My Rio Travel Guide — the most updated, practical, and useful guidebook to Rio de Janeiro — has a chapter dedicated to Rio’s nightlife.
This travel guide e-book does not cover nightlife only, hence it does not list all the options available in the city. However, it presents enough options to keep you busy in your first 7 nights in Rio de Janeiro, with different nightlife options for each night of the week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
My Rio Travel Guide covers mainly the live music night scene, which in summary is a collection of the main types of rhythms heard and danced in Brazil such as:
Samba — This is by far the most famous Brazilian rhythm (maybe because of Carnival), and king at Rio’s nightlife. Regardless of the night of the week, there is always a samba hall where a band plays live samba music. My Rio Travel Guide lists the most popular (where locals go) as well as those more convenient and safe for tourists.
Bossa Nova — Probably the second most internationally-known Brazilian rhythm. Bossa Nova was a new and popular rhythm in 1960s. Nowadays, it is no longer part of the Rio’s nightlife program, but the rhythm can still be heard in some selected Bossa Nova temples in Rio de Janeiro.
Forro — This rhythm is originally from the Brazilian North and North-East, but in the last years it became trendy and incorporated into Rio de Janeiro’s nightlife. There are a couple of traditional places in Rio where you can go to watch local couples dancing forro accompanied of a live band.
Brazilian music goes beyond samba, bossa nova, and forro. You can also hear and see live choro as well as other trendy rhythms such as funk and Brazilian country music.
Instead of presenting outdated concerts and venues on this webpage, you can find updated nightlife information in My Rio Travel Guide, which is updated and revised twice a year to bring you fresh and reliable info.
Get your copy and start planning your nightlife in Rio de Janeiro!
P.S. Salsa is not a Brazilian rhythm; most Brazilians don’t dance Salsa, although some nightlife venues in Rio de Janeiro play it on a weekly basis.