as if not to be outdone by the samba crowds of carnival, rio de janeiro is also home to the biggest rock festival in the world called rock in rio (rir) - born in 1985, the festival was a sign of the transformation that was happening in brazil, after a long period under military dictatorship, being the first event of its kind in south america, and immediately welcomed by some of the biggest global musicians of the day, including: ac/dc, queen, madonna, u2, rihanna, ozzy osbourne and iron maiden, annually bringing music enthusiasts of different genres together.

here is a list of venues one can visit to listen to alternative music on a monday.