I am no official music critic. My knowledge of the art is based on 8
years of piano lessons. When I listen to music I tend not to analyze it too
much, I simply let myself "sink" into it and enjoy. I go to concerts only when I really care about the performing artist and its music, and
I want to see if there is a new level on which that music can affect me. I
don't feel like swimming in a sweat pool for someone that I listen to now and
then, and just think of his music as "ok, when it randomly pops up on the radio" kind of music.
I "discovered" Zaz when I was in Paris with Iva, Eblouie Par
La Nuit was the theme song of our trip. I found them refreshing, their way of
playing had something more to it than just merely producing tones, the
interpretation was amazing, and their beginnings as street performers certainly
added a special touch. The way they are playing with their instruments and the
way she plays with her voice while performing shows me how much they are enjoying
themselves while playing and they spread that happiness everybody there, including me (and I like to
feel happiness and positivity :) ).
Zaz held concerts in Ljubljana and Beograd before they came to Zagreb. My Facebook news feed frequently showed statuses saying how amazing the concert was. Still, I didn't want to look at YouTube clips, I didn't want to know what will be waiting for me at the concert hall. I got my ticket four months ago and I was anxious to go to the concert. I expected the concert to be nice and cozy, nothing wild.
It was nothing like I expected. It was nothing I could even imagine it
would be! It was the most amazing concert I have ever been to! She started
singing Les Passants out of the spotlight, no one could see her and when she
jumped out in the light, it was like a big energy bomb dropped. She was able to
emit such a positive, exhilarating energy that carried the crowd through the
whole concert! Jumping around on the stage with a big smile and the wild curly
hair made every person in the hall want to do just the same. Everywhere I
looked people were smiling, there wasn't a grim face anywhere.
Their performance consisted not only from their songs, but some parts were
just Isabelle Geffroy and her wonderful and powerful voice making sounds that
were unheard until then. Pure improvisation that sounded incredible. I was
astonished what she could do with her voice. The songs from their album were
nothing like the studio recorded songs, they were million times better! They
mixed and changed them, giving something new and unheard to every song they
played. And then, Isabelle started speaking Croatian! She managed to say stuff
in Croatian really well, which was probably really hard for her since French
and Croatian are nothing alike! I must congratulate her on the effort and it
made the crowd love her even more! In my opinion that was the best way she
could say thank you to us and show appreciation for the people in the audience.
Before Dans Ma Rue she invited a girl named Irena, who spoke French, to
the stage and asked her to translate what she is about to say. She told us to
close our eyes, imagine ourselves in Paris, in Paris what it looked like about
30 years ago, everyone is aging between 6 and 20, the times are very hard for
us, but we have something no one can take away from us – our great, great creativity,
we are standing on the cobblestone road, it is 4 AM and we can smell the fresh
bread from the bakeries...and then she started singing. Luckily I have read the
translations of her songs before, so I could really enjoy that song and her
intro couldn't be any better. Through the song I just kept my eyes closed and
continued to imagine the pictures which she sang about.
Not only did the band mix the songs, they mixed genres in the most
unexpected ways. There were even parts where they started to play truly amazing
rock, and her voice could take it all. I found myself literally jumping around
as they played the rock parts, it felt so good! It could be that the street beginnings,
that I mentioned earlier, made them able to surprise the
listeners, pulling them deeper with every new song. I think it left a certain
mark on their style, which is really refreshing in this overflow of mainstream
bands. They are playing what they want to play and not what they think the
crowd may like and that is the only right way for any artist. They truly are
artists, giving us the possibility to experience the songs the way they were meant to be experienced when composed.
She even sang I'm so excited from The Pointer Sisters. There were moments
that I wasn't even sure which language was she speaking, French, English or Croatian,
and not because of the pronunciation, but because I didn't know what to expect.
No one did. Unfortunately the concert had to come to an end, but the crowd
stayed, no one even made a move towards the exit. We just kept yelling and
screaming for them to come back, so, after a few minutes, they did and awarded
us with three more songs. Everyone could feel their satisfaction with the given
performance and I think that is the most important. To see artists
really enjoying their work!
There is so much more I could tell you about the concert, but the post
would get really, really long, I just have to mention two more things that were
just adorable! As the end was getting closer, Isabelle was so excited about the
response of the crowd that she asked a little girl in the front row (judging by
her voice, she could be eleven years old tops) to translate. Translation of her
words in child voice had such an amazing impact! She told us that we are
incredible and that we should remember there is one thing no one can ever take
from us and that is our creativity! I completely agree with that and think it was wonderful that she said it. And the second adorable thing was that Iva poked
me at one point, and pointed her finger towards the sitting area. There was
a little girl with a giant smile on her face jumping happily with the big paper
that said Zaz on it. I found it so adorable that I just couldn't finish the
post without mentioning her :) Oh and as I googled some stuff about her now and
I just saw that she is born on the first of May just like I am! Hihi, I can see
that Taurus energy in her ;)
If they ever release a video record of the concert I will be the first one to buy it! No, not download it, buy it! ;)
And at the end, I give you my favorite song, La Fee:
and a part of the atmosphere from the concert:
All photos are taken by Ivica Drusany, big thanks for that, this post wouldn't be as good without photos! :) We encourage you to visit his page: http://foto.drusany.com/
Much love,
Petra
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