thePULSEFestival d’Ete de Quebec 2012
By Elise French
So, yes, once again this year I have to be physically dragged home from the Festival d’Ete…I swear that in a former life I lived in Old Quebec City (which I guess might have been referred to as just Quebec City back then) because it just feels like a second home…and that’s just the icing on the cake. The cake is the Festival itself ~ the bands, the street performers, the energy, the people…
This year, we were treated to everything from the gorgeous voice of Sarah McLachlan (and the charming Suzanne Vega as her opener ~ having not kept track of Suzanne since “Luca” became an inescapable radio hit, it was a pleasant shock to hear that her voice could transition seamlessly from that of a soft and sweet indie girl to that of a brazen rock-n-roll chic), who shared not only her unparalleled singing but also a wonderful rapport with the crowd, to the high-energy and very polished Alkaline Trio and Our Lady Peace, both of whose music I’d heard before, but whose live shows really won me over.
Then there was Aerosmith…and what can you say about Steven Tyler and the guys that hasn’t already been said? They’re one of a kind, they ham it up, they invariably use parts of the stage (in this case, a long runway that took Steven out into the crowd) that other bands don’t, and they simply have boundless energy, get a total kick out of what they do, love to get the audience going, and show that rock-n-roll isn’t about youth, it’s about getting up there on stage and just going for it. To those who say thatTylerhas gotten “soft” by doing television, well, you’re out of your freakin’ minds. And speaking of being out of you’re freakin’ mind, that brings us to the final show of the Festival ~ The Offspring. Now, all the shows drew huge audiences to the outdoor space, but The Offspring seemed to double or triple those numbers ~ their fans were absolutely insane with anticipation and the second the band stepped on stage, the energy EXPLODED. Kudos to the folks who decided that this should be the band to wrap up the Festival, because it left the crowd flying high. The Offspring are, to state the obvious, a party. You want to drink, dance, and basically go crazy when you hear that first chord ~ whether from one of their classics or one of their new anthems. It is IMPOSSIBLE not to get caught up in the party-punk spirit of the show…if the band had played for another ten hours, the audience would have been right there with them, having the time of their lives.
So as I tell you every year, make plans to take a few days in July, head up to Old Quebec City (bring your passport, of course), and have the time of YOUR life at the Festival d’Ete de Quebec.
Very special thanks to Melissa Brisson, Michelle Revuelta, Luci Tremblay, and the Hilton Hotel of Old Quebec City.
To see more of Frank’s photography, please visit www.flashwounds.com.
