Rio De Janeiro Nightlife Guide For Saturday, March 28, 2026

(MENAFN- The Rio Times) The Rio Times · RT Nightlife Desk Sonja brings blues and soul to Blue Note Copacabana - originals alongside Rita Lee, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Gal Costa · Feijoada Raiz on the calçadão · Rio Scenarium peak Saturday · Lapa at full power · Mês das Mulheres penultimate night 01 Tonight's Vibe Menu Saturday is the biggest night of the Rio de Janeiro nightlife week, and tonight the Blue Note stage belongs to a carioca voice that carries blues in its bones. Sonja - born and raised in Rio, ex-X Factor contestant, revelation of Brazil's new blues generation - presents "Sonja canta o Blues e o Soul do Brasil e do Mundo", a sensory journey through originals and reinterpretations of Rita Lee, Etta James, Aretha Franklin and Gal Costa. She has been singing since she was six. She studied voice for fifteen years under Patrícia Evans, classical and popular. Her second album, "Rainha de Copas," was inspired by tarot cards and personal transformation - blues as healing, soul as rebuilding. She has played the Mississippi Delta Blues Festival in Caxias do Sul, the Rio das Ostras Jazz and Blues Festival, the Circo Voador, and shared stages with J.J. Jackson and Little Jimmy Reed. Her influences run from Etta James and Janis Joplin to Tim Maia and Elza Soares. Tonight she balances international and Brazilian blues with arrangements that foreground her vocal identity - warm, powerful, unapologetically intense. This is part of the Mês das Mulheres at Blue Note Rio - the penultimate night of nearly 30 female-led shows across March, in partnership with UBC and WME. Earlier in the day, Feijoada Raiz runs on the Blue Note calçadão with samba and the signature buffet. In Lapa, the full Saturday circuit is at peak energy: Rio Scenarium runs from noon with its own feijoada and then into the night programme, Carioca da Gema in full flight, Beco do Rato pushing to 2 am. This is part of The Rio Times' daily Rio de Janeiro nightlife coverage for expats and visitors. Warm - 28 °C, 35 % rain chance. Carry an umbrella but expect a warm night. Blues · Soul · MPB · Mês das Mulheres Blue Note Rio - Sonja · Blues e Soul → Copacabana · 8 pm · Carioca blues revelation · Feijoada Raiz daytime Samba · Gafieira · Peak Saturday Rio Scenarium - Saturday Night · Full Power → Centro · R. do Lavradio · Feijoada from noon · Night from 7 pm Samba · Happy Hour · Saturday Carioca da Gema - Saturday Samba · Full Night → Lapa · Doors 7:30 pm · Show 8:30 pm · Peak crowd Samba · Late Night · No Cover Beco do Rato - Saturday to 2 am → Lapa · R. Joaquim Silva · Samba de raiz · The longest night 02 Top Picks Today Fast scan 1 Blue Note Rio - Sonja · "Blues e Soul do Brasil e do Mundo" 8 pm · Av. Atlântica, 1910 – Copacabana · Single session · Tickets via Eventim · Feijoada Raiz from 11 am on calçadão 2 Rio Scenarium - Peak Saturday Feijoada from 12 pm · Night from 7 pm–2 am+ · R. do Lavradio, 20 – Centro · Cover ~R$40–60 · Sympla · Metro Carioca 3 Carioca da Gema - Saturday Samba Doors 7:30 pm · Show 8:30 pm · Av. Mem de Sá, 79 – Lapa · Sympla 4 Beco do Rato - Saturday to 2 am 6 pm–2 am · R. Joaquim Silva, 11 – Lapa · No cover · Cash/PIX at door 5 Bip Bip - Saturday Check R. Almirante Gonçalves, 50 – Copacabana · Check day-of for Saturday roda · Sidewalk samba · No cover 03 Full Rundown Venue by venue 1Blue Note Rio - Sonja · Blues e Soul Blues · Soul · MPB

Sonja does not perform blues the way it is usually performed in Rio - politely, as homage, at a respectful distance. She performs it from inside, the way the women she covers lived it: raw, physical, transformational. Tonight's show bridges continents and decades: Etta James's gut-punch delivery, Aretha Franklin's cathedral voice, Rita Lee's restless reinvention, Gal Costa's fearless range - all filtered through Sonja's own vocal identity, which is warm and enormous and entirely uninterested in restraint. She has been described as Brazil's answer to Beth Ditto - the same commanding stage presence, the same refusal to fit into a genre box. Her originals from "Rainha de Copas" carry the weight of real experience: tarot-inspired meditations on abusive relationships, spiritual reconstruction, and the blues as a tool for healing. She performed at the Mississippi Delta Blues Festival in Caxias do Sul, shared stages with J.J. Jackson and Little Jimmy Reed, and caught the attention of Ney Matogrosso, who reposted her on Instagram. Tonight at the Blue Note she sings in the tradition of the Mês das Mulheres programme that has run nearly 30 female-led shows this month. Expect Tim Maia reinterpretations alongside Howlin' Wolf. Expect the unexpected.

Sat 8 pm · Single session · Eventim Av. Atlântica, 1910 – Copacabana Mês das Mulheres · UBC/WME 50% off 2Rio Scenarium - Peak Saturday Samba · Gafieira · Feijoada

Saturday at the Scenarium is a double event. The day begins at noon with feijoada on the ground floor - the samba plays live, the black-bean stew comes in the traditional terracotta, and the three-storey casarão on Rua do Lavradio operates as a daytime gathering place for families and couples long before the night crowd arrives. Then the evening programme kicks in: the main-stage samba gets louder, the gafieira floor fills, and the seven antique-laden environments across three floors shift into peak Saturday energy. The cover runs R$40–60. Saturday matches Friday for intensity but the crowd skews slightly more local - fewer tourists, more regulars who know which floor to head to and when the second band starts. The kitchen runs all night. Arrive before 8 pm for a table or book via Sympla. The casarão pushes past 2 am.

Feijoada from 12 pm · Night 7 pm–2 am+ R. do Lavradio, 20 – Centro Cover ~R$40–60 · Sympla · Book ahead 3Carioca da Gema - Saturday Night Samba · MPB · Full

Saturday at the Gema rivals Friday for energy. The three-room casarão on Mem de Sá fills from early evening and the main show at 8:30 pm plays to a crowd that has been building momentum through the afternoon - some arriving from the Scenarium's feijoada, others from the Beco's early samba sets. The Gema on a Saturday night is louder and more physical than weekday editions: the samba hits harder, the dance floor stays packed, and the atmosphere carries the particular electricity of a Lapa Saturday when all three anchor venues are running simultaneously. Saturday is also the best night to test the Gema-to-Scenarium-to-Beco crawl - the definitive Lapa circuit that runs within a five-minute walking radius.

Sat doors 7:30 pm · Show 8:30 pm Av. Mem de Sá, 79 – Lapa Sympla · Arrive early Saturday 4Beco do Rato - Saturday to 2 am Samba · Botequim · Late

Saturday at the Beco matches Friday for hours - 6 pm to 2 am - and on a night when both Rio Scenarium and Carioca da Gema are packed and charging covers, the Beco remains the free anchor of the Lapa triangle. The alleyway on Rua Joaquim Silva fills after 10 pm on Saturdays with the same spill-out energy that defines its Friday character: crowd in the street, sound carrying through the narrow lane, samba de raiz at volume. The difference on Saturday is that the Beco draws more of the feijoada crowd - people who started eating and drinking at noon at the Scenarium and have been moving through Lapa all afternoon. The 1 am set is when the Beco is at its most concentrated and most alive.

Sat 6 pm–2 am · No cover R. Joaquim Silva, 11 – Lapa Samba de raiz · The feijoada-to-midnight crawl 5Bip Bip - The Wildcard Samba · Bossa · Sidewalk

The tiny bar on Rua Almirante Gonçalves is one of the last unchanged rooms in Copacabana - no sign, no stage, no cover, no reservation system. The music happens on the sidewalk and spills into the street. Saturday is a strong night for Bip Bip: the samba and bossa nova rodas draw a mix of local musicians and visitors who found the address in a guidebook and couldn't believe the place was real. Check day-of for confirmation - the schedule varies and the only reliable source is word of mouth or walking past. If it's running, it is the perfect post-Blue Note stop: five minutes south on foot from Av. Atlântica, beer from the fridge at bar prices, and the sound of acoustic samba under the trees. No technology, no amplification, no pretence.

Sat check day-of · No cover · Sidewalk R. Almirante Gonçalves, 50 – Copacabana Acoustic · No amplification · The real thing 04 Suggested Route One way to do it 1 11:00 am - Feijoada Raiz on the Blue Note calçadão Samba and the signature buffet on the Copacabana oceanfront. Saturday opens at 11 am. Warm and breezy. The calçadão fills through the afternoon. 2 8:00 pm - Sonja · Blues e Soul do Brasil e do Mundo The carioca blues revelation takes the Blue Note stage. Rita Lee, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Gal Costa, Tim Maia reinterpretations, plus originals from "Rainha de Copas." Single session. 3 10:00 pm - Cross to Lapa or walk to Bip Bip Two options after the show. Metro Cardeal Arcoverde → Cinelândia for Lapa (20 min) where Scenarium, Gema and Beco are all at peak Saturday. Or walk five minutes south to Bip Bip for acoustic samba on the sidewalk. 4 Late - Nova Capela or the Beco's 1 am set Nova Capela kitchen late. Beco samba until 2 am. Tomorrow: Paola Lappicy closes the Mês das Mulheres at Blue Note Rio at 7 pm - her second album launch. The month of women ends with endings. 05 Still Going After 22h Late night Saturday after 10 pm is the fullest the circuit gets alongside Friday. Rio Scenarium pushes past 2 am. Beco do Rato runs to 2 am. Carioca da Gema's main show finishes around 11 pm but the bar stays open. Nova Capela's kitchen runs late. Tomorrow, Sunday: Paola Lappicy closes the Mês das Mulheres at Blue Note Rio at 7 pm with "Coisas que eu quis te dizer antes de tudo acabar" - her second album launch, built entirely from original songs. A narrative of endings: of worlds, of relationships, of emotional cycles. This is the final performance of nearly 30 female-led shows that have run across March. Blue Note Rio opens for lunch from 12 pm on Sundays with a bossa nova trio. Next week: check back for the Monday Pedra do Sal roda and the Tuesday–Friday Blue Note lineup as the April programme begins. 06 Plan B More today › Feijoada double - Blue Note + Scenarium - Two feijoadas, one day. Blue Note calçadão from 11 am in Copacabana with samba and oceanfront. Rio Scenarium from noon on Rua do Lavradio with the three-storey casarão atmosphere. The definitive Saturday daytime crawl. › Nova Capela - the 2 am anchor - Av. Mem de Sá, 96, Lapa. When the Scenarium closes and the Gema empties, Nova Capela absorbs what remains. Cabrito assado, cold beer, open since 1903. The last table in Lapa on a Saturday night. › Jobi - Leblon - R. Ataulfo de Paiva, 1166. The quiet Zona Sul anchor on a night when Copacabana and Lapa are both at capacity. Metro Antero de Quental. Cold chopp, neighbourhood energy, the antidote to Saturday crowds. › Copacabana boardwalk - 28 °C, warm night. The kiosks between Blue Note and Leme are open late. The post-show walk south along the calçadão is the finest night-air stroll in the city. Carry an umbrella - 35 % rain chance means scattered showers are possible. › Sonja on record - "Sonja" (debut album, 2019, autoral blues-rock). "Rainha de Copas" (2023, produced by Marco Lacerda, co-produced by Ygor Helbourn - tarot-inspired blues and soul, nine tracks including "Calma," "Mudanças," "My Baby," and "Better Days"). Singles with Nove Zero Nove ("Sopro," 2020, Biscoito Fino studios). Ex-X Factor. Mississippi Delta Blues Festival. Circo Voador. 15 years of vocal training under Patrícia Evans. › In SP tonight - Check the São Paulo Nightlife Guide for tonight's picks: D-Edge NAVE Saturday flagship, Casa de Francisca Saturday programme, and Ó do Borogodó. › Last night's guide - Watusi at Blue Note Rio told 50 years of life through music and theatre - from the Moulin Rouge to Copacabana. The Mês das Mulheres enters its final weekend. 07 Getting Around Transport intel Metro: This Rio de Janeiro nightlife guide notes that Saturday is the busiest night of the week alongside Friday on public transport. Cardeal Arcoverde or Siqueira Campos for Copacabana; Cinelândia or Carioca for Lapa. Last trains around midnight - plan ahead if crossing from the Blue Note to Lapa late. Weather: Warm Saturday - 28 °C, 35 % rain chance. Scattered showers possible but temperatures stay high through the night. Carry an umbrella but no jacket needed. Ride-hailing: 99 and Uber operate normally but Saturday surge matches Friday as the highest of the week. Book rides in advance for departure after midnight. Copacabana to Lapa: 15–25 minutes depending on traffic. Safety: Rio de Janeiro on a Saturday night is at peak energy alongside Friday. Lapa is crowded - the Rua do Lavradio / Mem de Sá / Joaquim Silva triangle is well-populated but the surrounding streets require standard awareness after midnight. Copacabana is busy around the Blue Note. Valuables discreet. 08 Neighbourhood Picks By zone Copacabana Blue Note · Sonja · Feijoada · Bip Bip · Boardwalk The all-day circuit: Feijoada Raiz from 11 am, Sonja at 8 pm, the calçadão walk south for the post-show stroll, Bip Bip five minutes away for a possible sidewalk roda. Everything walkable along Av. Atlântica on a warm 28 °C night. Lapa / Centro Peak Saturday · Scenarium · Gema · Beco · Capela The full Lapa triangle at maximum Saturday capacity. Scenarium feijoada from noon, night programme from 7 pm. Gema and Beco on the Mem de Sá / Joaquim Silva axis. Nova Capela as the late anchor. The Saturday crawl rivals Friday as the definitive Lapa experience. Leblon Jobi · Quiet Saturday · Zona Sul The Zona Sul counterweight to peak-energy Copacabana and Lapa. Jobi on R. Ataulfo de Paiva for cold chopp and neighbourhood calm. Metro Antero de Quental. The escape route when the main circuits are at full volume. Looking Ahead Sun · Mês das Mulheres Finale Sunday: Paola Lappicy closes the Mês das Mulheres at Blue Note Rio at 7 pm with "Coisas que eu quis te dizer antes de tudo acabar" - second album launch, a narrative of endings. Blue Note lunch from 12 pm with bossa nova trio. Beco do Rato from 6 pm. The month of women ends. The Rio Times riotimesonline · Nightlife Guide · Published daily · Rio de Janeiro nightlife guide Compiled by the RT Nightlife Desk - all events verified against official sources. Prices, times, and door policies may change - always confirm before heading out. Tonight: Blue Note Rio · Sonja "Blues e Soul do Brasil e do Mundo" 8 pm · Copacabana. Feijoada Raiz from 11 am calçadão. Rio Scenarium · peak Sat · feijoada 12 pm + night 7 pm–2 am+ · R. do Lavradio. Carioca da Gema · Sat samba · 8:30 pm · Lapa. Beco do Rato · Sat 6 pm–2 am · no cover. Bip Bip · check day-of · Copacabana. Nova Capela · kitchen late. Rio de Janeiro nightlife Saturday March 28 2026. Tomorrow: Paola Lappicy Blue Note Rio Sun 7 pm - Mês das Mulheres finale.

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