Ausone Station
For all the time we have been here in one narrow street near the Place Gambetta - the square where the guillotine was placed during the reign of terror - one particular building was shored up with a massive construction in huge girders and beams. We've been here ten years and the building had been in a sorry state of repair for longer.
Then, towards the end of last year, I think, we heard that a survey was being done and permission sought to turn the building into a cultural centre linked to and owned by France's largest independent bookshop, Mollat. And last night Catrin and her fellow-students held a concert there.
I was quite impressed with the place. They've managed to build a large, flat floored hall, all painted dark with fancy composite arches supporting the ceiling and a capacity of at least a couple of hundred people.
The first performer was Alice, one of Catrin's fellow students, who brought a strong Euro-Rock effect, with a floral one piece, spiked goggles, a guitarist and drummer and songs about the dictatorship. Strong stuff, and she was a very confident performer.
Next up was Mateo MF, who graduated from Catrin's course in 2015, just before she started it. He was another confident performer and a bit more in the French song line, with an accordionist, a double-bass and himself on guitar. His songs were witty. One was called 'Jacques a dit' (Simon says) and was about a chap called Jacques who loses it one day and decides to rob a bank, saying "Nobody move, this is a hold-up", but everyone who has ever known him is there and has something to say about it. Another went, "It's a nice day today, a nice day to jump in the cut" (this is a free translation, of course) and another was about how boys dance badly. He was another very confident performer.
Then all the students were involved in accompanying the star of the evening, Adrienne Pauly, an actress and pop-rock singer. I felt her style owed much to the Boomtown Rats and she seemed to enjoy being accompanied by the ever-changed teams of students. Catrin played piano for a comparatively tranquil song.
We caught a late tram home and listened to some more music - a few people practicing football chants - before crawling under our downy covers.
Then, towards the end of last year, I think, we heard that a survey was being done and permission sought to turn the building into a cultural centre linked to and owned by France's largest independent bookshop, Mollat. And last night Catrin and her fellow-students held a concert there.
I was quite impressed with the place. They've managed to build a large, flat floored hall, all painted dark with fancy composite arches supporting the ceiling and a capacity of at least a couple of hundred people.
The first performer was Alice, one of Catrin's fellow students, who brought a strong Euro-Rock effect, with a floral one piece, spiked goggles, a guitarist and drummer and songs about the dictatorship. Strong stuff, and she was a very confident performer.
Next up was Mateo MF, who graduated from Catrin's course in 2015, just before she started it. He was another confident performer and a bit more in the French song line, with an accordionist, a double-bass and himself on guitar. His songs were witty. One was called 'Jacques a dit' (Simon says) and was about a chap called Jacques who loses it one day and decides to rob a bank, saying "Nobody move, this is a hold-up", but everyone who has ever known him is there and has something to say about it. Another went, "It's a nice day today, a nice day to jump in the cut" (this is a free translation, of course) and another was about how boys dance badly. He was another very confident performer.
Then all the students were involved in accompanying the star of the evening, Adrienne Pauly, an actress and pop-rock singer. I felt her style owed much to the Boomtown Rats and she seemed to enjoy being accompanied by the ever-changed teams of students. Catrin played piano for a comparatively tranquil song.
We caught a late tram home and listened to some more music - a few people practicing football chants - before crawling under our downy covers.
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