It was an “extraordinary” tour, conceived and launched in the uncertainty of the pandemic, but at the end of theirs Big unorganized trip Of 84 stops in Quebec that have been awarded a silver ticket, Patrice Michaud can say mission accomplished.
“The most beautiful tour of my life,” he even wrote in a message published on social networks after the last concert in Montreal.
Aware that the consequences of COVID-19 are difficult for the majority of his fellow musicians due to inflation and public reluctance to return to the theatre, the great Gaspé bard plays the credit card in an interview with Le Log .
“Some manage to make a living, many don’t. I’m one of the lucky ones whose audience was there,” says the man who sold more than 25,000 tickets during his latest album’s tour, which begins in autumn 2021.
A snub
Back then, venue restrictions changed as new variants of the disease were discovered, presenting a box full of surprises for artists.
Should we prefer an intimate staging that can be adapted to the distancing norms that may apply? Would we rather take the risk of putting on a full-scale show without knowing if the damn COVID-19 would allow it to spread its wings wide and, most importantly, make a profit?
“We decided to step up a notch given what we were going through,” says Patrice Michaud. For this album I envisioned a show with a lot of human elements. I said fuck off, that’s where we’re going anyway and the worst thing that’s going to happen is we screw it up. We’re putting on a big show with five musicians on stage, three technicians on the go, the most sophisticated scenography I’ve ever done, video projection, more complex lighting effects, all to support a pretty powerful performance. […] It’s my most expensive show and we couldn’t sell it at a discount. There was a bet in there. »
The importance of non-alcoholic beer
He didn’t regret throwing the dice. Despite all the pitfalls, a lucky star followed Patrice Michaud’s band throughout the journey.
“There have been cancellations and postponements due to COVID, I had health issues that allowed appointments to be rescheduled. Every time we did a concert, the whole team looked into each other’s eyes and we said that we were doing it as if there were no others. »
As well as meeting the public, Patrice Michaud will fondly remember all the little moments he shared with his teammates on the road and behind the scenes.
“The atmosphere in the dressing rooms, the blind chip tastings, we’re the least rock band in the history of rock. There are parents, two members of the group are sober. That said, if I get to a room and there’s no non-alcoholic beer, I’ll freak out and ask for it because I remember it was included in the quote. That an artist makes his princess because there is no beer without alcohol makes me laugh a lot. »
A Shirley for the summer
The theater tour is over, but Patrice Michaud will still be on stage for a dozen concerts at festivals this summer.
If you’ve seen it indoors, it won’t be the same on the outdoor stages. “We’re going to completely revamp the show. »
The band will grow from five to six thanks to the addition of Lisandre Bourdages, one of the three daughters of punk group Les Shirley, as percussionist.
“She’s a girl who has a high school diploma in classical percussion. Yes, she can swing a drum, but she can also play shakers with one hand and congas with the other while toe-rolling her cart. I watch her do it and I get dizzy. We’re gonna be a damn good gang. »
► To find out where to see it this summer, go to patricemichaud.ca