It’s been a while since we last set foot in the Domaine de Saint-Cloud in Paris. But as always, even for one day, the warm atmosphere of Rock en Seine was stellar!
OPENING THE BALL
The day before our selected date, we were able to hear Lana Del Rey’s fans enjoying themselves from our balcony. And with such a happy crowd, we were sure that coming back to Rock en Seine would be genuinely fantastic. It is the Thursday 22nd that we’ve chosen to roam around the park where four nice stages are set, surrounded by all kinds of stands. A couple of things have changed since we last were here, like the Garden, a VIP pit close to the main stage, and the mounds nearby now inaccessible to most of the public. But what I noticed more is the line-up of the day, and it’s kind of mad! It’s our main event and the reason why we’re here in the first place. We already know it, choices have to be made.
The first gig is already well anticipated, and we couldn’t miss it. The Last Dinner Party is a phenomenon, and as we see them open the ball, we understand why. Their sound is as precise as their studio versions, and their attitude is enchanting. The public is ready for them, coming in numbers at the start of the day. And we can see a lot of fans here, singing along each track. On stage, Abigail Morris is the one grabbing most of our attention. From her stage entrance on Prelude to Ecstasy, the band’s leader reveals her wonderful charisma in a fawn ruffle dress. Burn Alive explodes and the band is quick to carry on with Caesar on a TV Screen.
With elegance and grace, the singer commands the stage, the fabric flowing, always spot-on with her clear and captivating voice. However, be careful not to underestimate the others, who also have their moments and solos. Sinner is dazzling, just like their beautiful cover of Call Me by Blondie. A joyful “Happy Birthday” to their photographer, echoed by the audience, precedes the end of the set. Of course, the very famous Nothing Matters then resounded on the festivals’ grounds. The sun is shining for this first concert, an ideal opening!
SNAKE PIT AND SMOOTHIE WITH A BIKE
It’s, then, time to make some choices. Because we will run later in the day. We head towards the Cascade stage to watch Dead Poet Society. But in the meantime, the smoothie and fruit and vegetable stand catches our eye. Without thinking too much, we hop on bikes and cycle to the rhythm of the hardcore rock from the American band, and in doing so, blend ourselves free smoothies. It’s a great initiative promoting health and wellness, set between the two biggest stages of the festival. However, the set from Dead Poet Society is quite short, as we barely finish our smoothie before they pack up. We move on to get ready for Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, sacrificing Kasabian on the main stage, who seems to be having a great time over there!
We know it’s going to be wild here. And, unsurprisingly, it’s a colourful concert that starts off gently with Can I Take You Home and Self Love. The balance between old tracks and new bangers is nearly perfect, as they follow up with Wild Flowers and their traditional women-only mosh pit. Then, by positioning himself in the middle of the pit, Carter launches Kitty Sucker. It’s crazy, powerful, and ends with the singer crowdsurfing back to the stage after delivering a particularly intense performance of Devil Inside Me. He’ll also deliver an intense one for I Hate You, their last track. Well, penultimate, as the set actually wraps up with an impromptu (and short) Happy Birthday to their drummer. Seems like there’s a theme going on here.
RUNNING FOR MÅNESKIN
They’ve barely put down the guitar that we quickly migrate, or run, to the main stage to joyfully jump to The Hives. We’d never miss a chance to enjoy their extraordinarily infectious energy. And as much in French as Pelle can manage. They deliver both old and new tracks, it moves, it shouts, it meets all our expectations, of course.
But this race was also for Måneskin. As the crowd thickens before our eyes, the front of the main stage becomes a human sea vibrating with anticipation. For this, we sacrifice Gossip, clearly on fire from what we hear from our spot. The curiosity for the Italian band is immense and at least as strong as our expectations for the concert itself. And the vibe is amazing.
With a simple but well-thought-out set, featuring powerful and intelligently timed lights, the band unleashes, sweeping the crowd along with them. Some tracks strike me with their effectiveness, and I find them even better than the studio versions. In this category, we have Gossip, Supermodel, Gasoline, Beggin’, and Bla Bla Bla. Kool Kids, with the semi-chaotic participation of their fans on stage, was also honestly pretty cool, even for those staying in the crowd. However, Zitti E Buoni felt less powerful than I would’ve liked.
Similarly, I would have preferred I Wanna Be Your Slave only once instead of twice, but that’s the true nature of encores. As for solos, bass, drums, and guitars were all equally impressive. From his perch, the silhouette of Ethan Torchio, often backlit at the drums, is commanding. Victoria De Angelis beams with energy in her red dress, and Thomas Raggi, dressed in silver and white, becomes an angel with wings of light during the solo before The Loneliest. Damiano David plays with the crowd in his black outfit, more engaging than I expected. They all have insane charisma and know how to use it well!
Among the shows we missed, much to our regret, were Destro Boys, Ménades, and The Psychotic Monks. If it wasn’t this time, these are bands to keep an eye on. I’ll definitely see them in the future. Meanwhile, Måneskin truly delighted us, helped by their and the previous bands’ fiery energy. It’s fresh, it’s sexy, and it was a great way for them to end this tour, and for us to reconnect with Rock en Seine, even if just for the day.
PHOTOS
