50 years ago in Melun, these great singing stars unleashed the fans

They were adored, idolized, adored… Claude François and Johnny Hallyday are giants of French song. Well beyond their death, they continue to be listened to and give rhythm to the lives of their fans. 50 years ago, they both came to Melun (Seine-et-Marne) to perform concerts which captivated the crowds. A look back at the historic passage of these stars.

Big stars…

They were generally announced several weeks in advance. And places for this type of concert sold out very quickly. In 1975, while the era of yéyés had passed and the show Salut Les Copains was no longer broadcast on the airwaves, certain artists continued to unleash the passions of the public. And Melun experienced these fan enthusiasms.

“It’s next Tuesday, January 28, that the rental for the big dancing gala of the Maison de la Culture et des Loisirs will open in Melun. We have known, since last week, that it is Claude François who will be the star of this exceptional evening,” informed La République de Seine-et-Marne in its edition of January 27, 1975.

A real event for the town which will be of great magnitude. They had planned an exceptional show: » Claude François and the Clodettes are accompanied in their extraordinary singing tour by an orchestra of 12 musicians and a troupe of choristers, dancers and technicians. It’s a real music hall spectacle, as an attraction for the ball that Laurent R’Système will host,” added the journalist in our columns.

Another great star of French song who came to Melun in 1975 is Johnny Hallyday! A regular at recordings in Nashville, his reputation was established for a long time. His simple name attracted crowds without any problem. But the style of his songs has evolved over time.

Jean-Pierre Delachasse, producer of Arago Spectacles, remembers: “I had him come for a concert. When he played, it was impossible to get in if you weren’t clean. I had forgotten my tie, and even though I was the producer, I almost didn’t come home! “, he still laughs today. Jean-Pierre Delachasse was not the only one there…

…and fans who are difficult to contain

“Only the evenings organized in Melun with a very well-known star as headliner achieve great success,” the newspaper began after the visit of Claude François. Because there were many fans to see the artist sing on stage. In any case, this is what our reporter present on site attests to, explaining “that it was very difficult to find a place”.

If Cloclo was not in his best form according to the feedback that was given, he still put on a 90-minute show! But it was above all the public who stood out for their total devotion to the star. “It took all the vigilance of the security service to protect him from dozens of enthusiastic young girls who stopped at nothing to come to him,” assured the correspondent in the room.

And Johnny was not left out either during his show in Melun. Known for triggering real riots during his appearances, 50 years ago he also caused a large crowd movement during his performance in Melun. “The police came on stage to calm the audience. At the time, the police were not on the sidelines, they were present everywhere behind the scenes,” remembers Jean-Pierre Delachasse.

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