New Wave by name, New Wave by nature. When Marc Collin and Oliver Libaux started the project this is what it was all about – ‘new wave’ (the English translation of the band’s name).
Their distinctive musical style, a pastiche of the bossa-nova soundtracks of classic 60s French cinema, saw them reinventing some of the greatest ‘new wave’ classics from the 70s and 80s. The juxtaposition of applying very upbeat arrangements to some of the most miserable songs ever written soon found them a multitude of fans from some unexpected quarters.
During their career, Nouvelle Vague have recorded with iconic musicians like Martin Gore, Terry Hall and also Liverpudlian hero, frontman of Echo and The Bunnymen, Ian McCulloch.
As seems to be the norm at the moment, this Covid delayed tour was organised to celebrate the band’s 15th anniversary so it seemed like the logical thing to do to visit 15 cities around the UK. Tonight, it’s Liverpool’s turn where the band will perform in the impressively named Grand Central Hall.
The support act are Black Lilys. Fronted by fellow Francophile siblings, Robin and Camille Faure, originally from France but now based in Edinburgh.
Their delicately structured guitar and keyboard arrangements, together with Camille’s distinctive vocal make a great impression on the Liverpool audience. Indie electronica of the highest quality and no doubt destined for great success.
The 2022 Nouvelle Vague lineup consists of Julien Boye on drums, Guillaume Zeller on guitar and Ludovic Leleu on keys with long time collaborators, Mélanie Pain, Elodie Frégé, both of whom have provided the vocals on many of their best know interpretations.
Tonight’s show is a treat – a greatest hits package of songs from their extensive back catalogue and includes hit covers like ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’, ‘The Guns of Brixton’, ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’, ‘Ever Fallen in Love ’ or ‘Too Drunk to Fuck’.
Beginning with a moody ‘Fade to grey’, the show starts with joint vocalists Pain and Frégé emerging from the audience and slowly singing their way towards the stage. It’s a nice touch and immediately gets the audience on board for what is about to turn into a full on dance party…
The cue for getting bums off seats is New Order’s ‘Blue Monday’ Saturday night is for dancing after all and we’re treated to hit after hit. The rich velvet voices of Pain and Frege bounce along over the spritely latin rhythms and keep the party going nicely.
A standout was the beautiful ‘The Manner of Speaking’, clearly an audience favourite, performed by Melanie Pain and Zeller who accompanied her armed only with his acoustic guitar. Sadly this was the penultimate act of the evening before finishing the set with the spectacular Modern English classic ‘Melt with you’.
It was a fantastic evening riding the new wave with Nouvelle Vague.
Unit next time.
Au Revoir
Words & Pictures: Tom Adam @tomadampics