Clubbing In Brazil 2002: Camilo Rocha Reports

"Parties here are very lively and full of pretty, sexy girls. There's also a very friendly vibe here and I think the friendliness is more natural than in Europe. I've found that Europeans, particularly the English, are very friendly at parties but outside they're not so friendly. Brazilian people seem friendlier in general. Parties here last for ages too, because you don't have any pain-in-the-arse licensing laws and you can sell alcohol all the time."

Former Muzik writer Camilo Rocha returned to his home town of Sao Paulo in 1995 and these days is one of South America's leading techno/house DJs, last year winning the prestigious Top DJ award at Rock In Rio. He also continues to write for Brazil's most influential "broadsheet" newspaper Folha Da Sao Paulo as well as for Skrufff.


2002 sees Brazil's fast growing dance scene firing on all cylinders. After years of gradual expansion, from the first gay-orientated underground clubs to the big outdoor raves, electronic music in Brazil has finally come of age.

Several key factors have been behind this growth. There's the international success of local drum & bass DJs Marky and Patife; the recent investment from major international brands including Smirnoff and Skol (lager) and the sheer scale and variety of new clubbers, events, upcoming local DJs and visiting international stars. Local media also now treats dance music as a serious musical phenomenon rather than just a fad, finally starting to push aside the tired old rock that dominated Brazil for so many years.

The inland megalopolis of São Paulo is the undisputed centre of the Brazilian scene, while a much smaller though enthusiastic club cultures operates in Rio. Pockets can also be found in towns like Belo Horizonte, Brasília and Curitiba built around clubs or even beach parties. Ask an international DJ their favourite place to visit and many will say Brazil, with the likes of Laurent Garnier, Bushwacka!, Paul Oakenfold, Brian Gee, Christian Smith and D.A.V.E. The Drummer all becoming regular and frequent visitors in recent years.

Apart from the scene's phenomenally uplifting vibe, Brazil has many other pluses: 24-hour drinking, extremely open and friendly people who love chatting to foreigners, multitudes of seriously beautiful people of both sexes, plus a struggling currency that makes everything bargain basement cheap. São Paulo also boasts fantastically varied and high quality restaurants plus a growing after-hours culture with many post-club joints and house parties carrying on well after the clubs have closed. The outdoor rave parties usually continue until late afternoon of the following day.


Brazil's greatest downside, in common with much of South America, is its serious levels of crime and violence, with heavily armed, sometimes psychotic, criminals, a disturbing reality throughout the country. It is advisable to be careful where you walk at all times, avoiding night time strolls in big cities altogether. Blending in, staying alert and avoiding ostentation is also recommended, with mobile phones, cameras and any electronic equipment a magnet for the many opportunistic robbers, especially in crowded areas.

You should avoid downtown areas unless you go with a local you trust. The
cliche of hot-blooded Latin men is true so nasty fights are not uncommon meaning it's always best to keep your cool rather than letting an argument escalate. Some of the poverty and squalor of some areas, such as the notorious favelas (shanty towns) can be quite disturbing to the unaccustomed European and these areas should be avoided altogether, day or night.

All drugs remain illegal in Brazil and can land you in prison immediately, even just for one spliff (cannabis joint). Despite this they're widely available and phenomenally cheap, with 5 gram wraps of cocaine easily found for under £25. Brazilians also seem remarkably unconcerned about the risk of arrest (especially towards spliff) though armed police often Tags

• Brazil