The speakers have just been turned on and the first nods have been observed. A few thousand festival-goers wander between Saône and Rhône, from the former Sucrière warehouses to the Fagor factories, to continue dancing to the rhythm of synthetic sounds for this “Day 1”. The 20th edition of Nuits sonores officially started on Wednesday and runs until Sunday. The opportunity for 20 minutes to come back to the place of this festival and the city that hosts it, Lyon, in the world of electronic music – and not only.
“Twenty years ago, I saw an original project emerge, designed to move, in front of stages and throughout the city. An ambitious project with impeccable organization that seduced me from its first edition,” recalls Patrice Bardot. The editor of Tsugia magazine on new musical trends, was working at that time for Trax, devoted to electronic music and the cultures that surround it, and has followed the evolution of the festival over the years.
“The Nuits sonores are not by chance”
“To put it into context, the Nuits sonores were built at a time when electronic music encountered strong repression, especially after the cancellation of a Polaris evening, recalls the journalist. In response, several players in the field came together to show the seriousness of the musical style and launch a festival. Les Nuits sonores is the story of activists and enthusiasts, it’s no coincidence. »
At a time when synthetic sounds were only played in rave, the Lyon festival also owes its emergence thanks to “a very welcoming municipality”, a “very rare” position taken in the early 2000s. “Gérard Collomb really contributed to the success of the event by opening the doors of Lyon , emphasizes Patrice Bardot. This support and local roots ensured the event’s continuity. »
“Les Nuits sonores have become one of the first festivals of their kind to be institutionalized, obtaining the recognition and the trust of the city, supports Baptiste Pinsard, associate programmer of the festival. At that time, it was important for emerging music to find a place for itself. »
An ability to discover new talents
Thus, being in the heart of the capital of Gaul at a time when the major events were held outside the cities, the musical event has set itself the task of “opening Lyon up to these new electronic creative forms”, insists Baptiste Pinsard. Because the DNA of Nuits sonores for twenty years is above all “its ability to discover new talents”.
“We have always had this habit of taking risks, continues the programmer. We offer careers under construction, shows still in the process of creation. It’s a bet but we like to place ourselves as a springboard. And we are never wrong. » The editor of Tsugi confirms: “The team has always unearthed nuggets. Over the years, it has accompanied, supported and sometimes allowed them to develop. The programming is very demanding and this is what makes it, without a doubt, one of the best festivals in the liveliness of the genre. This is also what explains its durability. »
“Listening to what is happening in your time”
The Lyon event also took place at the same time when electronic music experienced enormous growth. “Electronic music means listening to what is being done at the time,” says Baptiste Pinsard. Today, all musical styles use synthetic sounds. Les Nuits sonores have established themselves as much as emerging cultures in society, by agreeing to integrate hybrid forms into programming over the years. »
Here again, the Lyon meeting justified its notoriety. “The strength of the organizers is to have never yielded to mainstream and the call for money, notes Patrice Bardot. Even by becoming more important, the festival has managed to maintain its origins, without resting on its laurels. Headliners from all over the world have come to Lyon. And at the same time, the programmers were looking for young artists whether they were local, in Asia or in South America. Even if it has grown, it is a festival that has kept its human size and its essence. »
This signature is also in a logic of keeping “his promise” to festival-goers, according to Baptiste Pinsard. “We represent the territory. As much with the first clubbers as with the new generations. The goal is to intertwine them by inviting the pioneers and having them meet those they inspire. Whether on the artists’ side or on the spectators’ side. It is thus to see the first festival-goers of twenty years ago come with their children. They are more than 55,000 to have taken their places for the paid events and almost as many are expected for the free part.