Who said slam had no place on THE biggest outdoor stage at the Francos? Grand Corps Malade proved on Friday night that it’s possible to do slam, poetry, even singing at times, and still deliver a concert worthy of a rock star.
On the same stage as Tiken Jah Fakoly a few days earlier, the man who made his home in our metropolis last year charmed his audience with his words, bringing together tens of thousands of lovers of the French language. Accompanied for the occasion by several instruments: trombone, trumpet, cello, guitar, piano and drums, the 2-meter-tall man towered over the Place des Arts, appearing under a variety of lighting effects. He opened his concert with “J’ai vu la lumière”, followed by “La sagesse” and “Saint-Denis”.
At times, nothing could be heard in the crowd, a dead silence, with only GCM’s voice resounding. The audience was hanging on his every word.
Each track was unique and the orchestration impeccable: on some, the trumpet served as an introduction, while on others, all the musicians started at the same time, giving a festive atmosphere to what was to follow. The lighting effects were in their element, enveloping each song in an original way.
I particularly liked “Roméo Kiff Juliette”, where we can clearly see the artist’s storytelling talent. He knows how to tell stories, and depending on the verse, the music follows fluidly, more intense when the action is in the foreground, and softer at the beginning and end of the piece.
He takes the time to speak to the audience, without hurrying, especially when he talks about his children and their reaction after listening to his latest album.
After “2083”, which is a little intense in terms of rhythm, he returns to gentleness with “Retiens tes rêves”, where slam and song cohabit, against a cello background. Shadows of dancers can even be glimpsed during the track, adding another dimension to the show. These shadows were also used for the Aznavour tribute song “A chacun sa Bohème”, which he covered in his own way.
But the highlight for me was during her duet with Camille Lellouche, who only appeared on screen, “Mais je t’aime”. I discovered her recently thanks to my son. In fact, a French festival-goer standing right next to me and my sons knew all the lyrics by heart, and seemed delighted to see her compatriot perform.
There were two surprises: the first came when Emma Peters took to the stage to sing “Sauf quand je pense à toi”, having just finished her own concert at Club Soda. Another surprise was MCO, the youngest of the rappers, who took to the stage for “C’est moi qui écris mes textes”, and who bears a striking resemblance to Grand Corps Malade. Is he his son? We suspect so, but he won’t confirm it.
The audience appreciated “Montréal”, as everyone around me had a smile on their face during this song written in 2009, in a café in Montreal.
He couldn’t have finished without playing “Mesdames”, a song in which he pays tribute to women. But it was with “Deauville” that the Francos 2025 special events concert came to an end, leaving us with a glimmer of hope in this crazy world, where poetry and slam still have their place.
Photo Credit: Victor Diaz Lamich
