Trio elétrico (, ''electric trio'') is a kind of

truck A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport freight, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame construct ...

or float equipped with a high-power sound system and a stage for music performance on the top, playing for the crowd as it drives through the cities. It was created in

Bahia Bahia () is one of the 26 Federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo (state), São Paulo, Mina ...

specifically for

Carnival Carnival (known as Shrovetide in certain localities) is a festive season that occurs at the close of the Christian pre-Lenten period, consisting of Quinquagesima or Shrove Sunday, Shrove Monday, and Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. Carnival typi ...

and it is now used in similar events in other districts and countries. This setup is used in

Brazilian Carnival The Carnival of Brazil (, ) is an annual festival held the Friday afternoon before Ash Wednesday at noon, which marks the beginning of Lent, the forty-day period before Easter. During Lent, Roman Catholics and some other Christians traditionally ...

inside the '' blocos carnavalescos'' and other festivals in

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

, specially in '' micaretas''. The idea was introduced in 1949 during a carnival in

by the duo ''Dodô e Osmar'' (Adolfo Nascimento and Osmar Macedo). Some Brazilian artists have been known to sing on a Trio, such as Elba Ramalho, Daniela Mercury, Ivete Sangalo, Saulo Fernandes, Cláudia Leitte,

Carlinhos Brown Antônio Carlos Santos de Freitas, known professionally as Carlinhos Brown (Brazilian Portuguese: /kaʁˈlĩɲus bɾaw̃, -iɲuʃ/, 23 November 1962), is a Brazilian singer, percussionist, and record producer from Salvador, Bahia. His musica ...

(from Timbalada), Asa de Águia and Chiclete com Banana.

History

The ''trio elétrico'' arises from the "dupla eletrica" ("Electric Duo"), composed of the two friends Adolfo Antônio Nascimento (Dodô) and Osmar Álvares de Macêdo. In 1950, the two used a Ford Model T to perform their self-made electric instrument, known as pau eletrico (electric log), during Bahia carnival. They drove through the streets playing music powered by the car battery. The show took place in the city centre on carnival Sunday and attracted a large crowd. The name "trio elétrico" was coined in 1951 when Dodô and Osmar invited a friend to perform with them, the architect Temístocles Aragão, turning their ''dupla'' into a ''trio''. They played through Salvador in a

Chrysler FCA US, LLC, Trade name, doing business as Stellantis North America and known historically as Chrysler ( ), is one of the "Big Three (automobile manufacturers), Big Three" automobile manufacturers in the United States, headquartered in Auburn H ...

pick-up. Though the name originally referred to the band, it became better known for their invention of a motorized band stage. Another invention from Bahia, the " micaretas" (an out-of-season Carnival) began using the trios or floats. Today, there is a huge industry for the production, maintenance and leasing of trios. Many new artists are discovered on trios. In 1983, a trio built in

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

was inaugurated in Piazza Navona in the presence of 80 thousand people who danced to the electric sound of Dodô, Osmar and Armandinho. That was the first time a trio was featured out of

. In 1985, invited by students of the University of

Toulouse Toulouse (, ; ; ) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Haute-Garonne department and of the Occitania (administrative region), Occitania region. The city is on the banks of the Garonne, River Garonne, from ...

, in France, Armandinho, Dodô and Osmar traveled once more to

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

to take some of Carnival to more than 100 thousand people in Toulouse. The trio is known worldwide as one of the symbols of Brazilian culture, its music and its Carnival.

External links

Trio Electrico at Europe
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- Brazilian Trio Elétrico for Carnival
{{DEFAULTSORT:Trio eletrico Bahian Carnival Electric trucks