And it’s not over | Infusion of nostalgia

The first vintage of singers from Star Academy in Quebec has not been at the beginning for a long time, despite what Stéphane Venne’s anthem says which has stuck with them for two decades. It was time for reunions and nostalgia on Friday at the Bell Centre. Led by Marie-Mai, Annie Villeneuve and Marie-Élaine Thibert, the troupe which conquered the province 20 years ago offered a show filled with positive energy.

“And it’s not over,” it was stated on the two large screens bordering the Bell Center stage during the intermission. The academicians had just performed the theme song of the show, with yesteryear choreography to back it up, but Wilfred, Marie-Élaine, Marie-Mai, Annie, Suzie, Maritza, François, Émily, Jean-François, Martin, Dave, Élyse, Stéphane and Pascal still had many surprises and happy memories in store for the large crowd who came to applaud them and sing with them.

A good half of the show was still to come, but the audience was already won over. It was, in fact, as soon as yesterday’s apprentice performers appeared, one by one, most of them in the stands of the Bell Center, each performing a piece of an appropriate song by Patrick Bruel, Place des Grands Hommes. The only adaptation: it was no longer a question of “a meeting in 10 years”, but rather “in 20 years”.

Wilfred, the first performer to win the competition, then continued with Come to usa song by Jacques Michel that he already sang 20 years ago.

The rest was a mixture of songs published on Marie-Mai’s records (It’s me, Without cry or hatred), Annie Villeneuve (Fall from high), Marie-Élaine Thibert (The sky is mine) and Émily Bégin (Urban legend), as well as covers drawn from French and English repertoires.

The duo Marie-Mai and Marie-Élaine Thibert – Simply the Best, borrowed from Tina Turner – was particularly gripping. Dave Bourgeois delivered a very good version of Tennessee Whiskeyby Chris Stapleton, and François Babin remade Sweet Home Alabamaby Lynyrd Skynyrd, with whom he was already a hit at Star Academy. Zombieby Élyse Robineault, was much less successful: upon hearing it, it was hard to believe that she regularly presents a show in homage to the Cranberries…

Julie Snyder on stage

The second part of the show began with the visit on stage of Julie Snyder, the one who had the idea of ​​importing Star Academy in Quebec. Herself applauded as a star, she recalled that the reality TV show had allowed unknown singers, without any contacts in the show business world, to be heard and make a career.

The wave that brought the first vintage of Star Academy was powerful. And never equaled. More than half a million copies of the album have been sold. Star Academy (2003).

This band was not their first show at the Bell Center: they had already graced the stage 14 times together. A feat of arms undoubtedly unequaled in Quebec song and to which perhaps only one person can relate… Marie-Mai, who remains to this day the greatest star from Star Academy.

The ex-academicians began the second part of the show by performing extracts from the famous first album of Star Academy before focusing again on covers. Martin Rouette, quite pale in the first part of the concert, particularly stood out on Uptown FunkÉmily Bégin did well with Bad Romance – with the support of the crowd who happily sang the “ooh ooh” of the chorus –, but even better with Where are the women ?by Patrick Juvet.

A cover show is almost always uneven and that of Star Academy was no exception. One of his great qualities is to have cast a wide net: it was a journey through decades of French, Quebec and Anglo-Saxon pop. And at its best, it was also huge karaoke. The audience generously accompanied Dave and Suzie when they resumed On my shoulder of the Cowboys Fringants, in homage to Karl Tremblay.

The show will be presented again on January 19 at the Videotron Center in Quebec.