It is a pillar of French electro culture that is gone. Matthieu Guerre-Berthelot, co-founder of the Astropolis festival in Brest (Finistère) died on Thursday, we learned from the organization of the techno festival. He was 52 years old. In 1995, he participated in the first edition of the oldest French electronic music festival still in operation by organizing a rave party in a field while the state was at war against these undeclared techno parties. This first event will lead to the creation of the Astropolis or “Astro” festival for regulars that he had organized with his friend Gildas Rioualen, still at the helm of the event.
“His smile, his sparkling eyes and his child’s soul”
In a long message posted on its social networks, the Breton festival paid tribute to one of its founding fathers. “Matthieu was one of the most crazy programmers out there. He cultivated this pioneering, punk and do-it-yourself spirit with taste, madness and the greatest passion. […] Matthieu is the one who imagined many extravagances and dared the craziest bets for Astropolis, always having at heart to make each edition unique. The one who breathed a good dose of pop or rock’n’roll with groups like La Femme, Phoenix or Suicide, programmed from their beginnings Jeff Mills or Erol Alkan. »
The event was also the residence of DJ Manu le Malin and often saw Laurent Garnier, both close friends of Matthieu Guerre-Berthelot, land, according to The Telegram.
Three days ago, the festival unveiled the programming of its electro nights which will be held from June 28 to July 20. Boys Noize, Elisa Do Brasil or the regular Manu le Malin are expected at the Keroual mansion this summer. “The Astropolis family loses a huge pillar today and will dedicate the rest of its adventure to him, driven by the seeds of madness he sowed in this city and which made it so special, always remembering his smile. , his sparkling gaze and his child’s soul”, says the festival.