A weekend of contrasts in the Cidade do Rock
The first weekend of Rock in Rio 2026 made it clear that the festival does not give up variety. The marathon began on Friday (4), with a night dedicated to rock, continued on Saturday (5) with a day entirely focused on metal, and ended on Sunday (6) with a lineup of a very different profile, closing the first leg in a climate of transition.
Between one genre and another, the audience watched very different performances in atmosphere and ambition — some historic, others that fell short.
How the lists were put together
The g1 reviews team followed the shows on Palco Mundo and Palco Sunset and organized two rankings: the five best and the four worst of the weekend.
The evaluation was not limited to personal taste. The criteria considered, among other points:
- the relevance of each artist in the current scene;
- vocal and instrumental talent and delivery;
- how well the performance fit the festival format;
- the audience's reaction throughout the show;
- the choice of repertoire;
- the execution of the songs live;
- the technical side of the performance, from sound to stage effects.
The highlights of the weekend
The best moments of the weekend came precisely from artists who understood the size of the stage. At a festival that brings together tens of thousands of people per night, having hits is not enough: you must build a narrative that holds the attention of those far from the stage.
It was in this regard that the best-rated shows stood out. They combined a lean repertoire, direct communication with the audience, and technical care that avoided breaks in rhythm — a recurring problem in performances that try to fit new material into an audience that came to sing what it already knows.
One of the festival's most anticipated names, Elton John took the stage at this edition and was at the center of attention over the weekend, bringing together an audience that mixed longtime fans and curious onlookers attracted by the symbolic weight of his work.
Where things went wrong
On the other side of the scale, four performances fell below expectations. The problems pointed out were varied: dragged-out setlists, too many moments of talking to the audience, mixing problems that swallowed instruments and, in some cases, the feeling that the artist did not adapt their arena format to the pace of a festival.
It is noteworthy that technical quality was not always the decisive factor for a bad review. There were cases in which the execution was correct, but the choice of repertoire did not connect with the audience on that specific day — a failure to read the context that cost dearly in the public's perception.
Audience reaction as a thermometer
One of the most used indicators in the evaluation was the audience's behavior. Spontaneous singalongs, phones kept in pockets, and attentive silence during ballads were treated as positive signs, while audience flight during a performance was read as one of the worst possible signs.
This kind of reading helps explain why a technically simple show can outperform a grandiose production — and vice versa.
What remains from the first leg
With the first weekend over, Rock in Rio 2026 has already made clear that its bet on genre diversity will continue to yield divided reviews. For the organizers, eclecticism is the festival's trademark; for part of the audience, it also means nights of ups and downs.
The final assessment, however, will only come after the second leg of the Cidade do Rock finishes writing its own story.