Indochine in a very, very private RTL2 concert at the Musée du Quai Branly: we were there, we tell you all about it

On Tuesday April 8, 2025, RTL2 offered its listeners a very private and exclusive concert to mark its 30th anniversary. On the program? An Indochine show in the exceptional setting of the Musée du Quai Branly - Jacques Chirac in Paris. We were there, and we tell you all about Indo's hour-and-a-half set, featuring several of the band's most recent songs, taken from "Babel Babel", as well as some good old hits!

On Tuesday, April 8, 2025, shortly before 7:30 pm, crowds lined the doors of the Claude Lévi-Strauss theater, located in the basement of the Quai Branly museum. No nocturne on the program, but a very, very private concert by Indochine, orchestrated by RTL2 for its 30th anniversary. The smiles are radiant and the excitement can be read on the faces of the spectators, well aware of their chance to attend this intimate and exclusive set. Indochine are currently in the middle of a major tour. After four sold-out shows in Brussels, Belgium, and before heading off to Nantes for another four sold-out concerts, Nicola Sirkis and his bandmates agreed to stop off in Paris for this very private RTL2 concert.

This year, the famous pop-rock radio station celebrates its 30th birthday! And to mark the occasion, the station is stepping up its events. After a week of exclusive concerts at the Ferber studios, featuring Hoshi and -M-, the pop-rock radio station took possession of the sublime Quai Branly - Jacques Chirac museum on Tuesday April 8, 2025. And it did so with a bang, by inviting Indochine, the French rock band that's been collecting records in terms of both record sales and touring.

So, the audience present on Tuesday evening were well aware of their good fortune in being able to experience this uniqueIndochine concert in this legendary Parisian museum! Some had arrived early, even before 12pm. Others came from afar, notably Belgium. Just after 7.30pm, the doors finally opened, and it didn't take long for spectators to rush into the Claude Lévi-Strauss theater to try and get to the front rows. In all, 400 lucky people won the precious sesame by listening to the radio. " We received 8,000 to 9,000 e-mails asking us to attend the concert," said RTL2 host Carole Vega a little later. It goes without saying that this very, very private concert was the envy of many.

The start of the show is announced for 8.30pm. In the meantime, some spectators take photos, while others observe the central stage, where the band's instruments are just waiting for the musicians. Roses (red and white) are hung everywhere (microphone stands, amps...) and teddy bears are placed at the foot of the drums. Incense is also burning on the floor. The wait shouldn't be too long now.

At 8.30pm,Indochine took to the stage to the thunderous applause of fans determined to make the most of this very special moment. The audience were on their feet to welcome them, and remained so for the duration of the show. And it's with " Ma vie est à toi " that the band kicks off their set, which of course honors"Babel Babel", the band's 14th studio album released last September.

Nicola Sirkis, guitar in hand, and his bandmates follow up with " Le chant des cygnes ", their lead single from their latest album. That's all it takes to get the audience in a frenzy. Arms raised, they sing along to the chorus, which seems to have become an anthem for some: " Les salauds. The heroines. The warriors. The orphans. Assaulting the bulls. It's the heart. Swan song ". The mood has already turned up a notch. But this is just the beginning. Indochine continue with " La belle et la bête ", with its reggae sounds mixed with electro touches. Nicola Sirkis then takes to the piano to perform the beautiful song " Sanna sur la croix ", a tribute to the former Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin, whom the singer reminds us of that evening.

Indochine en concert très très privé RTL2 au musée du Quai Branly : on y était, on vous raconte — ©Beranger TILLARD / RTL2

On the new songs front, " Seul au paradis ", " No Name " and " Annabelle Lee " also sounded in the Quai Branly theater on Tuesday evening, each time with the singer's ease. Moving effortlessly from one microphone to another, from guitar to piano, Nicola Sirkis occupies the stage perfectly. With over 40 years of career behind him, the artist knows how to get the crowd going, even when he's ill. During the evening, the dishevelled singer confessed to having caught a cold. " Vive la chimie ", he quipped. No matter, the singer and musician puts on a great show, much to the delight of his fans.

But this very, very private RTL2 concert at the Musée du Quai Branly was also an opportunity for Indochine to play several old hits, including " Electrastar ", taken from the celebrated"Paradize" (2002), " Song for a Dream " and " La vie est belle " (2017), " Punishment Park " (1990), the ancestor " Kao Bang " (1983) and " Tes Yeux Noirs ". For this track, which dates back to 1985, Nicola Sirkis didn't hesitate to go down into the audience and make a full tour of the theater, greeting everyone as he sang this timeless hit. What struck us was the extent to which the fans knew Indochine songs by heart, both old and new. So many songs that demonstrate the richness of the French band's repertoire, which in four decades has become a veritable hit factory.

After 1h30, Indochine thanked their audience once again and left the Claude Lévi-Strauss theater stage to the cheers and applause of the audience. The audience was won over by this playful and exclusive set. Some may still regret not having heard " Nos célébrations ", " J'ai demandé à la lune ", " Trois nuits par semaine " or " L'aventurier ". But it's not easy to satisfy everyone in 1h30.Indochine 's tour continues throughout France, with Paris concerts scheduled at theAccor Arena in 2025 and 2026. For those of you with tickets, there's no doubt that the band will be performing many of these hits on their"Arena Tour".

For those who can't make it, know that this very, very private Indochine concert will be broadcast in audio on RTL2 and in pictures on RTL2.fr on Monday April 21 at 7pm.