Helado Negro – Trabendo, Wednesday 8 November
Near the middle of the festival, Helado Negro's Roberto Carlos Lange enchanted the crowd with his mesmerizing synth-folk mastery. He gave an early performance of his new single, “LFO,” which he told the crowd he hadn't played many times before, joking that he hoped “the ninth time's the charm.” It certainly was.
Anjimile – Les Disquaires, Friday 10 November
Everyone was happy to squeeze into a packed cocktail bar to hear Anjimile, even if they couldn't see his beaming smile on stage. The North Carolina singer-songwriter's set had a charmingly underwhelming quality, with some songs stopping and starting again, which only added to the sense of familiarity with the audience. They started with a quiet solo set, and things kicked off when a band entered. Drummer Yan Westerlund's clean and powerful playing helped make “The Right” and “Genesis” the highlights of the week.
Kneecap – Le Pop-Up, Friday November 10th
Northern Irish rap trio Kneecap did their best to raise the roof at Le Pop-Up on Friday night — literally, as the packed venue's ceilings were low enough to touch. Mo Chara put his hands on him as the crowd stirred, demanding us to bring more and more energy. Mixing hilarity with political criticism in songs like 'CEARTA' and 'Get the Brits Out', they seemed to reflect the collective anger and hope in the air, especially as a chant of 'gamma the owners' turned into 'free Palestine ». “
Music Unlock Afterparty – Le Trabendo, Friday November 10
With buses running between Bastille and La Villete, bringing festival goers to the official afterparty in Trabendo, there was an intoxicating air of exclusivity, as if we were part of a secret club. From midnight to 6am, DJs Anish Kumar, Tatie Dee and Blessed Madonna played a mix of house, disco and electro, matching the festive energy of the crowd. Anish Kumar was the standout set, with his signature mix of Hindi film soundtracks and classic house beats. The unbridled fun from all three ensembles reflected the week-long festival: a joyous salute to the diversity of music and Paris itself.
