Two years ago, we attended the opening of the new venue chosen by Rock in Rio for the festival. The move was bold and risky: moving from the natural amphitheater of Bela Vista Park to an area along the Tagus River— which was more open and posed greater logistical challenges— also meant covering a much larger area.
At the time, our impression fell short of expectations. The venue was sparsely occupied, with large empty areas. There weren’t as many of the usual brand tents as usual, and the entertainment and food areas were insufficient, which created a somewhat fragmented and distant atmosphere between different parts of the venue.
This year, what a wonderful surprise— the scene is quite different. There are more entertainment zones, several dining areas, and better-distributed restrooms (although there are still lines, they move faster). Above all, the feeling of emptiness is gone: no matter where we are in Parque Tejo, there’s always some activity happening nearby.
In our opinion, of course, Parque Tejo finally proved to be the ideal venue for this Rock in Rio, even though there were still some challenges with transportation to and from the venue— a situation that was effectively resolved by the organizers of this major music event.
Let’s find out what you missed?
Saturday: the triumph of pop and Parque Tejo rocking
The first weekend transformed Cidade do Rock into two separate festivals, resulting in a kickoff that, in our opinion, was incomparable to previous editions.
The first day was designed for a younger, family-oriented audience, focused on pure entertainment, with a more commercial lineup that got people moving to the beat.
The Palco Mundo stage featured acts like Katy Perry, Charlie Puth, Calema, and Pedro Sampaio, delivering a string of catchy choruses and viral dance routines, with the audience rising to every challenge set by their favorite artists.
Although Katy Perry’s concert was highly anticipated (the venue was packed), Saturday’s highlight was undeniably Pedro Sampaio’s “cavalinho,” which had 100,000 people jumping and making Parque Tejo shake.
On the other stages, pop and electronic music reigned supreme with performances by Bebe Rexha, Bárbara Bandeira, Audrey Nuna, and Alok, who closed out the night at Music Valley.
Sunday: distortion, nostalgia, and the return of rock
If Saturday was for dancing, Sunday was a day to “let loose,” with the setting and atmosphere changing drastically, shifting from glitz and glow to a sea of festivalgoers sporting the obligatory black T-shirts emblazoned with rock band names.
In the end, Sunday was the first sold-out date of this edition of Rock in Rio, which once again brought the charismatic Linkin Park to Lisbon — this time featuring Emily Armstrong’s Lisbon debut, who delivered an epic performance (even as we still deeply miss the late Chester Bennington).
Cypress Hill, The Pretty Reckless, and Grandson delivered very solid, adrenaline-fueled performances before the headliners took the stage .
The excitement surrounding the best-known riffs of “heavy” rock spread to the other stages on a notably nostalgic and intense day, highlighted by performances from Sepultura, P.O.D., Hoobastank, and the Kaiser Chiefs.
Portuguese music is becoming increasingly relevant
Amid the clash of international titans, the national music scene rightfully claimed its space, with the secondary stages serving as a showcase for both heavyweight hip-hop and a celebration of Portuguese rock.
Sam The Kid joined the Orchestra, and Orelha Negra and Dealema brought classic rap to the venue; Tara Perdida and Blasted Mechanism marked 30 years in the business with memorable performances; and on the digital stage , we got to hear Jimmy P, Samuel Úria, and Diego Miranda.
Our verdict couldn’t be better— from the huge surprise at how the organizers of this music festival managed to bring more entertainment to the massive venue, to the quality of every single concert, without exception, which undoubtedly made for the best start ever.
What’s going to happen on the second weekend of Rock in Rio?
For the second weekend of Rock in Rio— which won’t return to the capital for another two years— the focus is on Legends Day:
- On June 27, the headliners will be Rod Stewart, Cyndi Lauper, and Xutos & Pontapés;
- On June 28, artists such as 21 Savage, Central Cee, and Rema will bring more urban beats to the festival for fans of hip-hop and trap.
