An Angel at the heart of winter in Lorient.
For starters, it's a concert in the festival "The Deiziou" (Breton cultural days), devoted to Celtic and Breton. What relationship with ANGEL will you ask? We are also looking .... except that Christian Decamps participates Anne De Bretagne, the Celtic rock opera of Alan Simon and ANGEL also defends a certain identity culture through his songs firmly rooted in the soil of our old France.
The question that arose for ANGEL arises even for the first part, Kina Temple, a group of Lorient, if there are indeed those of regional, their music closer to the Detroit MC5 that Bagad of Lann Bihoué ... They play a heavy garage-rock-punkisant, energy certainly, but that does not truly captivate the fans of ANGEL a little confused by an avalanche of decibels sometimes not very well controlled. The first part unsuited to our opinion even if the intention of promoting a local group is commendable.
Come in, good people ....
It is the room filled up, 5 to 600 people, bringing together several generations, remember that ANGEL has over 40 years of existence at the counter and a big twenty studio albums, Moreover, the tour is called "The 40th Wailing". Many connoisseurs, it does not see ANGEL by chance, we remark here and there, the presence of many "soaked" the fan club members "One Foot In The Line" after the group faithfully and passionately for many years.
But hush, the lights go out, to show up .....
Let me tell you, Sir, that among these people there .... |
Christian Decamps, 65 Spring this summer, arrives on stage dressed all in black, adorned with a pacifier around his neck and sings a cappella early "These people " the great Jacques, soon joined by the musicians. We are immediately impressed by the charisma of the man, bearded, rotund, hallucinating. Installed behind the mixing desk, the sound is very good, powerful and clear, we are amazed at seeing the final Dante resumed Brel, burning with a huge solo guitarist with dread locks Hassan Haji.
It had to all the excesses of a Christian Decamps to address Brel, frankly if Florent Pagny who massacred the Belgian poet saw some time ago that, return it post-haste in Patagonia care of his cows ... Second
title "The cemetery of Harlequin" , from the album of the same name released in 1973, a long room where the play's theatrical scene Christian Decamps gives its full extent, yet Once the sound is huge, powerful sound and visual surprises us, those whose first gig is the Angel does not necessarily think that this "deposit" as live.
Tristan Décamps |
NB- photos illustrating this page were taken during the concert by "The bracket", with our thanks.
group chained with "The eyes of a madman" ( 1984 album Madman) is sung by the son, Tristan, with Christian who took the keyboards, a strong headline which takes us to the brink of lunacy, boosted by strong rhythmic blown through Benoit Cazzulini and Thierry Sidhoum sharp and interventions the "Guitar Hero" Hadji Hassan . If the son has not (yet) the presence of the father, he has significantly moderated its cons tend to firefighter and gets away with the honors anyway!
" L e dream is to dream" , album The car Water (1999) , this powerful little-known title, becomes a real workhorse on scene, a plea for utopia powered by a quasi-heavy music with a bonus, a dual bass / guitar to give you chills.
Hassan "Magic" Hadji during "soundcheck". |
to look like this extreme cohesion that comes from five musicians standing in awe as the band goes back in time with "The Merchant of planets" from the album "Emile Jacotey" (1975) , hovering piece that justifies the term "progressive" is attributed to the music of ANGEL, here in an Arabized version with bassist Thierry Sidhoum vocals, a superb track, captivating and moving.
We stay in the company of old farrier with a classic group, the essential "On the Trail of the fairies" and there is the poetic ANGEL takes us land of fairy tales, dreams and legends.
s Can not "escape this atmosphere with the medieval " Ballad for an orgy ' ( Beyond delirium, 1974 ), while acoustic, xylophone support where Christian Decamps develops its enormous vocal range and very emotional and becomes a minstrel escaped from the corridors of time ...
It happens (already) in the middle of the set piece for a solo Tristan Decamps where only the vocals and keyboards interpreter "Nine o'clock" a sublime piece escaped Station Troyes (1983) . On a poignant text, Tristan also shows us that he has a sacred chest and passed through the room a palpable excitement.
Then comes "Crazy" and lyrics ... mad crazy, he is undoubtedly Christian, but certainly great ... a real character, full respect for this artist who has remained true to his world, outside the norms and fashions.
Mad? completely ... |
Indeed, after the son in the family Décamps is the father, Christian, who, alone with his accordion we capsized and offers the public, the subtle and dilapidated "Crazy" , drawn from the eponymous album released in 1984. A small grain madness invades listeners who return the chorus. After this
p'tite bondiou break, it's time "Bivouac " at Harlequin Cemetery, huge hard on that end, the shredder Nancy Hadji Hassan, the balance still sauce and sends unabated, riff-heavy rock and frenzied solos.
pressure did not fall with time Colors angry " the album "Tears the Dalai Lama" (1992) , still a big final and a great solo guitarist what he there with him, technique and feeling are still there!
Then came the presentation of musicians, each said a few cool words, we'll also present:
- Christian Decamps : vocals, keyboards, acoustic guitar, accordion, harmonica , magic and poetry ....
- Tristan Decamps : keyboards, vocals.
- Hassan Haji guitars.
- Thierry Sidhoum : bass, vocals.
- Benoit Cazzulini : drums.
After the presentations, "Children of Chance" , another excerpt from Tears of the Dalai Lama , it sends a serious and a riff that reminds us ... Kashmir Led Zeppelin .
captain heart honey |
"Captain heart honey" of The Getaway (1978) or bravura live group: twenty minutes of madness, Captain Décamps staggers on deck and put their heart's content with his cap his cane and his bell bottle of white rum. Both sea wolf, hobo heaven, poet and troubadour, he relentlessly pushed the emotion to a crescendo where the monstrous final apocalyptic chorus of dripping feeling matey Hassan leads the crew to the shores of lyricism tinged progressive and traditional plans more "hard" on Jimmy Page .
P'tain Moreover, it is already finished, it has not seen two hours!
No need to dwell much to see some rab ', the group returns for three reasons. ....
"The eyes and ears" 's latest album, The wood works well Sunday, followed by the inevitable "Hymn to Life" , became a cult song ( For the son of Chuck, 1976 ) dedicated to all those who participated in the adventure ANGEL during these 40 years, while that scrolls across the screen portraits of former members of the group. The concert ended with "Ode to Emile" a group of hymns, taken from their masterpiece Emile Jacotey , on which the public sang the last verse:
"When the machine stopped revolving,
What time of the hour bell approach
We sing a little wine,
We drank a final chorus.
And quiet
can wipe your ass from
the firmament. "
ANGEL is timeless and eternal, besides the Angels they are not immortal ...?
One word in conclusion: Thank you gentlemen!
left to d. Benoit Cazzulini Hassan Haji, Christian Decamps, Thierry Sidhoum Tristan Decamps. |