Rio’s Fundição Progresso Celebrates National Reggae Day on May 13th

By Beatriz Miranda, Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – On Saturday (May 13th), Fundição Progresso in Lapa invites all the fans of the Jamaican reggae music genre in Rio to celebrate the National Reggae Day – which is actually May 11th – with artist Armandinho and band Onze:20.

Hot in Brazil’s reggae scene since the beginning of the 2000s, Armando Antônio Silveira da Silveira, know as Armandinho, performs a rhythmic mixture of reggae and Brazilian popular music (MPB).

Born in Porto Alegre, in the south of Brazil, his has been inspired by diverse musical references, like; Mercedes Soza, Vinicius de Moraes and Djavan.

For the show on National Reggae Day, Armandinho is set to deliver his most famous hits, like “Folha de Bananeira” (Banana Tree Leaf), one of his first reggae songs that became famous.

“Desenho de Deus”, a hit on Brazil’s radios during the year of 2004, will also be presented in the show. Besides his classic compositions, he will bring to the stage his latest tracks, such as “Menina do Verão” (Summer’s Girl) and “Eu sou o Mar” (I am the sea).

Onze:20, on the other hand, will offer the audience a different reggae tone, one closer to the rock music genre. The band from Minas Gerais is composed by Vitin (voice), Chris (guitar), Fabio Barroso (guitar), Marlos Vinicius (baixo), Athos Santos (teclados) and Fabio Mendes (drums), recognizes itself, today, as a roots-rock-reggae band.

In 2012, Onze:20’s “Meu Lugar” was a big success in Brazil’s bloco parades. In November 2015, the group performed in Latin Grammy Awards, in Las Vegas, where they were competing for Best Contemporary Pop Album in the Brazilian category.

Last year, the band launched its third album. Some of the bands songs, like the hit “Te Amar Me Faz Feliz Demais” (Loving You Makes Me So Happy), will be played on Saturday.

National Reggae Day was created by former president Dilma Rousseff, in 2012, as a tribute to reggae’s funding father, Jamaican artist Bob Marley. The day is actually celebrated on May 11th, when Marley died, in 1981, in Miami.

What: Armandinho and Onze:20 for National Reggae Day
When: Saturday, May 13th, doors open at 10PM
Where: Fundição Progresso. Rua dos Arcos, 24 – Lapa – RJ – Tel. (21) 3212-0800
Entrance: R$50 – R$140