Indochine is very angry. One of the most popular French groups, a real headliner of the festivals where it passes, does not intend to perform in Perpignan, a city managed by the mayor RN Louis Aliot. And made it known on social networks from this Friday, January 6. A bang in the musical world which risks damaging the festival “Les Déferlantes Sud de France” which will take place from July 6 to 9, 2023 no longer in Céret but in Perpignan, in the same department of Pyrénées-Orientales. It was this last-minute relocation, without the approval of the artists, that set things on fire. Indochine thus shares this message on the internet planet:
“Festival Tour 2023 / Info Les Déferlantes: Yesterday morning, we were faced with the fait accompli, that the Festival Les Déferlantes, where we are scheduled on July 8, was moving to Perpignan instead of the site initially planned.
Last night, the RN mayor of Perpignan tweeted that he was happy to host the Festival Les Déferlantes. We expressly ask the management of Les Déferlantes to move this festival to another place, otherwise we will cancel our visit.”
Festival Tour 2023 / Info Les Déferlantes pic.twitter.com/aN5gH7XH2N
— Indochine (@indochinetwitt) January 7, 2023
Will the other artists follow the band’s decision?
And Indochine will be inflexible, largely supported by its fans. The group, which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2022, brings together hundreds of thousands of spectators across the biggest stadiums in France. And this summer, Nicola Sirkis and his musicians had planned 7 dates for his “Festival Tour 2023” including two in Occitanie: at Les Déferlantes on July 8 and in Albi on July 9.
For their part, the organizers of the offending festival, which has existed for 15 years, justifies this sudden move to facilitate the comfort of festival-goers and to receive them in Perpignan “in optimal conditions”: “we have decided to move Les Déferlantes to a more adapted to your comfort and to the ambitions of the festival. A central place, easier to access, offering different means of transport. A place in the heart of the main urban area of the Pyrénées Orientales in which more than 50% of our usual festival-goers reside.”, can we read on their website.
Will Indochina win its showdown? And what will the other invited artists decide? The line-up includes many other headliners such as: Sting, Scorpions, Big Flo & Oli, Alt-J, Damso, David Guetta, Izia, Louise Attaque, Shakaponk, Soprano…
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VF