Corsican fever ignited "Ça c'est le Sud"!

For the third consecutive year, the "Ça c’est le Sud" tour traveled across the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. The event, supported by the Région and François de Canson, vice-president in charge of tourism, gathered over 100,000 spectators across 30 dates.

On stage, the audience applauded a magnificent lineup: the Chœur du Sud conducted by Frank Castellano, Julie Zenatti, and the Corsican trio Bande à Part. On this occasion, the group was celebrating the 15th anniversary of their first cult album, The Foufoune Tour. La Gazette du Var met the famous trio.

The encounter with "Ça c’est le Sud"

"It was the word 'Sud' that spoke to us right away. For us, leaving Corse is always a bit of a wrench... But when the tour manager, François de Canson, presented the project, the towns, and the general spirit to us, we felt it could really work with us, and we said yes."

"We traveled through 30 towns. It was an opportunity to meet a new audience, to expand our reach even further. And the 'Ça c’est le Sud' spirit blended perfectly with ours."

A repertoire blending covers and Corsican songs

"This year marks the 15th anniversary of our first album, The Foufoune Tour. So, we gave a nod to that album with strong tracks like Le Petit Poisson and Manolia Forever. Our set remains mostly composed of covers. That's what sets the mood and speaks to everyone."

"We drew from our five albums with about fifteen tracks over an hour; French and international standards from the 70s to the 2000s, which allows us to reach a very wide audience. And since we were away from Corse for a month and a half, we wanted to include Corsican songs: Ricordu, Libertà. It was important to us."

A stage shared with Julie Zenatti and the Chœur du Sud

"There was the Chœur du Sud with Frank Castellano, and Julie Zenatti. We have already done dates with several artists, but a full tour like this was a first. Each artist has their own specificity. The Chœur du Sud is another universe, another palette. Julie Zenatti has an incredible voice. For the audience, it turned out to be very generous. For us, it was a new experience. A real success."

A long-standing power trio

"We are first and foremost three friends from Ajaccio for over twenty-five years. The group was born in 2009, but our history goes back much further. There is Alexandre, aka Benny Love, the singer and guitarist, the one who carries the voice and the frontal energy of the trio."

"On drums, it's Christian, aka Danny Vargas, the rhythmic engine, the one who provides the impulse and the percussive color of the group. And on bass, Xavier, aka Tuco Toreraz, who brings the groove and the backbone of our arrangements."

"We work like a family: three different personalities, but one and the same desire to share, to make people dance, and to convey this festive atmosphere that defines us. A power trio. The tour went well, it exuded something strong, the audience was there."

No pressure

"We didn't want to put too much pressure on ourselves. We knew it was going to be professional. We have a solid group. We've had the chance to tour in the north, in the south, in Bretagne... We are used to different audiences. And in the end, we quickly feel at ease, because the tracks we play speak to everyone."

A popular and family-oriented audience

"A popular audience. We perform for the general public. We play standards, songs that speak to everyone. When we go up north, to Bretagne, we quickly feel at ease. On this tour, it was the same thing. That's what we love: seeing families, young people, elderly people, all together."

"It was very nice"

"We don't quite realize it yet. But it was very nice. We crossed many towns, it was hot, even very 'show', and the region is beautiful. It was cool."

With its island energy, revisited standards, cult tracks, and a nod to its beginnings, Bande à Part was one of the revelations of this fourth edition of the "Ça c’est le Sud" tour.

Alongside Julie Zenatti and the Chœur du Sud, the Corsican trio undeniably brought extra warmth to an event that celebrates the regions and those who bring them to life.