Twenty-five years separate them, undoubtedly one of the reasons why Gilles Boyer joined Pierre Verduzan as president of the Festival des Bandas. The current president wished this co-president to put his foot in the stirrup, accompany him and later pass the torch to him. Indeed, it is preferable to have two leaders who are perfectly aware of things, also knowing all those necessary for the smooth running of the festival. This festival that Pierre Verduzan wants to see continue beyond its fiftieth anniversary. For this, we must therefore provide the means … A great team with a very good understanding, but with members who renew themselves thus bringing different visions, undoubtedly this is one of the reasons for success. allowing the festival to last.
Who are you Gilles Boyer?
Originally from Maignaut-Tauzia where his parents still live on the family farm, he started playing music at the age of ten, first with “La clique des sapeurs-pompiers de Saint-Puy” which became “Les Laurent’s band” now under the direction of Alain Baurens in which he continues to participate. But he also played with “Los Valencianos” of Valence-sur-Baïse for twenty years, the musicians of the majorettes of Fleurance, the municipal harmony of Condom, the Musical Ensemble of L’Armagnac, the Music of the Departmental Union des Sapeurs-Pompiers du Gers, a very rich journey!
Currently, he plays his baritone saxophone with the band “Los Ensorelhats”, – the sunny ones in Béarnais – de Mazères-Lezons, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, the department where his professional career led him. For nearly twenty-two years, he was an employee of SAS OTECH, in Puyoô, as head of the IRRIDIS distribution network.
But, for a little over a year, he has radically changed his path since he is currently in professional retraining to become a family assistant.
At the Bandas Festival, a volunteer since 1989 as an accompanist, he joined the course in 1993 to take responsibility for it in the years that followed. Joined the board of directors in 1998, he joined the office as deputy general secretary a few years later, then as vice-president, and, since December 4, he is co-president.
The new office:
- The co-presidents: Pierre Verduzan and Gilles Boyer
- The vice-presidents: Régis Esperbé and Claudine Lansade
- The treasurer and the assistant treasurer: Pierre Naglin and Denis Gaube
- The secretary and the assistant secretary: Françoise Dorbes and Jean-Claude Michel
The 2022 Festival program
Two years later, the festayres will be able to attend the show of the French alternative rock group Les Négresses Vertes expected in 2020, on Friday, May 8.
Hoped for in 2020, the headliner, The Green Negresses, will be rescheduled in 2022, on Friday May 13. The group Aschenbecks also, as expected, will be in the pre-program, having earned this right during his participation in the associative springboard “Bambasitos”, on Sunday July 7, 2019, where he had conquered the jury by a distilled harmony between grunge, rock and punk.
They will therefore be on the main stage in St. Peter’s Square, while under the marquee, the festivities will be able to listen to:
- GRAV’s : this Gascon quartet has been able to build a bridge between two musical styles and wants to be the banner of a new genre: Blue Punk, a mix between the rage of Punk and the traditional languor of Blues.
- People’s Opium : seven crazy musicians who dress up variety and classics.
- DJ Fanou to conclude the evening.
Saturday evening, always under the big top, the band Why Not? de Sainte-Maure-de-Peyriac, in Lot-et-Garonne, will open the evening, and after that will follow:
- Tibz : songwriter, folk singer from Périgueux, nominated in the category “Francophone Revelation of the Year” at the NRJ Music Awards 2017, he continues from his path and has thus collaborated with Slimane, Boulevard des Airs, Zaz or even Jenifer.
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Coloney Reyel : passionate about reggae-dancehall following a stay in the West Indies, the singer had the chance to experience a real buzz in 2011 when his album was released “Reporting” thanks in particular to the title “That’s why I wrote to you“cumulating nearly 141 million views on Youtube. More discreet in the following years, he released a new album in February 2010.
- Flagrant Delusions : texts in French, a singing accent, rock, energy and the midday sun of their southwest of origin. The five musicians making up the group are part of the movement of French rock groups, but above all festive rock.
Françiose Dorbes, the secretary of the Bandas Festival office, in the company of Véronique Allaer, the administrative secretary of the association.
For the organization, the Bandas Festival is looking for accommodation for May 13 and 14, 2022, both nights during the festival, to accommodate guests.
For all information: 05 62 68 31 38 – Office: 3 place Bossuet, in Condom – Mail: festival-de-bandas@wanadoo.fr
The competition between bandas
This year, sixteen bandas were selected to participate in the general competition.
The three international bandas:
- The Mexican, Renniw Brass Band of Puebla in Mexico which was expected for the 2020 edition and which should be present in 2022
- The Belgian, the banda Los Tabascos de Halanzy
- The Spanish, the banda Los Ronceos de Santoña, 2019 gold palm
Bandas from all over France:
- The banda Mescladis from Béziers
- Los Gaujos from Barsac in Gironde
- The banda Rambal and Sagan from Coursan in Aude
- The banda The Chatelaine from Rochechouart in Haute-Vienne
- The banda The Burgais Boleros of the Hautes-Pyrénées
- The banda Music band’s de Tourcoing – French Champion 2019
- Los Soupaeros From toulouse
- Banda Los Picaros of Tartas in the Landes
- The Zarpai Banda from Hendaye in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques
The new ones:
- The Band’atomic from Vitrolles in the Bouches-du-Rhône
- The Band‘at Gerard, the association of students from INSA Toulouse
- The banda Ritmofiesta from Vanosc in Ardèche
But no Gersois to compete this year!
On the other hand, for the first evening, the key collection and the opening of the festival will be provided by the condomoise BandA’Part. Tradition cannot be lost.
Photos Marc Le Saux
We would like to give thanks to the author of this post for this outstanding content
He will no longer be alone, Pierre Verduzan has found a co-president