Saturday has been announced as the hottest day in Switzerland since 2003, the year the massive heatwave struck Europe. Paléo was no exception, as people walked around under the blistering sun. The high temperatures pushed people to take off their t-shirts, and exhibit sweaty torsos, while some ingenious girls had swapped T shirts for a bikini top. Coming through the main entrance, one of the voluntary workers sprayed water above the crowd, freshening the festival-goers. Next to the fountain (which is used as an emergency cooling unit by some!), a fine mist was also vaporised into the air, much to the pleasure of the people gathering under it.
The temperature rose under the Dôme, where the Tambours du Burundi displayed impressive agility and strength, as well as an impeccable sense of rhythm. Mixing rhythm with balancing skills, they played with their (pretty heavy) drums on their heads, striking up at them, and dancing around on stage, making people’s feet itch and yearn to dance.
I went back to the Ruche to watch Mlle Orchestra- enjoying it just as much as I did the first time round. If you haven't had the chance to see them, don't miss them as they tour the grounds or play at the Ruche at 20:45. It's also the last moment to check the Filharmonic Von Strass, performing at 21:45.
As BB Brunes were playing on the main stage, and (let's be honest) they're not really what I'm into, I thought I would go and check out the free animations going on at the Pl'Asse. Swing, Shoes & Lipstick, a feminine tap-dancing quintet were doing a tap-dance demo and teaching those brave enough to come on stage to tap. Several different shows take place everyday at the Pl'Asse, ending with a Dj set. Today, you can see Mlle Orchestra, learn to customize your clothes, and dance the Charleston and the Lindy Hop. Check the timetable here.
Saturday's main concert was obviously Blur, and the crowd gathered in front of the main stage to watch Damon Albarn play all the hits from the 90's. Although sceptical at first, I was quickly charmed by the energy of the band. Albarn played with the public a lot, climbing on to the barrier for a whole song, high-fiving people and donning a hat someone threw at him. He also commented on someone wearing an Oasis t-shirt (remember the terrible feud that went on back at the time between Blur and Oasis, leading up to Noel Gallagher wishing them AIDS, but which definitively ended in March when they all played for charity together at the Royal Albert Hall), saying it was a good try at pissing him off, but didn't work any more. The band rocked and riffed along their greatest hits, the crowd moving to the music with gusto, for an incredible concert that made the audience go through a range of emotions, which is what the magic of music is all about!
This is the last moment to go and discover Birdland, HES-SO's project. Made of pine logs planted without any concrete into the ground, Birdland delves into the question of freedom in a world where technology keeps us connected all the time. Do we feel any safer with more and more cameras watching our every step (in London, you will be filmed an average of 300 times a day!), does being connected to internet all the time make us freer? You can also taste some delicious cordials and learn about hobos and their secret sign language (there's still around 20 thousand hobos living in the States). But the most interesting part of Birdland is probably the hut where you can try and win a small glass of champagne, from some really interesting wine-makers by shooting a cork at a cage to free the birds.
If you want to watch a concert again, some of them are available on the Paléo website, along with great photos taken over the week. Storms and heavy rain have been announced for tonight(as it started, so it ends!), but Paléo has announced that all the security measures have been taken to ensure the best possible experience for festivalgoers, and the fireworks should still take place. So don't forget your rain-jackets, and if you happen to be camping, make sure your tent is well pitched down to prevent it from blowing away.