“We said yes on one condition, that An incident in Bois-des-Filion either in the list of songs,” says Réal Desrosiers, the drummer of Beau Dommage. Yes to whom, yes to what? The members of the cult group, who are celebrating the 50th anniversary of their first album this year, were approached several months ago by the very active producer Martin Leclerc to create a symphonic show with their repertoire. The fruit of this important challenge will be born Friday with the Orchestre Métropolitain on the stage of the Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place des Arts, before going to Trois-Rivières, Sherbrooke and Quebec City.
An incident in Bois-des-Filion has thus revealed itself to be the key to this concert, where this river-piece of more than 20 minutes will shine, which distils through different movements all the “prog” aspect of Beau Dommage’s music. And barely chosen to be the arranger and musical director of this adventure, Antoine Gratton immediately asked the question: “shall we do An incident ? »
Gathered around the same table by The DutyRéal Desrosiers and Antoine Gratton laugh heartily at this concordance of desires. “We always wanted to hear it in a symphonic way, it’s a song with developments, themes… Yes, it’s prog, so we thought it would lend itself very well to a version of the genre,” emphasizes Desrosiers, artistic advisor of the project with Pierre Huet. “And it probably remains the one that is most orchestral, if you like,” Gratton responds. It already has a slightly operatic form, it seems as if the table is already set… Then there are already orchestral instruments in the original version. It’s easier than [d’arranger] December 23let’s say! »
The title December 23 will also be part of the show — bells included — even if that one is less obvious to imagine in a classical format, says Gratton. “The interesting exercise with this project is precisely to go beyond the initial arrangement, then to bring the song back to its simplest expression,” analyzes the man who worked with Lisa LeBlanc on her symphonic versions. “They remain tunes, melodies, with chords and then stories. It seems that once you strip the song down, after that, you can dress it up in any way you want. Even December 23there is such a vibe of a sugar shack that is printed inside… But it remains a story.”
Afterwards, it’s a question of balance in the arrangement work, between the exploration and the reassuring side of Beau Dommage’s songs, says Gratton, who compares this repertoire to comfort food. But the gang gave him free rein, he assures. “Pierre [Huet] “He said to him: ‘Don’t treat our songs like Ming vases!’” confirms Réal Desrosiers.
It was the members of Beau Dommage who first sorted the titles, “a complex puzzle,” according to Desrosiers, in particular because the group wanted not only to include pieces from each of the five albums, but also to ensure that the selection highlighted all the songwriters as well as the singers. “Beau Dommage is really a band“Everyone has their place. It’s important that everyone is represented, it’s as simple as that,” the drummer says.
But this creation entitled We’ve known each other for 50 years couldn’t last 3 hours, and it took some heartbreaking choices. “We started with an iceberg, then we had to make ice cubes in a fridge!” laughs Réal Desrosiers. But there are songs that are essential. You definitely can’t not do The Seal’s Lament in Alaska Or All palm trees. »
11 voices
And who will sing these monuments? In fact, Antoine Gratton has invited no less than 11 performers, some with a lot of baggage, others fresh out of The Voice or of Star AcademyThey are, in the order announced: Alexandre Désilets, Allyson Pétrin, Audrey-Louise Beauséjour, Audrey-Michèle, Coral Egan, David Latulippe, Franck Julien, Jules, Krystel Mongeau, Lyxé and Sophie Grenier.
There are several reasons for this array of voices, including the importance of brilliantly paying homage to the vocal harmonies that partly define Beau Dommage’s work. “I think there was also something very important in the “anonymity” of the performer in this project,” explains Antoine Gratton. “They are all at the service of the song, it is the star.”
We’ve known each other for 50 years will be led by chef Adam Johnson, who is used to experiments of this kind, notably with Symphonic RiopelleThe Metropolitan Orchestra will absorb into its ranks the musicians of the house band of the project — directed by Michel Poirier (I don’t know how, I don’t know why, Under my woman’s skin).
Gratton and Desrosiers are also pleased to see that this symphonic show will have a life outside Montreal in the coming days, at the Cogeco Amphitheatre in Trois-Rivières, at the Maurice-O’Bready Hall in Sherbrooke and at the Grand Théâtre de Québec. “We’re lucky,” says Antoine Gratton. “But at the same time… [avec] Beau Dommage, you have to go there. Everyone loves Beau Dommage!”