PREPARATIONS are now underway as organisers of the Fete de la Musique (French Music Festival) prepare to make a comeback at this year’s event.
The event begins today and would boost a particularly eclectic line-up branching out from jazz and gospel into other crowd-drawing music such as Indie rock and from pop to amateur musicians and to Fiji’s recognised musicians.
With the financial assistance from the New Caledonian government and support from the Fijian Ministry of Youth and Sports, this music festival had become a coveted gig for local musicians.
The three-member band will be joined by Fijian singing sensation, Elena Baravilala on Friday the 23rd.
The 3 Little Pigs (“Les 3 Petits Cochons” in French) is one of the greatest music bands in New Caledonia.
Constituted in 1999 by Erick Ripoll, the group has performed everywhere in the New Caledonian territory and received great echo in metropolitan France.
Their music composed of famous international rock songs and French songs too with many originals.
Their most famous songs were notably “Loin d’ici” — “Far Away” (2000) and “Vous m’avez manqué” — “I have missed you” (2005) from the 2005 album “Comme elle est belle” — “How beautiful she is”.
In 2009, the band released a new disc, produced by NRJ Nouméa: a year full of composition, creativity, music research, text writing… “Attraper la Lune” — “Catch the moon” — is the most accomplished disc of the band. Kind and fresh ballads, intense rock, fantastic rhythmic: the result is unexpected and very original, renewing their style.
Their music talks about love, environment, deceptions, children’s dreams and what life is! It was the album of the maturity. At the beginning of the years 2010, a new song “Le Bonheur” — “Happiness” — was released.
The band performs all along the year across New Caledonia, with the three main artistes: Erick Ripoll (guitar player, singer and author) and his two acolytes Christian Mouilleseaux and Thomas Pruneau.
With their busy schedule the group will also perform on Thursday at O’Reilly’s which is a free entrance — from 10:30pm and on Friday at the Fiji Museum for an eight hours concert with free entrance.
The band will also provide a master class on Tuesday 20th, 7.30pm at the Alliance Française of Suva (20 Desvoeux Rd) where they will elaborate more about rock music, stage performing, songs writing and much more.
This moment will be followed by an improvised jam session and all musicians and music amateurs and lovers are welcome.
The Music Fest is sponsored by the New Caledonia Government, Total, Bred Bank Fiji, Tuckers, Crest Chicken, Stage Tech, Hot Bread Kitchen, Victoria Wines, Top Dog Catering, Ricoh, Punjas and Form Scaff. The festival offers a mix of genres with the “The 3 Little Pigs” (Les 3 Petits Cochons) in French language) as guests. For more information you can contact William on 777 12 76 or email culture@af-fiji.org
