Issue 74 / February 2017

Bido Lito! February 2017
15
the crowd to move with him. Their mantra “You are made of
peace” is amplified when they visit a local prison to spread their
message of tolerance and acceptance, which is delivered so
potently through their music that you can’t help but be moved.
But, it’s up close and personal in
BCUC
Rennes’ main metro station where
the magnetism of BCUC becomes so
evident. At close quarters, and in earpiercing
distance of the group’s traditional
penny whistles and pounding drums, it’s the
passion which hits you most. You just don’t want it
to end.
A 15-strong Icelandic rap crew would
normally be so far out of my comfort zone
as to be laughable; but Trans Musicales has
changed me. So, it is with glee and a fair amount
of
nervous excitement that I await the arrival of
REYKJAVÍKURDÆTUR – and these 15 Daughters of
Reykjavik have me in the palm of their hands throughout. Apart
from the odd song in English, and the liberally employed “fuck”,
I can’t understand a word of what they spit out over the next
hour, but it doesn’t matter: the conviction with which each of the
crew attacks their flows is enough to cross linguistic boundaries.
And when one of the group jumps about the stage sporting a
strap-on dildo, things don’t exactly need spelling out.
Some things at Trans are less surprising, however, like the
locals’ love of hard techno of questionable quality. The largest
crowds pile into the vast Hall 9 for some non-stop techno
banging from COMAH, while DAS MORTÄL is one of many to hold
court in the 360-degree audio Greenroom, while the pleasureseeking
Rennais lose their shit and drink up the bass throbs. And
if the reception given to REJJIE SNOW and TIGGS DA AUTHOR is
anything to go by, softcore UK rap is still a popular taste on the
French palette.
It’s not all hits either – and I’m prepared to forgive Jean-
Louis and co. a few bum notes in the
programming, even more because
of pleasant surprises such as
SUPER PARQUET (traditional
French psychedelia). But I’m
not buying HMLTD; sometimes
people get lulled into ‘liking’ a
Reykjavíkurdætur
band
because
they’re talked
about so much that
they think they
ought to. HMLTD
just sound
like a goth
punk version
of Duran Duran
‘performed’ by a load of shouldknow-better
hipsters dressed like they’re auditioning for a minor
role in the Joker’s entourage. And that’s never good.
Away from Parc Expo there are still some treats to be
had. Chroniclers of France’s fertile underground scene, La
Souterraine, host a showcase in the gorgeous Theatre du
Vieux Saint Etienne, a converted chapel in the north of the city.
BARBAGALLO, fronted by percussionist extraordinaire Julien
Barbagallo, and AQUASERGE headline each afternoon of these
cosy gatherings, doing so with groove and nuance. And then
there’s the sixth form theatrics of FISHBACH’s resident show,
which is toe-curlingly OTT, even by French standards. Delivered
straight I can see how this would work – and I’d be prepared
to give it another go as Fishbach definitely has some songs in
her armoury.
Les Trans is also big enough to command its own offshoot
festival, Bars En Trans, which takes place across about 10 of
the smaller bars and venues dotted across Rennes city centre.
Admittedly the quality is patchy at best, but all of the (usually
sleepy) venues are packed, such is the Rennais’ clamour for
live music. And while LAURA CAHEN’s enchanting set at Bars’
opening at Le Gatsby Club draws a packed crowd, the live music
sprawl in Rennes isn’t to the taste of all the locals: further up the
street, past the infamous ‘Rue de la Soif’ (quirky by day, sleazy
by night), there’s a sign in one window saying ‘Bars Off Trans’.
The success of Trans might not have crossed over into our
mainstream in the UK, but the ease and professionalism with
which they pull it off, year after year, can tell us a lot about
the value in building a borderless community. And, with the
crossover success of Christine And The Queens reenergising
French pop, it is entirely likely that we’ll be consuming more
musical Gallic exports in the future. It’s amazing what you can
achieve with a continent-wide union all pulling in the same
direction, and a system that recognises the value of
culture and apportions funds to it. Ah, the European
dream – it’s still alive for
some.
lestrans.com
SICALES