Les Nuits d’Istres is a business that runs smoothly. A “monument“, for Laurent Even, director of festive and cultural events, “who created his own notoriety by programming artists such as Robert Plant, Iggy Pop, Charles Trénet, James Brown, Petrucciani…“
Normal you might say, at the end of the 31st edition (formerly “les Estivales”), particularly special, this year which gives pride of place to French song: Zaho de Sagazan and Pierre de Maere on July 9, opening, then Véronique Sanson the next day and Claudio Capéo on the 12th to complete.
1,500 to 1,800 places
Zaho de Sagazan, scheduled even before his Victoire de la Musique last February, gave a free mini-concert in Marseille at the beginning of June, to launch the Art Explora festival, and Véronique Samson will be in a free concert on July 13 on the floating stage of the Old Port of Marseille. A bad move for a program refined months in advance?
The question greatly annoys the programmer of the Istréenne nights, Alexandre Langlais: “Yes, the artists play on the territory, that’s obvious, but the Nuis d’Istres is an emblematic festival with a minimal capacity of around 1,500 to 1,800 seats which welcomes artists of national and international stature, and I’m starting to get a little fed up with questions that have no meaning and no interest.“
Laurent Even finds it justified: “This has not had an impact on the ticketing that we monitor on a day-to-day basis.“, even if there are still tickets for each of the evenings which see Zaho de Sagazan at the top of sales. “There was an opening effect at the Cannes festival when she offered a very fine performance for the president of the jury by taking up Modern Love de Bowie.“
Beyond French song, by programming two men and two women, the festival responds “to a political desire for diversity.” The event is indeed municipal and, in a context of increased inflation which spares no economic sector, maintaining such an event is not easy.
“Places range from 32 to 42 €, this remains accessible for festival-goers, what’s more in such a setting, at the Pavillon de Grignan, which provides immediate proximity between the public and the artists. The place even offers artists a break during grueling tours. So, if you’re a fan and want to share something special with the artist, you should come to Nuits d’Istres.“
Indeed, far from the impersonal crowd that a free concert in the Old Port can be. Demand for popularity, large generational gap, artistic desire…
It’s not necessarily easy to find the artist who will achieve consensus, but the choices have often been winning, for an audience half made up of Istreans. “We don’t necessarily want to bring festival-goers from far away, for almost zero impact on the climate.“, notes Alexandre Langlais.
Les Nuits d’Istres couldn’t do more to fit in with the public service!
“By far, the festival with the lowest budget”
Containing the price of tickets while preserving quality programming: a political will, certainly, but a real challenge.
“At Nuits d’Istres, we do not participate in the explosion of artistic cachets, supports the programmer, Alexandre Langlais. Today, there is public money which is spent, in my opinion, indiscriminately but Istres tries to stay within an overall reasonable envelope for three evenings hence a program to be worked on in the long term to preserve this balance of quality and prices while giving pride of place to artists who are exploding. Today, the concert experience is changing. Les Nuits d’Istres is a unique experience. Look at the prices charged in the Zéniths! And, if artists play the game, we will gradually see the big festival gauges disappear.“
An economic equation not necessarily easy to solve. “The biggest difficulty for me, as a director, explains Laurent Even, it is to contain the envelope on technical costs. Our welcome cannot suffer any reproach but we are not in a headlong rush. We, for example, got rid of the stands built for the Albertville games and which we had purchased in 92, the particularity of which was to be able to go very high to accommodate a maximum of people in a small space. Last year, we sold them to favor rental.“
“I have the chance to work with several communities on their summer programming, resumes Alexandre Langlais, and without giving figures, the Nuits d’Istres are by far the festival with the lowest budget, which does not harm the programming or the reception but it makes the exercise difficult. Every year I say that we are not going to get there but we are getting there despite the technical costs which are exploding abnormally. The addition of the three fees this year corresponds, most of the time, to one fee for a big headliner. If we had to outsource the organization we would face impossible costs.” “If only the welcome in the standsargumente Laurent Even, Municipal staff are responsible for this and recover the hours.“
An investment which is of capital importance for the survival of the festival.
Practical
The reception capacity for people with reduced mobility has been increased with a platform planned for around twenty people.
Tuesday July 9 at 9 p.m.: Pierre de Maere, 10 p.m.: Zaho de Sagazan (€42).
Wednesday July 10 at 9 p.m.: Véronique Sanson (€32 to €42).
Friday July 12 at 9 p.m.: Claudio Capéo (€32 to €42).
Ticket office on www.istres.fr or at the tourist office on 04 42 81 76 00.
