Spectacular evenings at Sion under the stars 2017

Le Regard Libre N° 30 - Jonas Follonier and Loris S. Musumeci

The fourth edition of the Sion sous les étoiles festival took place from July 12 to 16 on the Tourbillon plain in Sion. This Valais event is now a veritable rendez-vous in French-speaking Switzerland. We were there for two evenings. Here are our impressions.

If «Sion sous les étoiles» is starting to rival the giant Paléo festival, it’s because the festival is banking on a very ambitious lineup. Two major stars headline every night. Admittedly, this is reflected in the ticket prices, which range from 90 to 110 CHF per night, but the audience gets their money’s worth. On Wednesday, July 12, Michel Sardou and Sting took the stage in Sion. Before them, the Swiss band Aliose won over the audience with its bright and sophisticated music, followed by Slimane, winner of the fifth season of the TV show “The Voice.”.

A Solemn Sardou

At exactly 8:20 p.m., a series of portraits of Michel Sardou—from his early days to the present—appeared one after another on the giant screen, before giving way to the 70-year-old maestro. «We’ve known each other for a long time now.» Hi: What better song for an entrance that already sounds like the beginning of a farewell? After a fifty-year career, the French singer has decided to make this tour his «Last Dance,» after which he plans to devote himself to theater.

Sardou has lost none of his ceremonial air. Arrogant and austere to some, understated and classy to others, the author of Vladimir Ilyich has cultivated a reputation as a right-wing singer, which has landed him in numerous controversies—some of which he was quick to mention. «When I released Being a Woman, »I got slammed by feminists of all stripes. And I mean all stripes.” These rather reactionary remarks went over well in Valais.

Whether or not you like the man himself, Michel Sardou’s body of work is universally praised for the truly great songs it contains. Broadway's Java, France, I'm flying or even The Sickness of Love were brilliantly performed by the artist, accompanied by a 31-piece symphony orchestra of the highest caliber. A concert featuring classic hits, some of which were tastefully reimagined, such as The Americans set to a brass arrangement or the ever-moving He was there (in that armchair) to the sound of the saxophone, which enhances the strings.

In his interaction with the audience, our friend Sardou knew how to make room for laughter and charming anecdotes. To be sure, this stage legend’s facial expressions range from the tragic to the amused; yet, as the concert progressed, he set aside his theatrical mask to reveal his true self. With a faint smile on his lips and eyes brimming with emotion, he offered his audience quiet «thank yous.» Great artists receive so much from their audience that they give back in kind through a sincere connection. It wasn’t just his powerful voice or his passionate lyrics that brought a lady sitting near us to tears in the midst of I'm going to love you. There's something more. Sardou knows what that something is.

While the singer may have seemed tired on stage on several occasions, his work remains vibrant for all generations, as evidenced by the famous While singing from his very first album. In this sense, Michel Sardou is immortal, and the universal themes he explores—such as love, family, history, and the passing down of traditions—are all examples of the very best that French music has to offer to help us transcend the everyday.

Just Music: Sting

A living legend—sixty-five years old, but who looks like he’s fifty. The former singer and bassist of the famous rock band The Police. Above all, a talented musician. Sting—the extraordinary Sting—took the stage as the late-night headliner, much to the delight of an audience that was unanimously in awe, even though some people had come primarily to see other artists.

On that night in Valais, the melodies of the British singer’s solo hits, as well as the greatest hits of the band The Police, echoed across the plain and carried all the way up to the lower plateaus of the neighboring valleys. Roxanne, Message in a Bottle, not to mention the ever-present Every Breath You Take at the end of the concert. A true musical treat, without a single pause. It is this image of a slender, well-built Sting—with his voice and instrument under perfect control right down to the very last note—that will remain etched in our memories.

Véronique Sanson, Tears of Life

Friday, July 14 was the day of a great icon of high-quality French music: Véronique Sanson. After a pop-rock-style start to the evening featuring Pat Burgener from Valais and the boss’s son, David Hallyday, the singer took the stage after keeping her fans and a curious audience waiting.

Aside from a few new songs from his latest album, Worthy, crazy, then, Michel Berger's ex-girlfriend had one hit after another: In Love, A Song About a Strange Life or even Nothing but water. The songs are familiar. Smiling warmly at the audience throughout the show, Véronique told them, «Please, I’d love to hear you sing along with me, because you are my only joy. That’s just how it is.»

The audience, too, was overjoyed by this concert—both lively and nostalgic—that revealed a Véronique Sanson straddling two worlds. On one hand, the warm, jazzy rhythm that runs through her veins; on the other, the painful reality of her past as a victim of domestic violence and an alcoholic. These struggles are reflected in many of her songs—undoubtedly her most profound ones.

The artist was sure to perform the best of them, including some as a solo piano piece at the end of a concert that she apparently didn’t hesitate to extend. Vancouver, A whole lifetime without seeing you and the stunning one I missed myself so much have shown just how much his work deserves to be rediscovered time and again.

Finally, the Zucchero style

The Italians, who have turned out in droves, are waiting for him. One of their greatest musical legends is taking the stage in little Sion. In fact, Zucchero is well known, even among French speakers. The countless fans cheering him on, hands raised, are proof of that. The rock artist has achieved international fame thanks to a unique style that is evident in both his music and his persona.

Wearing a top hat and a long coat, Zucchero took the stage to thunderous applause. Although he focused solely on his songs—at the expense of interacting with the audience—the crowd didn’t hesitate to sing along with him to his classics. Without a Woman or Miserere, where the eternal spirit of Luciano Pavarotti was invoked, give each lament a voice that is both roaring and gentle. The emotion is palpable.

That said, the show was certainly not lacking in new elements. In fact, they gave it that fresh energy that cements Zucchero’s status as a master of satire. Partigiano Reggiano and 13 Good Reasons, from the new album Black Cat Released last year, the album transported the people of Sion into the dynamic, rhythm-filled world of the lion on stage.

Write to the authors: jonas.follonier@leregardlibre.com / loris.musumeci@leregardlibre.com

Photo credits: © sionsouslesetoiles.ch