“We are approaching a big crowd this year with between 115,000 and 120,000 tickets sold, which is very good in the general climate of major festivals”, savor Jean-Paul Roland, director of the festival.
Last year, 127,500 spectators came to see David Guetta and Co during the 34th edition.
And for the 35th, once is not custom, the headliner will not be on stage at the end Sunday evening, but as soon as the opening on Thursday, with the legendary British group Iron Maiden. “We are the only festival in France to have them, and there are not many festivals in their world tour,” said Jean-Paul Roland. “The fact that they come to the Eurocks is still a recognition. We made a big hit.”
For the Belfortain festival, hosting this scenic war machine represents an unprecedented technical challenge: “We will have the biggest screen that we have never had! Something even more than Daft Punk or Depeche Mode”, promises the director. “Their strength is to be trad-modern with elements of show in hyper realism”.
“This is the first time that there have been technicians who have arrived on Tuesday for a show on Thursday,” notes the director of the festival, stressing the cost of these 50 additional technicians.
Philippe Katerine and Serge Gainsbourg
But in general, faced with the increase in costs -stamps, insurance -, the Eurockéennes are good: “We have succeeded so far, to have the means of our ambitions. Aid from the communities have not dropped, in particular that of the Burgundy -Franche -Comté region”.
Among the fifty concerts, the Eurocks offer as every year cultural light on expanding musical genres. After the Shatta, place at Bouyon, another Caribbean style in vogue embodied by Holly’g and Totally Spice’s. “It’s a musical journey that is close to our hearts,” explains Jean-Paul Roland. “The idea of the festival is also to open up to new cultures”.
And the Eurocks also rely on hexagonal talents: “We have a good edition on the side of French artists. By going from Clara Luciani to SDM, or Philippe Katerine”, in full light since his performance during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games last year, lists the director.
Acid Arab will offer a Mediterranean set and the Comédie-Française will also be present with a tribute to Serge Gainsbourg, “the first time that people in the theater come to do something with us”.
On the electro side, DJ Snake, Justice or Bicep will ensure the show. “For justice, the New York Times said it was the biggest live that we could see today,” said the director.
Sulphurous reputation
On the other hand, two cancellations are to be deplored, those of Uncle Waffles and Ultra Vomit. As a replacement, rapper Freeze Corleone has been announced, which is not without cringing a few teeth.
The rapper is indeed regularly accused of anti -Semitism and homophobia, and if he has never been convicted for his texts, several of his concerts have already been canceled. After reactions from an RN deputy from the Territoire de Belfort or the Departmental Council, the prefecture sparked a contradictory procedure to prohibit its service.
An uncertainty therefore hangs over his concert, scheduled for Sunday at 7:00 p.m., the organizers recovering from a possible decision of the prefecture.
In the same way the Irish of Kneecap, expected on Sunday evening, arrive haloed by a sulphurous reputation. One of the three members was charged in Great Britain of “terrorist offense” for having sported in concert a hezbollah flag and their show at the Glastonbury festival on the past weekend made scandal across the Channel since the artists notably accused Israel of being a “war criminal” state.
In addition, the festival’s ecological commitment continues with a “Camping Green Total” project, with dry toilets, waste sorting and best management of flows. A file will be filed at the start of the school year.
