On September 19, Curitiba TBM Samba turns the pitch at Vila Capanema into a meeting point for anyone who likes pagode, choruses that come straight to mind and songs that make complete strangers sing like old friends. Menos é Mais, Turma do Pagode, Pixote and Vitinho lead more than eight hours of shows, with open bar and a run of hits everyone knows by heart, even when they pretend they do not. It is a festival to arrive with friends, get separated along the way and maybe find new company close by. If someone gets your favourite song right and smiles in your direction, maybe pagode has already put on the best performance of the night.