Christine and the Queens: Radio 1's Big Weekend

Nice to see Christine and the Queens make an appearance at the Radio 1's Big Weekend event in Hull.

While very much a showcase for the UK's foremost pop music broadcaster, as commercial a proposition as you could imagine from a public service broadcaster, it was reminder of exactly how far Christine and the Queens have come in the past few years.

It was only a few years ago I was reporting on Héloïse Letissier playing at the Great Escape festival in Brighton, one of many French acts hoping to catch the eye and ear of the UK music business and audience. She managed it in a way few could have imagined.

So a performance at an event that celebrates pop at its most popular gives us the chance to reflect that French acts can take a step from success in their home country to widespread recognition in the UK without compromising their art or the very things that make them the unique artists they are.

More artists will hopefully follow. Given the state of the music industry at the moment, where fewer acts are being signed and record companies can take fewer risks, it makes sense for them to take acts that have already achieved a modicum of success in their home countries and develop them for an international audience.

There are plenty of French acts that could easily follow in the synchronised footsteps of Christine and her Queens.

France at The Great Escape 2016

The Great Escape festival begins in Brighton today, a major event showcasing some of the finest emerging talent as well as an opportunity for music business professionals to get together, discuss, swap notes and hear some interesting sounds.

It's the closest thing in the UK to SXSW, with hundreds of acts playing in dozens of venues across the town.

The event has in the past featured some of the best French acts and this year is no exception, with 12 acts from France featuring on the bill.

The event has in the past seen the likes of Christine and the Queens, while last year Jeanne Added, Hollysiz, Saycet and Camp Claude were among the French acts.

Jain might have been nominated for a Victoires de la musique award in February for last year's Zanaka album in the breakthrough album category,  the Yodelice produced collection going on to sell massively on the back of the number one single Come, but there's a rare opportunity to catch her in the UK as she plays Brighton this afternoon at the Queen's Hotel and at Paganini Ballroom tonight.


Hyphen Hyphen picked up the Victoires de la musique award for breakthrough act in February, following their Time album from 2015. I've liked their busy electro style since I featured it last year, and they're at Brighthelm on Friday afternoon and at Prince Albert on Saturday afternoon.


Her are one French act who have been making small but significant inroads to the UK recently, and they're playing Brighton as the last of four dates in Britain that saw two shows in London earlier this week.

Their Her Tape Number One EP  was released last year and it presented an act overflowing with very interesting ideas. They've followed it with Her Live tape One six track EP featuring live versions and covers of released earlier this month. They're at the Queen's Hotel this afternoon, and at the Hope and Ruin this evening.


Also on the bill are Fakear, who plays a set at 2am on Friday at Komedia, DBFC who play Horatios on Friday afternoon and Prince Albert on Saturday evening. Holy Oysters play on Saturday at Brighthelm and M. A. beat platy tonight at Patter and on Friday at Horatios.

Pollyanna meanwhile plays a shot n Saturday afternoon at the Spiegelpub and at the Queens Hotel on Saturday night,

French acts at the Great Escape festival 2015

Many of France's finest musical exports are playing at the Great Escape festival in Brighton this
weekend.

The event has in recent years become something of a beachhead for French acts, many of which have gone on to considerable success subsequent to their appearance at The Great Escape.

Christine and the Queens, darlings of the 2015 Victoires de la Musique awards, played there in 2013.

Perhaps some of this playing over the next few days will go on to similar success. But regardless of whether or not they make any kind of commercial breakthrough, there's a great selection on offer.

Hundreds of acts play across the city, in the closest thing we probably have in the UK to the SXSW festival in America, both an event in itself and a showcase for acts to establish themselves.

Andrea Balency is no stranger to this blog, she plays Tonight (Friday) at the Komedia Studio Bar 9.15pm-9.45pm and on Sunday at the Paganini Ballroom 1.30pm-2.00pm




Bristol, the new project from Marc Collin of Nouvelle Vague. They offer a unique interpretation of 90s trip hop. Bristol plays the Spiegeltent on 16th May 2015 2:15pm - 2:45pm




Camp Claude have featured on this blog before, and play today (Friday) at Carousels 2pm - 2.45pm.




C.A.R. play two shows over the weekend, with a show on Friday  at the Prince Albert from 7.45pm-8.15pm, and another tomorrow (Saturday) at Brighthelm from 1.00am-1.30am.




Forever Pavot have also featured here previously, on account of them being wonderful, and they play at The Hub on Friday 12.30pm-1.00pm




Ibeyi bring their soulful pop blended with Cuban stylings to Brighton and play at Coalition on Saturday, 8.15pm-8.45pm




Saycet brings some cutting edge electronics, and plays on Saturday at Patterns-Downstairs, 2.15pm-2.45pm




Others on the bill include Jeanne Added, Acid Arab and Stal, but having played yesterday you'll have to catch them next time they play the UK.

In the meantime, make the most of the opportunity to catch the acts above while you can.

Forever Pavot: Ivresse de pacotilleby

A very freaky video for the track Ivresse de pacotilleby Forever Pavot.

the track features on Forever Pavot's debut album, entitled Rhapsode, released on Born Bad records in November last year

It's an album that really deserves some attention, one of the many great psychedelic influenced acts that have emerged in recent years from France such as Moodoid and  Orval Carlos Sibelius.

References to the likes of The Beach Boys, Can and others from the experimental edge of the 60s and 70s are there, but its a collection that remains modern in its outlook.

The album is their first full-length collection, after releasing a number of limited edition singles since 2011.

Forever Pavot are one of the French acts scheduled to play the the Great Escape festival in Brighton in May, having played some dates in the UK in December last year.

French bands at The Great Escape

Last year I featured some of the French acts playing at the Great Escape festival in Brighton, and this year the event again has a strong showing of French performers, ranging from the well-known to the more obscure. There are also some favourites of this blog on the bill.

Last year there were acts like Christine and the Queens, Concrete knives,  Melody' s Echo Chamber, We Were Evergreen and Tomorrow's World.  They've all gone on to critical and in some cases massive commercial acclaim since, so many of the acts this year may very well do the same.

The festival truly showcases some of the best new talent, and it's great to see so many French acts on the bill.

As Animals



As Animals play at the Spiegeltent on May 9 at 8.30pm, and at the Prince Albert on Saturday 10 at 1.30pm.

As Animals released their debut album earlier this year. More on the band on their website http://www.asanimals.com/

BRNS



 BRNS play at Sticky Mike's Frog Bar on Saturday May 10 at 4.30pm and at the Queen's Hotel the same day at 10.30pm.

The band relased a new single Void/My head is into you for Record Store day in France and played a few dates in the UK supporting Etches Catch up with them on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/BRNSmusic

Cats on Trees


Cats on Trees play the Festival Hub on Saturday May 10 at 2.30pm and later that day at Above Audio at 7.45

I've featured this duo extensively on the blog, and a high-profile introduction to a British audience should do them well. Their website is here http://catsontrees.com/

Francois and the Atlas Mountains



Francois and the Atlas Mountains play at the Speigeltent on Friday May 9 at 10.15pm

Indie rock masters and strong contenders for the album of the year (well, on this blog anyway) play beneath the big tent. Keep up with the latest dispaches from the Francois and friends on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/francoisandtheatlasmountains

Le Vasco



Le Vasco play at Brighthelm on Thursday at 12.30am, Believe Presents showcase on Friday at 4.15pm and at the Queens Hotel the same day at 7.45pm

No strangers to this blog, hopefully Le Vasco will get some of the recognition they deserve from the UK. The latest from Le Vasco here https://www.facebook.com/levascomusic

Moodoid



They play at Sticky Mike's Frog Bar on Thursday at 9.30pm and on Friday at Brighthelm at 1pm

The mighty Moodoid are another highlight of the event, their debut album much anticipated here.

https://www.facebook.com/Moodoid?ref=ts&fref=ts

Orval Carlos Sibelius 



Orval Carlos Sibelius play at the Spiegeltent on Thursday at 1.15

Their most recent is set to get a UK release shortly. More about the band here  https://www.facebook.com/orvalcarlossibelius

Others on the bill worth catching include Persian Rabbit, at the Hope on Friday at 12pm and at the Bermuda Triangle on Saturday at 8.30pm.

Tristesse Contemporaire play at the Bermuda Triangle on Saturday at 1.15 and at the Blind Tiger at 12.45am

 Meanwhile, the mighty We Were Evergreen  play on Friday at the Speigeltent at 11.30pm.

J.C.Satàn live in London

A heads up that French rock act J.C.Satàn are playing two dates in London, tonight at the Macbeth,

tomorrow at the Windmill in Brixton.

They also play in Portsmouth on September 14.

The band are one of France's best current rock bands, and have released three albums  since their debut EP cameout in 2010. Their most recent, Faraway Land, came out in October last year.

J.C.Satàn were one of the French bands that played at the Great Escape event in Brighton earlier this year.

Nice to see them back across the channel again, and hope that next tim ethey come over for a bit longer and travel a bit further.

There's certainly a huge potential audience for them over here.

J.C.Satàn have dates across France from later this month, and in October and November.  They play in Paris at the Olympia on October the fifth.

French bands at The Great Escape in Brighton

This weekend sees a whole host of French acts play at the The Great Escape festival in Brighton, an event that like the SXSW festival in Austin Texas showcases some of the best new acts.

The sold-out music business and convention and festival runs from May 16 to May 18, with 350 artisps playing at 30 venues around the town.

Thousands of delgates from the UK's music industry attend the events, with many coming from abroad as well. They include publishers, managers, broadcasters, promoters and journalists, in an environment where there is no shortage of excellent acts to catch the ear.

Meanwhile, the public get the chance to catch some wonderful acts playing in the town, a more pleasant and approachable way of seeing a huge number of acts without the downside of being at a festival.

As I mentioned, there are some great French acts playing, with the credit going to the good people at French Music UK for making this happen.

Rather than give a detailed rundown of every act that is on the bill, I thought a quick list with a video from each act would help introduce some of these bands.

I'll feature them in more depth in the next few weeks.

Archipel: Roving Jewel



Archipel play on Saturday May 18 at the Old Ship Paganini Ballroom at 1.30pm and on Sunday May 19 at the Green Door Store at 1am.

More details on the band's website

Aufgang: Kyrie



Aufgang play on Friday May 17 at St Bartholomew’s Church at 9.45pm More about the band on their Facebook page

Christine and the Queens: Nuit 17 à 52

Christine and the Queens play on Saturday May 18 on the Queens Hotel Stage at the French Music Office Party at 1.30pm, and at the Queens Hotel Stage at 8.30pm. More about the band on their website 

Concrete Knives: Greyhound Racing



Concrete knives play on Saturday May 18 on the Queens Hotel Stage French Music Office Party at 12.30pm, and on saturday May 18 at Audio at 8pm. Keep up with Concret Knives on their Facebook page  

Girls in Hawaii: Misses



Girls in Hawaii play on Saturday May 18 at the  Queens Hotel Stage for the French Music Office Party at 2.30pm and on Saturday May 18 at the Brighthelm Centre at 10.30pm

There's more on their website

J.C. Satàn: Taketori Monogatari (The Moon)



J.C. Satàn plays on Friday May 17 at The Hope at 8.30pm  More details on their website

Melody's Echo Chamber: Some Time Alone, Alone



Melody's Echo Chamber play on Thursday May 16 at the Corn Exchange at 11.15pm. The band are on Facebook here

Mutiny on the Bounty: Myanmar



Mutiny on the Bounty play on Friday May 17 at the Queens Hotel Stage at 2.35pm, and on Saturday May 18 at Concorde 2 at 7.45pm. More about the band on their website

Owlle: Ticky Ticky



Owlle plays on Thursday May 16 at Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar at 11.45pm More on Owlle on their official website

The Penelopes: Summer Life



The Penelopes play on Saturday May 18 at the Queens Hotel Stage at 7.45pm and on Sunday May 19 at the Blind Tiger at 1.45am Want to know more about The Penelopes? Find it on their website 

Tomorrow's World: Drive



Tomorrow's World play at Digital on Thursday May 16 at 8pm.  More details about the band on their website 

Unno: Whatever Comes



Unno plays on Saturday May 18 at the Green Door Store at 12.30pm More about the band on their website 

We Were Evergreen: Leeway



We were Evergreen play on Thursday 16 at the Metro Hub at 4pm, and at the Dome Concert Hall at 8pm. More on the band's website