Folk Clubs (EN)

Animated Musical Lectures

A journey through cultures,
A dive into the roots of popular music!

Folk Clubs is born from the desire to tell the story of popular music differently.

Through a series of animated musical lecture-performances, Tommy Laszlo (visual artist) and Thomas Guiral (musician) invite you on a journey through time and space. Using a device that combines live music, video projection, and archival manipulation, Folk Clubs explores the origins of popular music and its deeply human histories.

An immersion into the heart of musical narratives

Popular songs are much more than melodies: they tell stories of immigration, travel, doubts, and the hopes of those who sing them. Through their words, “small stories” illuminate “Big History”—the history of migrations, cultural blending, and the echoes of our societies, past and present.

A mobile and interactive show

Inspired by tales of migration, cross-cultural mixing, and travel, Tommy and Thomas take us on a musical journey where archives, objects, and audiovisual creations merge to bring eras, styles, and instruments back to life. Each musical lecture becomes a suspended moment, where history and emotion intertwine.

Thanks to a lightweight and nomadic approach, Folk Clubs can inhabit various spaces: media libraries, schools, cultural venues, or even outdoor events. This versatile format is equally suited to standalone lectures or as a “curtain raiser” for concerts and musical events.

Why Folk Clubs?

• Historical and cultural immersion: understand how styles like country, tango, or blues find their roots in migrations and cultural crossroads.
• Universal human stories: As witnesses to journeys and exile, popular songs reveal the richness of cultural blending worldwide. Through them, feel the echoes of lost loves, dreams of elsewhere, or the struggles of peoples in exile.
• A dialogue between past and present: discover how ancient music continues to influence contemporary creations.
• A multisensory experience: Video, live music, and object manipulation combine for a playful and sensitive experience.
• An accessible and adaptable format: Whether in media libraries, theaters, or cultural events, Folk Clubs adapts to all audiences and venues.

Cultural Outreach

Beyond the shows, Folk Clubs offers opportunities for participatory workshops for all ages:

• Introduction to folk music and its instruments.
• Intergenerational song-writing workshops.
• In-depth programs to explore the roots and evolutions of popular music.

A unique collaboration

The project is led by La Bande Passante (Metz), specialized in documentary object theater, and La Mécanique des Airs (Nantes), which explores the interdisciplinarity between music and visual arts. Together, they push the boundaries of stage creation by highlighting memory and archives.

Cast and Production

• Authors / Performers: Tommy Laszlo, Thomas Guiral
• Production: cie La Bande Passante & La Mécanique des Airs
• Duration: from 30 min to 1 hour depending on the project and theme
• Premiere: (1st format) January 2025

Want to know more or host Folk Clubs?
📧 Contact us at: artistique@ciebandepassante.fr