As children we danced Mia. As teenagers we attended the Silver Microphone School. So it made sense that we, as adults, had a full house at the Maison symphonique on Tuesday night for the first of four concerts by the French rap collective IAM with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra.
Published at 12:05 am.
Originally scheduled for April 2020, the highly anticipated music alliance has been postponed three times due to the pandemic – and the refusal of some artists to be vaccinated. The wait was worth it, because the marriage between the worlds of the Marseille group and the musicians under the direction of conductor Dina Gilbert is a happy one. The 1,900 witnesses to this union were visibly convinced and spent most of the evening standing, singing and dancing.
PHOTO CHARLES WILLIAM PELLETIER, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Conductor Dina Gilbert
From the start, the audience showed their enthusiasm by warmly applauding the announcement of the evening’s program and the safety instructions, which were delivered at a more upbeat pace than usual. The audience then shouted the chorus of “Fire” and repeated it a few times. They remained the only performers of the 1993 piece, which was not on the menu.
This show was more of a homage to IAM’s great 1997 classic L’École du micro d’argent. The title piece opened the ball, followed by Borns under the same star, which thrilled the audience. As the songs continued, nothing seemed to dampen that joy, but it became increasingly clear that this was a rap show above all else.
PHOTO CHARLES WILLIAM PELLETIER, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
No fewer than 1,900 people attended the merger of the French rap group and OSM on Tuesday evening.
Sure, we could see greater depth and texture, but orchestrator Blair Thomson’s brilliant arrangements were largely drowned out by overly loud percussion and intrusive microphones. If you closed your eyes, you could sometimes think you were listening to the record on an excellent stereo system.
Chez le mac was preceded by a very welcome orchestral jazz sequence. The musicians were also able to demonstrate their virtuosity in the introduction to “Un bon son brut pour les truands”. We would have experienced many more moments like this.
MCs in great shape
Like the day before, we saw a performance by rappers in their 50s at the top of their game at the Wu-Tang Clan and Nas show. Akhenaten and Shurik’n performed each of their rhymes with complete mastery.
PHOTO CHARLES WILLIAM PELLETIER, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Shurik’n and Akhenaten from the IAM group
Her complicity in “She gives her body before her name” – still very popular despite her words -, her infectious choreography in “Je danse le Mia” and, above all, her hectic flow during the nine minutes of “Demain, c’est loin ” amazed everyone gathered on Tuesday evening.
PHOTO CHARLES WILLIAM PELLETIER, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Shurik’n, from the IAM group
Unsurprisingly, “Little Brother” and “The Empire of the Dark Side” were two highlights of the show, but let’s also remember the Zen instrumental break that followed “When you were going, we were coming back” and the solo tracks “My Text “, “The Soap” (Akhenaton) and “Mines”. (Shurik’n). Reduced to the essentials, these gave the musicians more space.
The collaboration between IAM and OSM is a great success, but we believe that a more orchestral reconstruction of “The School of the Silver Microphone” will be appreciated by fans who grew up with the work and were willing to rediscover it in the future. would have been equally appreciated. A place as beautiful as it was unexpected.
IAM x OSM at Maison symphonique de Montréal, October 4th, 5th and 6th