Thursday 26th April - Un Singe en Hiver, Calais
HOT RATS TOUR DE FRANCE - TOUR DE FORCE!!!
In July they were back for the Dunkerque maritime festival - Citadelle en Bordees - which last year featured a 1am gig for an hour and a quarter to an enthusiastic audience.
The officials in Dunkerque were pleased with the Rats' performance and they have invited them back this year.
Another favourite gig in France is at the Monkey - Un Singe en Hiver - in Calais.
Another sweltering night of music
as the Hot Rats performed an hour and three quarter set on the
beach stage at Gravelines.
This, following The Hot Rats
great success at Dunkerque's 2001 'La Citadelle en Bordees' festival.
The band enjoyed a terrific three day tour with gigs at
Un Singe en Hiver in Calais, the Theatre Les Insolites and the
famed Epicerie des Dunes in Dunkerque in mid July.
With thousands of people enjoying an evening of music, food and
drinking the night before the Tour de France, Dunkerque was
packed and an audience of thousands danced away till the early
hours (the band came off stage at 2.20am).
They kicked off the evening with a pub style gig at Le Coyote -
a tex Mex resto run by a Chinese couple
THE CITADELLE FESTIVAL AT DUNKERQUE
A one night festival that crams a weekend's entertainment into five hours.
It does seem like a weekend by the end of it. Superbly run, it kicks off with a reception where all the artists are asked to play a couple of numbers acoustically.
The band were accosted by a 92 year old lady selling War Cry for the Salvation Army. Mick bought the French version and Ian the English.
Whether they learn anything from this remains to be seen.
After this all the musicians are taken for a meal where they are given wine, beer and even all their fee in cash BEFORE they play.
One of the disadvantages of drinking and eating and then going to the loo can be that eternal problem that sometimes happens to men.
Trying to get rid of nasty evidence can sometimes mean a struggle with the hot air blower in the loo.
It's also not the sort of thing that you can do without any one else noticing.
Or taking pictures.
NEWS & REVIEWS
- ENCORE IN FRANCE!!!!!
Last June, The Hot Rats
continuing success in Northern France saw the band as one of
the headliners for the nation wide Fete de la Musique.
More French fans bopping the
night away.
This shot was taken at 1.20am towards the end of the Rats' second set.
Swerve, an excellent blues type duo, supported the Hot Rats with some excellent musicianship through a great sounding PA.
Monkey Business
Another riotous night in Calais with an English contingent of
Rats' fans joining in the fun. 
THE DEVIL HAS ALL THE BEST TUNES
This gig last April was
number 666 for the Rats.
Another Gallic victory to add to the Monkey in
Winter in Calais!!!
Back at the Rats' favourite Dunkerque
venue, Le Dyck on an 'in and out shuttle' trip
a full house chomped and
clapped their way through a marathon performance hosted by the
one and only Dede who played drums in the second set.
NEXT GIGS IN FRANCE
see above!!
THEATRE LES INSOLITES
The Rats are regulars at this venue..
It is a venue which puts on superb diverse cabaret acts from
all over France.
It's run by Emmanuel Valloy, a Rats' fans and a brilliant
French Impressionist who plays venues in Paris and looks
destined for stardom..
T
he theatre's patron is Juliette Greco.
Two nights at the Theatre Les Insolites in
Gravelines last year saw the usual Gallic enthusiasm.
The second night was for a private party of 40 French
politicians plus Rats' fans Pete & Anne Spratt who travelled
from England for the gig.
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