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The Gaîté Lyrique Swaps The 19th For The 21st Century

Text: Aidan Mac Guill
Images: Manuelle Gautrand

The Théâtre de la Gaîté Lyrique first opened in it's current location on the rue Papin in 1862. That incarnation was itself a reconstruction of the original Théâtre de la Gaîté, which had opened on the boulevard du Temple in 1808, but was destroyed in the construction of the boulevard Voltaire. That itself had been what would nowadays be termed a "rebranding" of the first theatre to be erected on that spot, the Théâtre des Grands-Danseurs du Roi, which first opened in 1792. Which, we can all agree, is a very long time ago.

Over the years the Gaîté played host to numerous premieres, from the first operettas of cellist Jacques Offenbach to the ballets russes of Serge Diaghilev, as well as productions by Willy Thunis, Patrice Chéreau and concerts by the tenor Luis Mariano. In 1974 the actress Silvia Monfort turned the Gaîté into Paris' first centre for street theatre. In 1989 it briefly became an ill-fated, science-themed amusement park, following which, bankrupt and in near-fatal disrepair, it lay dormant for 20 years.

Paris' Alternative Nightlife

Text: Rooksana Hossenally
Image: Hip House

Needless to say that Paris doesn’t quite have a bustling nightlife to rival London or New York, but it does have its fair share of quirky and traditional bars, restaurants and cabarets, as well as a number of alternative arty music events in venues all over the city. Popular with the capital’s ‘in’ crowd, venues like La Bellevilloise and La Maroquinerie in the 20th, Point Ephémère in the 10th, Glaz’Art in the 19th and Mains d’Oeuvres at Porte de Saint-Ouen are experiencing a rise in popularity, and it’s not hard to see why. The events held at these venues often combine art and music in quirky unusual spaces that have quickly become the place to be seen, especially for those of you dying to be part of the Paris Boho scene!

La Bellevilloise boasts a 2000m2 surface area divided up into five different spaces: the Loft and Forum, used for art exhibitions; La Halle aux Oliviers (The Olive Tree Hall), the venue’s restaurant, where art is also displayed and where concerts are held; the Club, which welcomes a range of bands from both ends of the spectrum and anywhere in between;  and the Screening Room, where films and video installations are projected. You could easily see anything from a Jazz sound system to a band of musicians dressed like Canadian gypsies banging out Irish folk music. 

 

Nuit Blanche 2010 - Belleville

Text: Aidan Mac Guill
Image: Robert Stadler/Marc Domage

October 2nd 1925: John Logie Baird performs the first test of a working television system; October 2nd 1958: Guinea declares independence from France; October 2nd 1984: my brother is born; October 2nd 2010: the annual Nuit Blanche takes place in Paris. Nuit Blanche, everyone's favourite all-night free culture bender in the city. Slightly cooler than Nuit des Musees, a little bit more serious (and safer) than Fete de la Musique.This year the action is focused around the islands of St Louis and Cite, to the west around Alma-Trocadero and in the east around Belleville. The majority of events will start around 7pm and remain open all night. Here's a couple of things worth checking out around Belleville.

Not to be missed is Hakima el Djoudi's 'Naked City', a simultaneous projection of several videos on the walls of the rue de la Fontaine au Roi. For each of the videos the artist has delved into the archives of American films, seeking out cinematographic images of neon signs with old-fashioned logos, graphics and  slogans, transforming the street into a woozy, black-and-white Hollywood dreamworld.

Festival La Route Du Rock

Text: Aidan Mac Guill  Image: Stephane Lecoq

Held in and around the picturesque walled seaside city of St. Malo in Brittany, about two hours from Paris by train, La Route Du Rock is a laid back music festival that has a reputation for showcasing exciting artists on the verge of the big-time, alongside big-name headliners. Over the years it has played host to the likes of Grizzly Bear, Four Tet, Camera Obscura, Fuck Buttons, The Dodos, Sigur Rós, Animal Collective, The XX and Justice. This year marks the 20th birthday of the festival and the organisers have bagged a line-up of internationally renowned artists, including Massive Attack, The Flaming Lips and The National, to help them celebrate. Thirty bands in all will perform over the weekend on the beach, at the Fort de Saint-Pere, an 18th Century Vauban (Louis XIV's foremost military engineer, obviously) castle, and at Le Palais du Grand Large, all for the bargain basement price of €80.

The Festival Sin Fronteras

Text: Nick Forrester

For over 12 years the Cabaret Sauvage has been hosting a variety of eclectic music. The Festival Sin Fronteras builds on the establishment’s commitment to highlight music, performances and cultures that may otherwise have remained unknown.  

Between July 16 and August 8 the festival offers four themed weeks: Latin America, Black Africa, the Transylvania and the Maghreb, with a variety of exhibitions, films and concerts.

Sète Festival, Worldwide Festival, 2010

Text: Nick Forrester
Photo: G. Peterson, Sète '09, by Brownswood

Sète Festival takes place 8th-11th July. Spread out over three different outdoor locations in Sète's harbor, the festival is set-up for lovers of an eclectic oeuvre of modern dance and experimental music, curated by founder Gilles Peterson.

Peterson, often seen as the prodigal son (though now somewhat older) of English radio, in the vein of John Peel, founded Worldwide Festival, which organizes Sète festival and has since branched out to two other locations: Singapore and London.

Of special note on this years line-up is the legendary poet and musician Gil Scott-Heron, the man also known as 'the godfather of rap', who will be playing a rare and exclusive performance.

Soirees Nomades - July at the Fondation Cartier

Text: Aidan Mac Guill
Image: Rémi Vannier

As part of the Beat Takeshi Kitano exhibition 'Gosse de Peintre', the Fondation Cartier are offering a number of interesting cultural evenings in July under the title 'Soirees Nomades'.

Thursday July 1 sees  Aymeric Hainaux and Jérôme Game perform at the Departure Lounge. Hainaux, a French vocal artist also known for his graphic work, presents a vocal performance piece that “combines friction, heartbeats, beatbox, silence and dense sound.”  Expect to witness the human voice doing things you didn't think were possible. Jérôme Game is an associate professor of film studies and philosophy at the American University Paris, and has emerged in the past couple of years as an important young voice in the field of contemporary poetry. He is the recipient of a 'Mission Stendahl' genius grant given by the Ministère des Affaires Etrangères, allowing him to travel to any country in the world to research a project. His style is described as using “superimposition and ellipsis to create effects of stammering, haste, and syncopation.” His reading of his own poetry will be accompanied by videos produced by Valérie Kempeneers.

MiSH MaSH This Thursday 17 June

 
MiSH MaSH is a one-off event this Thursday 17th June in the Bastille showcasing young visual artists and musicians from London and Berlin.

Defecting Grey from London will be playing an exclusive DJ set focusing on the current envelope-pushing dance music scenes in South London, Bristol, Glasgow and LA which, while constantly avoiding genre definitions through its various mutations, has collectively become known as Dubstep.  An undergraduate electronic music student at Bristol University in the UK, he has already worked across the spectrum, from playing classical violin for pop band Cajun Dance Party to creating interactive electro-acoustic sound installations. Expect fierce beats with a dash of the experimental.

VINGT March Gig Guide

Text: Nick Forrester
Photo: Four Tet

Hot Chip visited Paris earlier this month to showcase their new album but for the many that missed out there is still plenty on the agenda before April. Mr Scruff, Manchester DJ, will be providing a jazzy breaks night of dancing tomorrow night and the DJ collective based in Paris and New York, Animal House, are playing tonight, Friday 19th March. Next week sees Kieron Hebden aka Four Tet return to Paris, on tour following the release of his 7th album There is Love in You, which signaled a return to form for many critics.

If two experimental sets from English DJ virtuosos in two weeks sounds is a bit like hard work then it could be worth popping out to see old favorites the Cranberries or French indie stars Phoenix. Alternatively, mid-week we have Why or the Hidden Cameras who’s album Original: Orphan came out last year with some more quality videos. If one is in search of the best of French music, in the past one had to look no further than French electro. Though there is no chance to see the likes of Air or Justice as yet, French DJ Yuksek, who released his first full album Away from the Sea in 2009, will be playing at l’Alhambra on the 30th.

There is now plenty of French indie-rock floating around, Les Shades, who even sing in French, are playing at Nouveau Casino on the 30th. Favorites Skip the Use and Pony Pony Run Run don’t quite manage this – but both have excellent collections of oh-so-fashionable indie (synth-pop) playing in the upcoming months. Also shuffling into this group are Belgian based Puggy who are playing at Point Ephémère on the 31st.

Night of Cultures and Tales at New Morning

Text: Brendan Seibel

Parisians Faren Khan claim to have taken their name from a legendary bandit who roamed the eastern mountains astride a great swine. Legends may have no grounding in reality but this group trades in mythos, creating a soundtrack for their rouge hero. It will be an evening of mixed cultures and tall tales at New Morning, a brief journey through lands forgotten by both time and history.

Two Frenchmen, one alternating between saxophone and melodica, the other surrounded by an anthropologist's collection of drums, a Spaniard with a banjo and an American singer who plays violin. The scope of Faren Khan's music stretches further yet, plucking fables from the dark forests of Eastern Europe, the bustling cities of the subcontinent, and the courtyards of North Africa. These vagabonds roam the world, hopping trains or stowing away on ships, playing the cafes of Cairo and the bazaars of Delhi. The Klezmer of the saxophone melts into a lure for bellydancers, the rural folk of the banjo coaxes a weary but innocent falsetto from the violinist. It is the sound of a place where carpets fly, snakes dance and the scourge of the land rides a pig.