“When I visited Karl after the show, I said to him: You did your show in Rocky Balboa mode. Between rounds 3 and 6, it was only Apollo who struck. Eventually you got up, walked to the end and walked out there with your belt.”
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This remark from Festival d’été programmer Louis Bellavance perfectly sums up the heroic display of courage that 90,000 sad and proud festival-goers witnessed with heavy hearts during Monday’s Dashing Cowboys concert on the Plains of Abraham.
Seeing singer Karl Tremblay, weakened by his cancer treatments, fighting like a soldier on the front lines to get the show through has angered whoever made every effort to continue the evening, which was canceled last Thursday.
“The last time I cried like that was when my father died. If I was alone and not many people were watching me, I would probably curl up somewhere and cry from start to finish,” says Louis Bellavance.
Louis Bellavance. Photo Stevens LeBlanc Archives/Le Journal de Québec
The biggest deal since the SuperFrancoFête
Even Robert Charlebois, who has seen others, seemed amazed at such a surge of love.
“I was with Paul Piché and Robert Charlebois on Shooting Stars. We heard the melody. Robert said: “I think this is the biggest deal that has happened in Quebec since SuperFrancoFête,” says Mr. Bellavance, who would very much like to see the images captured during the show one day broadcast in one form or another .
“It will take time and it will depend on the group, from Claude Larivée to La Tribu, from us, but we have already had these talks. A month before the show, I raised my hand. We have everything that was broadcast on the four screens, in addition to Nova Films footage, and there are 90,000 people who have images. »
Thank you Jerome
Despite the high emotional charge, the atmosphere backstage was more relaxed, with lots of hugs after the concert, according to the FEQ programmer.
“The atmosphere was relaxed, but everyone had something to say. You’re walking around, you see someone and you have to hug them and tell them the most powerful thing you’ve ever said to them in your life. At the same time, wine was drunk and fun was had. »
Louis Bellavance spoke on behalf of possibly 90,000 people as he thanked Jérôme Dupras, who perfectly played his role as entertainer during the show.
“If he wasn’t having fun, I don’t know how we would have gotten through it overall. He diverted attention. He reminded us that it’s a cowboys show and a cowboys show is fun. »