Forty-three gigs this year in Chinon, over two days. It's really quite a piece of organisation, with different groups appearing at different times and in 26 different places - if I've counted them up correctly. Requires a huge amount of co-operation. All sorts of music were wafting their rythmns across town - classic, blues, jazz, world, rock, swing. Some were totally instrumental, others vocals and instrumentals. A terrific mix, alongside which were special exhibitions: a display of state-of-the-art guitars that were really minimalist in design, accompanied by photos of some of the artists from previous Voyages en Guitare. The contemporary art gallery inside at the top of Chinon town hall hosted a terrific exhibition. The subject is art and the machine across the 20th century and it is in fact a three-parter, each section being displayed in a different venue.The other two being the Art and History Museum (exhibition curation) and the St.Radegond Chapel, which is high up over-looking the town and which you walk to from Chinon. Steep path, but you get great views and the place itself is fascinating.
Saint Mexme is always the venue for the two main gigs of the festival. Saturday Piers Facciini was playing, along with a pianist and someone else on xylophones. He is Anglo/Italian, but has lived in France for quite some time, which probably accounts for him having tapped into the French love of Chanson. He has a gig coming up in Paris at the Théâtre Bouffes du Nord. The other gig was tonight - from which we've just got back- which wound up the festival. This time it was Titi Robin, a French composer and improvisor, whose work is rooted in the Mediterranean world - the confluence of Gypsy, Oriental and European cultures. He composes all the music he performs and plays guitar, buzuq and 'oud. Tonight he was accompanied by a superb percussionist and an accordion player. His daughter who sings and dances appeared in the second half. Can't find anything on you tube for him unfortunately.
Found it strangely uninspiring. Part of that had to do with feeling trapped in the space.There was an over-sale on tickets to space capacity - a problem when you have a theatre/arts venue production manager's brain, as I do. Can't switch it off. Took me years to be able to go to the theatre and not notice when the lighting cues were late.
Voyages en Guitare is a great idea which we like to support. Saint Mexme is a good space, with an outside area for refreshments. The seating is informal and unallocated. Basically it's a very steep rake of hard benches. The popularity of this year's gigs meant punters were jammed in on each bench. It was due to start at 6.30pm. Some audience with tickets didn't turn up till 7pm, some had been outside drinking till 7pm. So the gig started late. A lot of people arrived for 'doors open' at 5.45, which meant they were waiting an 1h15 before the gig started, instead of 45 minutes. Late-comers being allowed in meant people sat anywhere, no option by this time, which included right across the central and narrow staircase, which provides the only means to enter and exit the space. If anyone was taken ill, there was no way they could get out of the space, particularly if they were up at the back. Completely dark up there. It was the same last night as well. Production managers usually think about this sort of thing.
Voyages en guitare coincides with European Heritage day, with buildings that are normally closed to the public offering special openings over the weekend. Really like the two events happening at the same time. Draws more people into town. There was an excellent photographic exhibition in the Maison du Patrimoine about the timber framed house in Chinon. Made a really good subject, with some fascinating close-ups.
We were at the cinema on Thursday to see Clint Eastwood's film Jersey Boys - all about Frank Valli and the Four Seasons, which emerged from the stage production. The music is still so good. Impossible to sit still. Really pleased we went to see it. At same time we bought our passes for the Film Festival which starts this week. Eastern block films. Can't wait. Bravo Cinéplus!
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