The festivals are at half mast.
After a blank year for the world of culture, the new restrictions announced by the Minister of Culture Roselyne Bachelot, imposing a level of 5,000 people seated maximum, question the festival organizers.
"
We are shocked, back to the wall
," says Jean-Paul Roland, festival director
of
Eurockéennes
and representative Prodiss (National Union of producers, distributors, festivals and theaters in the private) told AFP.
Following this announcement, the boss surveyed his audience, the only reliable arbiter in this battle.
"
The answers are clear, 85% of those polled said they would not come if it was a seated festival
," he laments.
Read also: Summer 2021, towards a new white season for festivals?
“
It's 5000 people, seated, and with a distance, without distinction between outdoors and indoors!
This means that we need stands of 10,000 places ...
", continues Jean-Paul Roland, before adding that his festival would not make any decision before talking about it with other festivals.
With edifying programs, which bring together artists such as Muse, DJ Snake or Massive Attack, who are nevertheless difficult to adapt to a seated configuration.
“
Which artist would accept?
», Asks the director.
Ditto for the big hard rock gathering
Hellfest,
with 180,000 festival-goers in 2019. This Friday, the creator of the event said at the microphone of AFP that
"a cancellation of the festival seemed inevitable",
ensuring that it does not could hold
"5,000 metalheads seated and distanced, that is not possible".
To read also: Maintenance of the Hellfest festival?
"5000 spectators seated for metal, it is not possible"
Conversely, the
Vieilles Charrues
festival
(July 15 to 18), which gathered 270,000 spectators two years ago, intends to seize the pole.
“
We will adapt.
It will not be a quiet summer in Carhaix, it will be the summer of reunions,
”says its director Jérôme Tréhorel.
Jean-Paul Roland of Eurockéennes joined his counterpart on this point: “
I was very afraid that there would be no announcement at all or that summer festivals would be banned.
We could very well switch to a standing configuration if the health situation improved,
”he enthuses again in a burst of hope.
Blurred areas
“
We know a little more about the general framework, but there are still areas of uncertainty.
What is certain is that the 2021 festival season will not be like the others,
”Judge Aurélie Hannedouche from the Syndicat des musiques nouvelles (SMA).
Among the gray areas, she points to the issue of authorizing bar / catering areas which will depend on the reopening "
in the catering sector
".
“
We want to organize our festivals this summer, but not at any cost.
We are waiting for a strong word from the President or the Prime Minister who is committed to the recovery of the cultural sector,
”she insists.
The Minister of Culture reacted to these questions at the microphone of BFM TV, specifying that an envelope of up to 30 million euros would be used to support festivals towards alternative formats or to help them in the event of cancellation.
"
But if it's 30 million for all aesthetics (musical genres) and if there are 6,000 festivals in France, that's 5,000 euros per festival ...
", worries Ms. Hannedouche.
Roselyne Bachelot assured that it was “
a first salvo
” and that this envelope would be “
replenished if there is a need
”.
The
Solidays
festival
,
which had yet unveiled its programming in early January as a sign of hope, canceled its edition.
The event with 228,000 spectators in 2019, which finances Solidarity Sida actions each year, preferred to throw in the towel for this year.
Three evenings for 20,000 people
Other behemoths deplore the government's new restrictions while rejoicing.
For the organizers of
the Nuit de l'Eure
(in Nort-sur-Erdre), which is to take place from June 25 to 27, “
three evenings for 20,000 people will not take place
”, which will again generate a big loss on event revenue.
“
On the other hand, we are all going to think together about imagining concerts with 5,000 spectators.
If it's playable, we'll work on it,
”said the festival team to
Ouest-France.
Read also: A second year without Solidays, the festival cancels its 2021 edition
Ditto for the
Poupet festival
in Vendée.
“
On our 14 evenings planned, I am already canceling two rap events which were to welcome between 15 and 20,000 spectators.
For all the others, we are going to offer concerts to 5,000 people seated,
”explained Philippe Maindron, its president, to the Rennes daily.
This new configuration inevitably shower the hopes of big parties this summer.
But while festivals were mostly resigned to canceling their 2021 edition, these new restrictions will save a few.
An initiative for which they remain grateful.
