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"Bloco Samba Queixinho: culture with a political bias
Arising from a joke between friends in 2009, Bloco Unidos do Samba Queixinho was created by Gustavo Caetano, with the intention of bringing fun and joy to the streets of BH, as well as mixing culture with a political bias and connecting people who are interested in percussive music.
The block has always had a politically engaged parade, but it was in 2011 that they had the idea of leaving Praça da Liberdade and taking to the streets to question the government of Aécio Neves — governor at the time — and placed the block in front of the Government Palace, which was a great act of boldness.
To this day, they always seek to address current issues, such as the fight against homophobia, and want to evolve the procession, taking it to other less centralized areas. The goal is to occupy squares, parks, neighborhoods, and the city as a whole.
The drums are always studying, carrying out rehearsals and workshops, in order to always deliver the best gift to the public. Its first performance was on February 4, 2009, and just as BH's carnival grows year after year, Samba Queixinho has followed this growth, becoming one of the best known in the city.
Band composition and drums
Despite being recognized as a samba school drum kit, Samba Queixinho also has a band that perfectly manages to transfer all the energy and power from the streets to the shows.
They have an exciting and happy carnival repertoire, made up of MPB, Brazilian music classics, Afro-Brazilian rhythms, samba and its aspects. Repiques, surdos, tambourines, boxes and rattles make up the drums, which perform original percussive rhythms, giving identity and style to the performances.
Master Gustavo Caetano, founder of the block, as well as a journalist and musician, is in front of the drums, commanding his 350 rhythmists through the BH street carnival." - https://www.uai.com.br/app/noticia/carnauai/2023/01/11/interna-carnauai,314803/politica-e-cultura-bloco-samba-queixinho-nasceu-de-uma-manifestacao.shtml#google_vignette
"Unidos do Samba Queixinho was initially formed by a group of eight friends during the 2009 carnival, who wanted to have fun and had plenty of desire to put the group on the street. At the time, there was a movement to revive street carnival in BH, as a manifestation of popular culture. In the following years, Unidos do Samba Queixinho group grew gradually and today maintains its own space to hold percussion workshops that take place throughout the year preceding Carnival. The drums are conducted by the founder and Master Gustavo Caetano, who performs bossas and calls, authorial percussive rhythms and is composed of the following instruments: rock, tambourine, repique, snare drum and surdo." - https://portalbelohorizonte.com.br/carnaval/2024/programacao/bloco-de-rua/desfile/unidos-do-samba-queixinho