The Montpellier Blues Festival returns for a second edition from July 3 to 6. Promenade du Peyrou, four quality evenings are being offered this year, with a blues evening, another for funk, one for soul, and a free inaugural evening.
“It’s going to groove this summer at Peyrou!”. Gilles Michat, the co-founder of the Montpellier Blues Festival, announced it last spring when he unveiled the festival’s program, the second edition of which will take place from Wednesday July 3 to Saturday July 6, in the emblematic venue of Montpellier. While it is part of a flamboyant cultural summer marked by major events such as the Printemps des Comédiens, Montpellier Danse or the Festival de Radio France, the festival cannot be compared to these big machines. But the three founders (we add Bertrand Hanslik and Gibert Guyonnet) of the festival are not giving up, Montpellier must have its major event dedicated to blues music. They are hanging on.
Just one blues night
But let’s get along anyway. The Montpellier Blues Festival does not only play in the blues category. Only one evening is dedicated to this musical movement, that of Thursday July 4. The star is the American Robert Finley. “He is one of the best blues artists on the international scene” confides Gilles Michat. At 70, his album released last year was noticed by the specialist press. Dan Auerbach, the guitarist of the Black Keys, who produced this gem, admires the Louisiana musician, considering that he is capable of playing a blues piece, an early rock’n’roll, as well as a gospel. An astonishing artist who began his great career only eight years ago. For his part, Cedric Burnside, grandson of the great bluesman RL Burnside, represents a style of blues, Hill country blues, which is played in the north of Mississippi. The third thief of the evening is the percussionist Big Daddy Wilson whose style is marked by gospel influences and an exceptional voice.
Two funk bands
The next day, we set our sights on funk, a musical movement that came after the blues. The famous groove will be featured with Earth, Wind and Fire Experience by Al McKay. It’s not quite the legendary group formed in 1969. But led by legendary guitarist Al McKay, who joined the Chicago group along the way, we find all the brilliance of the flagship group of the 1970s with the songs that made it successful. To warm up, the programmers thought of Brooklyn Funk Essentials. A New York group of eight musicians including two women (which is quite rare) accustomed to wild opening acts.
A finale with soul
The closing of the festival sees three soul artists perform. It begins with Shakura S’Aida, an American “compared to Aretha Franklin, Etta James or even Tina Turner”, capable of offering trips into funk or rhythm’n’blues. This continues with JP Bimeni & The Black Belts. Born in Burundi but based in London, he plays with a Madrid team! He embodies the soul revival embodied by Lee Fields for several years. It is precisely the latter which will end the evening. This is not the first time that the man nicknamed “Little JB” visits us to offer his music that touches the soul, and examines feelings and emotions.
Let’s not forget the inaugural, free evening which highlights four regional bands: Riri & The Racks, Awek, Leanwolf, Red Beans & Pepper Sauce. It’s an opportunity to immerse yourself in soul, funk and blues.
3 Questions to Gilles Michat, co-founder of the festival
How did the first edition go last year?
It went very well. There were artists who, for the most part, came from the United States, so it was a gamble in terms of organization. The general opinion was that it went very well for the artists and the public.
How many people came to the concerts?
Nearly 5,000 people over the three evenings. That was more or less the goal. It was nice. We’re aiming for 8,000 this year, adding the free evening on July 3 with regional groups. We had already done that last year, but on small squares in the city center (Beaux-arts, Sainte-Anne, Canourgue). After discussing it with the team and the municipality, we said it would be nicer for the public to gather at Peyrou. From 7:15 p.m. to half past midnight, there are four groups, one from Béziers, one from Toulouse and two from Montpellier. We take advantage of the big stage.
This year, are you maintaining the principle of a blues festival open to other genres?
To reach as many people as possible, you have to reach different styles but it remains the same aesthetic line. Blues, soul and funk, it’s historically very mixed. This is the case for Aretha Franklyn between blues and soul or Ray Charles. James Brown started in rhythm and blues to end in funk.
