Metal: Diabolus In Musica

There's a preconception about Metal that the genre is Rock music's ugly stepchild, seemingly forever poised for the underground. Even its fans often think of themselves as outcasts and misfits. But the truth is, Metal has been ubiquitous for decades. Not only have a large number of bands made it to the big leagues, selling millions of records and becoming part of popular culture in the process, its cultural codes and imagery have been adopted by the mainstream: the horns, the t-shirts, the fanzines, the vocals or guitar sounds... Let's face it, Metal is no longer inappropriate. In fact, it's now rightly considered an important art form onto itself, much like Jazz or Hip-Hop. Some will bemoan the loss of that evil aura and its appropriation by the Kardashians and the Lady Gagas, but if a movement must survive, it has to adapt and permeate the culture. It happened to Elvis, the Beatles, Ice Cube and it happened to Black Metal, too.

2023-2024 Concert Season Recap

It's likely that we've attended our last show until September, or the very end of August at the earliest.. This means that, unfortunately, we won't be around for AC/DC at the Hippodrome de Longchamp, which is kind of a bummer... I'm not sure how many more opportunities to see them will arise. 

Compared to 2022-2023, we've attended less concerts. And this season has also been slightly lighter on legends. We did get to see Eric Clapton twice, and again there may be many more opportunities. But we did get to separatists from almost every genre: rock, soul, blues, folk, country, death metal, funk, progressive rock, electronica, pop, punk... As they say, variety is the spice of life.

As a general trend, we've noticed quite a resurgence of 90's music, with concerts from The Prodigy, Garbage, Smashing Pumpkins, Mr. Big, Ash, L7, Bikini Kill or Seal.

Alongside all those established acts, we've also seen some newcomers like Saint Agnes, Zia Victoria, Mothica or Sanguisugabogg, which is why it's important to show up for the opening act. Unfortunately, we've not always been able to do so, and we've missed out on some great acts.

Speaking of missing out, there were some great concerts that we were unable to attend: The Black Crowes jump to mind. Also concerts by Steve Hackett, Judas Priest, Gary Clark, Jr., Extreme, Ugly Kid Joe, Depeche Mode, Chris Isaak or Toto... You just can't see everything.

Still, we can't complain: we've seen 89 artists (66 of which we had never seen before!) and the upcoming season is looking pretty good already. And we're glad to report that most of the shows we've attended have been great. Two glaring exceptions: Madonna and Thirty Second To Mars, who relied so heavily on backing tapes that not even their spectacular productions could save their "concerts".

Check out all of our photos and reviews of this season's concerts below. Click on the photo or title to access the full gallery.

Nile Rodgers & Chic @ la Seine Musicale, Boulogne-Billancourt - July 17th, 2024

Disco has often been unfairly maligned over the years, dismissed as a watered-down version of funk and R&B. This disdain wasn't merely a musical or cultural divide; the notorious Chicago Disco Demolition Night in 1979 revealed a deeper, more troubling undercurrent of racism. However, 45 years later, the enduring legacy of bands like Earth, Wind & Fire, Boney M., and Chic stands tall, allowing the pioneers of that era to finally enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Kimberose @ la Seine Musicale, Boulogne-Billancourt - July 17th, 2024

 

Upcoming gigs

These are some of the shows we should be covering in the upcoming months. We will be adding more as we get confirmation from the promoters/producers/managers... Keep checking back!

Disclaimer: wherever ticketing links are provided, we get a (very) tiny commission from our partner Ticketmaster.

Southside Johnny @ la Cigale, Paris - July 11th, 2024

 

New Jersey legend Southside Johnny and his Asbury Jukes played a killer show in the same venue where we saw his erstwhile bandmate Little Steven in 2017. La Cigale is a beautiful 19th century theater located in the red light district... now how's that for Love In The Wrong Side Of Town?

Jack Art @ La Cigale, Paris - July 11th, 2024

Opening for Southside Johnny last night in Paris, French singer/songwriter Jack Art delivered a short but excellent set, somewhere between Bob Seger and Nick Lowe, enthralling the audience with his heartfelt lyrics and emotive delivery. Clearly indebted to Springsteen musically and lyrically, and with a voice reminiscent of Elliott Murphy, Jack Art's short set proved the perfect support act for the New Jersey legend.

Bad Religion @ Élysée-Montmartre, Paris - July 10th, 202

John Lydon, once the template for everything punk but who has since unfortunately turned into quite the disappointing figure, once sang that anger is an energy. Case in point is Californian hardcore punk rock legend Bad Religion: from the unrelenting wall of noise emanating from the Élysée-Montmartre stage, it's hard to imagine that the band was formed 44 years ago and that its vocalist and only constant member Greg Raffin will be sixty in a few months.

Garbage @ le Grand Rex, Paris - July 6th, 2024

In a triumphant return to Paris, Garbage tore the roof off Le Grand Rex with a breathtaking show, turning the beautiful art-deco theatre, typically known for its cinema screenings, into a giant dance floor where punk rock and rave music came together as one. The band’s frontwoman, Shirley Manson, repeatedly expressed her elation at being back in the city for the first time since 2018, sentiments that were met with deafening applause from the Parisian audience.

Jane's Addiction @ Olympia, Paris - June 26th, 2024

In 2024, now that they've been reunited in one form or another for more than twenty years, it’s easy to overlook the significance of Jane’s Addiction, but there was a long period when the band was absent from the scene. After becoming icons of alternative rock, they also epitomized the genre's excesses, leaving fans with only their albums and legend for nearly two decades. Even their reunions felt incomplete, often marred by self-sabotage. Many, including myself, wrote them off when they began touring without guitarist Dave Navarro two years ago. Now, Jane’s Addiction is proving the doubters wrong. The band members, if not exactly sober, are at least functional enough to deliver a powerful performance—and deliver they do.