Fete de la Musique

The Summer Solstice in France is marked by a massive, nation-wide music festival where musicians (and plenty of wannabes) set up shop in every town and perform in the streets. Every village is guaranteed some sort of musical flair, whether it be a legitimate organized concert or friends singing at the top of their lungs at an outdoor cafe. What a concept.



I didn't expect much from Limoges but was pleasantly surprised to discover that this sleepy city in the middle of nowhere is actually a hotbed for punk and alternative artists. Every nook and cranny, every tiny alley, was occupied by bands and individual artists of varying levels of ability. We wandered through the streets for hours, hopping from show to show and it was a riot. Folks flood the squares and alleys, munching on tasty street food (fried apple pastries, kebabs, sausages, crepes), laughing, singing, watching, dancing. And as the hours fly by-- they get drunker and drunker.

We listened to just about every genre: pop, punk, traditional, church choirs, hip hop, symphony orchestras, acoustic, African drum circles, and even a band of cute old men with accordions, beaming big smiles and ecstatically tapping their shoes (They drew quite a crowd.) La Fete de la Musique is a merry and wonderful ritual. I think all the big US cities should catch on.