- By now, it's old news that the Parisian party scene has undergone a revival in the past five years or so. Just two weeks ago, photos surfaced of former Minister Of Culture Jack Lang at Concrete, celebrating the venue's recently-obtained 24-hour license. The snaps were greeted by the local media as clear proof that the dreaded weak spell of the '00s was finally behind us. But if Concrete has played a vital role in reinvigorating the city's club scene, then arguably just as important has been the proliferation of venues located outside the Boulevard Périphérique and sometimes deep within suburbia.
La Marbrerie, where Brazilian jazz-funk trio Azymuth performed on Saturday, April 15th, is one of the most impressive of these new hangouts. From the outside, it looks like any of the many one-story industrial buildings in the suburban town of Montreuil. When I arrived at the venue, around 5 PM, I was surprised to find the door wide open, with no security guard in sight. After following a concrete corridor into the main room, I was struck that such a cavernous space could be so inconspicuous from the street. Boasting an indoor cafeteria, large mezzanine and roomy dance floor, the venue seemed equally suited to daytime concerts as full-blown raves.
Inside, punters were sipping on local craft beers and flipping lazily through crates of obscure African and post-punk records provided by some of Paris's most revered record dealers. Onstage, Antinote's Geena was warming up with a fresh mix of sounds, from understated disco to classic garage. The room filled up towards the end of his set, as people hurried to squeeze in before entrance was no longer free. The audience was as diverse as they come, with 40-year-old jazzheads rubbing shoulders with younger nightlife types.
Azymuth's performance could have been frustrating: the sound levels were poorly handled, with the keyboard often overshadowing Alex Madheiros's impeccable basslines. But the band pulled it off, delivering a charming set. Ivan Conti's sharp drumming and contagiously warm stage presence galvanized the audience, and the trio's incredible versatility did the rest. In between soulful cuts like "Last Summer In Rio" and frantic renditions of their more dance floor-friendly numbers ("May I Have This Dance"), they also found time to showcase their astounding Vocoder skills. An extended interpretation of "Dear Limmertz" was a definite highlight.
The audience, though hesitant at first, became more responsive in the second half of the gig. In the final 20 minutes, I found myself surrounded by a swarm of cheerful dancers, humming along to the distorted vocal melodies. As the band left the stage, seemingly humbled by such a warm reaction, the excitement in the room was palpable. Hugo Mendez and Bamao Yendé, the two DJs tasked with closing the night, took full advantage of this, serving up various shades of African bangers. By the time I left, dancers had started taking off their shirts, determined to make the most of what little remained of this brilliant night of tropical dance music.
Photo credit /
Frame Pictures