June 30th
Europavox gave voice to Clermont-FerrandA look back at the 2024 edition of the Auvergne festival.
It has been many years since the Festival Europavox invites British representatives: Jungle, The Last Shadow Puppets, Shame, Foals… For 2024, the Clermont event has decided to strike a big blow with please… The Libertines ! So we were definitely there, and suffice to say that we were not disappointed. Come on, let’s take you with us to the land of volcanoes!
First things first: on-site access. In terms of transport, the tramway is reinforced, and it is even free on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the city! The security checks go through very quickly, and we are then thrown directly into the festival village. Food, prevention, awareness, discovery stands… There really is something for everyone!
Despite a short wait around 8 p.m. to eat, there will be few queues throughout the festival, even to go to the toilet. Even the water points are directly accessible, which is not always the case elsewhere… The atmosphere is very relaxed in any case, mixing young and old, and despite a little rain and mud here and there , the weather was rather mild; phew!
In terms of scenes, we find The Arte Club (captures within The May Cooperative), The Factory Scene and inevitably The Big Stage. After the passage of Doums Surrounded by many guests, we make our way rather easily to access the barrier, and position ourselves right in the middle. The young people happily give up their place: everyone gets what they want, perfect!
It must be said that, once positioned, we are surprised not to see a large crowd rushing to the main stage. But eventually, as the start of the set approached, the festival-goers finally started to get closer. Tonight, our dear Libertines are scheduled for a one-hour set, kicking off at 9:50 p.m. No, I do not regret anything d’Edith Piaf is launched, the show can finally begin!
The quartet is then warmly welcomed, and greets us right away with Up The Bracket. We are necessarily directly at 100%, taken by the energy of our British. Unfortunately, and this is often the case with the Libsthe sound is not up to par, with or without the precious earplugs. To prove us wrong, all these beautiful people will ultimately be more than well calibrated afterwards; all that’s left to do is enjoy!
For this, our four boys have what they need to do: Vertigo, What Became of the Likely Lads, What Katie Did, Death on the Stairs, Can’t Stand Me Now, Time for Heroes… Even Music When The Lights Go Out will be there, which is not always played lately… These old titles, performed hundreds of times, see our English still as energetic when playing them!
It must be said that the public has a response: the young people are indeed back after having gone to rest from their rap concert, and are determined to give their all while 95% do not know either Dohertyis Westis Hassallis Powell ! They jump in unison, try to participate in karaoke, and this in a very good-natured atmosphere. Mixed with the less young, the cocktail is of a surprising but ideal flavor!
Small rounds of pogos will even start, up to a rather unusual round which will see two young people agreeing on a superb dance on Music When The Lights Go Out… To cry! On a slightly more negative note, we will note some festival-goers who were not angry with the drink and a little too familiar with the other spectators… To this, security reacted quickly and we can only salute them for their responsiveness!
To get back to our setlist, of course this mountain of hits will be interspersed with a few tracks from the last album that we loved. On the program: Run Run Run, Night of the Hunter, Shiver, Merry Old England… Many offer a more relaxed rhythm, with a Carl West to the right of the stage, behind his keyboard, to leave the central place for a John Hassall more fulfilled than ever!
The performances of these new titles are still perfectible, but confirm all the musical richness of these latest proposals from Libertines. The end of the set then arrives, and a technician indicates that there are only two songs left: Pete protests, says “ Here, here, it’s Montferrand!” and enters into consultation around Gary to decide the final sprint. Starting with a (rare) drum solo!
The Good Old Daysthen takes over, followed by Songs They Never Play on the Radio and of course Don’t Look Back Into the Sun. The audience is simply wild on this last one, aware that these are the last moments of the show. And the group feels it: we have rarely seen so many smiles throughout the evening. Here is the time of goodbyes, Gary offers us a baguette… and dances!
As for the rest of the programming, we will note in particular the XXL performance of Phoenix, demonstrating once again that they are quite simply the best French pop rock group currently, if not always, if not of all genres. A must see.
The Libertines photos were taken at the Check in Party in 2022.
