“We experienced it as a heartbreak. A feeling doubled by a feeling of irony and great frustration. On December 27, when Jean Casteix announced the return of gauges for concerts, Patrice Douret, the president of Restos of the Heart understood that history would repeat itself.
A year after having had to cancel the concerts and “settle for” the broadcast on TF1 and the sale of DVDs, bis repetita. The six concerts scheduled at the Sud de France Arena have been cancelled. And with them the four million euros in profits for the association. So many meals. “An important resource of which we are deprived”, resumes Patrice Couret, who confides that he tried to influence the position of the Government, in vain. “We could not limit ourselves to a gauge of 2,000 people. On what criteria would we have selected spectators rather than others? Because almost all of the places were bought”.
Frustration, because the announcement of the disappearance of the gauges at the beginning of February, reinforced this heartbreak. “But we couldn’t move the event. The artists block the dates, we have to reserve the room well in advance, we can’t postpone this meeting so easily, ”he explains. The Restaurants have left the ticket holders the choice to give it up, as if it were a donation for the 1.2 million beneficiaries. And turned to the State to obtain compensation announced by Jean Casteix. “So far no response”
Mbappé and Thomas Pesquet as guests
And yet, they are there, these artists. Since Friday for the most part, and until Tuesday morning. Not all, because the pandemic affected Jenifer, Jane Birkin, Christophe Mahé, Jeff Panacloc, Carla Bruni, Michèle Laroque or Claire Keim to forfeit, while the health bubble and health constraints are extremely strict (box). But many others answered the call. Regulars like Patrick Bruel or Amir, newbies like Anne Sila, comebacks, like Catherine Lara who was there at the very first edition. And guests.
The bastards like to mix musical styles, ages and employ artists and guests at the wrong time. Kylian Mbappé and Thomas Pesquet return for the second time on the set “with an air of bastards”. A shoot, more than a concert. If there is no audience, it is a colorful show that is currently being produced in Montpellier for its broadcast in March on TF1. And the next day, the sale of DVDs.