They will warm up their guitars and drums this Friday on the Main Stage, singing one of their latest songs, “Run Run Run”. The Libertines, an iconic British group led by Pete Doherty and Carl Barât, will perform their only Breton date this Friday at Art Rock. As a symbol for a festival which, in Saint-Brieuc, has always wanted to give pride of place to this musical genre. However, does this great pick make this event a more rock institution than the others?
To try to answer this, a comparison is necessary. According to a census carried out by Le Télégramme in the ten most attended Breton festivals, the Briochin festival ranks 5th in the ranking of those who have programmed the greatest number of artists categorized as rock in 2024 (with 10 representatives). This is less than Vieilles Charrues (14), Binic Folk Blues (23) or Motocultor (26). The latter two being – it must be said – more specialized: folk blues rock for one, metal and rock for the other.
More “Art Pop” than “Art Rock”?
For a more precise look, it is appropriate to calculate the shares of each genre in these programs. And there, Art Rock imposes itself a little more. Among the ten festivals, the Saint-Brieuc event is the fourth which most satisfies its rock fans with more than a quarter of its poster dedicated to this genre. And it beats Vieilles Charrues and Motocultor in this regard! As such, Art Rock stands out a little more as an event with a rock touch.
The distribution of styles reminds us how much the programmers’ ambition is not to focus on the genre that inspired the name of the festival: rock (26%), electro (18%), hip-hop (18%). %) and pop (33%) share the bulk of the pie. To the point that we could wonder if in 2024 it would not be more appropriate to rename this festival “Art Pop”…
“This somewhat improbable mix of genres creates magical moments,” Alice Boinet, festival programmer, defended this week, adding that “Art Rock has always been “Art Rap” too. The name refers above all to to the rock philosophy, to the way it manifests itself in all forms of art.
Create bridges between styles
“Rock has a look. We have thirteen days to show it”: this was the motto of the festival, when it began in 1983. Since then, Art Rock has been able to play its multidisciplinary card. In addition to concerts, a host of cultural events (theater, dance) are offered. A way of creating bridges between them. No wonder, therefore, that this philosophy is reflected in the musical posters, oriented towards all styles.
This is also what we notice if we focus on the character of each of the groups labeled “rock” in this 2024 edition. Because it is difficult to summarize these groups in a single genre, Le Télégramme offers also to see the more defined style of each of them. Just to remind you that within this universe, the Libertines, Lou Doillon, Fotomatic, Fat Dog, Frakture, Les Nus or Complot do not produce the same sounds, nor do they adopt the same styles (garage, punk, electro, etc. .). Proof that a poster is (above all) diversity on all levels.
