There are concerts where everything comes together: a singer at the highest level, a real connection with the audience, moments of grace and touches of magic; Daniel Bélanger’s return to Montreal on Tuesday at MTELUS is one of them.
Photo QMI Agency, MARIO BEAUREGARD
A crowded room, an electric atmosphere, thunderous applause: Daniel Bélanger’s performance on stage set the tone for this perfect evening between a great artist, talented musicians and more than loyal admirers.
comic poet
Dressed all in black, with sneakers on his feet and a cap screwed on his head, the 61-year-old singer-songwriter appeared on the stages. He kept that childish expression throughout the concert over the jokes and comical comments between songs.
“You came back, he threw himself into a frenzied audience, visibly captured in advance. I want to give a little warning: there will be a lot of notes tonight. Notes, chords and above all it will be in French because you never know…»
Behind the singer-poet and his four musicians, a dozen large television screens moved throughout the show, sometimes showing haloes of light, sometimes images or dance sketches. Long cables scattered on the floor also acted as glowing tentacles (you had to see it all from the balcony!).
Finally, projections drawn, photographed and composed of collages slid over the large back wall at regular intervals.
Photo QMI Agency, MARIO BEAUREGARD
present and past
The man who released Mercure in May and his most recent work in October 2022 struck a delicate balance between his legendary tracks from the past and his new songs, which he brought to the Montreal audience for the first time on stage.
Overall, Daniel Bélanger offered 22 titles from different eras and albums from his rich discography.
Take Me Out of Me, There’s So Much to Do, Untouchable and Immortal, In a Sputnik, Crazy Times, The Two Springs, and Madness in Four are some of the must-sees that made the audience cheer. The legendary “Dream Better” marked one of the strongest moments of the evening, which was able to retain its intimate side despite the compressed audience.
The singer-songwriter has proved his new material is already charming fans, who chant loudly to the refrains of “Sleeping in the car” and “I hear everything that’s playing (in your head)”.
“You haven’t lost your nightingale voice, it’s a pleasure to listen to you, it feels good,” said the poet. He received many ovations during the nearly two-hour show.
For Daniel Bélanger’s admirers present at MTELUS on Tuesday night, it is the four minutes of the piece You can leave that now evoke the deep sense of community felt between a great artist and his audience.
Photo QMI Agency, MARIO BEAUREGARD
◆ Daniel Bélanger continues his tour Mercury in May throughout Quebec. He will be at the MTELUS tonight and tomorrow, Thursday, June 8th in Trois-Rivières, June 16th and 17th at the Place des Arts, at the Festif! in Baie-Saint-Paul on July 20th and at the Grand Théâtre de Québec on August 31st and 1stum September.