Yvan Pednault, Pat Groulx et Les Bas Blancs et 2Frères.
In June, I have watched three virtual concerts thanks to the Live Dans Ton Salon organization. To honour the Quebec holiday St-Jean-Baptiste, here are three shows, in chronological order, of Quebecois artists/bands whose concerts I watched.
1-Yvan-Pedneault: Rhapsody Les Classiques de Queen
Date of virtual event: June 11-14, 2021
Available on demand till June 30, 2021
Quebec artist Yvan Pedneault whose covers of songs by British Rock group Queen are well-known. He was impressive in this virtual concert start with I Want It All and ending with Bohemian Rhapsody. In between these two songs, there were the classics, such as Somebody to Love, Radio-GaGa. He also performed pieces I didn’t know, like The March of the Black Queen, Tie Your Mother Down, and Living On My Own (a song by Freddie Mercury).
Yvan Pedneault shared his love for Queen and his story of how he met his wife because of them. He also shared the moment he met Queen guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor. He honoured the Rock band nicely with their songs while also having his style and personal touch.
2-Pat Groulx et Les Bas Blancs
Date of virtual event: June 18-21,2021
Available on demand till July 31, 2021.
What an incredible concert! Patrick Groulx and his band sang remarkably. They were at a social distance from one another, but the vibe felt cozy and intimate. It demonstrated Quebec culture in a lovely fashion, which gave the show an artistic touch. He also sang my favourite song, their most recent hit Tout Le Monde Dehors (Everyone Outside). It was a single about lifting restrictions from COVID last Summer where people could enjoy the fresh air and see others in person instead of on-screen, within local guidelines.
Watching this virtual concert reminds me of one I attended in 2014 at Lion D’or in Montreal. It felt just as cozy, if not cozier. The band was fantastic, playing their instruments in sync with one another.
3- 2Frères – Déplogués
Date of virtual event: June 19-21
Available till June 26, 2021
The Quebec duo from Chapais gave a lovely acoustic concert, giving it a cozy setting and pleasing simplicity. They sang their songs, as well as covers of classics ( French and English), such as Aline (by the late French singer Christophe), Juste Une Petite Nuite (by Les Colocs), and Hotel California (The Eagles). I enjoyed hearing my favourite song Peu Importe (no matter what or regardless). It was pleasant to listen to their music, mainly that it reflects and honours the culture of Quebec.
A touching moment includes Erik talking about how he got interested in music and singing when he was eight years old. The history of his career gave it a personal touch.
Check out these shows and others on https://livedanstonsalon.com/.
Happy St-Jean Baptiste, everyone.
