One of the most sought-after Quebec bands at the 2023 summer festivals, Bleu Jeans Bleu will be partying this weekend as they hit the stage at 40e of the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu International Balloon Festival.
“We are fortunate to be doing many, many shows this summer. It’s like our big summer we should have in 2020. We bite into it with all our teeth! ‘ Mathieu Lafontaine, aka Claude Cobra, singer of Bleu Jeans Bleu, told the Journal before taking a flight in a hot air balloon for the first time.
And no, the heavy summer rain didn’t dampen the spirits of the spectators who were actually in attendance.
“I have the impression that this is our first really big summer since the pandemic,” affirms Ti-Claude, as he and the other members of the group (François Lessard, Mathieu Colette and Pierre-David Girard) take a year off in 2022 to write their album Top Minou, which was released last November.
“We forget that not so long ago it was impossible to be in a crowded place like a show. I think you have to be thankful and remember to make the best of it. »
For the group formed in 2012, which had played on the Découvertes stage in 2014 and then on the Hydro-Québec mobile stage in 2017-2018, this is a return to the International des montgolfières, Mathieu recalls.
“We are very happy to be doing the big internship this year! It’s one of the big festivals you want to attend. »
Words with many meanings
Whether the song is called ‘Bacon en bédaine’ or ‘Coco de cuir’, the lyrics of the Bleu Jeans Bleu songs are not written on the corner of a table, quite the opposite, says Mathieu Lafontaine, who liked to talk about this aspect of their art.
“Sometimes people say to me: oh, the music is really good, but the lyrics are really silly. It has to be said that we put as much effort into the writing as into the music. There’s a lot of second meanings, it’s a spelling I think I’ve mastered. Yes, it’s light and fun, but also thoughtful and well constructed. I really found my X.”
Sometimes reflections of society or messages of humanity, the words of these “expert catalysts of good cheer” are twisted and spun as carefully as the music, repeats Ti-Claude.
The tour continues
“It took us some time to discover that we are real musicians and that our songs make sense. Don’t think it’s easy because it looks easy. »
Don’t let appearances fool you when you hear that someone botched my sandwich or if you’re going to eat my sweet potato.
Bleu Jeans Bleu was not only on the prime minister’s agenda throughout the summer, autumn and winter promise no relaxation either.
“As it is, we have show dates until fall 2024.”
So there will be plenty of opportunities to see Claude Cobra and his denim gang perform in the coming year.
♦ Bleu Jeans Bleu will perform on stage 40 tomorrowe | Loto-Québec at the International Balloon Festival in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu at 7:30 p.m. Les Trois Accords, Milk & Bone and Lou-Adriane Cassidy, among others, will be performing there on the same day. Bleu Jeans Bleu will also perform in Granby at Parc Daniel-Johnson on Sunday 20th August at 2pm.
♦ The entire program of the International des montgolfières can be found here: montgolfieres.com.