The music group Penboc’h will perform on July 15, 16, and 17, 2011, at the Théâtre du Port in Nice starting at 10:30 PM. These are four passionate musicians present to introduce their world and share with the audience. Penboc’h means “goat head” in Breton. Quite a program.
The four of them in Penboc’h play almost every instrument on the planet, more reasonably the guitar, bass, drums, percussion, accordion, keyboards, flute, and even the flugelhorn.
On stage, they cover myths of French chanson, paying tribute to great artists like Georges Brassens, Serge Gainsbourg, and Alain Bashung. But they also perform their own compositions, thus sharing their passion closely with the audience.
A small touch of originality: the concert is performed as a sing-along, with the lyrics of the songs displayed on a screen behind the group, allowing the audience to sing along enthusiastically with them.
All this will be at the Théâtre du Port in Nice on July 15, 16, and 17, 2011, at 10:30 PM.
“Penboc’h is more than a name, it’s an essence”
In an interview, Pascal Selou, the founder of the group, recounts the Penboc’h adventure:
NP: How long have you been playing together?
Nico and I are the two pillars of the “Penboc’h” house. We’ve been playing together for 10 years and we’re, so to speak, like an old couple with its habits, little quirks, and at the same time, always this desire to please and surprise each other. Nico is the first person to whom I present my new songs. Like a skittish virgin, I arrive all trembling and from the first chords, I can tell if it will end up in the bin or if it will work.
Our third member is Manu. He joined three years ago, and every week I discover a new facet of his talent. He’s young and knows how to play all the instruments, even those from the ends of the world!
Then there’s Nadine. She just arrived with her accordion. Her instrument is really amazing, both Celtic, Latin, musette… It’s the soul of Penboc’h, we can’t do without it.
We all come from different musical backgrounds. Each of us has brought our expertise, our energy, and our uniqueness. That’s what makes a group original when we can merge all our desires, and everyone gets to enjoy themselves.
NP: How did you choose the group’s name, so atypical? What does it mean?
“Penboc’h” is a Breton word that means “goat head.” It’s the name of a “bled” (sorry, a locality) in Morbihan that refers to a rock shaped like a goat’s head. It’s the place of my childhood. It’s where I used to fish with my father. That’s what songwriting is about, drawing from intimate experiences, our childhood and teenage emotions… In the end, Penboc’h is more than a name, it’s an essence, an identity, it’s our project itself.
NP: How did success come and how did you experience it?
Success is a fantasy for oversized egos. It’s not what we want; we seek the vibration, raw emotion. If our hairs stand on end, if our voices crack, then we know the audience can feel something too.
NP: Any upcoming projects?
Well, first we have our night concerts in Nice, which we greatly enjoy doing. It’s a wonderful moment of conviviality, and it’s not so common to be able to share moments of closeness with the audience.
And then, starting in the fall, we’re embarking on a project to record songs and shoot a video clip.
NP: Do you have a message for our readers?
Come to the theater! That’s where it happens. It’s a magical place where so much happens! Of course, you can follow the group’s news on our website, listen to our albums, but the ultimate sharing is the concert moment.
