Extended edition for Rock en Seine! This year, the famous Parisian festival is offering 5 days of festivities rather than four! Set, as ever, in the lush greenery of the Domaine national de Saint-Cloud, Rock en Seine once again puts the spotlight on rock, with this summer's line-up including PJ Harvey, Pixies, LCD Soundsystem, Måneskin and The Offspring, as well as Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes.
Day 1
On Wednesday August 21, 2024, Rock en Seine opened with a 100% all-female line-up, headlined by the iconic Lana Del Rey, who in recent years has become one of the undisputed stars of our time. As was the case with Billie Eilish last year, the Ile-de-France festival chose to reduce its capacity on this first day, limiting concerts to the Firestone stage and the Grande Scène.
While some people hurry down the aisles to discover the various stands in the late afternoon, others are already well in place in front of the Grande Scène to get as close as possible to their idol, Lana Del Rey. And it's a busy Wednesday at the Domaine national de Saint-Cloud. In fact, the first day of the festival is sold out. It has to be said that this eagerly-awaited Lana Del Rey concert is the only one of its kind in France. The American star's fans - mainly young and female - come from all over Europe and even the world. There are a few Americans, but also Britons, Spaniards, Italians and Germans.
Many also brought out their finest attire to attend this musical highlight. Santiags on their feet for some, cowgirl hats for others, but above all, the indispensable flower crown. All were waiting for one thing: their idol's appearance on stage at 9.45pm.
But before that, Rock en Seine festival-goers had the chance to discover the energy of young Belgian singer Rori. After her debut with the group Beffroi, the artist has launched a promising solo career. Revealing that this was her very first festival in France, Rori (aka Camille) delivered a light-hearted set, carried along by a rather convincing contemporary pop.
Another female artist taking to the Grand Scène on Wednesday at Rock en Seine? Musician and singer Towa Bird. Formerly Olivia Rodrigo's guitarist, the artist decided to set sail on her own. In 2023, she unveiled her first single,"Wild Heart". This summer, Towa Bird took to the Rock en Seine stage for the very first time, on the same night as Lana Del Rey. A fine rise for this artist of undeniable stage talent. Her style - effective, catchy rock - seduced our ears, and those of the audience at the same time.
Next up was Pomme, the last artist to take to the stage before Lana Del Rey. As part of her " Consolation Tour " , the French artist unveils a country décor made up of small and large mushrooms arranged on stage. " Lana was kind enough to lend me her decor, which goes perfectly with mine ", the singer and musician said during her set, as she succeeded in drawing festival-goers into her dreamlike, tender world. Her songs, far removed from the rock tunes offered by some of the bands programmed at Rock en Seine, captivated a large part of the audience with their bittersweet pop-folk ritornellos, carried by an emotional and melodic force.
Quite a talker, the singer-songwriter and musician didn't hesitate to take the floor throughout her set, dedicating one of her songs to the queer people in the crowd, or asking the audience to take photos of themselves with a disposable camera. Quite at ease in front of 40,000 festival-goers, Pomme also dares. For example, she decided to cover in Japanese a song from " Le Voyage de Chihiro ", her favorite film. She briefly sings Céline Dion, while waiting for the paramedics to come and help a spectator who had fainted. The artist, who lives between France and Quebec, also dedicates a song to Barbara, who inspired her so much. Sometimes standing at the guitar, sometimes sitting with the autoharp under her arm, sometimes wearing a huge mushroom hat... Pomme clearly put on a show!
Day 2
This Thursday, the aisles of the Domaine National de Saint-Cloud were even more crowded than the day before. This time around, there's no shortage of artists to discover on the 5 different stages of the Rock en Seine site. By mid-afternoon, many festival-goers were already on site. Those who have come in part for Måneskin. They're easy to spot thanks to their t-shirts bearing the effigy of the Italian band, Eurovision winners in 2021. And then there are the others. For them too, T-shirts are of the utmost importance. T-shirts from Hellfest, Guns N' Roses, Rammstein and Gojira were all on display. This Thursday, the audience is also older than the day before. The forty-somethings are well represented, and are looking forward to taking a leap back in time, thanks in particular to Gossip, The Hives and Kasabian, the leading bands of the early 2000s.
But first, The Last Dinner Party opened the Grande Scène on Thursday. TLDP are 5 girls and a drummer on tour, all from the UK. Since the release of their hit " Nothing Matters ", the band have been riding the wave of success, from a concert at La Maroquinerie last February to the legendary Olympia stage next October. For each of them, the non-binary, all-female London quintet plays to full houses. And it's easy to see why. With The Last Dinner Party, there's this musical freshness carried by a pop that at times reminds us of the sound of Kate Bush.
On stage, the complicity between the girls is obvious. The singer - sporting a baroque look with her long dress straight out of an Emily Brontë book - hops, lies on the floor, scoots while swinging her arms in the air, and goes off to meet her audience. In short, singer Abigail Morris was having fun in front of an audience that was clearly already won over. The girls even took the opportunity to wish a happy birthday to the sister of one of the band members, with a beautiful birthday cake brought on stage. " My Lady of Mercy " and " Sinner " - taken from their debut opus "Prelude to Ecstasy" - not to mention the successful Blondie cover " Call Me ", were enough to make this show one of our hits of this second day!
Back to the Grande Scène for the Kasabian show. After a 20-year career, and despite Tom Meighan's departure in 2020, this British rock band still has a lot left in the tank. For their 50-minute set, the English band took us back in time to the early 2000s. Back then, the band were in the spotlight thanks to their hits " Club Foot " and " L.S.F. (Lost Souls Forever) " from their self-titled debut (2004), and " Shoot the Runner " from their 2006 album"Empire". Kasabian were delighted to perform these three hits at Rock en Seine on Thursday evening, to the delight of their die-hard fans.
But the British band also took advantage of their Paris show to pay tribute to their latest opus, released last July, with " Call ", " Coming Back to Me Good " and " Italian Horror ", sung with force and conviction by Sergio Pizzorno, now the band's lead singer. Less catchy for our tastes than the songs they produced on their debut, these tracks nevertheless enabled Kasabian to get the festival-goers dancing in the front rows.
Then it's off to the Scène de la Cascade, where we'll be jumping up and down to Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes' punk rock tunes. With the 40-year-old British singer, you know you're in for a good time. And that's exactly what happened! With sunglasses screwed on his nose and tattoos galore, Frank Carter is a real live performer. Interacting with the audience on several occasions, the singer treated himself to a little crowd-pleaser, performing " Kitty Sucker " in the middle of his fans, then slamming while singing the excellent " Devil Inside Me " with his microphone stand in hand. With a smile on his face and a rare generosity of spirit, Frank Carter gave us a jubilant set of hits, including " Man of the Hour ", to our great delight. In short, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes: an absolute must-see!
Another band we're looking forward to seeing live? The Hives! Since 1997, these Swedes have been making us dance with their garage punk, which is as effective as ever. Live, The Hives sweat and make us sweat at the same time. Still sporting their black & white suits, the Scandinavians may have aged a little, but they've lost none of their infectious energy. Jumps into the audience for singer Per Almqvist and guitarist Niklas Almqvist, and old hits (" Walk Idiot Walk ", " Main Offender ", not forgetting the unmissable " Tick Tick Boom ") were enough to delight the eyes and ears of a large number of festival-goers.
And to round off this excellent second day of Rock en Seine, we take our final strides towards the Grande Scène to meet up with Måneskin. Do we really need to introduce this Italian band, winners of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2021 with their song " Zitti E Buoni ", which has since become a hit? which has since become a hit? Over the past few months, Måneskin have been touring the world. This date at Rock en Seine was in fact the last of their extensive tour. So the Italians unleashed the wild beasts and got the show on the road, with a set that was "clean and square".
The four acolytes - whose complicity is obvious - delivered one hit after another without a false note. From " Zitti E Buoni " to " I wanna be your slave ", not forgetting " Gasoline ", " Honey (Are U Coming?) ", and their cover of The Four Seasons, " Beggin' "... the Italians delivered an energetic and successful set, carried by the husky voice of charismatic singer Damiano David.
Day 3
We kick off the day with the soulful music of young British singer Olivia Dean, accompanied by her musicians (guitar, bass, drums, saxophone, trumpet, trombone and keyboard). Citing Lauryn Hill, Amy Winehouse and The Supremes as her influences, the artist was all smiles on the Cascade stage this Friday in front of a packed audience. In fact, it was difficult to get close to the stage. Although Olivia Dean has yet to release an LP, many in the audience already knew the lyrics to her songs by heart. This was the case for " Ok Love You Bye ", " What Am I Gonna Do On Sundays? " and " Messy ". In short, a masterful set to kick off the third day of Rock en Seine.
Back to the Scène de la Cascade for an excellent Soulwax concert, our favorite of the third day! The Dewaele brothers, also known as the electro duo 2manydjs, have been thrilling us for almost 30 years. After releasing a number of acclaimed albums in the late 90s and early 2000s, the Belgian electro-rock outfit kept a low profile in the years that followed. But the band hasn't stopped performing for all that. This summer, Soulwax played a series of dates, including a stopover at Rock en Seine, much to our delight.
On the Cascade stage, the two brothers pulled out all the stops. In addition to David and Stephen Dewaele and Stefaan Van Leuven behind their modular synthesizers, the audience was treated to a live performance on Friday evening by three excellent drummers installed on elevated structures. Among them? Blake Davies on the right, Aurora Bennett in the middle, and the talented Igor Cavalera on the left. Metal fans know him well, since he co-founded (with his brother Max) the Brazilian band Sepultura. Since his departure in 2006, Igor Cavalera has multiplied his projects, notably with the Cavalera Conspiracy and Soulwax.
The result? On Friday night, Soulwax 's set was incredibly beautiful, spellbinding and powerful. Carried by perfect sound quality, incredible lighting, the transcendent beats of the three drummers and the voices of Stephen Dewaele and Laima Leyton (Igor's wife), the Belgian band's show literally bowled us over and conquered us! Thanks to them for this memorable musical moment.
Let's finish with the electro artist that many - including many foreigners - came to see and listen to this Friday at Rock en Seine: Fred Again. The artist, who writes, composes and produces for several major international artists including Ellie Goulding, Charli XCX, Ed Sheeran and P!nk, was eagerly awaited at the Domaine national de Saint-Cloud for his second appearance at Rock en Seine. The first was in 2022. This time, the London-based producer, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist pulled out all the stops, with a rich setlist of his own compositions. As the icing on the cake, the electro artist took to the air at several points, playing from a moving catwalk on stage and even in the pit!
For around 1h15, the Domaine de Saint-Cloud site was literally transformed into a giant open-air dancefloor. Fred Again, with a smile on his face and visibly impressed by the crowd and the energy of the audience, delivered one hit after another, including " Piece U need ", " Leavemealone " and " Marea ". These were cult tracks, during which cell phones once again lit up the Domaine de Saint-Cloud site.
Day 4
On the fourth day, rock was back after a more electro and hip-hop-oriented Friday. Older festival-goers were also more numerous in the aisles. While some took the opportunity to discover the photo exhibition featuring live music and sporting competition, others were able to discover wheelchair basketball in the 'Fair Play' area, dedicated to encounters and introductions to Paralympic sports. This year, Rock en Seine has been awarded the Cultural Olympiad label and is offering a series of events linked to the Paralympic Games. This Sunday, the Paralympic flame is scheduled to pass through the Domaine national de Saint-Cloud.
In the meantime, the music continues to resonate on the site of the Domaine national de Saint-Cloud, and the festival offered the public a very fine fourth day. Saturday August 24 kicked off with Sleater-Kinney. A riot grrrl band formed in 1994 in the famous town of Olympia, Washington, Sleater-Kinney had a prolific early career, releasing 6 albums between 1995 and 2002. Then, between 2007 and 2013, the band co-founded by Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein split up before finally reforming in 2014. 10 years later, Sleater-Kinney unveil their 11th opus,"Little Rope", at Rock en Seine.
What we love? Their style, which ranges from the punky rock of their early days to the more polished rock of recent years. And then, of course, there's Corin Tucker 's incredibly powerful voice, harmoniously blended with Carrie Brownstein's more strident rock. Together, the two artists are stronger than ever. On stage, Carrie Brownstein shakes, hops and waltzes her leg, especially on the hit " Jumpers ". Corin Tucker is more discreet, but not shy. In fact, the singer and musician finished the beautiful song " Untidy Creature " (the last track of the set) in front of the barrier facing the audience, while her four other acolytes remained to play on stage.
Back at the Grande Scène to see one of France's most popular duos: The Kills. After a concert at the Gaîté Lyrique in November 2023 and a show at the Olympia last May, Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince are back at Rock en Seine to give us a good dose of rock. What can we say about this band's performance? The complicity between the two artists remains as strong as ever. It was a lovely moment when Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince sat side by side at the front of the stage to finish the song " Baby Says ". The hits were there too. These included the catchy " U.R.A. Fever ", the heady " Black Balloon " and the powerful " Doing It to Death ". The energy was also there, with Alison Mosshart striding across the stage like a caged lioness. In short, a dynamic and successful set!
Next, head to the Scène de la Cascade for a leap back in time with Blonde Redhead. Formed in 1993 around Japanese-born singer Kazu Makino and twin brothers Simone and Amedeo Pace, New York-based Blonde Redhead distills a skilful blend of dream pop and noise rock. On Saturday, the trio delivered a melodic, spellbinding set, where we loved hearing again several tracks from their opus"23", the band's best album in our opinion. From the excellent single " 23 " to " SW ", from " Dr. Strangeluv " to " Spring and by Summer Fall "... Blonde Redhead took us back in time, 17 years ago, under the visibly conquered eyes of The Kills, present at the side of the stage. Unfortunately for Blonde Redhead, the rain - which had already fallen during The Kills' show - picked up again during their set. But it took more than that to scare festival-goers away. K-Ways and ponchos were out in force, while Kazu Makino seemed so hot she took off her shirt.
On the Main Stage, The Offspring have already begun their set. As they arrive, Dexter Holland, Noodles and the others cover the Ramones' excellent " Blitzkrieg Bop ", before playing several of their unmissable hits, including " Bad Habit ", with confetti thrown in, " Gotta Get Away ", " Why Don't You Get a Job? ", " Pretty Fly (for a White Guy) ", " The Kids Aren't Alright " and, last but not least, " Self Esteem " to round off their set in style. Live, the exchanges between Dexter Holland and Noodles are numerous and sometimes tend to lose us. Dexter Holland's voice isn't always quite right either. But no matter, the hits and the good mood are there to make us spend a cheerful and festive moment!
We stay on the Grande Scène for Massive Attack's eagerly-awaited set. And it's fair to say that 3D (Robert Del Naja) and Daddy G (Grant Marshall) - the founders of the British trip hop band - are regulars on the site. Of course, they took part in the first edition of the Ile-de-France festival in 2003, as well as their memorable concert in 2010. Anyone who has ever attended a Massive Attack live show will know that every performance is a spellbinding experience. And this latest concert at Rock en Seine was no exception. Once again, Massive Attack paid as much attention to image as to sound.
On the visual side, 3D - sporting an armband reading "Palestine" - and Daddy G have multiplied their militant messages in several videos, denouncing conflicts around the world, notably the war in Ukraine and the bombardments in Gaza, but also the arms race and conspiracy theories.
As for the music, Massive Attack has drawn on its rich and varied discography to offer us some incredible musical moments, enhanced by the presence of several guests. From Young Fathers on " Gone " and " Voodoo in My Blood " to Deborah Miller on " Safe From Harm " and the essential " Unfinished Sympathy ", Horace Andy on " Girl I Love You " and the mythical " Angel ", not forgetting the talented Elizabeth Fraser, who brilliantly interprets the moving " Black Milk ", the Tim Buckley cover " Song to the Siren ", the mythical " Teardrop " and the sublime " Group Four ". In the end, Massive Attack won us over and challenged us with a set of masterful musical beauty, deeply committed and militant.
Day 5
All good things must come to an end, and Rock en Seine is no exception. After Lana Del Rey's flamboyant set, Franck Carter & The Rattlesnakes' stunning sets, Soulwax 's bubbling show and Massive Attack's militant concert, Rock en Seine ended on a high note on Sunday August 25, 2024, for its fifth and final day of festivities.
We're staying on the Grande Scène to wait for the queen of British rock, PJ Harvey, to take to the stage. After two memorable concerts at the Olympia in autumn 2023 and a major festival tour, PJ Harvey stopped off at the Domaine national de Saint-Cloud this Sunday, August 25, 2024, for the final date of her European tour. Like Massive Attack, PJ Harvey is a regular at Rock en Seine. Like Massive Attack, the British singer and musician took part in the first edition of the festival in 2003. She returned in 2017 following the release of her opus "The Hope Six Demolition Project". This time around, PJ Harvey returned to the Ile-de-France festival site with a new stage proposition, following the release of "I Inside the Old Year Dying".
Those lucky enough to have seen her last October at the Olympia were delighted to rediscover the staging, imagined for the occasion and carefully stylized. Antique wooden furniture was set up in the four corners of the stage: chairs, a small desk and a table on which were placed a carafe of water, a cup of tea and several glasses. For this set, PJ Harvey is accompanied by her loyal and talented musical acolytes: the renowned John Parish, drummer Jean-Marc Butty, multi-instrumentalist Giovanni Ferrario and James Johnston.
At first glance, then, everything seems to match the sets on offer at the Olympia, until PJ Harvey arrives. With a smile on her face, the artist sports a sublime new outfit designed by Odd Lynn: a white ensemble, consisting of a long dress and a cape, to which drawings have been added throughout the tour.
The setlist was also intended to be different, shorter to fit the format of summer festivals. But the result was just as beautiful, moving, rocking and intense! From the sublime and masterfully theatrical " Prayer at the Gate " to the unmissable hit " Down by the Water ", not forgetting the engaging " Let England Shake ", the over-the-top " 50ft Queenie " and the exultant " Dress "... PJ Harvey skilfully drew on her impressive discography to show us the full extent of her talent, supported by a voice rich in contrasts and emotions, sometimes powerful then fragile, sometimes hoarse then inhabited. She also made us cry on the sublime " The Desperate Kingdom of Love ", played solo and acoustic, in front of a silent, spellbound audience.
And it was with a high-flying version of " To Bring You My Love " that PJ Harvey, a true rock icon and priestess, rounded off her memorable 1h15 set, one of this year's festival favourites!
It was hard to recover from this spellbindingly beautiful set, but the evening continued at the Domaine national de Saint-Cloud with the unmissable Pixies. Black Francis and his cohorts lit up the Cascade stage with a deeply rocking 1h10 set. Fans were in raptures as they belted out hits from the early days, including " Wave of Mutilation ", " Monkey Gone to Heaven ", " Caribou ", " Debaser ", " Bone Machine ", " Here Comes Your Man ", not forgetting their global hit " Where Is My Mind? These are songs carried by Frank Black 's husky, powerful voice, which are always a pleasure to hear!
We ended the evening and this 2024 edition of Rock en Seine with a highly successful and invigorating electro punk rock set from LCD Soundsystem. Sunday's headliner, the New York band fronted by James Murphy, co-founder of the independent label DFA Records, lit up the end of the festival with their neat lights and giant disco ball. But there were also, and above all, the powerful songs of this American band that has inspired so many, such as Pulp and Idles.
On Sunday evening, amidst their seemingly anarchic decor and set-up, James Murphy and his musicians got a large number of festival-goers up and dancing, many of them eager to see this essential band live again or again, despite the fatigue accumulated during the festival. And LCD Soundsystem paid them back with a bright, dynamic set, featuring James Murphy spitting into his vintage microphone, and a top-quality setlist. " Tribulations ", " Movement ", " Losing My Edge ", " I Can Change ", " Dance Yrself Clean ", " New York, I Love You but You're Bringing Me Down ", " All My Friends "... some of the band's best songs were played with brio on Sunday evening, performed by James Murphy, who confirmed his status as a live performer!
Having welcomed 182,000 spectators to its 92 concerts over 5 consecutive days, Rock en Seine is now closing its doors. We'd like to thank you for a great edition of Rock en Seine, and look forward to seeing you next year!
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