Brilliantly colored costumes blanketed with shiny beads and feathers, live music and dancing, refreshing cocktails and tasty street food. A vibrant slice of
Brazil comes to 910 Live in Tempe this Saturday night, and everyone 21 and older is invited.
Afro:Baile Records
hosts the third annual Carnaval do Brazil, a tribute to the enormous celebration throughout South America's largest country. Organizer Miguel Ivery, who also hosts a Brazilian Day celebration in September, said he expects at 1,000 people to show up.
"This is one of the largest and most authentic Brazilian events in the Valley," he said. "We fly in Brazilian bands and want everyone to get as close to Brazil without actually going there."
The wild parties throughout Brazil often have negative, over-sexualized stereotypes attached to them. Ivery realizes this, and he hopes his celebration will show the cultural and religious significance behind the festival.
"When most people think of Carnaval, they think of half-naked women and lots of drummers, but it's not just about the booty-shaking," he said. "We want to show that it's also a celebration and way of life for the Brazilian people. It's a tradition before the start of Lent. People work on their costumes and routines for months."
Ivery encourages participants to dress in green, yellow and blue, or wear Carnaval costumes and masks. Here are some highlights from this year's event.
The entertainment Entertainment will take place on three stages inside and outside on the sprawling patio. The headliner this year is the eight-member Phoenix-based samba band Radio Brazil. The band includes former members of Som Brasil, and other top musicians originally from Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
"They really bring the big sound of Carnaval
music," Ivery said. "Carnaval features songs that blend axé, samba rock and reggae, and is heavy on the percussion."
Also performing is Quetzal Guerrero, a Brazilian soul artist originally from Mesa who now lives in Los Angeles. Ivery said he will play an exclusive all-Carnaval samba funk set intended to get the audience moving.
Valley samba dancers also will be on-site, mesmerizing the audience with their hypnotic dance moves and colorful costumes. They'll walk around the crowd, encouraging guests to let loose and twist, spin and shake their hips.
The food and drink Food will be catered by Val's Brazilian Cuisine and will include coxhinas, which are deep-fried, teardrop-shaped snacks filled with meat and spices, and Brazilian tacos (pastel) stuffed with meat and vegetables, then fried.
Read more:
http://www.azcentral.com/thingstodo/bars/articles/2012/02/01/20120201carnaval-do-brazil-910-live-tempe-arizona-dancers.html#ixzz1lEX6pa5q
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