Rock in Rio music festival a financial success despite national crisis

World Today

Fans of the Brazilian band Blitz attend a concert at the Rock in Rio Festival in the Olympic Park, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on September 16, 2017. Running for seven days in all — Friday through Sunday and then September 21 to 24 — Rock in Rio is being welcomed by the city as a chance to put the huge facilities built for the 2016 Olympic Games back in use. Rock in Rio is one of the world’s biggest music events and this year’s edition is three times bigger than in previous years. / AFP PHOTO / Mauro PIMENTEL

Rock in Rio is one of the largest music festivals in the world. The festival began in 1985, and mixes music and business like no other.

CGTN’s Lucrecia Franco reports Rio de Janeiro.

Follow Lucrecia C. Franco on Twitter @LucreciaFranco

For music and party lovers, Rock in Rio can seem like Disneyland. It’s a playground with a star-filled, musical line-up performing to a crowd of thousands.

Tickets to watch rock legends, such as the iconic Alice Cooper, cost $140. They were sold out in April, despite Brazil’s economic crisis.

The mega festival takes place at the 2016 Olympic games main venue, Olympic Park. It has been transformed into a 300,000 square meter arena.

Rock in Rio has taken on the look and the feel of a theme park, but most fans seem to love it. For some, it is a once in a lifetime experience. It’s also a big business. More than 700 products have been licensed for the festival and are being sold quickly. That’s good news for cash-trapped Brazilians.

The world’s biggest companies are also sponsoring the festival, with new virtual reality gaming and a super stage. It offers festival-goers the chance to be a star, even if just for a moment.

This year showcased 1,500 artists. Rock in Rio organizers have said it’s a new business model and a commercial success.