Access to the entrance to theapelaú valley was blocked as soon as the BaianaSystem group appeared on stage from Virada Cultural in São Paulo just after 8:30 p.m. this Saturday.
The queues in front of the magazine stopped and the atmosphere became more tense. People heard the group’s hits play and immediately wanted to join in. Some sang, others danced.
The Centro shows at Virada 2023 were centered on Annexabaú. The most popular Saturday night attractions were Bahia system It is Gloria Groove. By the end of these shows, the balance of the event was as follows:
- The entrance featured an unprecedented security system with elevated police stations and a magazine of sensors.
- Gloria Groove put on a busy show, but the audio broke out, interrupting the presentation twice.
- BaianaSystem glorified the Bahian guitar and turned the show into a celebration.
- These two main performances were lively but without much confusion.
- After the end of BaianaSystem, most people left Annexabaú en masse.
Fan wears a BaianaSystem mask during a show at Virada Cultural 2023 PHOTO TIAGO QUEIROZ / ESTADÃO Photo: Tiago Queiroz
Russo Passapusso, director of BaianaSystem, asked her to start a samba circle. He then spoke again about the Bahia guitar (the group’s project is to spread it globally) and caused a stir with an instrumental theme. Saci, one of the strong sounds of the group, provided another moment of great movement in the audience.
Baiana isn’t a pop phenomenon, but it can pull in an audience. And she was there singing with singer Russo Passapusso. There was a lot of partying in the audience, lots of fun. The shared catharsis in the group’s shows was less radical, but audience participation was intense. Decompression, the most wellknown sound, has become a celebration.
Russo Passapusso by BaianaSystem at Virada Cultural 2023 PHOTO TABA BENEDICTO / ESTADAO Photo: TABA BENEDICTO
Immediately after the BaianaSystem show, most of the audience started leaving Annexabaú en masse.
The other most prominent artists on the stage plan have performances scheduled for Sunday afternoon: Alceu Valença, Iza and Carlinhos Brown. At the end of the morning, Beto Lee and Paula Lima will pay tribute to Rita Lee (see the end of the text for the full program).
Other stages around the city featured performances by Carlinhos Brown, Raça Negra, Nação Zumbi, Livinho and more on Saturday. On Sunday, Gabi Amarantos, Djonga, Tierry, Léo Santana, MC Caveirinha, Emicida, Zé Vaqueiro, MC Cabelinho, Marina Sena, Ivan Lins and more will perform see full program.
Gloria Groove opened Virada no Annexabaú with sound issues but managed to put on a lively show.
“Who pulled the Virada Cultural out of the socket? Virada, help me, leave me behind!” said the singer once he realized no one else heard a sound. The breakdown happened on the third song after she sang Auction. The interruption lasted a few minutes.
Then the sound was restored, but stopped again. Technical problems jeopardized the flow of a show that had started with high temperatures.
Supervised by a military police drone, some shock troop men standing on the track, and other PM soldiers housed in booths, Glória Groove calmly put on a show despite the initial sound issues.
At the end, presenter Manoel Soares revealed that he spoke to the Prime Minister’s CommanderGeneral and that he said that up to this moment there was “no record of a lover’s quarrel”. Nevertheless, Manoel reminded that one should be careful with mobile phones.
Gloria managed to garner an intense and engaging audience who could watch her nearly 1:30 hour show just like she does at private and paid festivals like Lollapalooza. There was everything, their hits, their screens, their male and female dancers.
There really is a new security system for this year’s Virada Cultural. The people who arrived in Vale do Annexabaú that Saturday afternoon zigzagged through corridors separated by large corridors. Once at the entrance, they had to open bags, show what they were carrying in their bags and go through sensors. There has never been a plan so well put together.
The novelty on the airstrip in Vale do Annexabaú were five police booths placed at strategic points. The measure enables the police to see what is happening from above. Because the bandits’ strategy is to incite riots and subsequent trawling, the view from above can deter criminal activity.
A third measure, also unprecedented in the Annexabaú Arena, is the creation of a central security corridor. It allows for swift action and police infiltration of the audience, which was not the case in 2022.
Annexabaú Stage (Virada Cultural)
Saturday
- 6pm Gloria Groove
- 8:30pm Baiana system
- 10 p.m. Josiara
- 11pm Dread Sea I
Sunday
- 1h30 Luedji Luna
- 3:30 a.m. Mv Bill
- 9:30 am PM Band + Daniela Araújo
- 11:30 am Tribute to Rita Lee by Beto Lee with Paula Lima
- 12:30 Filhos da Bahia invites Carlinhos Brown, Reinaldinho and Tonho Matéria
- 4 p.m. Alceu Valença
- 6:30pm Iza
View the full schedule here.
Traditional wheel at the BaianaSystem fair PHOTO TABA BENEDICTO / ESTADAO Photo: TABA BENEDICTO