Grandes Fêtes Telus: 4000 people to attend the concert

As the fourth wave of COVID-19 knocks at the door, Les Cowboys Fringants and Emile Bilodeau drew the largest concert audience in Quebec since the start of the pandemic Thursday night in Rimouski.

• Read also: Rimouski: The Grafting Between Two Songs

Nearly 4,000 people were distributed to the 15 health zones set up in Beauséjour Park to watch these Quebec favorites, during the opening night of the Grandes Fêtes Telus.

The first to take to the stage, Émile Bilodo, who was more energetic and ostentatious than usual, did not fail to share his satisfaction. “It’s good to see so many people together,” he stated.

“Finally,” cried Carl Tremblay, for his part, to cries of joy from the audience, when Les Cowboys Fringants took over.

With the darkness removing the visual effect of getting away, the gentle breeze late at night and the spectators singing the demonstration With their favourites, it felt like attending a pre-COVID concert.

It was good for the soul. truly.

However, in a sign that the epidemic was not far off at all, a mobile vaccination clinic was placed at the entrance to the site and free doses were provided by Pfizer and Moderna.

To say that two and a half months ago, the organizers were planning to host only 250 people. According to festival director Sebastian Noel, plans have changed five or six times, depending on the facilities announced by the government.

Imagine the puzzle.

“We’ve worked harder than any regular release to make sure we’re in a good position in terms of public health,” he said.

Mr. Noel says he could have brought in more people by creating other areas, which the rules allow him to do, but he wanted festival-goers to have a good experience.

Prior to the show, the members of the Cowboys Fringants were curious to see the reaction of onlookers to the songs on their album. opposites, which was launched in 2019, a few months before the big turmoil.

« America is crying And on my shoulder She played a lot on the radio during the pandemic, but we couldn’t see how much of an impact it had on our audience. We haven’t seen our audience sing it with us. It’s the first. I can’t wait to see if people will sing as much Tunisia autumn And shooting stars Over time,” Marie Annick told Lieben.

After Rimouski, the group heads to Chicoutimi on Friday night for a party at the Réthmis du Monde Festival.

Great Tilos Holidays Continue until Sunday. Brett Kessel, Marc Dupree and Charlotte Cardin will be the highlights of the other evenings.