Sinéad O’Connor, Plaza Francia + Johnny Borrell @ La la La Unplugged Festival @ Théatre de Paris, July 09 2014

Sinéad O’Connor,  Plaza Francia + Johnny Borrell @ La la La Unplugged Festival @ Théatre de Paris, July 09 2014

Johnny Borrell playing the hobo

Last day for this festival that is called "La la La Unplugged  Festival" which is a bit strange as most of the bands are playing "plugged", I guess they should come up with a better name next year.

Anyway first artist on stage is Johnny Borrell from Razorlight-fame that is playing "unplugged".

Oh boy what a difference ! the young good-looking all-dressed in white boy is turning into a bearded hobo playing acoustic -guitar/ banjo with a girl on violin. Gone is the top-40 pop band.Welcome to the folk-man , What a change !

Nice set if you're into that stuff , including a long mantra-like song reminding me of an African/early blues from Mali or from the deep-American south.

Next is Catherine Ringer (from Rita Mitsuko fame) with her brand new project Plaza Francia with some guys from The Gotan Project. Sounds like a band escaped from Argentina (Though "Plaza Francia" is a place in Caracas, Venezuela) playing Tango. It's most of the time in Spanish, Catherine has a great voice and is playing the part with different costumes/dress change. Not very rock but very enjoyable. the audience was very happy that she played at least one song from her former band with "Marcia Baila". Even the accordion sounded cool.

Trip to Argentina with Catherine Ringer's new project

setlist Plaza Francia

Last on stage is Sinéad O’Connor, this is the first time that we're seeing her on a stage, and I have to admit that we never took the time to listen to any of her records even though some of her songs were played on the radio over here.

Didn't know what to expect at all, I remember we saw pictures of her a couple of years ago and she was looking awful very far from the image we had of her in the video clip of "Nothing compares to you" or when she tore up a picture of the pope live on tv.

She has lost lots of weight and is looking stunning like she did 20 years ago. The voice is crystal clear and perfect and very loud. Incredible.
Music-wise it's pop/rock with some very good songs if I can judge well by listening to them for the first time ever. She's doing a couple a cappella to the audience delight.

Too bad she battled for the whole set with her ear monitor

Excellent rendition of "Nothing compares to you" (video here) Prince would be proud.

"nice tattoos"
 

Great gig and wonderful discovery for us.
Can't wait to see her again on a stage

 setlist Sinead

Suzanne Vega + Valerie June + Ayo @ Lalala Unplugged Festival @ Théatre de Paris July 08 2014

Suzanne Vega + Valerie June + Ayo @ Lalala Unplugged Festival @ Théatre de Paris July 08 2014

Summer time , there are festivals everywhere, this one in a beautiful theatre where we saw the play "Un singe en hiver" a couple of months ago, Johnny Hallyday played also a special show here with guest Brian Setzer on guitar. The theatre is the property of a French millionaire businessman who owns "Vente privée" website and who is organizing this festival.

Yesterday Keziah Jones played here tonight it's "girls only" with Valerie June, Suzanne Vega & Ayo.

First on stage is Valerie June from Memphis , Tennessee for some blues -folk music, she's on her own on acoustic guitar or banjo with lots of stories to tell between songs. I'm too sure if people could understand everything she said as you can really hear with her thick accent that she's from the deep south telling stories from the deep south... Anyway,  she has a strong high-pitched voice that she probably needs to modulate a bit more.

Overall good show
Valerie June ouvre les débats, seule avec une guitare acoustique pour un set dépouillé gorgé de blues-folk et soul, entre chaque titre nous avons droit a des petites histoires typiques du sud des Etats Unis, la belle est originaire de Memphis, Tennessee, prononcées avec un fort accent sudiste de mama, pas sur que tout le monde a capté toutes les subtilités de ses interventions mais intéréssant.Valérie a une voix haut perché et extremement puissante qui gagnerait à etre modulée un peu plus.
Etonnante transportation dans les bouges d'une amerique sudiste et profonde.

Valerie June

Then we have the "Plat de resistance" with New Yorker Suzanne Vega still playing with Gerry Leonard, when he's not recording secretly with David Bowie, and a drummer (could get his name).

no need to tell you that we only came here for her.
Nice show, as always with Suzanne. She's still promoting the new album so we have 2-3 new songs and the classics of course, see setlist below for details.
Attraction principale de ce festival, la présence de Suzanne Vega qui justifiait à elle seule notre venue. Formation réduite avec Gerry Leonard à la guitare et un batteur sur quelques titres. Pas besoin d'en faire des tonnes quand on a les chansons, un set simple et chaleureux avec quelques compositions issues de son nouvel album.
Une réussite comme toujours.

Suzanne Vega

setlist

Then it's time to make a move to the café nextdoor to watch World Cup semi finals between Brasil vs Germany. WOW !!! hard to believe what we saw in the first half with Germany playing so good and Brazil completely loosing it and playing as If they were a 3rd league team. 5-0 at the end of the first half.
So we went back to the concert to catch a glimpse of Ayo performing, we're not big fan but it was a bit better than expected with her playing acoustic guitar ( and grand piano) with just a guy playing bass on his keyboard or trumpet.

She had the best ovation of the night but a few songs was just good enough for us so we went back to the café enjoying the end of the game with a very impressive mannshchaft , they could have score a couple more times. Unbelievable !!!  

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 Ayo closing the night