Gilberto Gil at Modern-Day Festivals
The first edition of Rock in Rio opened up the way for a new kind of festival, and Gil took part in several of them.
By Instituto Gilberto Gil
Text: Chris Fuscaldo and Ricardo Schott, journalists and music researchers
The Scale of Rock in Rio
Held in 1985, the first edition of Rock in Rio changed the Brazilian view of festivals. The event drew packed audiences every day, attracting famous acts from Brazil and abroad. Gilberto Gil shared his first day on the festival stage with George Benson, Al Jarreau, James Taylor, Elba Ramalho, and Ivan Lins. On the second day, the stage hosted Gil, Yes, The B-52s, Nina Hagen, Blitz, and Barão Vermelho.
Gilberto Gil em apresentação no Rock in Rio (1985-01)Instituto Gilberto Gil
The sheer size of the Rock in Rio festival was a novelty for the Brazilian musicians. At the City of Rock venue (Cidade do Rock), the journalist Glória Maria interviewed Gil and Caetano Veloso, who was not singing at the event but was there to help with the sound check.
Gilberto Gil em apresentação no Rock in Rio (1985-01)Instituto Gilberto Gil
New Wave Gil
Both of the musicians expressed amazement at the size of the stage. At the time, Gil was busy promoting his Raça Humana album, released the previous year, with its extensive use of keyboards and a sound that was very close to new wave music.
He performed an extended version of the song Pessoa Nefasta at Rock in Rio, getting the audience to repeat onomatopoeic sounds to the rhythm of the song.
Gilberto Gil em apresentação no Rock in Rio (1985-01)Instituto Gilberto Gil
The singer appeared at the festival with gelled hair and a quiff, calling his look "glitter rock," which he later described as "a pop-rock style that was all about the look."
Incidentally, Gil's son Bem Gil was born later that same year and he has claimed he saw the festival "from his mother's belly."
Roteiro para o show de Gilberto Gil no Rock in Rio de 1985 Roteiro para o show de Gilberto Gil no Rock in Rio de 1985 (1985)Instituto Gilberto Gil
Other Rock in Rios
Gil appeared at Rock in Rio again in 2001, and went on to perform solo at the first edition of the festival in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2004.
Gilberto Gil e Milton Nascimento durante a turnê Gil & Milton (2001)Instituto Gilberto Gil
At the third edition of the Rock in Rio festival in 2001, Gil was joined on stage by Milton Nascimento, with whom he had recently released an album. The pair opened the show for icons including Sting and James Taylor.
Family Tragedy
The show that Gil was due to do in his second appearance at a contemporary Brazilian festival—Hollywood Rock in 1990—had to be canceled after a car accident killed his son Pedro Gil, who was also the drummer in his band. Gil was supposed to open for Bob Dylan, but Margareth Menezes took his place.
Gilberto Gil e Carlinhos Brown em apresentação no Hollywood Rock (1996-01-28)Instituto Gilberto Gil
The singer would return to the event in 1996, when the festival was held in both Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. He performed alongside guests like Fernanda Abreu, Lobão, and Carlinhos Brown.
"I feel a bit like a doyen; the oldest guy in the class. It's no problem, though. I'm nearly 54. We're going to start up a little school run by Professor Gil," the musician told the newspaper Folha de São Paulo.
A Brazilian Woodstock
Before Rock in Rio and Hollywood Rock, Gil had appeared at the Águas Claras Festival in Iacanga, in São Paulo State. He took the stage at the festival in 1981 while in the middle of his Luar album tour, and it is said to have been the Brazilian festival that most resembled Woodstock.
Artistic Director
Gil was also the artistic director of a festival from 1996 to 2002: World Percussion Panorama (Panorama Percussivo Mundial), also known as PercPan. For this Salvador-based event, he joined forces with musicians like Naná Vasconcelos, who also worked on artistic direction and helped select the acts.
Gil brought in the most outstanding talent in percussion music from around the world and invited fellow artists such as Dona Ivone Lara, Gal Costa, and Milton Nascimento.
Gilberto Gil e diversos percussionistas no show do Panorama Percussivo Mundial - PercPan (2002)Instituto Gilberto Gil
Letras diversas de Gilberto Gil para o Percpan Letras diversas de Gilberto Gil para o Percpan (1996)Instituto Gilberto Gil
One of Gil's own songs that he performed at the PercPan festival became known as Percussivo Panorama.
Exhibit credits
Text and research: Chris Fuscaldo and Ricardo Schott
Editing: Chris Fuscaldo
Assembly: Patrícia Sá Rêgo
Copyediting: Laura Zandonadi
General credits
Editing and curation: Chris Fuscaldo / Garota FM
Research - music: Ceci Alves, Chris Fuscaldo, Laura Zandonadi and Ricardo Schott
Research - Ministry of Culture: Carla Peixoto, Ceci Alves and Chris Fuscaldo
Subtitles: Anna Durão, Carla Peixoto, Ceci Alves, Chris Fuscaldo, Daniel Malafaia, Fernanda Pimentel, Gilberto Porcidonio, Kamille Viola, Laura Zandonadi, Lucas Vieira, Luciana Azevedo, Patrícia Sá Rêgo, Pedro Felitte, Ricardo Schott, Roni Filgueiras e Tito Guedes
Data editing: Isabela Marinho and Marco Konopacki
Gege Produções Review: Cristina Doria
Acknowledgements: Gege Produções, Gilberto Gil, Flora Gil, Gilda Mattoso, Fafá Giordano, Maria Gil, Meny Lopes, Nelci Frangipani, Cristina Doria, Daniella Bartolini e todos os autores das fotos e personagens da história
All media: Instituto Gilberto Gil
*Every effort has been made to credit the images, audios and videos and correctly tell the story about the episodes narrated in the exhibitions. If you find errors and/or omissions, please contact us by email atendimentogil@gege.com.br
