Even Roselyne Bachelot made the trip.
5,000 spectators - including several political figures - have an appointment in the Bercy pit at the end of the afternoon to dance to the sound of Indochina hits and rediscover the atmosphere of the shows of yesteryear, on the occasion of 'a highly anticipated test concert by a sector hard hit by the Covid-19.
After a few minutes of delay, a speech by the Minister of Culture, and a first part provided by Étienne de Crécy, electronic figure of the “
French touch
”, it will finally be Indochina's turn.
As for the public, this is their first concert in months.
Read also: Indochina concert-test: what to expect spectators at the Accor Arena in Bercy
“We've been waiting for this kind of event to reopen for so long. So there, finding a concert, in addition to Indochina, it's quite formidable "
, was enthusiastic before the festivities Camille, 26 years old, came from the neighboring Val d'Oise to see again,
" for the fifth or sixth time "
, Nicola Sirkis and his band on stage. Sunglasses on her purple hair, the young woman waited her turn in a long line that stretched out at the foot of the concert hall. Like every spectator, she had to hand over the envelope, which contains a saliva test taken on Saturday, before entering the arena. A first antigen test - negative - was also carried out over the last three days, one of the conditions for participating in the study.
In the room, no physical distancing, but compulsory mask, with close surveillance of the pit by a battery of cameras. To respect the curfew still in force at 9 p.m., the concert, free, started at tea time, to the cheerful and impatient applause of the handpicked crowd. For Indochine, the group formed in 1981 which fills the stadiums and whose hits, from
L'Aventurier
to
I Asked the Moon
, have spanned generations, this concert is also a small event. The veterans of French rock are back on stage after having to postpone their 40th birthday tour for a year (to spring-summer 2022), because of the health crisis.
To read also: Concerts-test: green light for Montpellier, not for Marseille, announces Roselyne Bachelot
"We already had our seats for the Stade de France, it will be next year, we keep them,"
smiles Valentin, a 29-year-old technician, who wears a black Indochina t-shirt.
This experiment, already carried out elsewhere in Europe, had become a sea serpent in France, where it was postponed several times.
It finally takes place against the backdrop of a clear improvement in the health situation, two days before the start of vaccination for all adults.
But the stakes remain high for the entertainment sector, which sees the dotted recovery, despite the green light since May 19 for seated concerts, with distancing.
Only 5,000 lucky winners out of the nearly 20,000 candidates obtained the precious sesame to see Indochina this Saturday.
STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP
Read also: Why the Barcelona test concert says almost nothing about safety in large gatherings
Results expected in June
Currently, standing festivals have been permitted this summer, but with a limit of one person per 4 m2. Many of them have already thrown in the towel (Solidays, Eurockéennes), only rare events being held, most often in a seated format and with a gauge (Francofolies, Printemps de Bourges, Vieilles Charrues). A festival-goer for 4 m2,
"for a sector that lives off ticketing, it's untenable"
, judges the general manager of the Syndicat du spectacle musical et de variety (Prodiss), Malika Séguineau, who is supporting the project with the AP- HP (Assistance publique Hôpitaux de Paris) for the scientific aspect, with the support of the government.
Several times postponed, the test concert should make it possible to show the effectiveness of the health measures in preparation for the shows and festivals of the summer. STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP
One month away from the regional, several politicians had planned to make the trip, including the ministers of Health and Culture Olivier Véran and Roselyne Bachelot, the president of the Île-de-France region Valérie Pécresse and the mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo . The study should make it possible to demonstrate that if they test negative for Covid-19 upstream, spectators are not at greater risk of becoming infected at the concert than in normal times. The experiment, the first results of which are expected at the end of June, is only open to 18-45 year olds who do not present a risk of serious forms (obesity, hypertension) in the event of contamination.
Out of 20,000 volunteers, a group of 7,500 was selected after a first negative antigen test between Wednesday and Friday. Among them, 5000 people will dance on
Your Black Eyes
, while 2,500 will have to stay at home. All participants are encouraged to take a saliva test on Saturday, then another seven days later. The number of positive cases will be compared in the two groups. The experiment also aims to test the inclusion of the negative test in the tousanticovid application, foreshadowing the health pass. Finally, cameras must make it possible to measure throughout the concert whether the mask is still well worn, but not to target this or that spectator, assure the organizers. Previous experiences, in Spain or the UK, have not shown a high risk of contamination.
