France 3 Pays de la Loire offers you “Behind the scenes of hell”. A 26-minute documentary on the 4 dantesque days of the 2023 edition of the Hellfest festival. The biggest music festival in France, and above all one of the most important extreme music festivals in Europe.
What if hell had its paradise?
In Clisson, a quiet city in the Nantes vineyards, located in the Pays de la Loire, since 2006, hundreds of thousands of festival-goers have come to drink in the frenzied rhythms.
They love sound, noise, beer and fury.
Hellfest is a 4-day musical marathon where 180 music groups from all over the world perform.
The numbers are daunting:
35 million euros 5,000 volunteers 600 technicians 60,000 festival-goers per day
Festival-goers, organizers and musicians came together to experience the great mass of metal.
Welcome to Hellfest • © France3 Pays de la Loire
Among the crowd, our film crews followed Olivier Garnier, 57, the festival’s press officer.
What would Hellfest be without Olivier?
Olivier is the keeper of the agendas, the high priest of the organization. A man in a hurry, who for four days takes care of welcoming the media, organizing press conferences, driving the artists to their dressing rooms. He supervises a team of about 15 people, including Elodie Sawicz, one of his loyal collaborators. “We welcome people from all over the world here, even from Australia, and more and more from South America as well. The profiles? Generalist or specialized journalists, photographers, artists, labels, group press officers.”
“Olivier is someone who teaches me a lot. He is very strategic in his way of approaching things. He is also someone with whom we laugh a lot. Given our busy schedule, we also need to have a form of complicity. We are a good team!”
His adventure at Hellfest started in 2008. It was Ben Barbaud, the creator of the festival, who approached him when the event started to grow.
video duration: 00h01mn00s
Documentary excerpt “Behind the scenes of hell” • ©France3 Pays de la Loire
This Parisian is at the head of a company in charge of press relations, specializing in metal, rock and blues music, Replica Promotion. He is used to managing the promotion of Anglo-Saxon artists in particular. His major asset: his perfect English and his detailed and in-depth knowledge of musical groups.
Hellfest professional, he is also passionate.
Before, you had to go get the media, now there are even too many sometimes
Olivier Garnier
family festival
During these 4 days of immersion, we also followed regulars, enthusiasts for whom Hellfest has a particular flavor. For the PAMMM family Philippe, the father, Anne-Marie the mother, Mathilde the eldest daughter and Mélanie the youngest, Hellfest is an opportunity for family reunions. They come from Châteauroux in the Centre-Val de Loire region.
Mathilde, 30, and Mélanie, 27, are having their 4th Hellfest. Their parents live the adventure alongside them for the second time. With excitement. And curiosity.
“I was brought up with Johnny and Eddy Mitchell, so when the girls got interested in metal music, I started listening, and it’s beautiful music when you listen well and then the atmosphere around it and the play of light, it’s great!” Anne-Marie gives herself up.
It’s a great discovery, we like it as they say!
The couple are sporty and trail lover, an asset according to them to go the distance over the 4 days.
“It’s a 4-day marathon, despite the sun and the heat, we manage to manage” says the young retiree.
The Beguin family, metal in their skin • © France3 Pays de la Loire
The PAMMMs take advantage of these four days as a week of vacation at the Hellfest campsite. Days punctuated by aperitifs (essential) between neighbors in tents, and concerts. Sleep, food, budget are exceptionally “no limit”. A single desire, to have fun by going to see the groups of which they are fans.
Among their essentials, Kiss, Iron Maiden, Arch Enemy, Mötley Crüe, and Slipknot among others.
Kiss in concert at Hellfest 2023 • © France3 Pays de la Loire
But the event that will have marked their stay in hell: the slam, which consists of jumping and letting yourself be carried by the crowd, while lying down.
A challenge taken up hands down by father and daughter, Mathilde and Philippe, during the Arch Enemy concert. Strong emotions guaranteed.
Mathilde, accustomed to slam and very organized, confides to us her method barely out of the crowd: “You have to choose the right moment, trust, hold your back well, cross your hands and wait for it to pass. It was great! “
For Philippe, it was a first. A success. “We are like a feather, great feeling, I can’t wait to do it again”, exclaims the fifty-year-old.
Mathilde Béguin accustomed to slam at Hellfest • © France3 Pays de la Loire
1st Hellfest on stage
They had dreamed of it, Hellfest did it… The young metal band Akiavel from the PACA region has won the Grail. Performing on the Festival Temple stage. They accepted that we follow their first step on stage.
The group learned the news only 15 days before the opening. The Ukrainian group 1914 having been forced to cancel at the last moment due to the war in their country of origin, the lucky Akiavel saw themselves propelled to the front of the stage. A news that they welcomed with emotion and excitement.
Akiavel on his way to his first concert at Hellfest • © France3 Pays de la Loire
“The feeling is indescribable, I wish it to all groups who make music and who aim to step onto the festival stage. It’s a feeling of happiness and accomplishment”confides Chris, the creator and guitarist of the group.
Hellfest is the French festival that every metal band wants to do. The visibility is huge.
Chris, guitarist of Akiavel
Akiavel is composed of a guitarist, a bassist, a drummer and a singer Auré. Being a woman in metal is not so commonplace. A role and a place that the young singer, professional life assistant, fully assumes in the group: “I don’t think we’re metalheads by chance, we have a pretty crazy open-mindedness”.
Women are starting to be much more present at metal events. It is a very good thing. They bring the feminine touch you need. I think we are not too many”says Auré.
More than 500 spectators attended their concert on Friday, the second day of the festival. The fallout was not long in coming. After their concert, the group was able to meet labels and obtain dates in various French festivals.
Magic of Hellfest, the festival will have been, in addition to having been their first on stage, an opportunity to spend time there and to see a mythical group in their eyes, Motley crue.
“I had a blast, I’ve been waiting to see them for 35 years! Now I can die. Thank you Hellfest!”, smiled Jay, the band’s bassist.
The Akiavel group during their concert at Hellfest 2023 • © France3 Pays de la Loire
After the energizing concert of the Americans of Slipknot, on one of the two main stages, Hellfest 2023 spat its last notes in the middle of the flames.
2024 already has dates written in letters of fire. The festival will take place from June 27 to 30.
Olivier already has a few names of musicians and bands in mind.
In the audience excited murmurs: “It smells like ACDC is coming!”
Akiavel has stars in his eyes. Chris the guitarist confides, enthusiastic and dreamy: “In two years, we’ll be back playing but on the mainstage this time!”
As for the PAMMM family, it’s time to take stock, like after a long week of vacation.
Mélanie does not hide her emotion: “I have no words to describe what we experienced during these 4 days, it’s indescribable.
Philippe can’t wait to get back there: “It’s been 4 days of meetings, sharing, thank you to the volunteers for their welcome and their kindness. Tonight, the circle is complete. One thing is certain, next year, we’ll be back and we’ll be back slamming!”
Devil’s horns, the sign of metalheads at Hellfest • © France3 Pays de la Loire
Hellfest 2023 can close its doors.
The 2024 edition promises to be full of surprises and new heavenly encounters…In hell.
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