Montpellier: a great success for the Nuits d’O to the rhythm of reggae
By Metropolitan Writing
Published on
On August 24, 25, 26 and 27, the 18e Nights of O editionplaced under the sign reggae and Jamaicaone makes the happiness of more than 3,800 festival-goers reunited at the Domaine d’Ô in Montpellier. The demonstration musical, cinematographic and culturalthus enabled a large public to take a fresh look at Jamaica’s history, Rastafarianism and the links between musical emergence and political demands.
Music and cinema
This new formula, refocused on four evenings and enriched with meetings and photo exhibitions, enabled spectators to dance in the sweetness of the pine forest to the rhythm of sound systems Salomon Heritage and Imperial Mighty Sound, to (re)discover the power of Anthony Joseph, the energy of Jazz Jamaïca closing the event, as well as the history of reggae and that of Jamaica, which are intimately linked.
The audience mixed of several generationswas also able to stroll in search of musical nuggets from vinyl record stores, eat in the shade of the pines under the light of the garlands, attend the screening of emblematic films such as the legendary The more they come or have the joy of listening to Hélène Lee, the director of First Rasta who came to present her documentary in which she pays homage to Leonard Percival Howell, whose revolutionary, political and social discourse resonates with today’s anti-globalization movements.
Meetings and exhibitions
Through its many facets, the Nuits d’O recounted the extraordinary influence that reggae had on all the musical currents of the 20e century, from rock to electro, notably through meetings with David Katz and Francis Dordor, musical journalists specializing in contemporary reggae.
Through never-before-seen shots of Abdelaziz Azara, witness to the arrival of the musical movement in France, and of Bernard Warin, travel companion of music journalist David Katz in Jamaica in the early 2000s, the public was able to appreciate photos at the both light and poignant paying tribute to this independent country since 1962.
> The Domaine d’O is already meeting next year for a new edition.
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