Rock in Rio: metal fans endorse Pavilhão 9

ROCK CITY, 8 p.m. – Originally a rap band from the suburbs of São Paulo, Pavilhão 9 launched a new package at Rock In Rio – literally. Rappers Rhossi and Doze, who have always performed wearing masks, showed their faces on stage for the first time, right after the opening number, Planos, Mapas, Esquemas. Their music, though, which had been slowly losing its hip hop elements, has completely turned into metal, with a bit of swing and a lot of punch coming from Ortega and Munari’s guitars and Fernando’s twin-bass drums. Wearing black, the musicians were empathic and hailed by the audience with the classic devil’s hand heavy metal gesture. But instead of satanic themes, the group reports on urban violence (in songs like Terra de Ninguém, Execução Sumária and Reação), to keep things in high gear. Incessantly rapping and moving around, Doze and Rhossi drove the crowd wild with their anti-police anthem Otários Fardados, which is the reason why they had to start out hiding their faces. The highlight of the set came by the end, when guitarist Andreas Kisser and drummer Igor Cavalera, from Sepultura, joined Pavilhão 9 for an acclaimed version of Mandando Bronca.