Fans travel to São Carlos in 1967 & 1968

Our first trip to São Carlos on 21st April 1967, a Friday, the day Brazilians honoured Tiradentes, the martyr of our Independence; from left to right: Roberto Jentsch, Luis Fabio Miranda, Luiz Carlos Amorim, Sonia Maria de Oliveira, Silvia Paula Jentsch & Sonia Regina. 

After I met Silvia Paula Jentsch in mid-1966, we realized both of us belonged to the same fan club in São Carlos-SP. Silvia being an eager fan had already visited 'Fan Club Rita Pavone Comanda' led by Leda Gonçalves in Sorocaba-SP, and became friends with the girls in the area. Leda's parents owned the town's roller-skate rink where both Rita Pavone albums played non-stop to cheer up their many patrons. Silvia then, suggested we'd drive to São Carlos on a Sunday morning where we could meet Luis Fábio and Soninha; stay there part of the day and come back to São Paulo at twighlight. That was a most enjoyable junket. 

I don't actually remember whether we went on sightseeings or we just stuck to Sonia's or Fabio's houses. As there were 3 of us from São Paulo, Silvia and Roberto Jentsch and Myself, and three from São Carlos; Fabio, Soninha & Sonia Regina we split into smaller groups and I must have told Fabio about my experience seeing Rita Pavone in concert at Teatro Record on, Tuesday, 27 April 1965. Fabio listened to my account starry-eyed. He talked too and so did the girls. It felt like we were the 'chosen ones'; we were the biggest fan of the Italian performer; we were the most dedicated fan on the face of the earth. 

As all fan clubs do we agreed there should be events one had to promote. Fabio and Myself must have come to the idea of organizing a 'Rita Pavone Fan Club' 1st Meeting aka Incontro di fans.   So when I came back to São Paulo I started thinking how to go about setting it up. I don't know who suggested Walter Tsutsui's house on Rua Girassol, Vila Madalena, by then some out-of-the-way place. Walter's house was in a deep valley one would reach from a path straight from Rua Harmonia, where Praça da República busses ran.

I returned to São Carlos a few months later and stayed at Fabio's for a couple of days. Fabio, then, introduced me to Bernadette, a beautiful girl with a clear smile and rumpled hair who apparently worked at the same towel factory as he. She was an Elvis Presley fan. She held a 'Something for everyboydy', a 1961 Elvis album which featured 'Sentimental me'.

 

Our second trip to São Carlos, in mid-1968; Silvia Jentsch, Claudete Deleva, Malú Pelaes, Anadir Rocha & Luiz Amorim on our way to São Carlos-SP, when our Viação Cometa bus made a pit stop in the highway.

Magical Mystery Tour to São Carlos in 1968 - from left to right: Malú, Silvia & Anadir; inside the bus: Claudete & Luiz.

Anadir, Malú, a local boy, Luiz, Fabio, Claudete & Silvia in São Carlos-SP.