Billie Eilish will spend part of the week in Quebec to prepare her new show and launch her world tour at the Videotron Centre.
The 22-year-old star released a third album in May, entitled Hit Me Hard And Soft. She chose Quebec City to fine-tune this new show, which will visit many cities in North America before going to Europe.
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Billie Eilish’s “Hit Me Hard and Soft” album cover
Photo: Courtesy Universal Music
She is not the first to choose the Videotron Centre to rehearse a show and start a tour. Before her, Paul McCartneyCeline Dion, Nickelback And Arcade Fire did the same. The arena was quickly positioned as an ideal place to come and do rehearsals.
explains the programming director, Dominique Goulet.
Consequently, in the negotiation that we did afterwards it was: “Yes, we can do rehearsals at the Videotron Centre, but obviously, we have to do a show afterwards”. So that positions the Videotron Centre more in kick-off on tour.
The technical team in Quebec
The availability of the building of course plays a role in the decision of artists to launch a tour in Quebec. The programming director is aware of this.
We took the disadvantage and turned it into an advantage. We don’t have a professional sports team, so we have a freedom and flexibility in our schedule that other big buildings do not have
.
Payment in Canadian dollars also weighs in the balance, as does the good reputation that the Videotron Centre has built up over time.
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The Videotron Center
Photo: Radio-Canada / Sebastien Vachon
This is an area of development that we have really worked on a lot.
she continues.
It started to pay off. Sometimes in these businesses, it can snowball. As we did with Paul McCartneyCeline Dion and company, it’s sure that people are talking about it in the industry.
The Videotron Centre will provide the tour team with around a hundred employees who will work mainly on loading and unloading trucks.
The teams [de tournée] arrive technically quite armored. The shows today are so precise, timed, that we cannot have local technicians who work directly on the show like lighting or sound, for example, because it is too complex. The technicians must practically rehearse as much as the artists.
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Billie Eilish
Photo: Courtesy Universal Music
Billie’s Tech Team Eilish will arrive five days before the show, which will take place on September 29. As for the artist, many die-hard fans will certainly be waiting in strategic places in the city to try to catch a glimpse of him.
Does starting a tour in Quebec City have an impact on hotel reservations? Destination Quebec Cité notes an increase of approximately 5%, if we compare it to the previous year, for the same period.
However, it is difficult to attribute it specifically to Billie’s show. Eilish since there will be six cruise ships visiting Quebec during this weekendThat said, one can certainly think that an international star who begins his tour in Quebec has a positive impact on tourism in the region.
suggests Félix Tremblay, communications advisor at Destination Québec cité.
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Billie Eilish at a party to stream her new album “Hit Me Hard And Soft”
Photo: Getty Images / Emma McIntyre
The artist’s requirements
Who says international star says demands. Dominique Goulet reveals those of Billie Eilish and his team: vegan menus within the Videotron Centre’s food offerings. Arenas will have to raise awareness among customers about public transportation and carpooling. They will also have to be diligent about recycling and composting. Demands that are in keeping with today’s trends. Depeche Mode had made similar requests
she notes.
Exceptionally, the Videotron Centre will allow reusable bottles. Water availability is important to the team. We will allow people to bring their own 32-ounce bottle or less, obviously empty.
. Ticket holders will be able to get water from the Videotron Centre’s water fountains, but Billie’s team Eilish planned to travel with water stations.
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Billie Eilish with her brother and close collaborator Finneas at a party to stream their new album “Hit Me Hard And Soft”
Photo: getty images for aba / Emma McIntyre
The show
All people who work at the Videotron Centre, and who will have access to Billie’s tour team Eilish, as well as on stage, will have to sign a confidentiality agreement. No images will be revealed before the premiere. This opportunity to host stars comes with strict rules. For Dominique Goulet, it’s rewarding
to receive a star of Billie’s caliber Eilish . Both for the Videotron Centre and for the city of Quebec. It is an achievement and recognition of the building extraordinary team that we have and the team that we have built.
That the artists, the tour managers, the agents leave saying that it’s a really great place to do it… It’s the little fuel that makes us want to continue and push the machine even further.
The privilege of being part of this team for five days is also a mark of confidence, she notes.
It’s not like when they come for just one night and then they leave. Here, we live with them. Paul McCartney, It was a week. We are with them all the time, we gain their trust. We are part of a more intimate circle. With Paul McCartney, I worked with him to translate his texts into French.
An unforgettable experience, she confides.
Billie Eilish will be at the Videotron Centre on the 29th september
