Interview with the programmer of the Quebec Summer Festival

We enjoyed our visit to the Summer Festival of Quebec to meet its scheduler exposes us the constraints of his job and gives us the list of artists he would one day receive. Interview with Louis Bellavance, a man incredibly calm for someone who is coming every year more than 200 artists in Quebec City!

>> Read the account of our three days in Quebec City Summer Festival

The FEQ is almost unknown in France compared to other festivals of the North American continent. Where do you place yourself?

It compares with the best. It invests in programming comparable to events like Coachella, Bonnaroo, and the Osheaga Festival Montreal Jazz level. Our formula, in its specificity to be public and to be spread over 11 days, is rather unique. The Jazz Festival is like a little, his prog is more eclectic but is a less commercial than the FEQ sector. We can go from very mainstream to the underground.

What are the main constraints of this kind of big event?

Budget, mainly. I have a fixed envelope on which I have no extension if necessary.We begin our year with this number we will divide by scene. Finally, this envelope is not so compelling as that, because we have a very good budget, which is $ 8 million (Canadian). To my knowledge, this is the biggest budget programming in Canada.Jazz in Montreal is such a lot more concerts, but has a lower envelope. Us, not spend a lot of money to bring in big stars. A Stevie Wonder , it's very expensive course!

The other constraint is to make our grid concerts. In general, it is compared to the observations of past editions. In 2013, we wanted to do a little more rock, back to electronics. To meet  LMFAO had worked well in 2012, this year it was Bruno Mars. We really believe in equality and the fact that each of the scenes. On the Parc de la Francophonie, we had great success with the French artists of the time, we continue on this path. This year we will try electronics. We had of course already programmed electro artists, but never proposed thematic evenings. There, for us it was quite an experience to offer exclusively electronic platforms.

And finally the real constraint is that all these thematic scenes should not compete.We try to guide our festival in their decisions by providing them with trays musical styles. If we do hip hop on the Bell Stage, must be the same evening offers folk scene, punk rock and reggae in the face. Normally the choices are a little easier, but the big music lovers will always torn can not see everything.

How do you manage to find so many artists?

I'm not bad on the road. I'm in France at least twice a year in Los Angeles once or twice, New York three to four times. There are plenty of business to do. I attend music festivals in the world, at SXSW in Texas. With Arnaud Cordier (other programmer of the festival), we divided the events, he went to Printemps de Bourges me Transmusicales Rennes.

What are the genres that work well FEQ?

Quebec City is a rock and heavy rock, it's not a cliché, it is a fact: Rammstein ,Metallica , Bon Jovi . Quebec also has a history with the progressive rock. For years, groups like Marillion ,  Yes or Rush came here. If we could have Genesisone day, that would be great.

What the public wants artists?

There are AC / DC . They never came to Quebec in fact. They made ​​a date to Montreal's Olympic Stadium. I think it would be the largest group we could do here.I'm not even sure how to invite them, then we reach a certain level in terms of budget.  Roger Waters in 2012 and  Paul McCartney in 2013, they were made ​​out festival. It leaves a few days after the FEQ, we keep the installation and return to traditional ticketing. If we integrate this kind of artists in the festival program itself, it would cut 30% of the production budget and I would be hard pressed to maintain a balance between the different scenes. In theory, you can do it and it was even already two years ago with Metallica and Elton John were part of the festival.Finally it was a little late, it was against the spirit of the event. What bothers me is that people have spoken of the Metallica concert, I asked why they had bothered to get 10 more nights.

In fact, I want the audience to have a general impression of the festival and they do not remember only one concert. This year the program was fairly balanced, there were several moments and I want to give the impression that they goers are taken from the music, full mouth for 11 eleven days.  

As a programmer, you necessarily artists you would like to come at any price?

Yes, of course. In fact there are two aspects to this question actually. I am often asked my 'wishlist emotional "but unfortunately it does not work like that. I'm a big fan 'of Emmylou Harris , which is for me the greatest voice of folk and music history.With good timing you could make an evening a little "country" on the stage of Parc de la Francophonie. I'm also a big fan of Dylan , but I would not suggest him to come play FEQ because I do not have any spaces that suit him. There are the big stage of the Plains of Abraham, but the public might be disappointed and I can not think that me and my artists shots heart. If I had a beautiful interior room, I would immediately!Otherwise, yes, there are great artists who have not yet come and that in our table of hunting, they will come at some point, you just wait.

Have you experienced setbacks this year?

We had a cancellation the day we announced the program. We filled this void with Guns n 'Roses have confirmed their coming very late. They do not even appear on the programs we had printed. Everyone told us we had made ​​a bold choice.

What are the memorable moments of FEQ since you are working on?

Last year  Skrillex was amazing. We knew inviting that it would be impressive, but we did not think the public see delirious at this point. And it was a personality trait of my audience that I discovered it was crazy.

The concert of Jean Leloup last year. The spectators did not expect because it was a bit bad reputation in Quebec, like the one behind the Guns n 'Roses this year. The people were quite skeptical, Leloup finally came on stage and gave his concert, the best I've seen him. And this year, I can mention The Joy Formidable for example.

Are you faced with criticism?

Consistently. It is so diverse that all maniacs of one kind or another are dissatisfied.Rock fans do not have enough. We had an evening with very heavy metal represented by Voivod and the Franco Avantasia Park, but that's all. But this is not enough for fans who want Metal on the Plains of Abraham, something like  Black Sabbath and much harder than the Black Keys . Last year I had no hip-hop important, it is this year, we have scheduled. I have no country, yet there is a request and I would like to make a point, but I need to find the correct size. It is quite critical, I try not to go on blogs but when I go I see some users demand my resignation. This is intense!

I find these reactions ultimately quite normal for this kind of event. We must understand that Quebec City is not on the major circuit of North American concerts.It has 5-stage lives per year. Most artists come either at the festival, or they do not come at all in Quebec. This event is very important for the city and for the community that really appropriate. If we're successful, it's partly because people are deprived of concerts the rest of the year.

It also makes disappointed among indie rock fans, but if you look at the entire program was the indie rock and much more than adequate to ensure the balance of FEQ. It is sure that a true fan will recognize more in the programming Osheaga (Montreal to early August) but the FEQ is a different festival, should my mother or my niece could go!