The third day of Best of Blues and Rock 2025 took place last Saturday, the 14th, in the city of São Paulo. The festival filled Ibirapuera Park with four captivating shows, showcasing musical diversity.
Opening the event, Marcão Britto and Thiago Castanho took to the stage performing songs by Charlie Brown Jr. in celebration of the band's legacy. The two remaining members had to fight in court for the right to use the band's name in their shows.
The band was greeted by a packed house right from the start, with an enthusiastic audience who made a point of arriving early to support the first band. In just one hour, the energy of the crowd was palpable, as they sang along to all the songs that brought the band success. Marcão Britto and Thiago Castanho proved that the connection with fans and the legacy of Charlie Brown Jr. is eternal.
The debut of Brazilian Larissa Liveir
Next, Larissa Liveir arrived somewhat shyly, as this was her first big live show. The young guitarist, only 21 years old, went viral during the pandemic making covers of rock and metal classics, and now she had the chance to show her talent live. Despite it being her debut, the artist wasn't intimidated, taking the stage alongside the band formed by Eduardo Megale (rhythm guitar), Marco Aurélio Coelho (bass), Hugo Bizotto (keyboards), Carlos Marotta (vocals), and Lina Linassi (drums), and as expected, performed covers of great names.
The show featured “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin , “Iron Man” by Black Sabbath , “Comfortably Numb” by Pink Floyd , and others. But the highlight was the track “The Trooper” by Iron Maiden , which featured Nita Strauss , guitarist of Alice Cooper , in a very well-integrated – and beautiful – performance between the two guitarists. The show was intimate and managed to captivate the energetic audience. Although Larissa Liveir only performed covers, she got everyone excited and singing along, since they were songs that everyone knows and likes.
The already well-known Black Pantera presented a repertoire based on their acclaimed album Perpétuo (2024). The band from Minas Gerais showed how to put on a huge show for an audience that, for the most part, had never seen them live before. Perhaps that's why the audience was a little lukewarm compared to what the band is used to. However, this didn't intimidate Black Pantera, who delivered the show we're used to seeing, and managed to get everyone moving during the song "Fogo nos Racistas" (Fire on the Racists).
Alice Cooper's return to Best of Blues and Rock
As the night drew to a close, it was time for the most anticipated moment of the festival: the show by Vincent Furnier and his band, Alice Cooper . The artist, who hadn't performed in Brazil for 8 years, returned to deliver his enchanting and macabre theatrical performance. The audience included people of all ages, proving that Alice Cooper's music is timeless and his performance transcends mere music.
The first visit to Brazil was in 1974, and, of course, much has changed, but Vincent's remarkable performance and talent remain. The band, which came in the 70s with its original lineup, recently reunited to release the new album The Revenge Of Alice Cooper – the first album with the original lineup since Muscle of Love in 1973. At the time, the band performed at Anhembi for 158,000 people, achieving a career milestone by entering the Guinness Book of Records as the largest audience in an enclosed venue. It also marked the first major international rock concert in Brazil.
Returning to the country 51 years after his first visit, Alice Cooper delivered the carnival of horrors everyone expected to see and went even further, being the musician and actor he has always been throughout his career. There are more special effects, technology, and a young, energetic band composed of Nita Strauss, Ryan Roxie , and Tommy Henriksen on guitars, Chuck Garric on bass, and Glen Sobel on drums.
A theater of horrors and unforgettable performances.
The atmosphere was like a horror movie, just like everything an Alice Cooper show needs to have. The band kicked things off with "Welcome to the Show," not only in sync with the frontman but also showcasing strength, a wide-ranging repertoire, and the brilliance of the musicians. For an hour and a half, the audience witnessed classics like "No More Mr. Nice Guy," "Poison," "Snakebite" (without the snake the artist always uses), and "Hey Stoopid," along with unforgettable performances.
During the show, Alice Cooper wore a variety of jackets and used several accessories, including a cane, a crutch, a dagger, a sword, and a whip. The costumed roadies and his longtime photographer, Kyler , were part of the spectacle filled with fake blood. Similarly, the well-known Sheryl Goddard , dancer and stage performer and wife of the frontman, stood out. Sheryl made a splash by placing Alice Cooper on the guillotine and emerging with his head – a horror show. The audience also played a part in the spectacle, with costumes, masks, and heavy makeup.
The final song, "School's Out," featured giant balloons, a snippet of Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall," an ecstatic audience, and a high-quality band. The encore was the classic "Feed My Frankenstein," which featured a giant puppet representing Alice Cooper's Frankenstein.
The Alice Cooper experience is a persistent celebration of over 50 years of impressive musical output. As an artist, even without reaching the pinnacle of the biggest rock bands, he is certainly respected by the biggest bands and, of course, by his devoted fans.
Check out the photos by Marcela Lorenzetti :
READ ALSO: Best of Blues and Rock 2025: Find out how the first weekend of the festival went
