On its fifth night, Rock in Rio gives space to the more pop side of punk and also to musicians who, for the most part, have been impacted by the movement at some point in their lives. Thus, nothing fairer than Green Day, precisely one of the bands that helped make the style burst, belatedly, in the USA, being the great headliner of today.
Billie Joe Armstrong and co. managed to stay in business for more than 30 years, balancing between ups and downs of inspiration and commercial success, but always maintaining dignity and good humor. In post-pandemic times, their show may be the big breath of air we need so much. They start playing at 00:10.
The entire program on the stage is made up of survivors and people who turned around. Fall Out Boy, who plays at 10:20 pm, continued on active duty and overcame the stigmatizing label of “emo band” and also promises to deliver a very fun concert.
Billy Idol at 8:10 pm is the biggest veteran of the night. Unlike his stagemates, he was in London in 1977, in the eye of the punk hurricane as the lead singer of Generation X. With the end of Bandam, he went to the US and surprisingly ended up becoming one of the biggest pop stars of his time – and earning the nickname “boutique punk” from his detractors.
Along with fame came excesses, less inspired records, and the inevitable drop in success. But, after comings and goings, he’s still out there with a show that promises to amuse and thrill in equal measure.
With all these success stories, it’s only fair to have Capital Inicial as the opening attraction. First, because they have their origins in one of the first punk bands in the country, Aborto Elétrico by Renato Russo, and also because of the incredible history of overcoming that they had, when they went from being a totally discredited band to one of the most popular in the country – and it’s never too much to remember that one of the high points of this renaissance, or even the highest, took place precisely at Rock in Rio in 2001.
Sunset stage
Sunset’s programming also looks to the future, although it also looks back. In the first case we have Jão, one of the great popstars that emerged in recent Brazil, debuting on RiR at 4:55 pm. The 27-year-old singer, born in the interior of São Paulo, has already done well at Lollapalooza and has been selling out shows wherever he goes – it’s no wonder a stadium tour is being planned for next year.
As was the case with Luisa Sonza, it is quite likely that today, at 4:55 pm, Jão will also qualify to return to the festival in two years, but on the Mundo Stage.
The first show of the day, at 3:30 pm, brings together another “emo survivor”, the always friendly Di Ferrero, with a newcomer: Vitor Kley.
After Jão, Sunset hosts a special concert in tribute to the first Rock in Rio, which took place 37 years ago. “1985: The Homage” promises to be a beautiful, instructive and, of course, fun show.
Fun is also what you can expect from Avril Lavigne. The “pop punk princess” may have grown up, she is 37 years old, but she kept her youthful spirit as can be seen in, “Love Sux”, her latest album where she resumed the sound that was heard in her first works.
