stubbadub

NOTE: Nessie’s review was originally composed in French and was translated to English for Stubbadub. Thanks to Nessie for kindly taking the time to write and translate this review for Stubbadub.

If some people expected this Saturday, August 29th 2009 for nearly twelve years, others – and they were quite numerous – have waited this all their lives. Indeed, the return of FAITH NO MORE in the French capital has forced plenty people to make the trip to the Domaine National de Saint-Cloud to live this “golden moment”.

Scheduled for 22.15 CET, the many fans waiting patiently chanting from one end to another “Faith No More,” when some do not speak the group’s recent concerts in Edinburgh, Dublin and Reading for the lucky ones or commenting pungently on the non-event of the Paris’s festival: the split of Brits Oasis. Moreover, Roddy Bottum had earlier in the day gave his opinion on Twitter with a well deserved ” Booo Fucking Boo!”, But very quickly, impatience gave way to joy when the first notes of the now cult “REUNITED”. Great moment of emotion and applause have flared up when Mike Patton appeared before the “Grande Scène”.

The Californian quintet launches “Paris!” and “Ca va bien?” between songs and tell us they are delighted to return here after “twelve fucking years.” Always warm the first Jon Hudson’s riffs on FROM OUT OF NOWHERE show large moshpits throughout RES. The audience jumps and blowing on BE AGGRESSIVE. Therefore, the machine is started, meanwhile Mike Bordin persists on its drums for our greatest pleasure, especially when CAFFEINE cames out, Patton take some pleasure with the audience “I’m warning you …” and also the very classy EVIDENCE which will be partially sang in Italian. It’s beautiful, efficient and Paris seems already conquered.

The moshpits make their returns on a SURPRISE! YOU’RE DEAD! FNM literally unleashed with a possessed Patton and impeccably Hudson’s cascading riffs made the assistance is upside down. The bass lines of Bill Gould at the same time as the keyboards of Roddy Bottum on massive LAST CUP OF SORROW and once again, our Frisco friends had so much fun. The proof is in the “Merci Paris” issued immediately after and Mike Patton seems visibly satisfied.

At one moment, Roddy launches to 34,000 festival-goers “Je suis très jolie,” [which means « I am very pretty »] which provoked the hilarity of all the Main Stage. We’ll learn later that he had meant “Je suis très heureux” [trad, : « I am very happy »] but basically, everyone understood that he was happy to be in Paris. Joking apart, sounds just after CUCKOO FOR CACA. Patton is completely loose on this song while Puffy continues to abuse his drums. Then comes the cathodic moment of the evening with EASY, where everyone sings in choirs, raised their hands and savor this moment of communion with FNM.

The best is yet to come with MIDLIFE CRISIS (interrupted briefly by the audience sang the refrain at the request of Mike Patton and also by EastEnders theme, private joke of the Second Coming Tour) which has transcended all Paris, then with EPIC and I STARTED A JOKE, The group made Rock En Seine monumentally gone wild on GENTLE ART OF MAKING ENEMIES. And even if fans were singing [often very wrong and very loud, including me], headbangs goes on again on the last two songs KING FOR A DAY and ASHES TO ASHES. Heart was there and it was shown! Therefore, Mike Patton announced the latest track – namely JUST A MAN – despite the “prayers” of the audience and even asked us to hold a very long note. Let’s be honest, for those who were there, we were the big winners, but I’m not gonna contradict Mike Patton who has derided a “I’ve beat you !”. More laughters to Rock En Seine.

Then came time to encores, first with an impeccable MIDNIGHT COWBOY cover which sent Rock en Seine in orbit outta space before being carried away in a masterful trip CHARIOTS OF FIRE / STRIPSEARCH. Noting that the original composer, Vangelis, is acutally a Frenchman. Great ribute in particular through theatrics of FNM. Special mention to the intergalactic solo from Mr. Hudson. The end is near, but their finish from WE CARE A LOT was simply brilliant, everyone was delighted. Nearly one hour 40 minute concert, pretty valves Bottum and Patton on groups spent today (including Joy Division playing at the same time, when in reality it was the French Birdy Nam Nam).

Following what was one of the best concerts of the Parisian festival Rock en Seine, the gig given by FAITH NO MORE was literally covered with postive reviews, even rave ones. One word can summarize this event: MERCI.

Miss Nessie From Paris

Setlist:

- Reunited
- From Out Of Nowhere
- Be Aggressive
- Caffeine
- Evidence (in Italian)
- Surprise! You’re Dead!
- Cuckoo For Caca
- Easy
- Midlife Crisis (with EastEnders theme)
- Epic
- I Started A Joke
- The Gentle Art Of Making Enemies
- King For A Day
- Ashes To Ashes
- Just A Man (with the audience)

Encore :
- Midnight Cowboy
- Chariots Of Fire / Stripsearch
- We Care A Lot

Thanks again to Nessie for this great review. You can find her over at her blog or follow her on twitter.

One of stubb’s readers, John, has been trying to get some info out of the French promoters that recently prematurely advertised the Mondo Cane shows at Cité de la Musique. Finally he has received a response. Hopefully this will help anyone else in the same boat:

“Dear Sir,

we are sending a mail for all the public of these concerts. thank you for
waiting again a little.

Best regards.

L’Equipe des relations avec le public
Cité de la musique”

What exactly the “mail” is that they are sending is yet to be discovered, but hopefully it “arrives” soon.

Word on the street is Faith No More will be playing the Rock en Seine Festival in France at the end of August.

Thanks to Shinji for the insider tip