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Lettres d'Uzès #44: La fête de la musique - panache and panaché

22/6/2014

10 Comments

 
Last year, in Leamington, I was one of a number of independent licensees and musicians planning a blues festival. It never came to pass, of course, Leamington being Leamington (or rather Warwick District Council being Warwick District Council), but it should have done. And had it happened, the headline acts would have been complemented by smaller, more intimate sessions in a dozen bars around the town.

The working title was the Leamington 12 Bar Blues Festival. 

On Saturday evening, in Uzès, I saw and heard how it might have been.
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Warm evening. Cool jazz. In the Place aux Herbes.
On Saturday, France celebrated la fête de la musique. Its motto is homophonic: On faites de la musique à la fête de la musique. (Note to over-excited UKIP voters: the penultimate consonant is different.) 

This year, it tombe Samedi and so the town and the bars were even more busy than normal. And Jill and I, in the company of a few thousand others, assiduously worked our way around the various venues. 
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Rockin' around the clock at the Bistrot du Duché
This is not as easy as it sounds, because each band has its adherents and each bar its regulars. Seats were at a premium. A table only by reservation. Nevertheless, it is of course de rigeur to take at least one glass in each venue which, in previous years, has resulted in a gueule de bois the following morning. But this year, I have become a true Frenchman. On these occasions, I favour the panaché over the vin rouge. Harder on the bladder but easier on the head.
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Easy listening at La Fille des Vignes
With one or two exceptions, notably the jazz fiddle of Florence Fourcat, the quality is not wonderful. But what impresses is the sheer diversity of the musical offerings.

There was almost every genre of jazz. There was old-fashioned rock n roll and new-fangled techno hip-hop. There was bluegrass and blues. There was hard rock and dreadful soft rock. The Eagles were bad enough. Eagles imitators are to be avoided at all costs.

But it was all played, and listened to, in a spirit of joie de vivre and enjoyment.
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Peter and Gordon at Restaurant 80 Jours
Which is how things are done down here. Rather than create a barrier of red tape, the local council embrace, enjoy and promote the event.

When the marching-band-cum-samba-band which processed noisily and happily from one venue to another, charged at the double the diners in one restaurant, they were accompanied and encouraged by the local police muncipale. And the diners - families, young couples and elderly citoyens - welcomed them all with smiles and laughter and applause.
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Hard rock at the Bar Procençale
Which is pretty much how we felt throughout the evening. We had a great time. Merci, Uzès.

Today from the everysmith vault: Asked by a New York twitterer to name my favourite Grateful Dead show, I am working my way through the entire oeuvre in order to provide him with a considered judgement. After 24 hours, I am a week behind schedule!
10 Comments
Rod
22/6/2014 09:47:20

What's French for envy?

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Laurie
22/6/2014 11:19:26

Sounds as if Racine's Uzes, 'where a hundred restaurants thrive as one bookseller starves', is alive and well!

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Derek
22/6/2014 15:07:51

Love the fact that what you describe was also taking place throughout France - big cities and tiny villages alike. Despite the FN there is still a real sense of community. PS also love 'Peter and Gordon'!

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Graham
23/6/2014 08:32:30

It's easy to get misty-eyed about France, but it is true that the continuing use of the term 'commune' is indicative of a certain kind of attitude to life. How long it will last is uncertain. Capitalism doesn't like this kind of lifestyle. It is not flexible enough. People won't get on their bikes. They would rather stay in their communes and listen to that dreadful pop music!

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CJ
22/6/2014 16:16:23

Are you seriously going to work your way through every Dead show? It took them 30 years! You can focus on 68 to 77. And stay on the East coast from 1970 onwards. Check out the SUNY show from 70 and 5th May 77 Boston. If all else fails there's always Cornell if you have the tapes at the right speed. Enjoy.

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Allan
23/6/2014 01:30:29

A French idea which is now an international phenomenon. Despite the World Cup, this mid-summer festival gathers millions throughout the world. Here's to a great French export!

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Sean
24/6/2014 03:33:47

Another lovely pen portrait of what has become one of my favourite places that I have not visited. And once again you've nailed another issue with living in this country. Freedom seems to become more expensive every year.

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JackB
24/6/2014 07:34:14

Agree. Always look forward to these lettres d'Uzes and have even bought myself the originals (in translation obviously). As for the cost of freedom: just another word for nothing left to lose.

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Sean
24/6/2014 05:39:42

Forgot to mention: agree wholeheartedly re The Eagles. I'm with The Dude in the Big Lebowski.

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Rick Hough
26/6/2014 23:05:19

Great read. You are a kinder and finer person than I, as I believe Eagles imitators should be punished.

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     Max Smith

    European writer, radical, restaurateur and Red Sox fan. 70-something husband, father, step-father. and grandfather. Resident in Warwick, England.

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