La Fête De Marquette: Day one in pictures
This was the 6th year for what has become the biggest music festival in Madison, drawing over 40,000 people over the course of 4 days to help raise money for the Williamson-Marquette neighborhood community center, food pantry and shelter. The festival celebrates Bastille Day (The French National Day or La Fête Nationale is celebrated on July 14 to commemorate the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison fortress in 1789). In keeping with the French theme, artists from various French-speaking parts of the world were in attendance, with some exciting new additions to the format. This was the first year electronic music was featured at the festival! Musique Electronique showcased over 20 DJ’s and turntablists from the mid-west with Montrealers Kid Koala and Poirier (with MC Zulu) headlining Friday and Saturday nights. Judging from the capacity crowds getting down to the beats inside the tent (and outside), Musique Electronique was a big hit and will likely become a mainstay at the Fête. The ‘Danse’ tent was another new addition to the festival and presented Cajun and Contra dancing (including lessons).
Thursday’s lineup featured New Orleaner’s Papa Grows Funk and Niger’s Bombino, one of our favorites from the festival. Hailing from a Tamasheq speaking nomadic Tuareg tribe now settled in Agadez at the edge of the Sahara, Bombino’s guitar playing has been compared to that of John Lee Hooker and Jimi Hendrix. His soaring guitar solos and message of peace have resonated with audiences worldwide and the Madison crowd was no different, dancing up a sweat Thursday night. Meanwhile, back at the ‘Danse’ tent and home to Musique Electronique for the day Nick Nice and Wyatt Agard got things to a start with HypnoAssassin and Samroc wrapping up just in time for the afterparty to kick off at the Inferno. Pat Fait, Stickeefingazz, bTsunami and Moksha (from Iowa) kept the beats going till late! Here are some pictures from Thursday (Day one) at La Fête.
