L'Boulevard Festival: A Celebration of Urban and Alternative Music
The 24th edition of the L'Boulevard Festival is set to take place from September 17 to 20 at the R.U.C. stadium in Casablanca, reaffirming its identity as a grand, free celebration of urban and alternative music. True to its mission of nurturing new talent, this year's event will kick off with the renowned Tremplin competition, showcasing fifteen selected groups from the best emerging artists in Morocco.
These talented performers hail from cities such as Casablanca, Kénitra, Rabat, Berkane, Oujda, Ahfir, Agadir, Salé, and Settat, embodying the vibrant artistic energy of their respective regions. The competition lineup features seven rap and hip-hop groups including Funk Clan, BrownY Original, Koga, Yuzy, Shinohidden, Strong & Qweta, and Dgueulasse Gold. Additionally, four fusion bands, namely Arinass, Oxor, Ighouliden Band, and Metrotune, along with four representatives from the rock and metal genres, Anora, Darih, Lixivia, and 2min Away, will also showcase their talents. To further support young creators, the EAC-L'Boulevard association has increased the prize money for the Tremplin competition, offering 15,000 dirhams for the first prize and 10,000 dirhams for the runner-up.
Exciting Line-Up and Performances
The festival will feature an exciting lineup of performances over its four-day run. The opening day, Thursday, will celebrate the dominance of hip-hop with the highly anticipated return of Casablanca rapper Dizzy DROS, supported by emerging artists Figoshin and Bo9al, along with the technical prowess of DJ Fly on the decks. Friday will shift the focus to fusion and popular sounds, featuring performances by the rising star Rita Nattah, the afro-psychedelic group Bab L’Bluz, artist Issam Kamal, and the band Mazagan, which is making a comeback to the festival for the first time since 2008.
Saturday promises to be an electrifying day dedicated to rock and metal, highlighted by a historic performance from Brazilian legend Sepultura, as part of their global farewell tour, "Celebrating Life Through Death." This concert marks a significant return for the band, sixteen years after their memorable show in Casablanca in 2010. The stage will also host the French black metal band Sotherion, Casablanca locals Suicide Machine, winners of the Tremplin in 2015, and the Franco-Moroccan hip-hop/punk/ska project Mycose Of You, featuring Samados.
On the closing day, Sunday, the festival will celebrate contemporary creation and world music, beginning with performances from the six Tremplin winners. The evening will continue with the dub residency of Zentone, an artistic collaboration between High Tone and Zenzile, the orientalist rock of the Franco-Syrian band Sarāb, and the Congolese quintet Kin’Gongolo Kiniata, known for crafting their own instruments from recycled materials. To wrap up this final day, electronic performances by Omar Oka and Aziz Konkrite, who will present his audiovisual project "Casa Lover," will provide a fitting conclusion to the festival.
Through this diverse programming, co-founders Hicham Bahou and Mohammed Merhari, also known as Momo, highlight the realities of a rapidly evolving sector. Bahou notes the rise of rap as a direct form of popular expression, facilitated by increased mobility and lightweight logistics compared to the financial constraints faced by larger bands of six to eight musicians. "We critically lack small venues and regional stages to allow artists to perform regularly and learn the discipline of live performances, instead of relying on the easier option of playback," he stated in an interview with Le360.
Meanwhile, Merhari reminds us of the pragmatic philosophy that maintains the festival's agility, operating without rigid long-term planning but instead relying on an international trust network that enables the presentation of prestigious lineups to the Moroccan public at no cost.
As reported by fr.le360.ma.
