So many festival organizers have dreamed of it. They did it! The members of Sonorités diatoniques brought electronic music to the Beach. Unpublished in Pays Royannais. Already last year, the municipality of Meschers-sur-Gironde was attracted by the project. This year again, she agrees to authorize the association to install its Les Sables Électroniques festival on Vergnes beach.
The nine main architects of the project set themselves the objective of “deconstructing the stereotypes around electronic music”. Because it still seems necessary to explain that electronic music is not limited to “boom boom”, preconceived idea no. 1, and is not “music for drug addicts” either, cliché no. 2.
France can even pride itself, in this area, on a rich past of which the present has nothing to be ashamed of. The revolutionary Pierre Henry was already composing electronic music in the 1950s. The album “Oxygène” by Jean-Michel Jarre is 49 years old. Laurier Garnier, Daft Punk, later Bob Sinclar and David Guetta, each in their own style, have become world references.
To live with family
Members of Diatonic Sonorities love this music in all its diversity. They like to share, too. Arnaud Fenioux was the first to dream of Electronic Sands. “I’m from here, from Meschers-sur-Gironde. I left there for my studies and for work, but I came back to settle here, a five-minute walk from Vergnes beach, even. My idea was to organize a festival near my house. » So close, in fact, that the association also takes advantage of the Entre Mer et Forêt domain, a campsite barely 300 meters from Vergnes beach, to further expand their proposal, over the course of a long weekend .
Les Sables Electroniques is not just about the performances of the thirty or so guest artists. “You can come as a family, share activities with your children, whether kayaking or paddle boarding, wooden games, a storytelling walk, or an introduction to the circus. The music crescendoes from mid-afternoon to 1 a.m. »
A year-round life
This festival, in pre-season, responds to expectations, assures Arnaud Fenioux. “We share the observation also made by the organizers of the Palm Fest, in La Palmyre, for example, that in our territory, we offer a lot of things for seniors, for vacationers, in the summer, but much less for working people. » The Diatonic Sounds are therefore not limited to the organization of the festival. Throughout the year, its members organize one evening per month at Georgette, in Saint-Georges-de-Didonne. “I find a bit of this atmosphere of bars, in town, where you can go listen to music, meet friends, get to know people,” appreciates Arnaud Fenioux.
From Friday, 6 p.m. to Sunday, 8 p.m. – “to give people time to leave quietly on Monday” – the Electronic Sands will enchant this exceptional site on Vergnes beach. To “ambient” or “downtempo” sounds, contemplatives will pose in front of the sunset over the mouth of the Gironde estuary. Techno fans will dance, later, on the sand, “which the municipality will sift, to make it more pleasant barefoot”. Everything has been designed for the pleasure of the spectators. Up to the prices, 33 euros for those who want to take advantage of the three days and free prices, at times, “to make people responsible, also, to make them understand that everything cannot be free”. Even if, in absolute terms, dancing barefoot on a beach at sunset is priceless.
Around thirty artists are expected, covering a wide range of styles.
Cedric Henaff
In the program
Beach side. For its musical component, the festival will take place at the eastern end of Vergnes beach, below the Le Baignassout restaurant. The scene will be turned towards the estuary. Festival-goers will find relaxation areas, catering, and bar on site. First notes at 6 p.m. on Friday May 17, at 4 p.m. on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19. Please note that two “master classes”, for initiation or improvement, will be offered free of charge from 3 to 4 p.m., on Saturday with Version Bizar Experiment and on Sunday with Daskone-K (introduction to scratching on vinyl turntables).
Campsite side. A tavern scene will be set up at the Entre Mer et Forêt estate, where yoga, meetings with artists, wooden games, an orientation course with digital markers and Thai massage will also be offered. The entire program, prices and timetables are available on the website les-sables-electroniques.fr.
