Beth Gibbons in concert at the Philharmonie de Paris for Days Off: we were there, we tell you all about it

Published by Caroline de Sortiraparis · Photos by Caroline de Sortiraparis · Updated on July 3, 2025 at 07:22 a.m. · Published on July 2, 2025 at 07:22 a.m.
This Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at the Philharmonie de Paris, Beth Gibbons delivered an incredibly moving and oh-so-luminous concert, in the image of her first proper album "Lives Outgrown", released in the spring of 2024. Here's a look back at Beth Gibbons' magnificent, spellbinding set as part of the Days Off festival.

We were literally spellbound by Beth Gibbons ' show at the Salle Pleyel on May 27, 2024. So it was simply impossible to miss the British artist's new concert in Paris, motivated by a furious desire to experience yet another memorable musical journey as poignant as it was magnetic. On Tuesday, July 1, 2025, the emotion was once again palpable at this Beth Gibbons concert at the Philharmonie de Paris on the occasion of the Days Off festival.

Unsurprisingly, the show was sold out. It has to be said that, despite the passing years and her great discretion, Beth Gibbons has remained a key figure on the alternative music scene since the 90s. Emblematic lead singer of Portishead, the English artist made her comeback in the spring of 2024 with her first proper opus, christened "Lives Outgrown". After a triumphant first leg of her tour, Beth Gibbons continues the festivities with a series of summer dates in Europe, including this unique concert at the Philharmonie de Paris.

At 9:15 p.m. sharp, Beth Gibbons and her seven talented musicians took to the stage. First surprise: the line-up has changed slightly compared to Spring 2024, with Sophie Hastings on drums this time. The rest is made up of Eoin Rooney on guitar, Tom Herbert on bass, Jason Hazeley on keyboards, Emma Smith on violin, Richard Jones on viola and guitar and, of course, the fascinatingly talented Howard Jacobs. The multi-instrumentalist is equally at home on clarinet and double bass, vibraphone and percussion, saxophone and flute, gong and xylophone - all with disconcerting ease.

Once in place, the eight artists soon get the set underway, performing the bewitching " Tell Me Who You Are Today ", quickly followed by the melancholy " Burden of Life " and the sublime " Floating on a Moment ", freshly acclaimed by the audience.

The tracks from"Lives Outgrown" follow one another and resonate majestically in the beautiful Philharmonie de Paris. Despite the harmonic richness of"Lives Outgrown", the live version on offer this Tuesday evening is very close to the album version, demonstrating the undeniable talent of the musicians accompanying Beth Gibbons live. Simply stunning. The sound quality is impeccable. The lighting is ultra-polished. And Beth Gibbons ' singular voice is there, so touching and bewitching. Naturally very reserved, Beth Gibbons has this annoying tendency to close her eyes while singing, and even sometimes to turn her back on the audience, leaving her musicians in the foreground. In spite of this, the English artist is the center of attention and admiration.

In the hall, silence reigns. The audience is taking full advantage of this timeless moment. But the mood takes a turn for the better when the first notes of the deeply moving " Mysteries " ring out, taken from the album"Out of Season", a collaboration with Paul Webb, aka Rustin Man. Tears begin to well up, and a shiver runs down our spines. The climax comes at the very end, when Beth Gibbons, barefoot on stage, steps away from the microphone while continuing to sing. The notes that the artist manages to get out then pierce us to the core. The audience is won over, and the applause goes on and on. The British singer finally breaks out of her silence to thank the audience in French.

And the emotion is far from over. The singer continues to charm us with the magnificent " Lost Changes", with its heady whistling from Eoin Rooney, the exhilarating " Oceans " and, last but not least, the intoxicating " Tom the Model ", again taken from the opus produced in collaboration with Rustin Man.

The audience is ecstatic. But that's nothing compared to what Beth Gibbons has in store for us. After " Beyond the Sun " and " Whispering Love ", the singer and her musicians disappear for a short while. But it's only to return and treat the audience to two Portishead hits. Certainly the best-known and the most beautiful, starting with the heart-rending " Roads ", followed by the inescapable " Glory Box ". What a joy to hear these two magnificent tracks again, carried by the serpentine voice of Beth Gibbons. While cell phones had been keeping a low profile up to this point, more and more of them are immortalizing this moment and this return to the past. The audience is ecstatic, and so are we. The English artist and her acolytes could have ended this sublime set with these two tracks. But Beth Gibbons and her musicians chose to close this magical and striking concert with the powerful " Reaching Out ", as if to remind us that it was in support of"Lives Outgrown" that the British artist decided to hit the road again.

At the end of their 1h15 set, Beth Gibbons and her bandmates salute the crowd, now on their feet. The singer delivers a few words of thanks, inaudible given the audience's vigorous (and richly deserved) applause, before leaving the stage, thumbs up and applauding fans in turn. Once again, Beth Gibbons moved and transcended us with her voice, creativity, simplicity and talent, which we had missed so much. The only downside was that we wished this memorable concert had lasted even longer.

Beth Gibbons en concert à la Philharmonie de Paris pour Days Off : on y était, on vous raconteBeth Gibbons en concert à la Philharmonie de Paris pour Days Off : on y était, on vous raconteBeth Gibbons en concert à la Philharmonie de Paris pour Days Off : on y était, on vous raconteBeth Gibbons en concert à la Philharmonie de Paris pour Days Off : on y était, on vous raconte

Setlist:
Tell Me Who You Are Today
Burden of Life
Floating on a Moment
Rewind
For Sale
Mysteries
Lost Changes
Oceans
Tom the Model
Beyond the Sun
Whispering Love

Reminder
Roads
Glory Box
Reaching Out

Practical information

Location

221 Avenue Jean Jaurès
75019 Paris 19

Route planner

Accessibility info

Access
Metro line 5 "Porte de Pantin" station

Official website
daysoff.fr

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