Brazil
ORDEM E PROGRESSO
ROCKING RIO In the centre of a perfect storm, the economic climate hasn’t been worse in living memory. But as the conditions to attract international acts worsen, Adam Woods learns that the local industry is witnessing a resurgence in domestic talent. In Brazil, when they go to work on a tricky problem, they call it peeling the pineapple – descascar o abacaxi. But Brazil in 2016 offers a lot of the kind of pineapples that aren’t easily peeled. The former president was impeached in September amid a wide-ranging corruption enquiry; the economy is suffering a recession worse than the Great Depression; and the Real-US dollar exchange rate has halved since 2012. Then there are ecological concerns, the Zika virus, and an epic struggle with economic inequality. If Brazil was only recently thought to have moved into a new era of ease and prosperity, 2016 – a fairly terrible year in just about any language – has provided a sharp correction. For the live business, however, one negative appears to have created a positive: a reduction in international traffic, leading to a boom in domestic action. Brazil is still the number-one live market in South America and a must-visit for international stars going that way. But the weakness of the Real means they’re not going that way as often as they were, even if the megastar shows – The Stones, Paul McCartney, Black Sabbath – keep on coming and keep on selling. “Brazil is going through a tough phase,” says Phil Rodriguez of Miami-based, South America-wide Move Concerts. “Between the corruption scandals, the economy going through the worst recession since the 1930s and companies laying off workers, a certain paralysis has come into play. “Companies are holding onto budgets until a better, moredefined picture of the future comes into view. That primarily affects sponsorships, and it creates a scenario where the top-
Map Key Promoter Agent Agent/Promoter Venue Festival 1. Belém
Se Rasgum
2. Belo Horizonte TF7 Eventos
Embaixada Cultural Malab Produções A Autêntica CCBB Chevrolet Hall Funarte BH Mineirão Music Hall SESC Paladium 53 HC Music Fest Eletronika Embaixada Cultural Música Mundo Savassi Transborda
3. Brasília 8X8 Live
CCBB Mané Garrincha Stadium Net Live Parques da Cidade Teatro da Caixa Teatro Dulcina Picnik Porão do Rock
4. Curitiba Zeropila Produções Jokers Pub Parque das Pedreiras Monsters of Rock
5. Florianópolis Better World Devassa on Stage
6. Fortaleza Arte Produções Arena Castelão Siará Hall
7.Goiânia A Construtora Monstro Centro Cultural Martim Cererê Bananada Goiânia Noise
IQ Magazine January 2017
line shows still do well but many mid-level shows are hurt.” It also creates a scenario in which, in the absence of a swathe of international visitors, Brazilian music – always the most popular kind in Brazil – is doing particularly well. Big household purchases may be off the cards, but ticket sales are holding up in many sectors. “The market for small events, parties and seasonal events, like New Year’s Eve and Carnival, has not decreased,” says Gabriel Benarros, founder of ticketing app Ingresse. “I’ve seen studies that show people actually spend more in times of economic recession as the average Brazilian [makes fewer] long-term investments. “As the exchange rate has rendered it prohibitive to pay for international performers, I’ve seen the larger producers doing smaller concerts with national performers over the large, David Guetta-type concerts. But tickets are still selling.” According to data from T4F, published well before the recession, the South American live entertainment market has for some years been expanding faster than the overall global average. In Brazil, per capita spending on entertainment in general increased by 13% between 2005 and 2012, from $152 (€143) to $359 (€339), representing nearly $70billion (€66bn) in total spending – including sporting events, cinema, eating out and music. Regardless of today’s challenges, Brazilians believe that given the industrious new government and undeniable untapped economic potential, the live business can only continue to grow over the longer term. “Every crisis always has a turnaround,” says T4F director Luiz Oscar Niemeyer, whose Planmusic, famous for
8. Guaramiranga
Abril Pro Rock Coquetel Molotov Rec Beat
Festival de Jazz e Blues
9. Londrina Open The Road
15. Rio de Janeiro
10. Manaus Amazônia Arena
11. Natal DoSol DoSol
12.Olinda Chevrolet Hall
13. Porto Alegre Opinião Estádio Passo d’Areia Bar Opinião Pepsi on Stage El Mapa Del Todos Monsters of Rock Se Rasgum
14. Recife Astronave Fina Produção Rec Beat Produções Coquetel Molotov
Dueto Producoes Artisticas Luanda Producoes Planmusic Top Cat Producoes Artisticas Queremos WeDemand Centro Cultural Circo Voador Citibank Hall Fundição Progresso HSBC Arena Imperator João Nogueira MAM Maracanã Stadium Oi Futuro Teatro Odisséia Teatro Rival Novas Frequencias Rio das Ostras Jazz & Blues Rock In Rio Ultra
16. Salvador Concha Acústica
17. São Paulo AEG Dynamo Prod Enjoy Experiences Mercury Concerts Move Concerts Plus Talent Poladian Promocoes Agogô Cultural Ataque Frontal Balaclava Records BarraventoArtes Brain Productions Brasuca Produções Difusa Fronteira Inker Lucas Shows Mundo Giras Popload Scubidu Music Sob Controle Squat Intl. Booking Agency Urban Jungle T4f XYZ Anhembi Arena Audio Club Auditório Ibirapuera Autódromo José Carlos Pace
Beco 203 Bourbon St Music Club Campo de Marte Cine Jóia Citibank Hall Espaço das Américas Estádio do Morumbi Metropolitan Prefeitura Sesc Pompeia Studio Verona Abraxas Balaclava Jazz na Fábrica Lollapalooza Maximus MECA Monsters of Rock Popload SIM São Paulo Sónar Tomorrowland Brasil Virada Cultural Festival
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