by ywannish
The partnership Rock Classic and Les Soirées Cerises is continuously bringing as much live music as possible in Brussels city’s night life. This Saturday, two French young and very talented bands went on the small but alive stage at 55 Rue du Marché au Charbon.
New Age of a French Stone
It might take a few attempts to get their name right (New Stone of a French Age?) as it’s too evocative towards Queens of the Stone Age, but once you hear them live, you’ll make no mistake again.
New Age of a French Stone is a duo from France crystallized in a brave project of approaching stoner rock with only two instruments: guitar, managed exquisitely by Kilian Costa, and drums, handled skillfully by Joakim Poitevin. I guess it’s rare enough to find a three-piece band that can deliver a loud and stirring sound (unless it’s most probably about punk music), so it’s even more admirable to find this in a power duo like New Age of a French Stone as to not need a fat bass sound while you solo requires a lot of hard work and training and lots of imagination and skills.
The guitar has a great stoner sound and a remarkable combination of clever slower tempos with modern stoner metal clarity. The drums combine steady rhythmic patterns with consistent drumming and cymbals rides.
No need for bass as glue to bind the two band members, the bond is there and it allows them to go back and forth through a repertoire from grunge punk songs to parts with high technical ends. They did a very ingenious cover of ‘Come Together’ that sounded like none I’ve heard before. The technical skills, pulse and energy came with great stage presence and fine vocals which emphasize the amount of passion put into the music. They were requested to come back for an encore and they did, prolonging a bit more the dynamism that happened on stage during the show.
Golden Gasoline
The young and enthusiastic audience in Rock Classic made a very nice ambiance. It was the anniversary of the New Age of a French Stone’s drummer (Happy B-Day, Joakim) and the two bands knew each other so everything seemed like a cool party for an album showcase. And in a way it might as well have been, as Golden Gasoline have a new album and the concert in Brussels was the last date of their first tour to promote it.
Golden Gasoline comes from Bordeaux, sing in English and have Ekaterina Fretier on vocals, Arthur Fretier on guitars and David Peiffer on drums. They play loud but also show plenty of musical sensitivity. Their stoner rock riffs and groovy vocals keep the vibe soulful while the group moves along at a rocking pace. The drums do a awesome job at both carrying out and enriching the rhythm. 
If there was any hesitation left that Ekaterina Fretier has an amazing voice, it was definitely dissipated the moment they did the Portishead cover of the “Glory Box’.
Their interaction with the audience is great, being honest, funny, telling stories about the songs and showing warmth authenticity. An interview with the band members and more about their genuine passion for music and the joy of playing together can be found here (in French).
I have to say, it’s very nice to see young bands that do not base their inspiration on recycling the alternative music of late 90s but use retro-inspired territories to bring something de très original.
MORE INFO
New Age of a French Stone
Golden Gasoline
Soirées Cerises
- Website
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Rock Classic Bar
MORE PHOTOS
Golden Gasoline and New Age of a French Stone @Rock Classic, Brussels BE – 29 April 2017
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