Skol Beats - Day 2

We finally reached Central Sâo Paulo and meandered out of the bus station. The streets surrounding the bus station were alive filled with market traders vending their cheap & tacky merchandise.

After grabbing a disgusting x tudo burger we wandered the streets of Sâo Paulo to check out the local action. There were free parties in the street everywhere. Sâo Paulo has had a bad write-up and pretty much everyone I'd spoken to had completely slagged it off as a city; however, personally, I enjoyed it and would definitely like to spend more time there. I can imagine that the days must pretty bleak, like any other big city but the nightlife seemed to be heavy and full of action. We took a detour into a chemist where I tried to sneak on some ladies cotton fresh antiperspirant, although was caught and had to buy it. I then had the idea of buying a toothbrush and toothpaste; everyone followed suit and we were soon the only four people to be wandering through the city streets brushing our teeth in unison while dancing to the free trance music blaring from every street corner.

We were soon in a cab on our way to day two the festival where the second days mashup tent awaited us. Along the way, we passed through the main city centre and were all amazed by the fantastic architectural splendor that remained from Imperial Brazil. The Teatro Municipal particularly caught my attention with its huge Doric columns and intricately sculpted statues; there were queues of people lining up to enter an apparently free night of theatre.

Again we bought tickets from touts outside and I handed them the ladies antiperspirant as a gift; they we overjoyed with excitement and scuffled with each other over who would spray first. We left them to it.

The festival was even busier than the previous day and we started off in the live tent listening to hard trance; not my cuppa tea but Zach and the girls love it and I do believe in democracy. I got chatting to a rather chunky little teenager with braces, who reminded me of a puffin with a rucksack. She was very friendly and offered me a few caps of supposed amphetamines in exchange for a beer. She introduced me to her friends who equally friendly and I chatted practicing my Portuguese. The puffin girl then told me that her fat friend wanted to kiss me I responded polite yet negatively, she then added that she wanted to kiss me. I told her I had a girl friend. The trance was replaced by some funky breaks and we had a little brock out before moving on to the next arena. I knew I would spend most of the night in the DnB tent so thought it'd be a change to experience a bit of variety first.

It was soon midnight and time for the main event. DJ Marky, Sâo Paulo's first and most famous Drum & Bass DJ and producer. It couldn't have been better; the tent was rammed full of Brazilians all gathered to worship their new-age messiah. He kicked off with a remix of Coolio's 'Take a ride with me' which contains some fucking sick, distorted, analogue basslines. Every tune he slammed on caused the arena to tremor with excitement and mayhem. I was satisfied with my fix of DnB although dissatisfied by the non-existent effect of the amphetamines. We all went for more beer and to the neighbouring tent for some funky house and electro; not sure who it was on the decks.

It was then time for Fabio and Grooverider who were unimpressive; I guess my hopes were set too high after the last time I say Grooverider play a 3 hour private set with my jungles amigos Colin and Gaz; I'll never forget the eclectic range of characters including fast-forward issue wall man; massive black dude with size thirty white trainers; hippy with steamed up glasses and gay rainbow Marvin Gaye impersonator; but there another story.

Eventually the party was winding down and we joined the Spanish girl Sarah and her friend for a final dance, before leaving to find their hostel. By this time Zack and I were steaming mad drunk and started arguing and wrestling in the back of the cab, over what I cannot remember, Sarah jumped inbetween us to separate the violence and keep the cabby tranquil. Shelley wanted to bail so we drove to bus station. All the while, the cabby is on the phone trying to sort e's out for Zack and Sarah. I left with Shelley with the intention of helping her get the coach and briefly darted in the toilet, when I came out she had gone and I drunkenly rolled through the station looking for her. I was soon lost. I tried to go back to the taxi rank and find the others although couldn't find that either. Just then I saw Shelley and we both bought tickets before KOing for most of the 6 hour journey home.