Les  Eurockeennes De Belfort - Part Three

PHOTO: ODD FUTURE
BY MICHAEL ACHILLI

Three days having speeded past, the festival met its final day with more glorious weather. It was a day which saw Mona make an appearance and deliver a passionate performance - one that shows that these Americans have undoubtedly been influenced by close friends Kings Of Leon.  

The English singing French / Finnish band The Do run through a set of melodic indie pop tunes that appear to be popular with a youthful audience, before things take a surreal and unusual twist with the appearance of Katerine on the second stage.

This very popular native performer came backed with four dancers, proving himself something akin to a French version of Har Mar Superstar. Raised on Chanson pop, he offered us risqué lyrics and bum cheeks on the song ‘Louxor, J’adore’ and his love of bananas on the poppy ‘La Banane’ - proving to be good entertaining fun.

Odd Future provide a dramatic contrast; with a broken leg, Tyler The Creator spends a good portion of time in a wheelchair, but far from being subdued the show is is rescued by Hodgy Beats and co stepping forward, bursting out the darkly twisted aggressive hip hop of ‘Yonkers’, the suitably titled ‘French’ and ‘Radicals’.

After this the heavyweights are rolled out, with headliners Arcade Fire playing a set that pulled from all three of their rightly praised albums. People often complain about the lack of bands who can rise up and become festival headliners, but this band's classily orchestrated pop made just such a vital connection.

With some seeing fit to pack up and leave early it was left to Crystal Castles to keep those remaining entertained. Their fierce set saw Ethan conjure up his mutilated, 8-bit Gameboy styled noises while frontwoman Alice Glass to vocalised them.

Yet it was the Arctic Monkeys who closed the festival. With many having had already disappeared before the start of their set, these Yorkshire men ran through old classics such as ‘I Bet That You Look Good on the Dancefloor’ and ‘Scummy Man’ - which sound as fresh today as they did when the band were making their festival debuts.

It was a driven performance that even saw new songs, such as ‘Brick by Brick’, receiving small cheers as the first few bars rung out.

With its idyllic setting, relaxed atmosphere and good selection of music on offer, Les Eurockeennes gives the perfect chance to be able to combine the festival experience with a mini-holiday - and anyone seeking firsthand experience of a festival on foreign shores should really consider it.