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 Photo - 32 Ko |
From their first notes one notices their roguishness. The old accomplices from the irish group Stockton`s wing have played together so many times, and have so often taken their public on a journey of traditional rhythms from Saint Patrick`s country, their instruments seem to play by themselves. Straight away, Maurice the violinist, Paul the flutist, Davy the mandolin player and Eamon the guitarist tune their traditions to the same wavelength of the Cornouaille festival. Even though each of them are the best in their category, and although they have shared the stage with the likes of Michael Jackson, Sammy Davis Junior and Liza Minelli, they still know how to have a good time.
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A hefty encounter.
Eighthundred kilos of brest songs connot go unnoticed. The eight tenors from Brest have some heavy arguments: their imposing stoutness and good old fashioned sailors` songs are met with beaming smiles from the audience following the singers` first notes and humorous lines. They play with the letters on their tee-shirts as they play with their texts. They also have their own vocabulary, from 'goriste' ("a podgy person who sings without taking it too seriously") to verbs such as 'to gorist' ("the action of singing brest songs as loudly as possible"). With their traditional songs (Fanny Le Lanninon, Le forban avec sa gamelle) as with their creations (Vin qui petille, femme gentille), they hardly allow the public time to catch their breath. A truly consuming performance.
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 Photo - 32 Ko |
The Quimper festival is still growing in strength. In the Locmaria district, festivalgoers have the opportunity to flex their muscles with the breton games. These physical tests of strength were originally practiced in farmyards, quarries or cafes. This is no place for weaklings : whether pulling the rope in the tug-of-war or the 'baz-yaoud' (literally, the porridge stick), throwing 20kg stones as far as possible - the prefered sport of the professionals - or lifting poles and ploughing axles weighing 48kg. There are also games which require more skill such as "birinic" whereby pins must be nocked down in two swings of a ball. The leading test in breton games is traditionally wrestling or "gouren", but this year there were no volunteers and as a result the sawdust remained in a heap |
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The Ceili sleeps with only one eye closed.
I ts the night birds` den. The Ceili, meaning 'festival' in Gaelic, is for the festival of Cornouaille what the Champs Elysees are for the 14th July : an obligatory meeting point. Situated humerously at the place de Cozaine - Jean-Yves Cozan being an important figure in promoting Brittany`s identity - the small bar has the appearance of a pub with its circular mahogany serving counter, celtic adverts, benches and stools. A minute cafe with an enormous turnover : 7,200 half pints, or 1,8000 liters of beer are knocked back each week, far more than in the breton brasseries. Furthermore, this is only the consumption outside festival time : each year when the festival starts, the Ceili hardly closes throughout the week and one can stop counting. Christian the landlord makes sure their reputation of good hospitality is retained. Well most of the time anyway. |
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