For my last day at FRIMAT (*insert several crying emojis*), I went to visit a mine and saw the concerts of Naomi, Marjo, Confiture Maison, Blesse and Mort Rose.
When I found out that I had the opportunity to visit the mine in Val-d’Or, I literally threw what I was doing to go there (i.e. my book, I’m very rock, what do you want). The visit coincided with the performance of For Nearbut as I have seen it several times during the Francouverteswhich she has won, I decided to visit the mine. After being carried to safety by a very nice volunteer (all the volunteers at FRIMAT are fantastic, really), the few people and myself heard a sentence that we never thought we would hear in our lives: “I’m going to go to warn Berry! ” Eh yes. I visited a mine with Berry. If one day someone had predicted such activity to me, I would never have believed it.
As the singer had a show later in the evening, we had to make a very express visit. We descended 300 feet into the earth. The guide gave us some rather interesting information about the Val-d’Or mine, in particular that it has a gold content of 5 to 7 grams per ton, that the employees were paid 80 cents/hour compared to 15 cents/hour in Montreal at the same time. We also learned that “there were never any women in the mine because it would have been too… provocative,” the guide sang in the finale, making the visitors laugh. Moreover, at a certain moment, it was possible to throw a rock. Berry was the first to set off, exclaiming “it’s a rock lesson!” », making everyone laugh.
Naomi
Back on the surface of the Earth, I went to meet Naomi. The young singer-songwriter presents rather catchy pop songs that make you want to let yourself go. My favorite moment clearly remains when she made a mash-up covers of crazy madness by Gabrielle Destroismaisons and The Boy Is Mine by Brandy & Monica. “As a millennial, I legally have to love Gabrielle Destroismaisons,” she said before embarking on the very good cover that made me reconnect with my childhood. Her big smile throughout the performance stuck one in my face.
However, the project may be a bit green when it comes to lyrical work, but the energy and the stage presence, it works. It could also have been wise to put it on later in the evening. Because with the right audience, it’s the kind of dancing and lively show. But as the crowd present is largely for the spectacle of Berry right after, we feel that he is perhaps less receptive to the proposal. It is nevertheless necessary to underline the role of hypewoman of its very well executed DJ Kid Crayola.
Berry
Ah, Berry. After spending about twenty minutes with her in a mine, I finally found her on stage. It was a first for me, but I couldn’t wait to see her in action. I also became very emotional during his concert at several times. On the one hand, the fact that I earn my living by going to concerts hit me hard while watching Berry give everything she has to Val-d’Or. Subsequently, there is something so touching, so powerful, so emotional in the work of the singer-songwriter.
I don’t let go, in particular, is incredibly powerful with its strong message for the time and its chorus, especially when it is sung by the hundreds of spectators gathered. During Somewhere else, the musician touched the hands of the people standing in front of the stage, and I don’t know why, but it moved me deeply. As if sometimes I forget the impact that music can have on people.
In addition to making me experience emotions and make me cry (If needs be particularly struck a chord in me), Berry made me laugh. Before launching into a song, which she dedicated to all wild cats, she watched the setlist before launching: “This one, we all know it by heart, even me! “, making the crowd laugh. It’s nice to see this rock queen actually having fun on stage. She dances, she runs everywhere, but above all, she smiles and seems to fully savor the moment. It feels good to see that despite the years, Berry did not lose the flame. The crowd has given her back her energy: she sings, dances, shouts and shakes her arms at the slightest request to Berry. Note that the singer-songwriter spent almost an hour after her show meeting the public, signing autographs and taking photos.
Homemade jam
It’s at Homemade jam what happened to the heavy task of going on stage after Berry. The training was a success! The group, which was in the showcase as part of the festival, offered a rock that was frankly pleasant to listen to. The kind that makes you want to stop and enjoy the concert, quite simply, without asking any questions. Before going to the show, I had listened to some songs they have on Spotify. I had found a little something funky in them that I didn’t find in shows, but it didn’t disappoint me. Because their proposal on stage was for me a great discovery that I recommend to you.
As we talked about Lou-Adriane Cassidy to francsat the night and at Petite-Vallée Song Festival this year, I won’t talk about it. But know that his concert was always as dynamic and as exciting as those mentioned above. She set the tone for the afters who came right after.
hurt
The first of the two after parties scheduled for this evening was provided by hurt. He replaced Dishpit. The group, made up of three of the four members of the late Zen Bamboo, offered the first concert in life of their new formation. Musically, we don’t stray too far from what Zen Bamboo offered. It’s not necessarily a bad thing: the group was starting to create a good reputation before its dissolution. The musicians took advantage of the presence of Thierry Larose, who was with Lou-Adriane Cassidy just before, to ask him to come and play on one of their songs. He would apparently be among the first to have heard the material of hurt.
The peculiarity of hurtis that he exchanges roles in the creation and in the show, according to what my friends at CHYZ who interviewed the group earlier today. Thus, they allow each of the members his moment of lead and glory, while the others take on a supporting role, before switching roles on the next song. It’s very democratic. hurtas a group, also underlined my friend Estelle Grignon from CHOQ.ca.
It can sometimes be a double-edged sword to invite a band to a festival that has never done a show yet and only has two songs to his credit. However, it seems to work. The audience really seemed to appreciate the band’s musical proposition, as evidenced by the callback request even before the band exited the stage.
Pink Death
This is Pink Death which had the mandate to close the festivities of FRIMAT 2022. The rock band took care of the last energies of the festival-goers after these three days of celebration and music. Alexandre Archambault, the singer, exclaimed towards the middle of the show “there, the party is going to catch on, we stop fooling around, it’s 1am, I’m usually in bed! Then he launched into the crowd, before going out with his microphone while the others speak on stage. He shouts at them to shut up, before returning with 100 power dynamism. In short, the choice of Pink Death to close the FRIMAT ball was excellent. The crowd was indeed dancing a lot and their energetic rock really ended this edition in style.
My trip to Val-d’Or is already over (I’m writing these lines from my Montreal apartment). I would like to thank the organization of the festival which knows how to receive and put at ease and salute the benevolence and kindness of all the volunteers I met there. The FRIMAT, I will remember it for a long time, as Zébulon sang in Marie Louise.
Photo credit: Justine Boucher