Twelve years later, Les Souvenirs de Nestor returned to the Condom International Bandas Festival (Gers), on May 9 and 10, where they had already made their first appearance in 2014.
What a return! For two days, the city lived to the rhythm of percussion, brass instruments and chants played at the top of their lungs. Thirty-seven bands from France, Spain, Mexico and Belgium made the streets of Gers vibrate in front of more than 50,000 festivalgoers. A colorful, joyful human tide, rustling like a great popular wave where every street corner became a stage.
In the midst of this happy tumult, the Nestors rediscovered this sensation: that of playing in an immense collective breath. “Très intense mais un régal!”they slide again, delighted with the weekend. Because in Condom, music is not just about listening; it is shared, it is sung, it is grabbed by the shoulders.
A humorous call
And this year, one piece in particular found its way to the voices of festival-goers: “L’Aveyron gâillonn©”, a composition signed by their leader Zachary. A tune born on the Rouergate lands, which became a festive refrain in the heart of the Gers. Very quickly, the words circulated from mouth to mouth. But every major festival leaves behind an anecdote; this time, it was Nestor himself who vanished into thin air.
Installed in the heart of the festival, attached to a tree like a guardian of the celebrations, he was to reunite with his family at the end of the weekend.
But some festayres decided otherwise. Since then, Nestor has disappeared into the wild. The musicians therefore launch a humorous appeal: the new owner is invited to give news and send some photos to prove that Nestor is well treated. Here now, rehearsals have already resumed and in less than three weeks, the thirteenth Bandas d’Espalion festival will bring together eight groups and announce the arrival of summer.
Somewhere, between two rehearsals, there is still a bit of Condom hanging on the instruments of Souvenirs of Nestor…
