Fancy a bit of French? [The Great Escape Uncut]

Fancy a bit of French?

Posted on May 19, 2007 11:51 PM
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There are some SERIOUS French vibes buzzing around this Great Escape Festival. I work with a couple of Parisians and there's no doubt they're obsessed about their music. I'm not surprised either... the talent I've seen so far has been astounding enough to make me drop my escargot stuffed baguette. Okay, so I dropped my half-eaten-apple... the thought was there.

Barbara Carlotti, Birdy Nam Nam (everyone I've met wants to see these turntable tricksters), Cocoon, Dominique A, Fancy, Hocus Pocus, Hollywood Porn Stars, Nouvelle Vague, Panico, Peter Von Poehl and Spleen are amongst the French on show. Today, there's a selection at the Underbelly and I catch Emily Loizeau and her trusty drummer and bassist/cello player light up the expansive stage. Emily sings with delicate gusto... she's a tiny little thing and although she sings in French, she introduces each song with an explanation of what it is about. Some lyrics don't need to be sung in your mother-tongue, the beauty of the music weaves its own magic. We witness this magic today. She ain't half bad on the keyboard either! I guess that happens when you play from the age of five.

It's classical infused with quirky cabaret beats and playful vocals. If I closed my eyes i could imagine being in a fun fair... as Emily gasps, shrieks and jerks her way through her half-hour set, the latecomers gasp in surprise. Many people come early for the Shaun Ryder interview and find themselves plunged head first into the new french chanson scene.

"Don't you think my musicians are quite charming?" she asks. Talented too, it seems. The drummer joins little miss Loizeau and plays the keyboard with her from every angle possible. The acoustic finale is priceless.

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