Music saturnals

It seems that the concept of an all-day musical celebration on the days of the solstice, was originated by American musician Joel Cohen, who spent two seasons as a producer of musical radio programs for the National Radio France Culture. The idea later was embraced and made official by the French Minister of Culture Jacques Lang. It was adapted as a national celebration each June 21 in France. The first Fête de la musique was organized in 1982, after a study had revealed that 5 millions of french citizens, and one child over two, played a music instrument.

Faites de la musique! Make music!

The festival is now celebrated in more than 450 cities from more than 100 countries, including Germany, Italy, Morocco, South Africa, Australia, Vietnam, Congo, Cameroon, Mauritius, Fiji, Colombia, Chile, Nepal, United States and Japan. Not sure they kept it in Syria this year, but who knows.

Following a 32 years tradition, many french citizens declare they have been disappointed. Some towns and villages of Aveyron or Lozère don't play the game seriously enough, according to music/party lovers. The amateur bands in the streets of bigger cities kept the inhabitants from sleeping. The historical centers, the following morning, are dirty and stinky (more than before). This year fortunately June 21rst was a Saturday. People managed to sleep, especially on the next morning while municipal employees cleaned the streets. We'll check later if they had enough water (let's bet there will be restrictions this Summer - it hasn't enough last Spring). But there was a pair of new causes of disappointment.

First cause: TV. The public channel France 2 programmed a concert in Montpellier, with a national live diffusion. The artists were professionals, not at all local (or exceptionnally), they didn't need any public support, yet they had it - it was considered as a public support for tourism, which is as useless in my opinion. And a 20 000 people crowd isn't appealing. Plenty unknowns of stage: Alizée, Baptiste Giabiconi, Brahim Zaibat, Brice Conrad, Cats on trees, Chico et les gypsies (+ Anne Etchegoyen et les voix basques), Christophe Mae, Collectif Métissé, Conchita Wurst, Elisa Tovati, François Valéry, Gérard Lenorman, Graffitis, Hervé Vilard, Indila, John Mamann (+ Kika), Joyce Jonathan, Julie Zenatti, Julien Doré, Kendji, La Fouine, Fababy, Sindy et Sultan, Latin Lover (Nuno/Iglesias/Sargue), Lisa Angell, Magic System (et Ahmed Chawki), Nolwenn Leroy, Patrick Fiori, Patrick Sebastien, Porcelain Black, Tal, Yannick Noah. Message to the tax administration: I REALLY don't have TV. Ok, I have now, a 30 years old TV, and I have the possibility to plug it so that I could receive TV programs, but I don't. I plan to change it into a glass tank for fish as soon as my son will have discovered arts, including cinema. For the moment he watches Arte edition dvd. Should I pay the redevance because they are edited by Arte channel? M... I don't want to pay for programs and adds I don't see and don't want to exist. Don't come and visit, yet: I declared this ugly TV.

The city gave 300 000 € and France 2 gave 100 000 € for the TV set. Several small concerts were cancelled, as all the public equipment was used for this stage and 5 others: Peyrou (Rock/pop), Plan Cabannes (Chanson/world), Esplanade de la Musique (Classique, jazz, chorales, brass bands), square Jean Monnet (Chanson/jazz), Antigone (electro). Not enough was left, for example, for the occitan party Total Festum, which was cancelled - though it takes place for several years in and around the city.

Second cause: the concerts that were programmed in the Domaine d'O were cancelled because of the strike of the intermittents du spectacle. We do need the intermittents. The theatre festival the Printemps des Comédiens has been cancelled because of their strike, the festival d'Avignon might also be cancelled... Too bad there is no solidarity among them. A few of them earn fortunes, on TV, cinema and radio especially; they wouldn't share their earnings nor accept less, pleading they earn less than big bosses, but would like the State to give more so that they keep their staff at work. I REALLY feel guilty I pay this damn redevance.

I don't really care about the big festivals with expensive tickets. The Music day (night, in fact) in the Domaine d'O is free, and invited the Mal Coiffée, an occitan polyphonic band. When public money and the support of the minitry of culture doesn't go to this kind of concerts, there is a problem.

It seems that the city hall asked the music conservatory school to take part to the France 2 concert in playing on stage, playback and of course for nothing. I'm glad the music students played/sang for nothing and not playback in the courtyard of one of the nicest hôtels particuliers of the city, the hôtel Cambacérès. It was the best concert of the day. Some young students also played on the place de la Canourgue, in a less focused and respectuous context. Thanks to the commerçants, there were other good sets here and there. The street/rue Marioge was a good adress. Wine shop, cheese shop, fruits and vegetable shops and small restaurants decorated the street, set tables, chairs and stage... the evening there was opened by a local brass band, the Fanfare Coco, who did a very good job with its first audience of children and mothers/grandparents, before leaving for the Beaux Arts...