São Paulo Underground

São Paulo: the most populous city in Brazil and the largest one in South America. Come and have a taste of it's underground and amazing cultural scene! Fresh bands, hot spots, secret parties, crazy DJs, underground art and entertaining tips you won't find in the mainstream media. We are also part of the travel tips website www.elaspelomundo.com.br

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Gay Parade!

Ok, this is not an exclusive, secret ou underground tip, since the whole country is aware about the Gay Parade, this Sunday, in São Paulo. The capital has the biggest gay parade in the world, and it's just awesome to see millions of people dancing and smiling in the heart of the city for a world without prejudgement and racism.

To celebrate our gay pride massive event, I introduce you my favourite Drag Queen: Dimmy Kieer, from São Paulo. Increase the volume and be ready to dance with her main hit "Look my Hair".

Of course we were at Paulista Avenue - the main avenue in São Paulo.

As MC Xuxu says: "um beijo pras travesti".

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Anelis Assumpção & os Amigos Imaginários

Having a last name of significant importance in Brazilian music, singer songwriter Anelis Assumpção has established herself as much more than just the heir to Itamar. The album “Anelis Assumpção & os Amigos Imaginários,” released through Label A in 2014, has become one of the most highly righted albums of last year and has even won the Deezer AMBI New Talents award and also the APCA award (critics choice, in São Paulo).

Anelis is a real gem of her generation, with the ensemble she works with much creativity and experimentalism, we call this “the new MPB.”

Her firm voice explores different styles and types of interpretation with ease and elegance, without missing a beat. Her unique interpretation explores different styles such as dub, reggae, afrobeat, rap, cabaret, samba and bossa nova.

Anelis, who has already been a television host, was born in São Paulo, started her career in music as backing vocal for her father’s band, the mythical Itamar Assumpção (1949-2003). Later, she went on to join her friends Iara and Andréia for the project called Dona Zica. Her first solo album was "Sou Suspeita Estou Sujeita Não Sou Santa” (2011).

After three years, the record label Label A released "Anelis Assumpção & os Amigos Imaginários" and as usual, the singer has support from the current cream of the crop in Brazilian music: Kiko Dinucci, Russo Passapusso, among others. The first single, “Song to Rosa” includes backing vocals from her friends and fellow singers Thalma de Freitas and Céu. Watch the music video directed by Ava Rocha.

You better do not miss her show in São Paulo this Friday, 22 at Serralheria:

Anelis Assumpção May, 22 – Friday Door: 22h (10pm) / Show: midnight Price: R$ 25,00 Where: Serralheria Address: Rua Guaicurus, 857 – Lapa http://www.anelisassumpcao.com/

#InsiderTip: Serralheria is a must go spot. Located in a non conventional place for venues – it’s the only one in that region – it has a nice open air space, filled with plants. Try the craft beer they have, it’s great. http://escapeserralheria.org/

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Poetry and astrophysics in a triple exhibition

Camila Crivelenti is a young multimedia artist, who has just opened her first exhibition in a very peculiar spot. Her art is occupying Estúdio Lâmina, an underground art gallery located in downtown São Paulo.

“RAZOÁVEL MENTE”, entitles a serie of three exhibitions that mixes astrophysics elements with paint, vídeo, photo and poetry. The first one opened this Saturday.

“RAZOÁVEL MENTE – A Massa” exposes the weight through prints, revealing anguish, loneliness and repression in the breasts of naked women. By carving the wood, the artist invites you to reflect about detrition - the more the material is eroded, the lighter it is.

The exhibition closes on July 04th, with a chat with the artist.Don´t miss it:

“RAZOÁVEL MENTE – A Massa”

Where: Estúdio Lâmina - Avenida São João, 108 - 4 Floor.

Subway stations: Anhangabaú or São Bento.

When: only Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays - from 14h (2pm) to 16h (4pm)

Free entrance.

Until July 04th  To see other works: camilacrivelenti.tumblr.com

#InsiderTip: Estúdio Lâmina is a new underground art gallery, located at the 4th floor of an old building in downtown. It has a bar inside, but below it, at Sâo Joâo street, there is a traditional samba bar.Nice place for a cachaça and good music.

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Guizado presents: O Voo do Dragão

Guizado’s fans are excited – O Voo do Dragão is born! The show is on the 15th May, at Itaú Cultural. In his third solo album, Guizado - trumpeter Guilherme Mendonça – is under the influence of Oriental culture.

The title O Voo do Dragão means “the Dragon Flight”. It’s totally instrumental, intense, experimental, heavy, powerful. Armed with trumpet and electronic databases such as MPC and synths, Guizado enters the scene accompanied by guitar, synthbass, and drums and builds a cinematic and urban soundtrack.

He’s a nujazz icon in Brazil, but also well known in the electronic scene. As noisy as melodic, he mixes jazz and typical brazilian grooves into electronic beats. Leading us on this trip, ahead of all, stays the trumpet and Guizado´s improvisation skills.

In addition to solo work, Guizado figure is stamped on the new crop of Brazilian music. Live, Guilherme Menezes takes the trumpet in concerts of many artists such as Karina Buhr, Arnaldo Antunes, Bruno Morais and Alzira Espíndola.

Listen to O Voo do Dragão here.

The debut show:

15th May (Friday) Itaú Cultural - Avenida Paulista, 149 20h Free tickets! Get yours 30 minutes before the show.

Guizado online:

Youtube Facebook

#InsiderTip: Itaú Cultural is located on the main avenue in São Paulo: Paulista. It’s the heart of São Paulo. A few blocks from the cultural venue is the Parque Trianon - the beautiful park where you can go for a walk before the sunset.

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Ludmilla, the former MC Beyoncé

Ludmilla comes straight from the baile funk scene, in Rio de Janeiro. Nothing to do with São Paulo, but as she was the main soundtrack of the easter holiday I spent in the countryside of São Paulo, I decided to introduce you guys to her. And the song is "Hoje":

Formerly known as MC Beyoncé, she is a Brazilian funk artist who rose to fame in 2012 with her popular song "Fala Mal de Mim." Ludmilla is considered one of the current top female artists in her relatively new, but popular among youth, Brazilian funk/pop genre.

#InsiderTip: If you want to go to a baile funk party in São Paulo, but you’re not 100% sure if you really should go to the suburbs (it can be dangerous for a foreigner who doesn’t speak perfect portuguese) try Royal Club, Club A or Club Disco. But be sure if they’re having a funk night when you’re ready to party. It will be expensive, but the music is awesome.

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Tropkillaz: among the favs!

As a music journalist, born and raised in São Paulo, who loves electronic music, I can say: Tropkillaz are definitely on my top 3 list of the brazilian electronic artists. It’s not because I had worked with them last year during the release of BUUUM Trax (the music label directed by DJ Zegon, one half of Tropkillaz). It’s coz I am really into the mix of trap, dubstep, edm, miami bass and hip hop this duo does. Check the videoclip for “Baby, Baby” (recorded in Los Angeles) they/we released in December 2014:

But the thing is: they are going to Europe this week for a spring tour. So, if you’re around the places below, don’t miss it.

Next month, Tropkillaz is booked for Mysteryland in New York, US, be ready!

From left to right: Zegon (old school) and Laudz (new school). To have some more mind blowing Tropkillaz, click here.

#InsiderTip: When in São Paulo, go to Largo São Bento. The spot in downtown is where the hip hop scene was born. In the 80′s, the kids - Zegon included - used to hang out in that square to do freestyle rhymes, break dance and ride the skate. The Largo São Bento is one of the oldest public areas of São Paulo, and was built in 1598.

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FATNOTRONIC is indahouse

Since January 2014, the DJs and producers Gorky and Phillip A. go by the name FATNOTRONIC. At that time, they released the track "Margarida", which became one of the TOP 5 favourite tracks of Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim. Yes, FATNOTRONIC conquered important fans, such as 2Manydjs, Diplo and Iggor Cavalera. By the way, this last one - half of Mixhell - named the duo FATNOTRONIC. And they have been bouncing São Paulo's electronic scene since them.

I decided to write about FATNOTRONIC because they rock, of course, and because everybody is talking about them after Lollapalooza São Paulo. They played on the electronic stage, supported by an awesome VJ that made their live set much more tasty with images of burguers and fat food. It was a huge success. Now we can say they are well known in town.

Actually they are: Phil used to be half of the former project Killer on the Dancefloor and Gorky is part of the amazing Bonde do Rolê. (this last band will be posted here in another opportunity).

What about their music? Some people call it "Brazilian Boogie". Some call it "Brazilian Space Disco". They like to play samples of popular brazilian music (MPB) in their groovy and fat beats.

Gorky and Phillip A.

You can feel it listening to the EP they released through the Californian label Chit Chat Records, The Brazilian Compilation Vol. 1.

Although the duo lives in São Paulo, their next gig in town will be in May. At this right moment they are flying to Europe (Belgium) and will come back with good news. Stay Tuned!

Listen to FATNOTRONIC here.

#InsiderTip - When that desire of eating a big burguer comes, go to Meats Burguer at Rua dos Pinheiros, 320 (Pinheiros neighbourhood). Phillip A. took me there once and he knows where to find good junkie food.

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Ninguém Dormi is on the walls

Wishing you a super week, filled with art! To start talking about street art - an iconic characteristic of São Paulo - I decided to show a little bit of my favourite graffiti artist in the city. His nickname is “Ninguém Dormi”, which means “no one sleeps”.

His work is basically black and white and the drawings are made up of many lines. I’ve seen a lot of brazilian indians, like the one right below.

He also draws characters directly related to our brazilian culture, such as São Jorge (Saint George).

On his facebook page, I saw this brand new Buddha:

His amazing works are spread all over the city, but you can find many of them on the narrow alleys in Vila Madalena - the “graffiti meca” of Brazil.

Ninguém Dormi isn’t amongst the hypest graffiti artists in Brazil, but he’s definitely awesome.

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Getting Started with Finlandia

This Sunday (March, 29th), the amazing duo Finlandia released their fifth studio album, Mundo Rural, at SESC Belenzinho. 

Formed by the brazilian Raphael Evangelista (cello / vocal) and the argentinian Maurício Candussi (accordion / electronic programming / piano / vocal), Finlandia brand new album looks through the past of its members.

Mundo Rural - or rural world - has folk music from south america such as: malambo, milonga, arrasta-pé, tango, campera... It all sounds great on accordion, ever better with cello, and powerful when it all comes together to electronic arsenal. Because Finlandia is a son of the modern and interactive world. But a world that would not have been born without rural experience.

Video-preview of Mundo Rural with 3 songs: “Dia de Cosecha” / “Tierra del Campo” / “Cariri Junino”.

Buy and listen to Mundo Rural here.

The tour in Brazil has just started, but it’s good to mention their European tour in July, followed by Asia, Central America and finally Argentina. Check the next shows here.

#InsiderTip: When in São Paulo, don’t miss SESC Belenzinho music attractions. The cultural center is located at Belém neighbourhood - east zone - at Rua Padre Adelino, 1000.