Temperatures soar as Glastonbury celebrates 40th birthday

2010-06-26T10:16:08Z

Britain's Glastonbury Festival sweltered in soaring temperatures Saturday with headline performances due from local boys and rock superstars Muse -- and even possibly Kylie. With temperatures touching 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), the site in Somerset, was hotter than both

Metallica close Rock in Rio festival in Spain

2010-06-14T18:15:15Z

US heavy metal veterans Metallica closed the five-day Rock in Rio 2010 festival in Spain on Monday with a performance before 48,000 people, organisers said. "It is great to see you once again, we are grateful to be back in Madrid," singer J...

As record sales drop, singers flock to festivals

2010-07-14T14:24:01Z

Javi Amaro has ridden a mechanical surfboard, performed karaoke and had a bite to eat -- but four hours after arriving at one of the world's biggest music festivals he has yet to attend a concert. "There are a tonne of things to do here. Later on we are going to listen to Shakira perform," the 23-year-old told AFP as he waited in line with a group of friends on Saturday to rappel a rope laid over the crowd attending a concert by R&B singer

Miley Cyrus draws crowd during first performance in Spain

2010-08-04T12:19:06Z

US teen idol Miley Cyrus performed her first concert in Spain before 36,000 people on Sunday during the third day of the Rock in Rio Madrid music festival, organisers said. Wearing a black leotard and heels, the 17-year-old sang "Can't be tamed", "The climb" and "When I look at you", which is part of the soundtrack of her latest film "Rio Madrid music festival, one of the world's biggest, will return for a third edition in 2012, the event's Brazilian founder Roberto Medina said Sunday. "People have gotten used to the Rock in Rio festival so we are going to continue in 2012," he told a news conference at the site of the festival at Argand...

Shakira performs before 85,000 people in Spain

2010-06-05T19:15:30Z

Colombian pop star Shakira performed before 85,000 people Sunday at the Rock in Rio Madrid music festival, organisers said, in one of the biggest concerts of her career. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter took to the main stage of the specially built "Rock City" at Arganda del Rey located some 20 kilometres (12 miles) outside of

Travel Postcard: 48 hours in Rio de Janeiro

2010-03-31T07:15:41Z

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters Life!) - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's capital of samba and Carnival, is a city forever defined in people's imagination by its miles of golden beach that on weekends draw millions of sun-worshippers. But there is much more to Brazil's second city, which is gradually shaking off a reputation for crime a...

Guns N' Roses plan "secret" shows in South America

2010-03-08T17:30:26Z

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Guns N' Roses will play three private shows in Brazil and Argentina during the band's current tour of South America, the organizer said on...

Group of 7-year-old queen last in Rio Carnival

2010-04-16T07:06:42Z

Rio samba group that fronted 7-year-old Carnival queen places last; underdog Tijuca wins

A samba group that enraged child-welfare advocates by choosing a 7-year-old as a drums corps queen finished last Wednesday in the extravagant parade competition, relegating them to the minor leagues next year. Julia Lira, daughter of Viradouro samba group president Marco...

Tijuca crowned Rio Carnival parade champs

2010-04-16T07:04:45Z

Rio samba group that fronted 7-year-old Carnival queen places last; underdog Tijuca wins

Woman in skirt scandal is Brazil Carnival star

2010-04-16T07:06:12Z

Brazilian woman expelled from school for short miniskirt, overheats during Rio Carnival debut

Famed for wearing a short miniskirt that got her kicked out of college, Geisy Arruda lived out a dream and danced as a Carnival queen in one of Rio's premier samba parades — even overheating in the process. Wearing a "Carnivalized" version of the very dress ...

A 7-year-old Rio Carnival queen parades, in tears

2010-04-16T07:06:51Z

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - A tearful 7-year-old Carnival queen led exuberant drummers through the Sambadrome stadium on Sunday, in a distressed state that may add to controversy over whether a tiny child should perform such a high-pressure, sexually-charged role. Julia Lira emerged blinking into t...

Preteen Carnival queen set to parade in Rio

2010-04-16T07:09:11Z

Preteen Carnival queen set to dancing during first night of Rio's samba parades

Carnival is turning its attention to the extravagant samba parades that begin in Rio Sunday night — and to a tiny 7-year-old girl who will reign as the youngest drum corps queen in memory. Julia Lira, her toothy grin and quick footsteps splashed across media worldwide, will be in the spotlight as her Viradouro samba group stru...

No rest for Rio revelers at massive dawn party

2010-04-16T07:07:17Z

Carnival's biggest bash took to the streets at dawn Saturday, proving that if there is one thing citizens of this laid-back seaside city take seriously, it's partying. Organizers expected up to 1 million people at the Bola Preta street party, or "bloco" — one of Rio's oldest. Dressed in black and white, the revelers lustily sang along to traditional Carnival songs like Rio's anthem, "Cidade Maravilosa" — "The Marvelous City." "I...

Beyonce, Alicia Keys shoot music video in Rio slum

2010-04-16T07:09:33Z

Singers Beyonce, Alicia Keys film music video in Rio slum, following in Jackson's footsteps

Grammy Award-winning singers Beyonce and Alicia Keys are filming a music video in Rio de Janeiro. Sheri Ladner is a publicist with Preteen samba queen stirs Rio Carnival controversy as she takes role reserved for sex symbols

She is the Shirley Temple of samba, a 7-year-old named to a coveted Carnival role normally reserved for barely clad models who have undergone more plastic surgeries than little Julia Lira ha...

Preteen as sexy samba queen stirs Rio controversy

2010-04-16T07:11:29Z

<div id="subtitle">Preteen samba queen stirs Rio Carnival controversy as she takes role reserved for sex symbols</div><div><p>She is the Shirley Temple of samba, a 7-year-old named to a coveted Carnival role normally reserved for barely clad models who have undergone more plastic surgeries than little

Brazil miniskirt student will parade in Carnival

2010-04-16T08:51:44Z

Brazilian student whose miniskirt triggered uproar to star in Carnival parades

Brazilians will be seeing a whole lot more of the student whose short pink dress got her booted from college: She's agreed to march in the nation's famously flesh-baring Carnival parades. Geisy Arruda, who became an instant celebrity after being heckled by hundreds of fellow students because of her dress, said Thursday she has accepted invitations to participate with samba groups in

Rio erupts in celebration with 2016 Olympics

2010-04-16T10:01:12Z

Rio erupts in celebration after announcement the city will host 2016 Olympics

Nearly 50,000 people cheered in celebration when Rio de Janeiro was announced as host of the 2016 Olympics, jumping and shouting in a Carnival-like party on Copacabana beach. A huge roar was heard at the famed beach the moment Samba school Salgueiro crowned champions of Rio's Carnival parade

Samba school Salgueiro was crowned champion of Rio's fiercely competitive Carnival parades on Wednesday, knocking off a powerhouse rival and overcoming a shooting that left three dead outside its headquarters just months ago. Salgueiro's parade theme centered on the history of the drum and its importance to music in various cultures. An arm...

Rio wraps up celebrity-fueled Carnival parades

2010-06-12T15:40:04Z

Rio de Janeiro was wrapping up its famed Carnival parades in the early hours of Tuesday, after two days of effervescent partying that attracted celebrity guests. Dancing beauties wearing little more than strategically placed sequins and broad smiles led choreographed troupes and elaborate floats from the city's samba schools past 70,000 people in Rio's purpose-built Sambodrome stadium. The event marked the climax of four days o...

Dancer sets Carnival record for baring nearly all

2010-04-16T14:08:36Z

Rio dancer sets Carnival record for baring nearly all in Brazil samba parade

It's a record that can only be broken in Rio de Janeiro. A samba dancer has worn the smallest scrap of clothing ever in a Carnival parade. The O Globo newspaper said model Dani Sperle spo...

Rio's Carnival lets 40-somethings star in samba

2010-04-16T14:08:36Z

Rio's Carnival gives 40-somethings a chance as samba stars

Brazil's Carnival, long a symbol of youth, beauty and sex, added a mature twist Monday by giving two women in their 40s a chance to dance nearly nude at the head of their samba parades. Some of Brazil's most beautiful women battle it out each year to become their school's "drum queen" and lead their para...

Rio, in sexy strut, puts Carnival ahead of crisis

2010-06-12T15:40:07Z

Rio de Janeiro was Monday reveling in its famous Carnival parades, which this year were looking like a feverish, last bash before the sharp teeth of the global economic crisis really bite deep. Topless Carnival queens, costumed dancers, huge thematic floats and thumping bands marched in the city's Sambodrome stadium overnight and were to return later Monday, wrapping up the two nights of spectacular processions. Brazilian

Rio puts Carnival ahead of crisis

2010-06-12T15:40:13Z

Rio de Janeiro was Monday reveling in its famous Carnival parades, which this year were looking like a feverish, ultimate bash before the sharp teeth of the global economic crisis really bite deep. Topless Carnival queens, costumed dancers, huge thematic floats and thumping bands march in the city's Sambodrome stadium overnight and were to return later Monday, wrapping up the two nights of spectacular processions. Brazilian

Carnival revelers promise grand party with less $

2010-04-16T17:06:38Z

Rio's Carnival revelers substitute creativity for cash; pledge huge party with less money

Samba schools competing for local glory vowed Sunday to throw a magnificent Carnival party — complete with colorful floats, masked and face-painted dancers, and intoxicating musical rhythms — despite having less money to invest amid the global financial crisis. Two big sources of revenue for the Carnival parades have...

Soul of Rio's Carnival in informal street parties

2010-04-16T17:07:09Z

Soul of Rio's Carnival found in informal street marches, where thousands dance for free

On a street in Rio's Ipanema beach neighborhood, Juju Maravilha, dressed in a sultry gold and green sequined gown topped off by a headdress of yellow feathers, takes less than five seconds to ponder a question. "The soul of Carnival? Why it is here, darling," he coos, pointing at a crowd of thousands gathered for one o...

Brazil's Carnival in crisis? The party rolls on

2010-04-16T17:09:38Z

Brazil's Carnival feels economic crisis, but the dancing and debauchery must go on

From where he sits inside Rio's Sambadrome, a snack vendor mulls what the global financial crisis means for "the greatest party on earth." First, the bad news: fewer foreigners at this year's Carnival. "The gringos who are coming this year — there are substantially fewer, ...

Brazilian model gets career boost from toyboy kiss with Madonna

2010-04-16T13:43:22Z

A 20-year-old unknown Brazilian male model has got a shot at the big time in New York, thanks to a media frenzy over him kissing Madonna. Jesus Luz has had his face splashed all over US and British publications -- often under cute headlines playing up the tryst between "Madonna" and "Jesus" -- according to Singer Amy Winehouse, glass of red wine in hand, appears before 40,000 fans at Spain concert

Soul diva Amy Winehouse sipped from a glass of red wine and looked a bit unsteady on her feet as she appeared in front of a large audience at the Rock in Rio music festival southeast of Live Earth: Thousands Gather in Cities Around the World for Concerts on Global Warming

In a global series of concerts featuring aboriginal dancing, imitation chimpanzee cries and a lot of reunited rock bands, musicians and celebrities called for fans to take action against global warming. A 24-hour music extravaganza stretching from Sydney, Australia, to Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, second from right, helps uncover a tourism sigh in the Dona Marta slum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday Aug. 30, 2010. Lula inaugurated the "Rio Top Tour," a guide for tourists through some of Rio de Janeiro's slums. The sign points to a '

Brazil Violence

2010-08-21T17:45:06Z

A woman holding a baby stands near a body covered in black plastic after a shootout between gunmen and police a few blocks from the Intercontinental hotel near Rocinha slum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday Aug. 21, 2010. According to a police spokeswoman, some of the gunmen invaded the luxury hotel and took 30 people hostage but within hours freed the hostages and surrendered to police, an...

APTOPIX Brazil Violence

2010-08-21T10:45:20Z

Police stand guard as tourists leave the Intercontinental hotel after it was invaded by gunmen who took hostages in the Sao Conrado neighborhood near the Rocinha Slum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday Aug. 21, 2010. A police spokeswoman said that within a few hours the hostages were freed and the 10 suspects surrendered. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

APTOPIX Brazil Plane Crash

2010-08-12T18:15:33Z

Workers try to pull a small jet from the ocean in Guanabara Bay after it crashed at Rio de Janeiro's domestic airport, Brazil, Thursday, Aug. 12, 2010. All three people aboard survived. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Brazil Plane Crash

2010-08-12T11:30:57Z

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