Lomepal: storm warning at Paléo!

Paléo Festival 2019 - Amélie Wauthier

The Lomepal concert is fast approaching, and so are the thick, threatening clouds in the sky. The giant screens on Nyon's main stage display a list of recommendations to follow in the event of a storm. I wonder if I'll be able to attend the show. I've always been afraid of lightning, so this is a bad time to be afraid. Fortunately, it takes more than that to scare Antoine Valentinelli and his pals! 

«My band is still waiting for me downstairs, it's bad timing I'm this close to slipping them inside a girl.»

With these words, Antoine takes to the stage. For those who don't know him yet: welcome to the unique world of Lomepal! An artist who never travels without his buddies (including Yassine Stein, Romeo Elvis and Caballero). Together, they create, mix, arrange and produce his music, from Flip to Jeannine, his two studio albums. 

Over the last few years, this twenty-seven year old Parisian has made a name for himself in the rap world, breaking down and reinventing its codes. Sometimes rapper, sometimes singer, always authentic. This is his third appearance in Switzerland: «That's a lot of Swiss people who know my life too well».», he says. Because when he writes, Lomepal draws his inspiration from everyday things and manages to make them touching, as he says himself.

With the right words and a lot of poetry (yes, yes!), her lyrics transcend reality and make it more intense. Lyrics her audience knows by heart, from the first to the last track. They are powerful and sensitive. They deal with themes such as Lomepal's difficulties in finding his place in society, break-ups, hatred, jealousy, success, friends and family, often with a great deal of tenderness and love. 

The storm broke, in the sky and on stage. No wonder the concert closed with the song 1000°, in which lightning can initially be heard rumbling in the distance. The atmosphere is supercharged, and the crowd goes wild! In the crowd, jumping up and down and bumping into each other, it's well into the 1000s! Antoine is now shirtless. I hold on to the people with me, and together we try to survive the hysteria we've thrown ourselves into. Lomepal had warned us: «Madness is fucking beautiful!»

After an hour and a quarter of rare intensity, it's time for everyone to vacate their seats for the next concert, but we want more! This kind of exchange, this kind of energy, it (re)boost a max! Thank you Chef Antoine and we'll see you again on December 5, as we promised. 

Write to the author: amelie.wauthier@leregardlibre.com

Photo credits: © Paléo / Laurent Reichenbach