Rio de Janeiro Nightlife Tonight — September 25, 2026
Rio de Janeiro · Nightlife
If You Only Go to One Place
Família Moadir at Carioca da Gema
A father and his two sons share the stage for a set running from Cartola to Zeca Pagodinho. Friday is the only night with two performances, at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., and entry is R$35 (about US$7).
Tonight at a Glance
- —Família Moadir · Carioca da Gema Doors 7.30 p.m., sets at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
- —Entry R$35 (about US$7), the published Friday and Saturday rate.
- —Check the time These Friday hours changed recently, so ignore older listings.
- —Tables The house holds reserved tables until 9 p.m., then releases them.
- —Tomorrow JP Silva, with doors at 8.30 p.m. and the show at 10 p.m.
- —Arts week ends Sunday The Semana de Arte do Rio closes on 27 September.
Tonight, Friday 25 September 2026, Carioca da Gema runs its only double bill of the week. All times below are Rio de Janeiro time, four hours behind London.
What’s On Tonight
Carioca da Gema lists Família Moadir tonight. Doors open at 7.30 p.m., the first set starts at 8 p.m., and the main show follows at 10 p.m.
The house calls the group samba passed from father to sons. It names Mr Moadir, Márcio Sorriso and Marquinhos Ferreira as the performers.
Their set covers masters of the form, from Cartola to Zeca Pagodinho. Cartola was a founder of the Mangueira samba school, and Zeca Pagodinho is among the best-known living singers of the genre.
Entry tonight is R$35 (about US$7), the published rate for Fridays and Saturdays. Tuesday to Thursday costs R$30 (about US$6).
The house sells through Zig, linked from its own event page. It holds reserved tables only until 9 p.m., an hour before the main show.
On Zig, standing entry is R$30 (about US$6) plus a R$3 (about US$0.60) fee. Table seats are R$35 (about US$7) each, plus a 10 per cent fee. The Zig page text still shows an 8.30 p.m. opening copied from Saturday, so go by the house times above.
Check the Hour Before You Go
These Friday times are new. The house has moved doors and the first set an hour later, and the main show half an hour later.
An old listing can send you up to an hour early. In late August the house published doors at 6.30 p.m., an early set at 7 p.m. and the main show at 9.30 p.m.
The table rule has not moved with it, and that is the trap. Reservations lapse at 9 p.m., which is now a full hour before the headline set.
So a booking made for the main show will have expired before it starts. Arrive for the 8 p.m. set if you want to keep the table.
A Small Circle of Musicians
Two of tonight’s names appeared in this house earlier in the month, in a different line-up. Márcio Sorriso and Marquinhos Ferreira played a five-singer roda here on 9 September.
That is common in Rio. The city’s samba houses draw on a working circle of musicians who regroup under different names.
A roda is a samba circle played around a table rather than from a stage.
For a visitor, that explains the fixed price. You are buying a night in the tradition rather than a specific act, and the house sells it that way.
The Rest of the Weekend
Saturday brings JP Silva, and entry is R$35 (about US$7) again. Doors open at 8.30 p.m., with the show at 10 p.m.
The house then closes on Sunday and Monday. It reopens on Tuesday 29 September with Samba d’Jorge, led by Jorge Barbosa.
The first Semana de Arte do Rio also closes on Sunday. Until then the Centro Cultural Lavradio opens free, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Rua do Lavradio 15.
Also Tonight in Lapa and the Centre
The Semana de Arte do Rio puts a free stage under the Arcos da Lapa tonight, themed around African Brazil. Soul de Brasileiro launches its album at 8 p.m., and Larissa Luz follows at 9.30 p.m., O Globo reported.
Circo Voador, next to the arches, has Cachorro Grande and Vanguart in two full shows from 8 p.m. Entry starts at R$70 (about US$13.50), with 1kg of food.
Zélia Duncan opens her new tour at Vivo Rio in Flamengo at 9 p.m., from R$120 (about US$23) to R$300 (about US$58). Aline Paes sings Gal Costa at Dolores Club in Lapa at 8.30 p.m., for R$40 to R$60 (about US$8 to US$12).
What We Could Not Confirm
Rio Scenarium on Rua do Lavradio publishes a week from Wednesday to Saturday, so it should be open tonight. We did not open its programme page today, and we name no act or price for it.
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.
- TonightFamília Moadir. Doors 7.30 p.m., sets at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
- EntryR$35 (about US$7) Friday and Saturday, R$30 (about US$6) Tuesday to Thursday.
- TablesHeld for reservations until 9 p.m., then released.
- TomorrowJP Silva. Doors 8.30 p.m., show 10 p.m.
- 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$5.1795 to one US dollar. That is the Banco Central PTAX closing sell rate for Thursday 24 September, the last business day before today.
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. It is not compulsory, and staff remove it if you ask.
What This Means for Your Evening
One ticket covers a long evening tonight, because the house plays twice. That makes Friday good value despite the higher entry.
The 8 p.m. set is the one to aim for with a reservation. Coming only for the 10 p.m. show means arriving after your table has gone.
If tonight is full, Saturday runs the same price with a later start. Either night ends the week before the house rests on Sunday.
Getting Home Safe
A main set starting at 10 p.m. will run close to midnight, when the metro stops. Plan a rideshare home and book it from inside the venue.
MetrôRio runs until midnight from Monday to Saturday. Check the last train from Cinelândia on its site before you set out.
Keep your phone in a pocket on the quieter streets around Mem de Sá. Stick to the main avenue where you can.
The house plays again tomorrow, and the week then pauses until Tuesday.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does tonight’s show start?
These Friday times changed recently, so ignore any older listing. Doors open at 7.30 p.m., with sets at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
How much does it cost?
Entry is R$35 (about US$7) on Fridays and Saturdays. Tuesday to Thursday costs R$30 (about US$6).
When should I arrive with a reservation?
Before 9 p.m., because the house releases reserved tables then. That is an hour before the main set begins.
What is on tomorrow?
JP Silva plays, and the house then closes on Sunday and Monday. Doors open at 8.30 p.m., with the show at 10 p.m.
Sources: Carioca da Gema, events and house information, retrieved 25 September 2026, Família Moadir tickets on Zig, JP Silva tickets on Zig, Centro Cultural Lavradio, dates, hours and free entry, Banco Central PTAX close, 24 September 2026, O Globo, Rio music guide for 24 to 30 September 2026, Carioca da Gema, Samba Carioca roda, 9 September
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