It’s been a wild ride for our two artists this weekend. Three gigs in three days, on three different and well apart locations. But the success they received and the warmth of the audience have made up for the challenge.

Les Ardentes festival 9, 10, 11, 12 July 2009 in Liege

John & Jehn started by enflaming the stage of the Ardentes Festival on Saturday, playing in front of thousands in the belgium city of Liege. Les Ardentes is a really famous festival in Europe with many big artists coming every year. For this edition, Madcon, Gossip or Supergrass were among the long list of artists playing at the festival.

Here are a few pictures of the gig:

John & Jehn at Les Ardentes festival in Liege, 11 July 2009 (Credit: Pure FM La Radio on Flickr)

John amazed the public with his guitar skills and dance moves (Credit: Pure FM La Radio on Flickr)

...while Jehn made yet an other fashion statement in this gorgeous red and black fitted dress(Credit: Pure FM La Radio on Flickr)

Musilac Festival 10, 11, 12 July 2009 in Aix-les-Bains

John & Jehn then headed towards Aix-Les- Bains (South East France) to play at the festival Musilac among many international artists such as Keziah Jones, Duffy, Franz Ferdinand and the Kooks.

People were very excited to meet with the “prodigies who cleverly mixes inspirations from Joy Division, The Velvet Underground and The Fall,” said the Musilac website.

The band proved to match the public’s expectations and rocked the stage. They connected with their audience and once again made everyone dance!

The Francofolies in La Rochelle from 10 to 14 July 2009

But the weekend isn’t finished yet! The band is due to play at 9pm tonight at the Francofolies festival in La Rochelle (North West France) alongside Yodelice and Cocoon.

The French festival drew an mystical and captivating portrait of the band:

” Who hides behind this new gem of black pop-art? The answer is: two Js, John and Jehn (Nicolas Conge and Camille Berthomier). Our ears stays stunned by so much darkness and melancholic sadness, mixed with pure energy and a real charisma. The result is amazing and you easily get carried away by a sensation of enthusiasm, tinged with a refreshing emotion…

Even though it is French, this couple sings in English and offers us a singular and bicephalous universe. Londoners are already seduced by this duo not so well known in France. John & Jehn will offer you a moment of venomous pleasure made of a deliciously bewitching music…”

Filled with all these prays, John & Jehn know they can only give their best tonight. Don’t miss it!

John & Jehn played on the Cesar Circus stage in Solidays last weekend (Credit: L'Ousse de Lilie)

The performed a one hour show in front of thousands of festival-goers (Credit: Davidouss on Flickr)

Solidays has been a great experience for our French duo. The summer heat was hitting hard on the festival-goers’ heads, but it didn’t take long for John & Jehn to spread a wave of fresh air under the Cesar Circus tent and play some of their best songs.

Thousands of people came to the concert, many of them singing along the band’s songs! Solidays gathers around 150,000 people over 3 days every year, which is a great opportunity for John & Jehn to play alongside many famous artists such as Manu Chao, Ayo, Metronomy and all for a good cause: the fight against AIDS.

John & Jehn surprised the crowds by their energy on stage (Credit: L'Ousse de Lilie)

Most of the audience didn’t know what to expect from John & Jehn’s gig: some tranquil folk ballade, a bit of rock music. They all sat on the floor waiting for the concert to start. Little did they knew that the music would make them stand and dance! They were very surprised to see that the band was in fact rocking the stage and putting loads of energy in their music.

Here is a testimony of Davidou (blogger for La Vie de Lilie):

” I was expecting a cosy set, tranquil and intimate. I was totally wrong. The set was indeed intimate but far from ‘tranquil and cosy’. From the first notes, John & Jehn showed us that we mustn’t remain sited but well stand up and dancing! The couple puts energy and passion into their music and make the audience participate.

It was early afternoon, the weather was really hot, but the complicity between the two artists woke the audience up. Jehn gave everything with her pink shoes and her mischievous look. John, as for him, set the stage on fire!

It was a really good concert, a moment a shared complicity…”

If you also went to the gig and want to give your impressions, don’t hesitate to leave a comment!

“John & Jehn were impressive. He turns his back on the public, she plays piano and hide behind her fringe but the experience is enjoyable and well balanced” (Fletoquart)

“Brilliant gig, their music is amazing! Can’t wait to see them again..” (Julie, member of the audience)

Here are a few pictures taken by Pirlouiiiit on Flickr:

The gorgeous Jehn enlightened the stage last Sunday

John & Jehn rocked the stage of the French Institute's cinema in London

The band gave one of their best performance

The band definitely didn’t let the crowds indifferent, making them dance and sing along their songs!

After this London success, the band is now heading back to France for they Sunday gig at the famous festival Solidays in Paris. The event gathers more than 150,000 people every year, it is one of the major music festivals in France. Organised by Solidarite Sida, a French association against AIDS, the festival tries to raise awareness about STD and invite great artists to join in.

“The fact that John & Jehn will be performing at Solidays on Sunday (2pm) is a proof of their support to the cause, which the association is really grateful for” (Francois, organisation team for Solidays)

JOHN & JEHN will be playing at Solidays on Sunday 28 June 2009 at 2pm

“ John & Jehn’s music is amazingly intense: on stage, the duo don’t cheat, they get into their music, communicate with passion and leave the public gaping. John has glacial eyes and moves like an epileptic Elvis. As for Jehn, she charms and dances with grace on every melody.” (Culture-en-limousin.fr)

“ John & Jehn is today recognised as one of the most promising independent rock band. This duo on stage as well as in life, caught the “trendy” gene, everything they do is incredibly a la mode (hip). We are totally seduced, so will you.” (La Nef)

The band’s journey across France is far from over and the next date of their tour is 20 June with Les Folies Festival in Maubeuge, northern France.

But to celebrate the Fete de La Musique, the duo is coming back to their country of adoption. They will be performing at Exhibition Road Music Day festival on Sunday 21 June at 9pm.

The concert is FREE and will take place at the French Institute in South Kensington (click here for more directions).

They will perform at the FNAC of Limoge on Wednesday 17 June and FNAC of Bordeaux on Thursday 18 June.

The praises for their music keep on flowing in the French media which describe John & Jehn as “ an incredible folk music band to check out urgently” (La Voix du Nord).

The next stop for our “hell of a duo” will be Les Folies festival in Maubeuge on Saturday 20 June, where they will be opening for Cocoon, one famous French band of the moment.

There’s no denying it, John & Jehn have a promising future ahead. People are often amazed to see how the band can change folk music and inject some darkness into it. But the mysticism John & Jehn put into their music is not a spoiler, they make it sound incredible and create a completely new genre.

The wind is calm in France and the sun is hot, there’s never been a better time to go to festivals and enjoy real good music. So let’s see you all at Les Folies festival in Maubeuge this weekend!

All of our Soundpad boys are playing two gigs today, that’s 8 gigs…. in one day and a lot of hard work so you better go buy the album.

Well thank goodness Universal are still making money, picking up Music Week Awards left right and centre, doesn’t that make you feel good? Fuckers.

On the upside Rough Trade are keeping it real with some INSTORE music performances. So get yourselves a wristband at the Rough Trade East at 6pm on Tuesday (21st April) and an hour later you will be able to witness an intimate performance with John & Jehn, who will be promoting their new single the old fashioned way, by performing it!  You could also do a bit of CD shopping while your there, amalgamating your live and recorded musical interests….sounds like a something the industry should look into.

FMM