TAVERNE TOUR | When he cries, he’s happy… and so are we

In a packed 33 Tours, Raphaël Pépin-Tanguay, a.k.a. Velours Velours, gave an intimate, vibrant performance, performing, in order, the entirety of his latest album, Quand je pleure, je suis content. The small stage set up at the entrance to the vinyl store barely left enough room for his guitar and himself to maintain the warm atmosphere of the concert, a bit like a big campfire between friends.

From the very first notes of Corde à linge, the audience began singing along to the lyrics of the six-minute track, leaving a visibly moved Velours Velours. “I can’t believe it, I don’t know many six-minute songs where the world knows the words, except for Bohemian Rhapsody,” he declared, his cheeks flushed with emotion.

Released on January 31, her debut album Quand je pleure, je suis content (When I Cry, I’m Happy) features introspective, sometimes even depressing lyrics, carried by luminous melodies. It’s a rich project, combining guitar, violin, drums, synthesizer and, above all, a choral approach that lends it a delicate, almost fairytale touch. Transposing this richness of sound into a solo format was no mean feat, but Velours Velours has brilliantly won the bet!

A few minor hiccups – escaped lyrics and missed chords – punctuated the show, without marring the performance of Velours Velours who, with her natural charisma, was able to turn every mistake into a moment of complicity with the audience.

After performing the entire album, he closed his set with “Je t’aime”, the most popular song from his Fauve EP. Despite the crowd’s cries for an encore, the show was well and truly over. To relive these indie melodies in all their glory, you’ll have to wait until March 1, when the artist takes to the Sala Rossa stage, this time accompanied by his choir and team of musicians.

crédit photo: Camille Gladu-Drouin