Festivals 2020: -M- and Black Eyed Peas for Solidays

Another of France's major summer festivals has confirmed some more of the names on its bill, with Solidays, one of the big events in Paris, listing the more names to appear at this year's event.

The biggest new international name is Black Eyed Peas, following the recent success of Ritmo. While WIll I Am might be a household name in the UK, due to his regular appearance on The Voice UK, he's not one of the judges of the show in France where he's perhaps known for his music, tracks like I've got a feeling and Where is the love being massive hits in France as they were elsewhere.

Metronomy and The Black Madonna are among the new acts announced.

Already confirmed at the top of the bill is -M-,  who has been touring in support of last year's Lettre Infinie album. He's got shows in arenas all over France in May, and also plays at some of the country's other summer events including Main Square festival, in June and July. He's also at the O2 Brixton Academy in London in April.

Laurent Garnier, Aya Nakamura, Deluxe , Niska,  Zola and Videoclub and are among others who were confirmed earlier. Others will be added in the coming months.

It's the 22nd edition of the festival, an event that combines activism as much as music. This year it's taking place on June 19 - 21 at Hippodrome de Longchanps.

Tickets go on sale on February 6.

Bars en Trans 2018: Some highlights

Rennes is a hive of activity for French music this weekend, with the Transmusicales festival showcasing some of the finest emerging acts from France and elsewhwhere.

Acts like Jeanne Added. Moodoid, Grand Blanc and Benjamin Clementine are among those who have emerged to mainstream recognition from appearances at the event.

But the city also hosts a more grass-roots event, the Bars en Trans festival that sees dozens of acts playing at bars, clubs and other small venues across the city.

Some of the acts are local, from Rennes and elsewhere in Brittany, others from further afield in France and beyond.

In terms of genre, there's the widest possible cross section, with intreging listings like techno-indus/Rennes and chanson brute primative/Metz rubbing shoulders with rap/Paris, rock/Lille and electro/Saint-Etienne.

There are more acts playing than it's physically possible to get to over a few days, but here are a few of them. I'll feature a few more in the next couple of days.

Camp Claude are fine ambassadors of new French pop. They're bright, sharp and smarter than they might first appear. Hugely enjoyable and they deserve to be the official soundtrack for the French summer.




Taxi Kebab present an intoxicating proposition with their psych-flavoured melange of electronics and guitar, a flavour of heavy north African drones and diorientating sonics. If the Master Musicians of Joujouka grew up listening to Aphex Twin it might sound something like this.



Sweet pop vocals and a backdrop of dark trip hop electronics from UTO, a classy duo from Ivry-sur-Seine.




Agapé produces a sharp and smart electronic informed R & B, flavoured with tropical urban beats and chilled vocals.



Mauvais Œil are recent signings to Disque Enterprise, home of Bagarre, Grand Blanc and Moodoid, all acts that gained a lot of attention from festival performances in Rennes. There's something of a gothic indie rock spirit here, with an arabic psyche flavour. Very impressive.

Festival: Le Print­emps de Bourges 2018

Are we already thinking about 2018's festivals? Some of the big events happening over the summer have already named their headliners, nice to see some of the names emerge for this year's  Le Print­emps de Bourges event.

The big name is Orelsan, who plays on April 26 .  Also on the bill are Juli­ette Armanet and Véronique San­son as well as Catherine Ringer who play on April 24

Elsewhere there are LEJ and Brigitte who play with Rag 'n' Bone Man on April 25

Shaka Ponk, Ibeyi and Hollysiz play the Happy Friday night on April 27 and Rone and Laurent Garnier play the Rock 'n' Beat night on April 28.

Le Print­emps de Bourges pretty much kicks off the annual festival season in France, and it's got a firm reputation for delivering a well-curated mix of artists, this year looks no exception.

 Le Print­emps de Bourges takes place from the 24 to the 29th of April.

Festival: Les Eurockéennes de Belfort

Another of France's biggest festivals is underway this weekend, with the four day long Les
Eurockéennes de Belfort event.

With a scenic location and temperatures expeceted to be in the 30s all weekend, it's the kind of event that British festivals can only aspire to be like.

But are there any decent acts on the bill? Funny you should ask!

It's a four-day long event, with proceedings starting yesterday and continuing until Sunday

Yesterday saw the likes of Iggy Pop, Jain and PNL, Today sees Editors and Gojira, La Femme and HF Thiefaine among the dozens of acts scheduled to perform.

Saturday includes Booba and Justice, as well as Vitalic and Dropkick Murphys.Fishbach and HER are also among the acts.

Sunday features Arcade Fire, Phoenix, Royal Blood and Solange.

Plenty of big names, both French and international, for an event thathas become established as one of Europe's key big summer music events.

Festival Art Rock, Saint-Brieuc

There's certainly no shortage of music festivals in France this summer, and June sees events taking place pretty much every weekend.

While big ticket events like Hellfest, Solidays and Main Square attract big names and massive crowds, and are becoming well known to the UK festival goer on account of their value for money and somewhat better conditions that their UK equivalent, some of the smaller event are every bit as worthy of investigating.

One such festival is Art Rock, held in Saint-Brieuc in Brittany, a three-day event that begins today.

On the bill are Julien Doré, La Femme, Cassius, Las Aves and Metronomy. Also playing over the weekend are Agar Agar, Radio Elvis, Paradis and dozens of others.

Many of these are acts I've written about extensively on this blog over the years, it's an impressive line up playing at the venues involved across the town over a packed weekend.

Over and above the musical elements, the event includes art exhibitions, dance and art events in venues across the town.

It's the perfect example of a well-considered line up of acts, combining the more established with the developing artists in an event that gives the audience a weekend immersion in some of the best acts that are currently playing in France.

Festival: Le Printemps de Bourges

The Le Printemps de Bourges festival pretty much marks the start of the French festival season for
the year.

 It's also such a well-curated event that is gives a pretty good indication  of the acts to watch over the coming months.

Some 30 of the acts on this years bill emerged last month, and the organisers have now revealed the final names.

Already announced were big names Jain, Placebo, Vianney, Renaud, Soprano et Boulevard des Airs as well as Fakear, Talisco, Vitalic, Yuksek and Mr Oizo.

Added to the listings are dozens of acts including François & The Atlas Mountains, Fishbach and Agar-Agar, along with Her, Paradis, Cléa Vincent and Juliette Armanet.

Covering hip hop, electro , indie and rock and all combinations of these, it's an event that casts a wide net and hauls in an interesting catch.

 Le Printemps de Bourges runs from April 18 to 23.

Transmusicales festival: 2016 Visual unveiled

The visual for this year's Transmusicales festival in Rennes has been unveiled by the event
organisers, with an eyecatching work by grafitti artist WAR!


His work is familiar on the streets of Rennes, he describes his work as ' a little poetry amid the concrete.'


Tickets are already available for the event in December, and again reasonable by UK festival standards, with a VIP three-day pass for the Parc Expo where the main acts play coming in at 66 euros, the regular weekend pass coming in at 49 euros.

Preceding the event many of the acts involved play local shows across the west of France, with shows in Caen, rennes, Morlaix, Nantes, St Avé, Quimper and St Malo between November 9 and November 25.

There will also be a series of free concerts and workshops in the  Ille-et-Vilaine department in the run up to the festival from November 12 to 25th.

More details will be released by the event on September the first.

Christine and the Queens at Coachella

If Glastonbury Festival underwent a Hollywood re-make, it would probably be something like Coachella.

The beautiful people at play, a stylish and well-heeled audience and a cast of thousands on stage and the drama of acts making a potentially massive impression on a north American audience.

This year it was the time of Christine and the Queens, and while the likes of Guns 'n' Roses and LCD Sound System grabbed headlines, France's favourite certainly rose to the occasion.

Last year Stromae took to the stage at Coachella and it established him as a major player in the USA, going on to sold-out tour dates a short time later, no small achievement for a francophone artist.

Christine and the Queens performed an English language set, following the release of the new edition of her Chaleur Humaine album in a more anglo-friendly format. She's a unique performer, and it seems many across the Atlantic have now say up and taken notive.

She spoke to Vogue magazine about playing Coachella, telling reporters how she would stay up to watch the live streaming of the festival.

Christine and the Queens are no strangers to playing live in the USA, having toured with Marina and the Diamonds, but after Coachella I reckon she'll be the headline act next time she plays there.

Festival: Solidays 2016

Another day, another French summer festival confirms details of what is on the bill, with Solidays in Paris coming under the spotlight.

Solidays has become a key festival for a Paris-based audience, an event focussing on solidarity in the fight against Aids at its core.

This summer the Longchamp racetrack takes on a Californian Summer of Love theme, and  plays host to M83, Cypress Hill and Louise Attaque, alongside Jain, Synapson and Flume.

More acts will be revealed in the coming weeks.

Solidays is held this year from June 24-26, and tickets go on sale on February 10.



Solidays 2016 by solidays

Trans Musicales festival: Another 15 acts unveiled

Another 15 acts have been revealed for the bill of this years's Trans Musicales festival in Rennes.

The video sees the creation of another piece of street art in the city detailing the names.

Playground Zero, Vintage Trouble, Steve 'n'Seagulls, Khun Narin's Electric Phin band, Idiotape, The Chikitas, The Brother Moves On, Le Galaxie, Het Universumpje, Clarence Clarity, Fango, Queen Kwong, The Comet is Coming and Applescal are listed, in what looks again to be a fascinating and eclectic bill.

Delighted to see Scottish rap act Hector Bizerk on the bill.

Fifteen acts have already been confirmed, and the rest will be revealed on September 17 at a news conference at the Ubu club in Rennes.

Rencontres Trans Musicales 2015: First names confirmed

Details of the first 15 names confirmed for this year's Rencontres Trans Musicales 2015 festival in
Rennes in December have been revealed

A nicely done video reveals the names in a street art project in Rennes.

Dralms, Her, Grand Cannon, Paradis, Klaus Johan Grobe, Inuit, City Kay, Kaviar Special, Okmalumkoolkat, Rival Consoles, Binkbeats, Georgia, Swaggers, Mawimbi and Kokomo are the first names to emerge.

Many, many more will be added in forthcoming weeks.

The event has been one of the musical highlights for this blog over the past couple of years, with a real chance to experience a well-curated cross section of talent from France and beyond.

The  Rencontres Trans Musicales 2015 is held in Rennes from December 2 - December 6.

Playlist: Rock en Seine

The end of August sees the Rock en Seine 2015 festival taking place at the Domaine national de
Saint-Cloud near Paris.

It's the 13th time it's been held, and the event has become one of Europe's key music events, with a crowd of over 100,000 and acts on multiple stages.

While headliners include Kasabian, The Libertines and The Chemical Brothers, other acts on the bill include  Etienne Daho, Fauve and Benjamin Clementine.

Franz Ferdinand and Sparks, The Offspring, Alt J and Tame Impala also play, as do Miossec and Forever Pavot, slong with dozens of others.

Like previous years, it's an impressive mix of established festival favourite acts, alongside  acts that are likely to become better known before too long.

 Some tickets are still available, you can find them on the festival's official website alongside  details of all the acts on the bill.

Festival: Vielles Charrues

The music festival focus in France moves to the west this week, with the Vielles Charrues event in
Brittany on Thursday, Friday Saturday and Sunday.

Tonight sees Muse headline, with Brodinski also playing.

Friday sees the fesival in full effect, with Christine and the Queens, The Do, Salut C'est cool, Feu! Chatterton and others, including Tom Jones.

The weekend includes sets from Thylacinde and Bagarre on Satuday, along with big names like Calogero and George Ezra and The Prodigy.

On the final night there are sets by David Guetta, Brigitte and Dominique A, as well as Lionel Richie, Joan Baez and London Grammar.

Festival: Les Francofolies de La Rochelle

Another significant festival in France this weekend, it is the summer after all, with Les Francofolies
de La Rochelle taking over the west coast seaside town for a series of concerts between now and July 14.

It's the most francocentric of festivals, with shows taking place at ten locations, featuring some of the biggest names.

The main stage sees Etienne Daho, Christine and the Queens and Rone on the Friday night, the Saturday sees Fakears, the Do, Selah Sue, the Avener and others.

On the Sunday there are sets by Rose, Coeur de Pirats, Véronique Sanson, Julien Doré and Hubert-Félix Thiéfaine. Monday the 13th sees Fréro Delavega, Brigitte and Florent Pagny, the final night sees Yannick Noah and Johnny Hallyday.

Elsewhere, among dozens of other shows are Dominique A, Baden Baden, Monogrenade, Jeanne Added and Thylacine.

In short, the event gives a pretty accurate picture of the shape of French music today, from the greats and the famous to the underground,  electro to chanson,  Les Francofolies de La Rochelle is a showcase for French music in a great setting.

Festival: La Ferme Electrique

Another weekend of festivals on the horizon ahead, from the large to the small scale, bur one that
particularly appeals is the second editon of La Ferme Electrique in Seine-et-Marne, half an hour from Paris.

One the more intimate end of the festival spectrum, La Ferme Electrique last year offered up -amongst others - Orval Carlos Sibelius, Italy's Movie Star Junkies, Jessica 93 , and French new-wave innovator Charles de Goal.

This year the bill includes Chassol and Aquaserge, alongside Besoin Dead,  The Telescopes and many others.

This year sees it celebrate its sixth birthday, and beyond the live music there are exhibitions, T shirt and vinyl stalls.

It's an event with a laudible DIY attitude, and an atmosphere encouraging creativity and co-operation. Small but perfectly formed.

The event takes place in Tournan-en-Brie at the Ferme du Plateau in Seine et Marne Tomorrow, July 3 and Saturday July 4.

Latest details can be found on their website 

Hellfest 2015: Live streaming

This weekend sees the international metal music scene focus its attention on France, with the Hellfest
three day event unfolding in the west of the country.

It's the tenth year of the festival, which has established itself as one of Europe's premier rock events alongside Download, Rock Am Ring and Wacken Open Air.

Some of the genre's biggest names are on the bill, with Judas Priest, Scorpions and Faith Korn headlining the main stage on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Also on that stage are ZZ Top, Slash, Alice Cooper, Motorhead and more.

But one of the main attraction of Hellfest is that there are six stages, each with their own curated line up, so that the event can cover pretty much every sub genre of metal.

So there are headline places on the main stage two for Slipkot, Marilyn Manson and Nightwish, and performances by Faith no More, Lamb of God, In Flames and Epica.

One particulaly impressive feature is that much of the festival is being streamed by broadcaster Arte, so that even if you can't be in a field in Clisson near Nantes, you can enjoy the event in the comfort of your own laptop or tablet.

OÜI FM festival

Some details have emerged about this year's OÜI FM festival in Paris, an event organised by the
radio station that's probably  France's most musically aware broadcaster.

There will be three nights of concerts, in the open air and free in the centre of the city.

So far confirmed are Les Innocents, Gaz Coombes, The Strypes, Mina Tindle, Fuzeta and Talisco.

More acts will be added in the build up to the event.

Last year the station put on free shows  in July featuring acts including Cats on Trees, Shaka Ponk, Le Vasco, Zebda, FFF and Gaspard Royant

The organisers are promising a bold and eclectic bill, with both promising new discoveries and international headliners.

The event will take place on June 23 - June 25 at Place de la République in Paris.

Rock en Seine: More acts unveiled

More acts have been confirmed for this year's Rock en Seine festival in August.

Another twenty acts have been listed, including Stereophonics, Ghost,  Glass Animals and Balthazar, Bianca Casady & the C.I.A and Parquet Courts.

Meanwhile, six new acts have been added to the bill, including Vive Le Roq favourites  Jeanne Added and Forever Pavot. Also on the  Avant-Seine are VKNG,  DBFC, We Are Match and Last Train.

They join  a bill that already includes The Chemical Brothers, The Libertines and Kasabian, Franz Ferdinand and Sparks, The Offspring and Alt-J.

French artists include Etienne Daho, Fauve and Benjamin Clementine.

The three-day event is held at the Domaine National de Saint Cloud in the Hauts-de-Seine departement near Paris on the weekend of August 28, 29 and 30.

Festival: Chorus des Hauts de Seine

The Chorus des Hauts de Seine gets under way today, with the focus on events taking place at the esplanade of La Défense, the business district on the outskirts of Paris

 Over a period of ten days there are shows in venues across communities in Hauts de Seine, and there are two big weekends of shows in La Défense.

Gigs take place there on the Friday Saturday and Sunday, the first weekend sees  Charlie Winston, Feu Chatterton, Bagarre and Shaka Ponk, the second features La Roux, Rone, Thylacine and Yuksek.

There are also free shows earlier in the day at the La Defense venue.

Meanwhile,  there are shows taking place in community venues across the Hauts de Seine area include big names like Cats on Trees, Miossec and Grand Corps Malade.

Last year saw the festival scaled back, but this year sees it again becoming a large-scale music even on the doorstep of Paris.

Festival: Rock en Seine

Details have emerged of some of the first names on the bill for this year's Rock en Seine festival.

The three-day festival is held at Domaine National de Saint-Cloud on the west of Paris. The event has been runing since 2003, in recent years attracting over 100,000 spectators.

Last year's headliners were Arctic Monkeys, The Prodigy and Queens of the Stone age. Lana Del Rey, The Hives, Portisheaed and Airbourne were also on the bill.

Those on the bill this year include The Chemical Brothers, The Libertines, Alt-J, The Offspring,  Jungle, Fauve, Tame Impala, Interpol, Etienne Daho, Rodrigo y Gabriela, John Butler trio, Benjamine Clementine, Mark Lenegan band.

 There had been rumours that Metallica would be at the top of the bill, but seems  not to be the case. Metallica are headlining the Reading festival on August 29 and Leeds festival on August 30, leaving August 28 a possible date.

 The band are however playing in Moscow on August 27, so perhaps it was the logistics of bringing the Metallica show to Paris from Moscow in such a short period of time that was the difficulty.

The Rock en Seine festival takes place on August 28, 2 and 30.