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If today, almost 20 years later, I still have the excitement to play in a heavy metal band, to go to rock concerts, it's because of Kiss. ​​It's because of that concert. It's because of that festival as a whole!”

by Marcel Ianuck

August 27, 1994.
A date etched in my memory and the memories of many other Brazilian headbangers. Why? Because that was the date of the first Philips Monsters of Rock in Brazil!

First, let's put this era into context. In 1994, very few international concerts, especially rock concerts, took place in Brazil. This is even more true when compared to today, when major cities can have more than one event on the same night. Festivals like Hollywood Rock, Skol Rock, and, of course, Rock in Rio with important bands did happen. But it was once a year, if that. A single artist's tour of the country was rare and generally restricted to Rio and São Paulo, generating caravans/excursions throughout the country towards the Southwest (that's how I saw bands like Metallica and Skid Row, for example). However, a Brazilian edition of the famous English festival Monsters of Rock, which, unlike the aforementioned festivals, would be entirely focused on heavy metal?

It was "THE" dream of all the fans, who followed the historic lineups of the original festival through photos and posters in magazines and zines of the time.

I personally liked (and still like) all the bands from that first national edition. So, even at 16 years old and living in Brasília, I couldn't miss it!

The first step was convincing my mother to take me, since the excursions I looked for here were already full, and those that weren't full had restrictions on taking minors. This was made easier by the fact that, at the time, I had a stepfather who was a fan of Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and the like, and who also worked in São Paulo a few days a month.

Since it was a quick trip, we looked for a very cheap hotel so as not to spend too much money. Keep in mind that this was a time without much help from the internet, GPS, and similar technologies. We chose the Hotel Governador on a corner of Praça da Sé.

On the 27th, in the morning, my mother and I arrived in São Paulo by bus. We bought a newspaper to get information about the show and a special Kiss magazine that Top Rock published at the time (I think I still have it!). In the newspaper, we saw what the show's structure would be like, with an organized food court and other amenities. Bazinga! My stepfather was running late, and I convinced my mother to let me go ahead alone so I wouldn't miss any of the shows. She gave me money for the taxi there, some money for food, and we agreed to meet in the "food court" to the right of the stage after the first international act. Easy peasy!

Arriving there alone, I joined the enormous line for tickets and then the enormous line to enter the Pacaembu stadium. Even so, I managed to get in in time to hear the first chords of the first band.

ANGRA : I had Angra's recently released LP, Angels Cry, and I really liked it. Since Viper was (and still is) one of my favorite bands, I was very excited to hear and see the original vocalist, André Matos, live for the first time. Carry On started off killer. I ran so much that I think I got closest to the stage halfway through the song. It was around 2 PM, so the stadium wasn't packed, but there were already quite a few people. It was truly a fantastic show, not only because of André, but the whole band was very tight and they really excited the audience with the great songs from this album, which, for me, along with Shaman's Reason, is one of André's best post-Viper works. I remembered something I read, if I'm not mistaken in the newspaper, where André Matos said that if the guys from Viper invited him for a jam session, he would be willing. We'd have to wait and see. The show ended, everyone satisfied with the feeling that we had just witnessed something special, and we truly had, because Angra has grown immensely, occupying for a long time, along with Sepultura, the position of the main Brazilian representatives of Metal in the world.

DR. SIN : I'd already seen them at Hollywood Rock, so it wasn't much of a surprise. And I confess I was still digesting the Angra show, along with a hot dog and a soda, my last meal of the day. But they're a really cool band live, mainly because of the killer drumming of Ivan Busic. Emotional Cathastrophy had had reasonable exposure on MTV, even appearing on shows like TOP 10 Brasil (Yes! That same MTV of today used to have good stuff like that!) and was one of the highlights of the show. They were also very well received by the audience, who were quite enthusiastic during the great set. I remember the sound was much cleaner than Angra's, which started out a bit muffled in the first few songs. Advantages of a power trio.

VIPER : Needless to say, of all the Brazilian bands, they were the one I was most looking forward to seeing. Evolution was, and still is, one of my favorite Brazilian metal albums. I had seen them opening for Metallica a few years ago, but besides the sound being a bit bad that day, the set was very short. This show was different because, from the national lineup, they were one of the main acts, which allowed for more time and a much better sound. You could see they lacked "game rhythm" because they were mixing their next album, the controversial (but great) Coma Rage, and weren't playing shows regularly. But they compensated for one or two mistakes with a lot of energy and an unparalleled stage presence, highlighting the enthusiasm of guitarist Felipe Machado and bassist/singer Pit Passarell. For those outside of São Paulo, it's breathtaking, just like it was when they opened for Metallica, seeing the entire stadium singing the intro to Living for the Night! I never understood how they didn't become a huge worldwide sensation! They also played two songs from their (future) album Coma Rage, with a more hardcore feel, which didn't bother me because I like both styles. The ending, with the hit Rebel Maniac, featuring a small guest appearance by João Gordo (Ratos de Porão), sealed a memorable performance by a band that, unfortunately, didn't receive the recognition it deserved in the following years and ended up breaking up. The anticipated jam session with André Matos didn't happen either, but I confess I only remembered that a few minutes after the show ended. A sign that the show was truly excellent!

RAIMUNDOS : First of all, let me give you some context about the band during that period. Raimundos was still an emerging underground band, having released their first album on an "independent" label, Banguela (which had distribution by Warner), and hadn't yet broken through to the masses, let's say, the non-rock audience. This didn't prevent the controversy surrounding their inclusion in that order, after all, they were ahead of bands that already had some experience and big shows under their belt, like Dr. Sin and Viper. Following that logic, they should perhaps have been the second band of the day. But, despite that, I agree that they were, at that time, the most logical choice to open for Suicidal Tendencies. If it wasn't them, it would have had to be Ratos de Porão (remembering that at the time, João Gordo wasn't a TV personality and Ratos had practically no space in the mainstream media). I had already seen some of their shows in Brasília before the album came out. I saw them opening for the aforementioned Ratos de Porão and DFC, for example, which was a great show for the time. But I was curious to see how they would perform at a festival of this size. They didn't back down! They put on a really cool and powerful show, based on the fast and direct hardcore of their first album. João Gordo, since he was already there, took the opportunity to sing a song with them. Most of the audience reacted well; only a few spat on the vocalist Rodolfo during the song "Puteiro em João Pessoa," which he took in stride, asking the crowd to spit more because he was stinking a bit. But it was an isolated incident that didn't detract from the merit of the performance. They even played a part of "Pledge Your Allegiance" to then introduce, in the words of vocalist Rodolfo, the best band in the world. They're also in my top 5!

SUICIDAL TENDENCIES : That was my first real shock. I already knew and liked Suicidal Tendencies; I had two albums, if I'm not mistaken, Still Cyco After All These Years (a re-recording of the first and part of the second album) and Lights Camera Revolution, and I knew other songs from cassette tapes copied from friends. But, for me, everything changed after that show! After that day, I bought all the albums, learned to play several songs, and wanted to start a crossover/hardcore/metal band. The intro to You Can't Bring Me Down starts, and then vocalist Mike Muir comes in announcing the song Suicyco Muthafucker, from the album Suicidal for Life, which had just been released. For about half a second I was disappointed not to hear the rest of the anthem You Can't Bring Me Down. From then on, I couldn't stay still, and the circle pit caught fire. It was a juggernaut of animalistic songs like War Inside My Head, No Fucking Problem, Lost Again, Join the Army, among others. The classic "I Saw Your Mommy" demolished everything and everyone in the mosh pits. In my opinion, the lineup was the best of all time, with the excellent drummer Jimmy DeGrasso, Mike Clark's frenetic right hand on rhythm guitar, Rocky George's insane solos, Robert Trujillo on bass (who needs no introduction), and the legendary and insane vocalist Mike Muir. The large audience wasn't theirs. They were, in a way, out of place in the festival lineup. Aside from the front row crowd, where the band's fans were, the rest weren't yet familiar with their sound. And at that moment, you could feel how the band was at its peak, as it was clear that many fans of other bands were there enjoying the guys' killer performance. The final part of the show, with the classics "How Will I Laugh Tomorrow" and "Pledge Your Allegiance," was thrilling. I stood there for a few minutes in the middle of the crowd, alone, trying to process what I had just seen.

Before talking about the next band, returning to the adventure of yours truly, I went to find my mother and stepfather in the, obviously nonexistent, "food area" to the right of the stage. I wandered through all the tacky stalls selling cold hot dogs and warm sodas and beers, but couldn't find them. When I started moving towards the next show, I forgot about all the future logistical problems this could cause me and went back to the rock crowd.

BLACK SABBATH : That was a strange show. Obviously, I really liked Black Sabbath at the time. But I only knew the Ozzy era well. Up to the Dio era, apart from one or two songs like Neon Knights and Mob Rules, it was obscure to me at that time. Imagine then saying that the original band was playing that day with vocalist Tony Martin? Who? Since, at that time of night, I had been standing for a loooong time, I decided to watch the show from further away. How good it was to be young and be able to watch practically all the shows right up against the barrier! I was even finding the show cool, until they decided to play the song Black Sabbath. Wow, that really scared me, but not in the way the song was originally intended. Tony Martin simply destroyed that classic! From then on, I kind of disconnected from the show and went for a walk to see if I could find my mother or someone I knew, since several of my friends were on a school trip. But I didn't find anyone. Back then, neither I nor almost anyone else had a cell phone. I don't even know if they existed, to be honest. So being lost in another city, with little money, wasn't something so easy to solve. I still enjoyed some more of their music, but I confess that I only felt satisfied with Sabbath when I saw Heaven & Hell and Ozzy years later.

SLAYER : Anyone who's seen the Get Thrashed DVD remembers how difficult it is for a band to open for Slayer; after all, there's no such thing as a bad Slayer show. There's not a single exaggeration in that statement! Although the drummer wasn't the original Dave Lombardo, Paul Bostaph held his own very well during this phase. He and the masters Kerry King, Jeff Hanneman, and Tom Araya showed why they truly are the kings of Thrash Metal. It's not a show for just anyone! Hearing and seeing classic bangers like Hell Awaits, Angel of Death, Dead Skin Mash, Chemical Warfare, Season in the Abyss, and of course, Raining Blood, the catharsis is universal. Even those who aren't fans become fans instantly! Such was the impact of this show that they would go on to headline another edition in the future.

KISS : Despite the excellent album Revenge, Kiss wasn't at its commercial peak on the world stage. Shows were still packed, the album sold well, but it wasn't the same craze as in the 70s and 80s. Even so, since the Maracanã show in '83, when they played to 200,000 people, Brazil hadn't seen the band live. So, without a doubt, it was the most anticipated show of the night. I was already a huge Kiss fan, and this show only increased that fanaticism. They opened with Creatures of the Night, showing that heaviness would be the hallmark of the night. Strangely, the stage was from their previous album; the weak Hot in the Shades. Legend has it that it was fear of problems removing the stage from the country, as happened in '83, that made them bring this stage, which, although not modern, was quite cool and full of frills, with a mega sphinx in the center. From then on, it was almost two hours of Rock and Roll class with classics like Deuce, Firehouse (including a fire-breathing session by Mr. Simmons), Parasite, War Machine and much more! Some songs from Revenge were performed and well received, such as the heavy Unholy and Take it Off, when they traditionally invited some strippers to dance on stage. I have to say that Brazilian women were very poorly represented that night, despite the crowd's excitement over the semi-nude girls. The lineup with Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer was excellent and very solid. The latter, in particular, maintained the tradition of Kiss drummers and sang the apotheotic Black Diamond very well. As for the bosses Gene and Paul, as usual, they are the main attractions. Gene Simmons, even without the makeup, is the heavy side of the band, with the generally heavier songs and the bad-boy poses. Paul Stanley, on the other hand, is the showman who has the audience in the palm of his hand the whole time! Simple things that drive the audience wild, like when he said, “We’re going to play whatever you want to hear today… What do YOU ​​want to hear (pointing to someone in the audience)?” Then he slyly says, “He wants to hear an old song… Okay then,” and launches into the killer riff of Watching You. Even though I’m 90% sure it wasn’t the song the guy asked for, needless to say, the crowd went crazy with this banger! They finished the show with the excellent Heaven’s on Fire, from the mediocre album Animalize, complete with fireworks, Paul setting fire to and smashing his guitar and everything else. Was there any song missing? “Only” the band’s biggest classic: Rock and Roll All Night! Everyone was singing the chorus after the last song ended, but soon the stadium lights came on announcing the end of the party. They had taken a break from this song, so much so that on the Alive 3 album, it’s played in the middle of the set, without much emphasis. It didn’t matter! It was a mega show, one that stayed in my memory and the memories of everyone there for many years. If today, almost 20 years later, I still have the excitement to play in a Heavy Metal band (New Revenge Scheme), to go to rock concerts, often outside of Brasília, it's because of Kiss. ​​It's because of that show. It's because of that festival as a whole!

After practically 12 hours alone, or rather, in the company of anonymous brothers and sisters of rock, it was time to figure out how to get home. I spent half an hour at the entrance to Pacaembu trying to find my mother and stepfather, obviously in vain. Thinking about it now, it was a pretty stupid idea since it was a gigantic sea of ​​people leaving non-stop. Then, I checked my pocket; I still had some money. I could eat something, because I was starving. But since I had no prospect of finding anyone I knew, I had to try to get back to the hotel. After wandering around for a while, I saw a taxi doing a kind of shared ride. For the price of, let's say today, 30 reais, it would take you wherever you wanted, as long as it was on the way for the other passengers.

“Sir, I’m going to the Senador Hotel, which is on a corner in Praça da Sé .” Excellent! After many minutes, the taxi stops at the door of the Senador Hotel on a corner in Praça da Sé. “Sir, that’s not my hotel, I think the name is different .” The response was a polite “Figure it out yourself” and the sound of the car accelerating towards another destination. What was worse? Lost and alone in front of the Pacaembu stadium full of people and police, or, at 3 in the morning, in a silent and gloomy Praça da Sé? No need to answer!

I walked along, trying not to make a sound, not even when breathing, so as not to wake the walking dead I saw along the way, and went looking for the damn Governor's Hotel (to this day I don't know the correct name, but it was a confusing place). Suddenly, to my relief, I found myself at the door of the closed hotel. The doorman quickly opened the door and told me that my mother had called from a payphone to find out if I had arrived. I thought I would find my mother so worried and furious that I even considered going back and having a chat with my walking dead friends. Not at all! Half an hour later, my mother and stepfather entered the room and the first thing they said was, "Great show, huh? Kiss rocked! Did you like it?" . A more than obvious answer! Even more so now, with the happy ending of this saga.

Years later, I went to other editions of the festival, to other international shows, until piracy forced artists to stay on the road longer to make a living, and I was able to see shows by Ozzy, Iron Maiden, Shaman, Guns N' Roses, Sepultura, Edguy, Slash, Deicide, Scorpions, among others, right on my doorstep.

Next year will mark 20 years since that historic day. Will there be a concert to commemorate the date? A documentary? Anything? All I know is that, at the very least, on August 27, 2014, I'll be sitting on my couch at home, watching all those concerts on bootleg DVDs (it was broadcast on MTV and Kiss released almost the entire concert on Kissology), having a few beers with some friends who were there but I didn't see them, and reminiscing about all those fun stories to the sound of top-quality Rock and Roll.

Big hug to everyone who follows Wikimetal!

*This text was written by a Wikimate and does not necessarily represent the opinions of the site's authors.