Tomorrow’s Talent, Waterfalls + a Big Music Festival, Welcome to Cabaret Frappé

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All images courtesy Cabaret Frappé Facebook page.

Hello! Can you introduce yourselves, who is behind the Cabaret Frappé in Grenoble? Is that a Starbucks drink?

Nope. It’s a pure European blended musical event organised by Grenoble city. The festival, 70% funded by the regional government, offers 3 stages and various activities during 6 days. More than half of the events remain free. Only some shows are paid, at a really affordable price.

How long has the Cabaret Frappé been going on for?

The Cabaret Frappé is already going to celebrate his 17th birthday. This year, beside the must-see festival in the garden, the festival also features brass band performances in the city train station, and will have a free concert on the Bastille, a fort on the top of a hill, offering a breath-taking view over the city. To finish, the Cabaret Frappé offers an after party in a legendary concert hall : Le Ciel.

Is the end of July a good time to visit Grenoble?

We can definitely say that the end of July is a good time to visit Grenoble, in order to enjoy the area, surrounded by three wonderful mountain ranges. The mountain is also an amazing natural place to visit outside the winter period. During July, it’s the perfect weather to go around for a walk, and cool down in the lakes and waterfalls of the area. Within Grenoble, you can visit the charming city centre streets and parks, and enjoy many entertainments as well.

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What kind of artists will be performing?

Assuming the role of a pioneer, the Cabaret Frappé is behind many innovative musical discoveries. The festival supports musical creation, and ensures high quality programming. It promotes local and international artists within a large range of diverse music styles.

What’s the vibe like?

The festival mainly takes place in a nice park, in the heart of the city. It brings about 50,000 people during the week. Friends and family gather in this fresh oasis, under the shade of the trees, to enjoy a moment of relaxation ideally suited to discovery. Around the musical program, various activities are freely organized: readings in the Rose Garden, world games, screen printing or free childcare centre for young parents attending paid concerts.

What are you the most proud of about the CF?

We are really happy to give the opportunity to discover today tomorrow’s talent. The Cabaret Frappé attaches great importance to promote emerging artists and showcase their performance in front of a large public.

Rock en Seine: Recap [PHOTOS]

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY: MAGALI GAUDRON

This past weekend is always one of the coolest times to be in Paris, when the world of music descends for three days on the banks of the Seine to rock out across four stages. The Rock en Seine Music Festival is one of the biggest congregations of music lovers in Europe, and for once we don’t have to travel that far to get to it (even if the journey home at the end of the night might feel like it…).

But the festival is about a lot more than music. There is original artwork inspired by the bands on display, and cool chilling areas, activities, and games put on by fashion, food, and tech brands. It makes for an eclectic and exciting atmosphere where you might fall in love with every new thing you see, touch, or taste. 

Speaking of tasting, the festival is loaded with almost every type of food in the world. From trendy food trucks serving up organic, classic french fare to an entire area dedicated to international food from Thailand, Mexico, Senegal, Ethiopia, Israel, and more. We had to try the camembert and honey with homemade fries. 

And of course save a little cash by sneaking in some booze…

But obviously, the music is what matters in the scheme of things. And fortunately, it was the best part. 

The first major discovery was In The Valley Below, whose track “Peaches” has shot up the Hot Tracks. Their catchy sound is highlighted by the contrasting male and female vocals which constructively reverberate through choruses and across melodies. 

Another surprise was Laura Mvula, an English singer whose track “Green Garden” you might have heard. And finally a folky reggae singer from Germany called Patrice, who kept the audience dancing nonstop for a full hour with rising beats, humor, and a ton of energy. 

The headliner on Saturday was French favorites Phoenix, for whom no introduction is needed. They did not disappoint. Merely a few kilometers from their home town of Versailles, Phoenix rocked the festival until the heavens poured, but that didn’t stop singer Thomas Mars from running to the back of the massive audience, and crowd-surfing his way back to the stage. 

Already looking forward to next year! 

Abbey Road on the River: Washington DC

Photo courtesy: www.abbeyroadontheriver.com

Next weekend is a big one in the USA. It’s Labor Day weekend, the start of school, college football; the end of summer, pools closing, and for those of you in the Washington DC area it’s time for the 5-Day Beatles Tribute festival: Abbey Road on the River. With groups like Jefferson Starship, Britbeat, The English Channel, and Glass Onion, Abbey Road provides all levels of Beatles covers, from groups that emulate, groups that imitate, and groups that innovate on the classic rock and roll giants. 

If you can’t make it to the festival kicking off on August 30th, you can still enjoy our Whyd Beatles playlist featuring an entirely random selection of hits to start off your week. Enjoy: 

Music Festival, Meet City: Lollapalooza 2012

Photo courtesy: americanrockscene.com

Does music get any bigger during the dog days of summer than Lollapalooza? Scratch that. Does music ever get bigger than Lollapalooza? It seems that every year the organizers pack more and more great artists into their line up that it is the only time a group like Franz Ferdinand is relegated to a small font size! But it makes sense when the top of the bill is stacked with names like Black Sabbath, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Black Keys, and yet another color-related musician, Jack White.

The show goes up this weekend in Chicago, on the banks of Lake Michigan in Grant Park. Since the show features of wealth of international talent, we created a Whyd playlist with some of the artists from a little further down the line up, to get a feel for the sounds rocking some of the smaller stages: