Gorjira’s performance at the Paris Olympics is now available on streaming services.
In July, they became the first heavy metal band to appear at an Olympic opening ceremony, performing on July 26 alongside experimental opera singer Marina Viotti.
The heavy metallers performed “Ah, Ça Ira!” (meaning “Everything Will Be Fine”), a popular song during the French Revolution, during a segment titled “Liberté” (referring to the famous French motto “Liberté, égalité, fraternité”), which celebrated one of the most famous events in French history, as well as the nation’s emphasis on freedom.
The band has now made the track available on Spotify, Apple Music and more.
During the ceremony, the orchestra appeared on the side of a castle surrounded by flames and flashes of red banners, with Viotti later appearing on a moving propeller boat. Their performance followed a section devoted to Les Misérables and came just after a decapitated Marie Antoinette was shown singing.
The show left viewers wondering whether they had just witnessed “one of the most memorable moments of 2024” or a “freak show.” As reactions poured in on social media, Gojira was forced to respond to accusations that his performance was “satanic.”
Leader Joe Duplantier said Rolling stone:”It’s the history of France. It’s the French charm, you know, people decapitated, red wine and blood everywhere, it’s romantic, it’s normal. There’s nothing satanic about it.”
Despite the controversy, this significantly increased Gojira’s streaming audience, with monthly listeners reaching just under 2.7 million a week after their performance, a growth of almost 50%.
They will now join Trivium and Machine Head as headliners for the 2018 edition of Bloodstock. Gojira will close out the entire festival on Sunday, August 10. “We are thrilled to be playing Bloodstock again next year,” frontman Joe Duplantier said in a statement. “Hold on to your socks, it’s going to be brutal!”
