Francofolies in La Rochelle, France 13/7/2022

I added above a few pics from my mobile just to show how gorgeous La Rochelle is. Busy with people but absolutely beautiful. The line-up for the festival day was strong, maybe one of the strongest I’ve seen at any festivals. Established French singers, some less known acts between and particularly for my taste Asaf Avidan with his fascinating, androgyne voice and guitar skills and even my big favourite - also Mika’s big favourite since his teenage years - Rufus Wainwright as a guest for Calogero. 

A huge night yet I still felt Mika was the main performer and I wasn’t the only who felt that way. The audience gave him the traditional La Rochelle chant and it couldn’t have been more deserved. A magical moment to happen, one of those short moments that alone make my travelling worthwhile. It gave me goosebumps. Feeling the vibe, hearing the crowd repeating the shout and seeing Mika’s face that moment was reason enough for me to be there. Sometimes tiny moments can mean so much. 

He did a great festival performance. People are more than ready to experience live music again and the summer tour has been stunning. Beautiful performing, beautiful energy and a lot of interaction with the crowd spreading the magic. In La Rochelle photographers and television cameras had a distinct role and it was distractive for the audience close to the stage but also highlighted how big the day was. A big festival day, an old-school summer festival experience. 

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