The evening of Calogero's concert at Paris La Défense Arena, on March 9, 2024, will be remembered as a unique moment of music and emotion. At 8:30 p.m., after a short opening act by Marie Poulain, the artist took possession of the stage in a surprising fashion, calmly stepping up to his piano under the still-lit lights of the hall. His rendition of"Dénouement heureux", followed by"Si seulement je pouvais lui manquer", still alone at the piano, captured the attention of a room that was initially perplexed, before letting itself be totally carried away.
The atypical opening gave way to a show as rich in emotion as it was in surprises. As soon as the lights went down, Calogero joined his musicians to begin"A.M.O.U.R.", marking the start of a breathtaking show, punctuated by an innovative light show. Audiences were invited to download an app before the show, and via a Bluetooth connection, each connected phone lit up in time with the show. So, rather than experiencing the concert through their phone screens, spectators contributed to the visual magic of the evening, immersing themselves totally in the moment.
The artist delivered one highlight after another, from Passi 's surprise entrance on"Face à la mer" to the revelation of"Derrière ma fenêtre", where Calogero opened up about his childhood and his beginnings in music, in Échirolles, with his brother, before introducing us to his Korg 800DV on which he produced his first compositions. Each song, each interaction with the audience, added a layer of intimacy to an already exceptional evening.
The duet with Marie Poulain on"Le hall des départs" added a sensual and touching dimension, illustrating Calogero's ability to create moments of unique complicity. Collaborations with Gaëtan Roussel on tracks such as"La nuit n'est jamais noire", from his latest album, and"J't'emmène au vent", a hit by Louise Attaque, were highlights, testifying to the artist's musical diversity and generosity.
The surprise of the evening was undoubtedly the encore, during which Calogero emotionally declared that he was going to fulfill a childhood dream, adding"If I hadn't broken into music, my second dream would have been to be the bassist in Téléphone! And it just so happens that tonight Jean-Louis Aubert and Richard Kolinka are in the audience!" The two stars join him on stage, indicating that they had been very surprised to receive this proposal by SMS during the concert. Jean-Louis on guitar, Richard on drums and Calogero on bass, they performed "Ça, c'est vraiment toi", a moment of pure rock that electrified the room. Following this euphoria, the artist brought the atmosphere back to a deep intimacy by sharing the stage with his daughters, Romy and Nina, for moving acoustic duets, before concluding with his mantra"Si tu passes par là".
During his three-hour concert, Calogero not only gave an exceptional musical performance ; he also shared pieces of his life, creating a rare and precious connection with his audience. Between personal anecdotes and moments of musical sharing, he transformed this concert into an intimate and unforgettable experience, even in the heart of a 40,000-strong arena.
This Calogero concert at Paris La Défense Arena was undoubtedly a celebration of life, love and music, made magical by the sincerity and generosity of a truly exceptional artist.
