For four consecutive concerts in as many days, the Maison symphonique welcomed the unexpected alliance between Salebarbes and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, a gamble aimed at transposing the festive country/Americana of the Acadian group into a symphonic setting.
As soon as you enter the venue, the contrast with the usual atmosphere is striking. The audience, clearly from far away, is made up of loyal fans, ready to clap and sing along with their favorite band.
The enthusiasm is immediate: “Hey Francine, this is amazing!”, “Wow, look at this!”. From the first notes of the hit “Good Lord”, a handful of spectators stand up, while the others fidget in their seats.
For the occasion, the venue has drawn all its curtains across the wooden walls to muffle the venue’s natural acoustics as much as possible. Salebarbes dominates the sound system, while the orchestra remains confined to the background. The strings appear at times, but are deprived of substance, victims of acoustic compromises that stifle their potential. Antoine Gratton’s arrangements thus struggle to assert themselves, the intrinsic density of the band’s songs leaving little room for truly listening to the orchestra.
However, a few moments qualify this observation. The opening entrusted to the OSM gives a promising impetus to the concert, and later the macabre song Joe Richard stands out for its ballad style, which leaves more room for the orchestra.
Later, the Pierre-Béique organ of the Maison symphonique resonates and impresses in C’est la vie, a wedding ceremony for Pierre and his Mademoiselle. Finally, the inauguration of the new song Ma maison c’est toi marks a moment where the balance between the orchestra and Salebarbes seems more accomplished.
All in all, the concert flows very well, visibly well-honed over more than 180 concerts. There’s no boredom. The musicians’ versatility constantly keeps the show moving. Each one takes the microphone in turn, the drums change hands, and sometimes the performers abandon their respective microphones to sing in a semicircle, barbershop style.
The popular success is undeniable. The room is full and the audience’s enthusiasm is evident.
Photo: Antoine Saito
