Rock en Seine 2024: Day 5 with PJ Harvey, Pixies, LCD Soundsystem... we were there, we tell you all about it

All good things must come to an end, and Rock en Seine is no exception. After Lana Del Rey's flamboyant set, Franck Carter & The Rattlesnakes' stunning sets, Soulwax 's bubbling show and Massive Attack's militant concert, Rock en Seine ended on a high note on Sunday August 25, 2024, for its fifth and final day of festivities.

Despite tired eyes and tired legs for many, festival-goers were determined to make the most of this final day. While some were lying on the lawn of the Domaine national de Saint-Cloud in front of the Grande Scène, many chose to start their day with the concert by Zaho de Sagazan. And so it was with us.

Four-time winner of the latest Victoires de la Musique awards, Zaho de Sagazan has become a veritable musical phenomenon on the French music scene in the space of just one album. And on discovering the artist live for the very first time, it's easy to see why. With her disconcerting ease, Zaho de Sagazan is capable of moving us and making us dance in just a few seconds. And for this second appearance at Rock en Seine (after a first appearance in 2022 on the Bosquet stage), the artist took over the Scène de la Cascade; a stage on which the singer was happy to play, as it was here that she saw her favorite band, Kraftwerk, in 2022.

In 2024, it's her turn to seduce the eyes and ears of festival-goers on this stage. And she succeeded! In a 1-hour set, Zaho de Sagazan and her four talented musicians drew quite a crowd: fans, of course, but also curious onlookers who seem to have been won over by the generosity and incredible talent of this young artist.

From the shivering " Je rêve " to the more dynamic " Aspiration ", " Mon inconnu " and " Tristesse ", not forgetting the single " La symphonie des éclairs ", taken up in chorus by a good part of the audience, Zaho de Sagazan then shifted up a gear with the track " Dansez ", where the bodies of some of the spectators shook to the frenzied beats. The artist, who occupies the stage incredibly well and doesn't hesitate to greet the audience in the front rows on several occasions, couldn't end her set without covering David Bowie's " Modern Love ", unveiled at the Cannes Film Festival. " That's when you take your shoes off and you're free," says Zaho de Sagazan, before bringing her team on stage and getting the audience dancing one last time in a general fervor.

After this fine musical moment, we headed for the Grande Scène to meet up with Ghinzu. The Belgian band, absent from the radar for several years, has resurfaced to celebrate the 20th anniversary of"Blow", their excellent second opus. After a notable appearance at Rock en Seine in 2016 and a sold-out concert at the Olympia last June, Ghinzu returned to Paris with a healthy dose of rock.

John Stargasm and his cohorts, glasses screwed on their noses, took us back in time, performing a large number of their songs from"Blow", including " Jet Sex ", the excellent instrumental " 21st Century Crooners " and the essential hit that keeps you hopping, " Do You Read Me? Songs that still have their little effect, energetically played and defended by a band that's still got it. So, when's the next Ghinzu album? Just a little more patience: a new album is due for release in 2025.

• To be read
• Rock en Seine 2024: Day 4 with Massive Attack, The Kills... we were there, we tell you all about it
• Rock en Seine 2024: Day 3 with Soulwax, Jungle, Fred Again... we were there, we tell you all about it
• Rock en Seine 2024: Day 2 with Måneskin, Gossip... we were there, we tell you all about it

We're staying on the Grande Scène to wait for the queen of British rock, PJ Harvey, to take to the stage. After two memorable concerts at the Olympia in autumn 2023 and a major festival tour, PJ Harvey stopped off at the Domaine national de Saint-Cloud this Sunday, August 25, 2024, for the final date of her European tour. Like Massive Attack, PJ Harvey is a regular at Rock en Seine. Like Massive Attack, the British singer and musician took part in the first edition of the festival in 2003. She returned in 2017 following the release of her opus"The Hope Six Demolition Project". This time around, PJ Harvey returned to the Ile-de-France festival site with a new stage proposition, following the release of"I Inside the Old Year Dying".

Those lucky enough to have seen her last October at the Olympia were delighted to rediscover the staging, imagined for the occasion and carefully stylized. Antique wooden furniture was set up in the four corners of the stage: chairs, a small desk and a table on which were placed a carafe of water, a cup of tea and several glasses.

For this set, PJ Harvey is accompanied by her loyal and talented musical acolytes: the renowned John Parish, drummer Jean-Marc Butty, multi-instrumentalist Giovanni Ferrario and James Johnston.

At first glance, then, everything seems to match the sets on offer at the Olympia, until PJ Harvey arrives. With a smile on her face, the artist sports a sublime new outfit designed by Odd Lynn: a white ensemble, consisting of a long dress and a cape, to which drawings have been added throughout the tour.

The setlist was also intended to be different, shorter to fit the format of summer festivals. But the result was just as beautiful, moving, rocking and intense! From the sublime and masterfully theatrical " Prayer at the Gate " to the unmissable hit " Down by the Water ", not forgetting the engaging " Let England Shake ", the over-the-top " 50ft Queenie " and the exultant " Dress "... PJ Harvey skilfully drew on her impressive discography to show us the full extent of her talent, supported by a voice rich in contrasts and emotions, sometimes powerful then fragile, sometimes hoarse then inhabited. She also made us cry on the sublime " The Desperate Kingdom of Love ", played solo and acoustic, in front of a silent, spellbound audience.

And it was with a high-flying version of " To Bring You My Love " that PJ Harvey, a true rock icon and priestess, rounded off her memorable 1h15 set, one of this year's festival favourites!

It was hard to recover from this spellbindingly beautiful set, but the evening continued at the Domaine national de Saint-Cloud with the unmissable Pixies. Black Francis and his cohorts lit up the Cascade stage with a deeply rocking 1h10 set. Fans were in raptures as they belted out hits from the early days, including " Wave of Mutilation ", " Monkey Gone to Heaven ", " Caribou ", " Debaser ", " Bone Machine ", " Here Comes Your Man ", not forgetting their global hit " Where Is My Mind? These are songs carried by Frank Black 's husky, powerful voice, which are always a pleasure to hear!

We ended the evening and this 2024 edition of Rock en Seine with a highly successful and invigorating electro punk rock set from LCD Soundsystem. Sunday's headliner, the New York band fronted by James Murphy, co-founder of the independent label DFA Records, lit up the end of the festival with their neat lights and giant disco ball. But there were also, and above all, the powerful songs of this American band that has inspired so many, such as Pulp and Idles.

On Sunday evening, amidst their seemingly anarchic decor and set-up, James Murphy and his musicians got a large number of festival-goers up and dancing, many of them eager to see this essential band live again or again, despite the fatigue accumulated during the festival. And LCD Soundsystem paid them back with a bright, dynamic set, featuring James Murphy spitting into his vintage microphone, and a top-quality setlist.

" Tribulations ", " Movement ", " Losing My Edge ", " I Can Change ", " Dance Yrself Clean ", " New York, I Love You but You're Bringing Me Down ", " All My Friends "... some of the band's best songs were played with brio on Sunday evening, performed by James Murphy, who confirmed his status as a live performer!

Having welcomed 182,000 spectators to its 92 concerts over 5 consecutive days, Rock en Seine is now closing its doors. We'd like to thank you for a great edition of Rock en Seine, and look forward to seeing you next year!