Press Release For immediate distribution Re-capping the FrancoFolies de Montréal A balanced budget and a program hotter than the sun! Montreal, Monday, August 8, 2005 – If it had rained 24 hours a day for all 10 of this year’s FrancoFolies, nothing would have dampened the euphoria that prevailed at this year’s 17th annual celebration of French- language song and culture. But nary a drop fell, of course, and throughout the event the Festival site was inundated with people, making it a record year in more ways than one. Programming was sensational, as usual, and the 50 indoor and 150 free outdoor shows were the delight of young and old from all walks of life and all musical stripes. Judging by on-site kiosk sales (the best in all our history except for the 15th anniversary blowout, which enjoyed an extra day) organizers can safely guesstimate that at least a million persons entered the site, making this years Francos a success even beyond our own optimistic expectations. Ticket sales were brisk (and immediate as well). Once again this year, private and public sponsors came through on our behalf, most notably the provincial government, which seems to have declared itself in firm support of French-language song. In fact, a total of $8 million went a long way to accomplishing the balancing act that is a major international festival like the Francos. Of equal importance is that Madame Françoise Gauthier, Quebec Minister of Tourism, has committed to developing a three-year financing agreement to make sure the non-profit Francos can count on firm footing for more than one year at a time — good news indeed. Nonetheless, we still hope that as major events such as the Francos begin to take root internationally, the federal government will fully recognize the strategic importance of the festival industry and how enormously beneficial it is for everyone. As in one-half billion dollars per year beneficial, across the country. Which suggests Ottawa might want to create a similar program to that of the province, which would allow the festival phenomenon to grow to its full potential, coast to coast. It’s unfortunate and inexplicable that major international events taking place in Canada this year took a hit because of the sponsorship scandal, with which they have no connection. Festivals are net generators of capital, not drains of it, so it’s vital that the fiscal benefits they bring be continued and that all remain competitive on an international scale. Knock-out upon knock-out upon knock-out!! Now it’s time to review those many productions that managed to steal the show from the superb weather this year, maximizing the pleasure of organizers and visitors alike. (We should mention here that this year’s Francos was the 50th festival produced by founder Alain Simard.) Opening this year’s event was a spectacular free outdoor show, Beau D’Hommage, a tribute to the legendary Quebec rock group Beau Dommage featuring Mes Aïeux, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Vincent Vallières, Florent Vollant, Claire Pelletier and the delightful Susie Arioli, who belted it out right in the middle of the fountain at Place des Arts. Paul Piché held forth from the roof of the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, and there was a superb rendition of ‘Amène pas ta gang‘ by Mara Tremblay. Beau Dommage themselves offered to re-unite for the event, which thrilled festivalgoers, naturally. Everyone was blown away by the magical stage presence of Tiken Jah Fakoly and the classic delivery of Alain Bashung, most especially by his version of Frédéric with Christophe that brought more than a few tears to more than a few eyes. President and Founder of the Francos Simard was also especially pleased by the collective show delivered for the 10th anniversary of the Prix Félix-Leclerc de la chanson by previous winners of the prize, the music of whom is also available on CD. Year 2000’s winner Daniel Boucher was leader of the pack for Héritiers de Félix Leclerc, lending humor and humanity to the event with Loco Locass, Mara Tremblay, Pierre Lapointe, Yann Perreau, Stefie Shock, Sylvie Paquette, Vincent Vallières and Lili Fatale, underscoring the extent to which the Francos have become a springboard launching so many to the stars, year after year. Pierre Lapointe’s Pépiphonique was a mind-blowing success. No one was less than astonished that so young a performer could deliver such a polished production, including amazing lyrics, melodies and arrangements that combined classicism and modernity. Founder Alain Simard was equally impressed by the mixture of styles to behold on the stages of the mondes Multiculturel Hydro-Québec and Pop Desjardins, who were hosts to Ya Kengué and Alpha Yaya Diallo, and La Volée d’Castor, Oztara and Nouzôte, respectively, the last of whom won the first edition of the Challenge Live. First Vice-President and Co-Founder of the event Guy Latraverse was big on the Grand Spectacle Ford Focus, Beau D’Hommage, pronouncing himself delighted that the whole bash was recorded for posterity. (Everyone can see it all over again on Radio-Canada, August 14 at 8:30 p.m., preceded at 7:30 by the documentary Beau Dommage, c’est ben gravé dans ma mémoire! which was produced last winter and traces the recording of the tribute album, including interviews with the original members of the band. Guy was also big on Diane Dufresne singing Kurt Weill with the Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal under the direction of Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Others among Guy’s favorites were Marie Elaine Thibert (whose Cartes blanches will be permanently enshrined in the Francos pantheon) and Lynda Thalie in the show of Enrico Macias. This is not to mention all the artists who gathered on stage for the closing-night party, Tous avec Vigneault au bout du monde, which will be broadcast on TV5 on Sunday, August 28 at 8:30 p.m., re-broadcast at 2 a.m. and then again on Monday, August 29th at 3 p.m.) Programmer Laurent Saulnier especially enjoyed Damien Robitaille, Gatineau, Tiken Jah Fakoly, Diane Tell, Pierre Lapointe, Alain Bashung with Christophe, Aut'chose, JP Nataf and Albin de la Simone, as well as Le Nombre, Malajube and Groovy Aardvark. Caroline Johnson, co-programmer, adored Philémon Bergeron-Langlois, Pauline Croze, Camille, Accrophone, Daara J, Les Goules, Jean François Fortier, Alpha Yaya Diallo, Amadou and Mariam, Lokua Kanza, Pierre Lapointe, Vincent Vallières and TTC. After a 10-night marathon at the movable bar Le Shag, both programmers have awarded a Bronze Medal to iamdjsylvie and DJ Tök, a Silver to Mélissa Mars and the Gold to Ghyslain (Bounce le gros) Poirier. Les Partys du Shag Bleue Dry, which this year took place at the Monument-National, was also graced by the improvised appearance as DJ of Yann Perreau and Montreal star DJ Frigid, who spun the disks til the wee hours. Outdoor programming hit the spot with everyone The 2005 Francos were particularly successful on their free outdoor stages this year. All artists delivered with verve, in many cases giving the delighted crowds much more than many had bargained for. Record sunshine gave young and old some valued-added vitamin D, even as they soaked in new musical horizons. Never before have we seen such rapt attention before the outdoor stages, and the good times were palpable in everyone’s face the whole week long, every day from 3 p.m. to midnight. Which is to say we did it again this year: another record success! The P’tites tounes at the Chapiteau Le Lait were popular as ever with the young and their parents, who gathered to enjoy the entertaining and educational performances of four musical colleagues named Vergara, Samson, Saucier and Fortier. Karaoke fans were quick to adopt the new “you-be-the-star” formula at the Chapiteau Le Lait, where everyone who got up on stage this time got to sing with a live band. The idea was so popular that after four busy days, the hours planned in the program had to be extended. Similar enthusiasm prevailed at the Monde Forain Loto-Québec, where pirouettes and assorted acrobatics were order of the day for the Collectif Terre et mer who performed their daily Piratefolies with wildly decorated ships and sails-to-the-wind trapeze artists. The Monde Hip-hop Solo Mobile quickly turned casual visitors into breakdancers themselves, once they’d witnessed the daily performances. Widespread media coverage and critical acclaim ‘It’s now official, the biggest festival of French-language song, in the broadest sense, is no longer in France, but in Montreal, Quebec, Canada,’ wrote Pierre Siankowski of France’s Les Inrocks magazine. Similar terms were used to describe this year’s extraordinary offering by critics from home and abroad. Members of the international print and electronic media were well represented throughout the festival: Belgium, by Le Soir, Radio 21 / RTBF; the United States by the Baltimore Sun; and France by Les Inrockuptibles, Rock & Folk, Télérama, Le Monde, Longueur d’ondes, Politis, Chorus, Ferarock, Radio France Inter, Europe 1, France 5, Fréquences 7, Francophonie Express and Le Mouv’, Parcours le monde.com. Italy sent its crew from Marco Polo TV, a specialty channel featuring travel and adventure. Switzerland was represented by Le Temps. Numerous media paid us visits from within Quebec, naturally, and from the rest of Canada came the Calgary Sun, I muzzik.net / Artgriound.net, Ottawa Express and TVO / TFO. The quality, originality and variety of both indoor and free programming was noted by media outlets from around the world, which will once again pay off in the form of terrific international reach and publicity for our unique celebration of French-language music.