Tonight I went to a party organised by SFR, a French cellular phone carrier. This party took place in a new location under one side of my favorite Paris bridge: le pont Alexandre III. The decor was really nice (old Paris stones) and the organisation flawless. But the highlight of the evening was a concert by a French singer that was very famous when I was young: Michel Jonasz. I felt like I was 20 and sung all his songs along!
I love it - the smoky room is very evocative of old Las Vegas.
ReplyDeleteIs it an outdoor concert under the bridge? Isn't it kind of cold these days in Paris?
ReplyDeleteLucky you, though. I'd love to hear him in person! I remember Michel Jonasz from the 70's as well, but he must have released a new CD because I hear him on FIP on a regular basis lately. A CD with a blue cover. Excellent, excellent artist.
Oh, yeah, I remember now. "Ou vont les Rêves?" is one of them. It means "Where do Dreams go?" Just the title of that album is something else, don't you think? :)
Eric, sounds like you had a good time. It is always fun to feel like you are 20 again. Now if we could only be that young and know what we know today! Have a great Thanksgiving (I know the French don't celebrate it, but who doesn't love turkey and stuffing?)
ReplyDeleteMichel Jonasz !! on the Pont Alexandre III !! I wonder which one is the oldest?!
ReplyDeleteJust kidding, I can see Paris treats you well Eric.
We are going to listen to Yann Tiersen tonight in Sydney (for those who don't know him, he is the one who composed Amelie the movie's music). See, we've got our fancy nights here too!!...
I'm glad you had a glorious evening and a bit of a trip down memory lane. We've been doing our annual turkey thing in preparation for the Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. Enjoy your weekend.
ReplyDeletehm.can understand the feeling you have. For me, i like this kind of nostalgic concert, sounds like this.
ReplyDeletebeautiful photo!
jing
Oh man, that looks like a great night. Wish I could have been there!
ReplyDeletec'est pas gentil pour Jonasz ;o) tu sais il continue a faire des disques (il est devenu independant, son dernier disque et dvd ont moins d'un an) et des concerts d'enfer (ça derniere tournée etait superbe).
ReplyDeleteTu as de la chance, cela devait etre bon (meme pas une tchi video ;o) )
glad to hear you were young again ;)
ReplyDeleteWonderful shot of his shadow in the spotlight. I just love the composition. Wish we could HEAR him singing! Looks like a grand time in a wonderful place. You lucky guy! Always invited to such nice parties. . .
ReplyDelete-Kim
based on his name "Jonasz"..maybe his family is Hungarian. Just like Sarközy.
ReplyDeleteUn peu parti
ReplyDeleteUn peu naze
J'descends dans la boite de jazz
Histoire d'oublier un peu
Le cours de ma vie...
Un bon souvenir, indeed ;)
J'aime beaucoup les photos de concerts. Belle lumière, belle ombre sur le rideau rouge!
> Zsolt72. Actually you're right. He even spoke a couple of words in Hungarian during the concert! He told us a Hungarian saying, but I forgot it.
ReplyDelete"Alors on regardait les bateaux
ReplyDeleteOn suçait des glaces à l'eau
On avait l'coeur un peu gros
Mais c'était quand même beau"
Well Eric, you did open the window of nostalgia today ! Perfect mood for a grey morning !…
Scooter, taking in gigs, you ARE seventeen again! Fantastic, we can feel what a great evening it was by this excellent photo. The smoke caught in the stage lights, shadow on an exotic red curtain and the rhythmic movement of his hand. I don't know his work but will look him up. Another great shot Eric to make us all wish desperately we were in Paris too.
ReplyDeleteStrikes me too how clean the stage floor is. Any gigs i've been to have been strewn with cables threatening to catapult the artist into the audience at any moment. All adds to the effect.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, I still don't understand...
ReplyDeleteWas this concert...
(a) in a building under the bridge
(b) under a tent or something
(c) cold and windy like today
(d) a promotion to sell SFR telephone service
(e) All of the above
Oh yeah, and don't let me forget...did you ask Michel Jonasz permission to take his photo?
lol Michael! I'm sure he was more than willing.
ReplyDeleteI wondered those things too. I imagine it was a cavernous venue under the bridge, warm and snugly inside and definitely a promotion thing. What about you? Let's guess.
I think it was inside. Unless the night air was very still, the smoke looks to uniform to be outside, blown about by the elements. Plus, the brick wall kinda reminds me of some clubs I've been to...don't know how to explain anymore. So Eric, how'd I do?
ReplyDeleteAnd HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all tose who celebrate it!
Just came to tell all the Americans "Happy Thanksgiving"!!! I hope you all have a wonderful time with your families and remember all the things in life to be thankful for!
ReplyDeleteThis is my favorite holiday...no presents, no cards to send....just tradition and closeness! The best!
Oh i thought you had presents too, Susan. Interesting.
ReplyDeleteWell it might be a bit thin on the ground here tomorrow, what with thanksgiving and everything. Shall we just settle for a light dinner a deux then Eric? Suits me. lol.
Was he smoking a cigarette while singing? Very Sinatra-ish...
ReplyDeleteWhen we lived in the 7th, we'd cross the Alexandre III bridge every night. Magic, each time.
Thanks for the memmories :-)
Details, I need details about the party under the bridge. Michael and I have inquiring minds, Eric.
ReplyDeleteI will provide you with full details later on tonight (French time) but right now I have to rush to a meeting. Sorry...
ReplyDeleteEric, I just ordered Le Plus Belles Chansons de Michel Jonasz. I found it on Amazon and I should receive it within three days. This is fun to actually have a recommendation from a real Parisian. Thus far, we have seen in person, Ariale Dombasle,Juliette (not Greco, Three impersonators of Piaf, impersonator of Maria Callas, and Alain Souchon. We might get lucky in May when we are in Grenoble and go to some more concerts. I wish more French artists would come to Louisville or even Cincinnati. My memory clicked when I saw an excerpt of a movie with Simone Simon. I recognized her at once in Le Bete Humain even though I only saw her in an American movie called the "Cat People". I was only about ten. She randomly turned into a black panther in that flick. Spooky, huh?
ReplyDeleteHAPPY THANKSGIVING to the Americans (except for Scott Arthur Edwards) and
ReplyDeleteHAPPY THURSDAY to everyone else!
lol Michael! Happy Thursday to you too! Oh hang on are you American or French? i have no idea and do you actually have a blog or are you blogless? Can't seem to find one.
ReplyDeleteJust noticed the second blue light in the photo. Isn't it beautiful, so blue and on its own, the only blue there.
Wow Michel Jonasz, you're lucky, I'm just fan.
ReplyDeletej'aurais aime y etre
Soooo. First of all the concert location. Lynn got it perfectly right Michael: "I imagine it was a cavernous venue under the bridge, warm and snugly inside and definitely a promotion thing."
ReplyDeleteThe cavernous venue used to be - from what I have been told - a boat house or something.
The odd thing is that from the inside you can see underneath the bridge.
Johnny I hope you will like his songs - it's actually very French - and I am a great fan I must say (and I am not the only one here apparently!). PS: I can't believe you saw Juliette!
One last thing, Soosha, happy thanksgiving to you too and to all my American visitors.
Yay! I got it right! Do i get a gold star Eric? :)
ReplyDeleteI finally found some of Michel Jonasz' music you can listen to here. It's at the bottom of a commercial page, but it will give you an idea of what Eric was listening to.
ReplyDeleteI have to say, it's not my style, but interesting to learn about a new French singer just the same.