. Brazilian law makes it optional, and staff remove it if you ask.
What This Means for Your Evening
Wednesday is the cheapest night in this room and among the quietest. That makes it the easiest first visit if you have never been.
With a reserved table, arrive in the half hour after doors. The house releases reservations at 9 p.m., whatever your ticket says.
If you are planning Friday instead, use the new times rather than an older listing. The whole evening has moved an hour later.
Getting Home Safe
A show that starts at 8.30 p.m. finishes inside normal metro hours, which end at midnight. In tonight’s rain a car is the safer way home.
Book the car from inside the venue and wait in a lit, busy spot. Streets around Lapa flood quickly when the rain is this heavy.
Keep your phone in a pocket on the quieter streets around Mem de Sá. The avenue stays busy, and the side streets do not.
The house plays every night until Saturday, so a missed Wednesday leaves three more chances this week. Only Friday and Saturday cost more, at R$35 (about US$7).
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does tonight’s show start?
Doors open at 7.30 p.m. and the main show begins at 8.30 p.m. Reserved tables are released at 9 p.m.
How much does it cost?
Entry is R$30 (about US$6) from Tuesday to Thursday. Friday and Saturday cost R$35 (about US$7).
Have the Friday times changed?
Yes, an hour later than last week. The house now publishes doors at 7.30 p.m., a first show at 8 p.m. and a main show at 10 p.m.
Who plays later this week?
Samba da Constituição on Thursday, Família Moadir on Friday and JP Silva on Saturday. The house then closes on Sunday and Monday.
Sources: Carioca da Gema, events and house information, retrieved 23 September 2026, Vanessa Ebons tickets on Zig, Família Moadir tickets on Zig, Rio Scenarium, opening hours, INMET orange rain warning for Rio, 23 September 2026, Banco Central PTAX close, 23 September 2026
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