Photo: La Route Du Rock press/Nicolas Joubard
Despite being one of the many festivals Bjork pulled this summer, the 25th anniversary of La Route du Rock in Saint-Malo once again presents all the reasons it’s lasted this long.
Here are the 8 best things about La Route du Rock 2015.
1. Variety - Don’t be fooled by the name. La Route du Rock is a well curated, genre-hopping adventure. From the Ride’s British dadrock to the minimal Icelandic techno of Kiasmos, there’s no rhyme or reason to the bill - on paper - but somehow it always works.
Photo: Press/ Alexis Janicot
2. Stages - La Route du Rock is spread over a few locations around Saint-Malo. Opening night is held at the festival’s permanent, year-round theatre-style venue, La Nouvelle Vague. A tiny beach stage outside the fortified walls of Saint-Malo plays to anyone hanging out on the sand or enjoying the ocean-filled swimming pool. But the main action is over at Le Fort de Saint-Père, and unless there’s a weekender at Stonehenge we’re yet to hear about, then the 18th Century fortress surrounding La Route du Rock pisses all over any other festival site we’ve ever seen. Goats and bats included at no extra cost.
A well-deserved nod to the lighting design on the main and second stages, which is consistently stunning.
3. The Notwist - With more than 25 years’ worth of work to draw on, and numerous genre-spanning incarnations, The Notwist are that one smug friend who’s just great at everything they turn their hand to, whether it’s bleepy electronica, spun out indie, or even a tiny bit of reggae. Being such beloved and varied performers makes them the perfect opening night headliners, building anticipation in La Nouvelle Vague for the many delights to come over the weekend on the main festival site.
Photo: Press/Nicolas Joubard
4. Dan Deacon - Standing front and centre, behind a wired-up pulpit, Dan Deacon leaves the rest of the vast stage space free to be filled with smoke, lit entirely by giant LED lights cycling through primary colours. Between leading the crowd through an unsuccessful choreography routine (alternately being confused and squatting) and encouraging a crowdsurfer on a mattress, Dan Deacon invites us to imagine a world in which E numbers have feelings they want to share.
Photo: Press/Nicolas Joubard
5. Savages - Savages storm the fort with guitar sirens and urgent drums, while a slick and fearless Jehnny uses the barrier as a balance beam with the unconditional support - both metaphorically and literally - of an adoring army of fans.
Photo: Press/Nicolas Joubard
6. Algiers - Itchy enough to get the second stage crowd dancing, yet heavy with legacy and meaning, the doom-laden gospel of Algiers manages to be extra atmospheric in these haunting surroundings. Franklin delivers a commanding and charismatic vocal performance peppered with proficient French chat.
7. Jimmy Whispers - Laying his romantic failing bare, and pouring beer over his head, Jimmy Whispers delights and confuses the Sunday afternoon beach loungers with his loser schtick. A particular highlight is when a song drifts into Ace of Base, apparently accidentally, prompting Jimmy to abandon it with the realisation that it’s not his own work.
8. Location - With only the essentials and a few between-acts amusements, La Route du Rock initially seems strange if you’re used to the ever-expanding carnival of irrelevance that pads out the average UK music festival. The festival site is a paired-down, laser-focused performance area with little to distract from the acts, and with only one act at any one time, from about 6pm onwards.
This leaves festival-goers free to explore the glorious city of Saint-Malo, where they can add lazy beach time, swimming, eating oysters and walking the ancient walls to the whole festival experience.
