Johnny Hallyday: Rester Vivant tour

A new tour by the indifatigable Johnny Hallyday got under way in Nîmes last night, with the first
night of the Rester Vivant tour the show being held at the historic Roman amphitheatre.

Hallyday finished his last tour at the venue, maybe there's something about its age and ancient history of gladiatorial combat that appeals to him.

Reports and reviews reveal, unsurprisingly, that Hallyday wore his customary black leather and shades, defying the summer heatwave.

The set included  Rester vivant from his most recent album, Carol, the Chuck Berry song played by the Rolling Stones in the early 60s, amd some of is best known numbers including O ma jolie Sarah, Quelque chose de Tennessee, Gabrielle and  Le pénitencier.

Hallyday's tour continues until March 2016, including a number of summer festival shows including events in La Rochelle, Monaco and Biarritz. there are three nights at Bercy in Paris on November 27, 28 and 29, and another two shows there in February.

The Montreuz Jazz Festival 2015

The Montreuz Jazz Festival kicks off in the Swiss city  today, an international festival with a massive
reputation.

Since 1967 the event has attracted some of the world's top talent from the fields of jazz, blues and rock.

Always an international event, and with the widest possible definition of what constitutes 'jazz'.  Lilly Wood and the Prick, Emelie Sandi and John Legend are among the acts playing today.

Between now and the 18th of July sees Lady Gaga performing with Tony Bennett, as well as shows by Mary J Blige, Sinead O'Connor, Paolo Nutini, Portishead and the Chemical Brothers.

More obviously jazz acts include  Chick Corea & Herbie Hancock, Gilberto Gil and Santana.

Dozens of other shows take place, from international stars to school bands performing free in the park.

La Famille Chedid and Zaz are among the big name French acts,  Thylacine and Fakear supplying the sounds from a new generation.

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 

M Pokora: Voir la nuit s'emballer

A new single from M Pokora, one of France's biggest pop stars of the moment, with another track from his RED album

R.E.D., released in February gave him his third number one album in France.

It's his sixth studio album in a career that saw him initially come to prominence in the 2003 series of the  Popstars reality TV show.

Since then, as well as his solo career, he's appeard on Danse avec les stars - winning the first season - and appearing in the stage musical Robin des Bois.

Voir la nuit s'emballer is the fourth single from R.E.D., the new video giving a flavour of his live show.

Pokora is currently on tour in arenas across France, and plays at the Bercy palais Omnisport on December 11 and 12.

Blind Digital Citizen: Cumbia

A new clip from favourites of this blog Blind Digital Citizen for the track Cumbia.

The track comes from their Premières Vies album which came out at the end of March.

For an old school animation it's a wildly psychedelic piece, reminiscent of the work of Jean Giraud.

A perfect illustration to compliment the work of Blind Digital Citizen.

Blind Digital Citizen DJ in Paris on July 9 with label mates Moodoïd, Grand Blanc, Lafayette  and Bagarre at the Ground Control venue.

Paris International Festival of Psychedelic Music

While the summer sees a huge number of big budget festivals with big names across France, like
elsewhere, there are also a huge number of smaller boutique events catering for specialist tastes of every type.

One such event is the Paris International Festival of Psychedelic Music, an event running from Today until Sunday in the French capital.

It's the second time that the event's been held, and this year sees acts including The Horrors, Clinic and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard.

While it's a international event, the contemporary French psych acts are represented with the likes of Jessica 93.

There are also film screenings and DJ sets.

Psychedelia has since the 60s proved to be both an enduring and fertile area of music, and it has continued to adapt over the decades, from the garage rock of the mid 60s to the West Coast US hippies, to their more modern descendants continuing to push forward the frontiers.

As the festival organisers say: "This musical scene has always kept exporting and developing, but today a true artistic renewal is giving to psyche a previously unseen extent."

The festival is being held at multiple venues including Le Trianon, La Machine du Moulin Rouge and  La Gaite Lyrique.

More details are available on the event's website.

Editorial: July 2015

Another month takes us further into the summer and the festival season, with some if the year's
biggest music events taking place in France.

While June saw the likes of Hellfest in Clisson and Solidays in Paris, July sees Les Francofolies in La Rochelle, Main Square festival and les Eurockéens de Belfort.

A busy month for sure,  with French acts also in the UK for festival duties, including David Guetta
As always, I can be contacted on johnkilbrideAThotmailDOTcom, with the appropriate punctuation.

I'm always pleased to hear from record companies, PR companies and promoters, so be sure to get in touch.

We're also on Twitter as @viveleroq or you can find me at @karnag

Thanks as always  to the good people at the French Music Office in London and to the Institut francais in London for their help and encouragement.

Merci et à bientôt

John K