Rio’s British and Commonwealth Society to Host Annual Beatles Night

By Jack Arnhold, Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – This Saturday, September 15th, the British and Commonwealth Society of Rio de Janeiro will be hosting their annual Beatles night at Jubilee Hall in Botafogo. There will be live music from three different Beatles-inspired acts, as well as Indian samosas and curry, English sausages and British desserts, plus a cash bar.

This Saturday, there will be three musical acts who will each be taking their turn to play some of the timeless songs that make The Beatles such an enduring musical group. The TBS Barra band will be first up, followed by The Beatles Choir, which is made up of British and Commonwealth Society members.

Finally, the Midnight Hour Band will take the stage as the headline act. Fronted by Neville Thorley, they have been playing in the Cidade Marvilhosa since their formation in 1997, usually performing classic British rock songs from bands such as The Rolling Stones, The Who, Queen, David Bowie and Elton John.

However, this weekend they’ll have more than enough hits to pick from the fab four’s back catalog. Expect to hear a selection of classics such as ‘Come Together,’ ‘Twist and Shout,’ ‘All You Need is Love,’ and ‘She Loves You.’

Jenny Byers, Chair of The British and Commonwealth Society of Rio de Janeiro comments, “Beatles Night can now be classed as a tradition in the Rio community calendar. It’s our most eclectic event in terms of participants, with ages ranging from 12 to 82 and every possible nationality.”

“We have a regular crowd of Brazilians who come every year to join in the singing and dancing. It’s a very informal evening, great fun, and of course celebrates an iconic British rock band. Everyone is welcome and tickets can be purchased on the door.” She continues.

Anyone who caught the recent ‘Para Lennon & McCartney’ show at Copacabana’s Sala Municipal Baden Powell last month or saw Liane Maya’s tribute recent tribute to the fab four at the same venue will no doubt be thrilled to hear these timeless songs played by three live acts.

As well as being a community hub for expatriates from Britain and the Commonwealth living in Rio, the British and Commonwealth Society is also a community-focused organization that helps with many local and Brazilian charities.

Local resident and BCS member Alexander Corrie explains a bit more about the charity. “This year, Beatles Night is supporting the Rio-based charity Arts & Social Transformation (A&ST) which helps young musicians, dancers and artists from low-income families and areas of risk in Rio. A&ST works in collaboration with Rio-based NGOs, schools and social groups. Over 400 young people have been helped since 2008.”

In addition to both British and Indian cuisine, there will also be a Beatles-themed raffle with plenty of prizes to be won.

What: Beatles Night
When: Saturday, September 15th, 7PM-10:45PM
Where: Jubilee Hall, Rua Real Grandeza 99, Botafogo
Entrance: R$35 (BCS Members) R$50 (Non-members) To reserve a ticket, email [email protected]

Correction: This article has been modified since originally published on Friday, September 14th, to clarify that the Beatles night hasn’t been held every year since 1992.