Rock en Seine 2025: Day 5 with QOTSA, Fontaines D.C., Last Train... we were there, we tell you all about it

Some faces are tense. Others didn't hesitate to recharge their batteries by stretching out on the grass. This Sunday, August 24, 2025, for the last day of Rock en Seine, festival-goers have turned up early despite their fatigue. They all want to make the most of this final day to fill up on rock music. Because, let's face it, this fifth day of the Ile-de-France festival is far more rocking than the previous ones. And you can feel it in the audience, with older festival-goers proudly sporting t-shirts of legendary bands such as Metallica, AC/DC, Guns N'Roses, Black Sabbath and Mastodon, in tribute to the late Brent Hinds, who recently passed away at the age of 51.

But let's get back to the rock bands at the Domaine national de Saint-Cloud this Sunday, with the American Queens of the Stone Age, Frenchmen Last Train and The Limiñanas, Irishmen Fontaines D.C. and Kneecap, and Welshmen Stereophonics.

Looking at the running order, you soon realize that you're going to have to juggle or make concessions. After all, it's not easy to pull out all the stops at a festival. So what do you do when two artists you want to see are performing at the same time? The alternatives are simple: either make a Cornelian choice and see only one, or elbow your way off one stage and weave through the crowd to get to the other stage in record time. This is what we decided to do twice on Sunday August 24, 2025.

The supercharged rock of Last Train vs. the haunting indie rock of Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory

So we chose to start the day on the Revolut stage, the festival's second-largest, with the rising French rock band Last Train. 10 years after their appearance at the Domaine national de Saint-Cloud, Alsatians Last Train were pleasantly surprised to see a human tide arrive for the start of their set at 4.25pm. It has to be said that the combo is on a roll, to the point of being programmed at Hellfest and the Sziget Festival the same year, and soon to take over the Zénith de La Villette for the very first time.

At the helm of a highly successful third opus, simply entitled"III", Last Train literally made festival-goers sweat at Rock en Seine on Sunday afternoon, thanks to their ardor and infectious energy. Singer/guitarist Jean-Noël Scherre was not afraid to take a little dip in the crowd, being carried along by some of the audience as he continued to play! A pure moment of French rock!

Another style, and another scene, with American Sharon Van Etten, who charmed the ears of indie rock fans not far away. Accompanied for the occasion by a band, The Attachment Theory, the New Jersey-born musician and singer offered a bewitching and catchy setlist, with a strong emphasis on new wave and post-rock. On stage, Sharon Van Etten switches between guitar and keyboards with disconcerting ease. Incredibly magnetic, the American artist simply won us over with her ultra-bewitching voice.

• To be read
• Rock en Seine 2025: Day 4 with Justice, The Psychotic Monks... we were there, we tell you all about it
• Queens of the Stone Age in concert at the Grand Rex in Paris in October 2025
• Last Train in concert at the Zenith in Paris in October 2026

Timeless hits from Welsh band Stereophonics vs. Kneecap's trio of Gaelic rappers

Stereophonics took us back in time this Sunday afternoon on the Revolut stage at Rock en Seine. Still led by Kelly Jones and her husky, inimitable voice, the Welsh band delighted fans with a number of timeless hits. " Maybe Tomorrow ", " I Wanna Get Lost With You ", " Superman ", " Maybe Tomorrow " and " Dakota " were all Stereophonics fans needed to relive their best years. Kelly Jones, sunglasses on, and her bandmates delivered a perfectly successful set. It was clean and square, nothing to complain about!

Unsurprisingly, the Bosquet stage was packed to the rafters for the Kneecap concert. In fact, it was hard to spot the members on stage from where we were standing when we joined the concert. The Northern Irish hip-hop trio were eagerly awaited by festival-goers. In the space of a few weeks, Kneecap has found itself in a media and political whirlwind following a number of controversies. This Sunday, at Rock en Seine, Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí (recognizable by his hood in the colors of the Irish flag), were clearly not lacking in energy, performing several of their tracks with force and rage, sung in English and Gaelic, while multiplying and reaffirming their support for the Palestinian cause.

Irish rock in all its glory with Fontaines D.C.

We don't waste a second and head for the main stage to rediscover the Irish band Fontaines D.C., three years after their appearance at the festival in Paris. On the way, a cloud of dust forms due to the large number of festival-goers on the site at the same time. Some donned surgical masks, others scarves, to protect themselves.

We've finally arrived at our destination, but a long way from the main stage, where we discover a huge, deformed, silver-colored heart suspended from the stage, in reference to the cover of Fontaines D.C.'s latest album, entitled"Romance". It's hard to get ahead of ourselves when the abrasive rock of the Irish combo is already resonating at the Domaine national de Saint-Cloud. In the audience, fans wearing t-shirts bearing the band's effigy are numerous. The choruses of " I Love You ", " Bug ", " Favourite " and " Starburster ", the Irish band's hit song chosen to close the set at Saint-Cloud, are also echoed by many, in front of a visibly happy and conquered audience.

Queens of the Stone Age's intoxicating rock as effective as ever

Queens of the Stone Age bring the fifth and final evening of Rock en Seine 2025 to a close. 11 years after their last appearance at the Parisian festival, the Americans agreed to return and close the event. No special scenography, no elaborate lighting, just songs that continue to seduce and move us.

For the occasion, the Californian quintet had opted for a setlist that included a number of old, unmissable hits, in order to satisfy their die-hard fans. No One Knows ", " Little Sister ", " Sick, Sick, Sick ", " Make It Wit Chu " and " Go With the Flow " had everyone on their feet! Whether behind the keyboard or armed with his guitar, Josh Homme is a real eye-catcher. The charismatic singer impresses with his characteristically torrid voice. After a set of around 1h30, marked by dark riffs and relentless melodies, QOTSA left the stage to thunderous applause.

For those who can't make it, or for those who'd like to see Queens of the Stone Age live in Paris again, the American band will be performing live again in the capital. This autumn at Le Grand Rex!