Wicked Elephant Revival - Live Release Party w/ friends @La Bière de la Rade (Toulon)
Updated: Sep 27
The Wicked Elephant Revival (WER to their friends) were determined to make this evening not just another “release party” driven by some promotional fad, but a genuine musical and social gathering, a wonderful opportunity to unveil the tracks from their debut album, No Rest for the Wicked, in a wild live performance, as well as to bring together, for the second half of the evening, musicians from all walks of life (including members of other bands, some of whom are also part of WER), who came to jam, some playing Creedence Clearwater Revival (The Clearwater Sons), others playing Ozzy or Aerosmith, to name just a few (The Broken Bones), and finally, Iron Maiden covers bursting with energy (Iron Harlot).
For over 2 hours and 30 minutes in the end, while some people were still trying to get in because the venue was packed (the musicians joked about it, but that ended up being the case for some who arrived too late), the small venue at La Bière de la Rade in Toulon (South France) quickly turned into a sweltering oven. Wicked Elephant Revival delivered a superb performance, weaving together already acclaimed tracks from their album with new, unreleased songs, an opportunity for them to see their audience embrace their music wholeheartedly: their raw, ultra-energetic rock, driven by the charismatic Fabien Gattus on vocals and infused with blues, folk, and progressive elements, immediately took on the caustic and unexpected energy of Led Zeppelin. It was impossible for the audience not to feel that special connection stirring within them that night, a bond uniting music lovers gathered around a humble band with “a heart this big,” yet also professional, a band that turned this evening into a celebration of shared experience rather than just a showy performance.
Through the modern compositions of the magnificent No Rest for the Wicked, which make no secret of their influences, we’ve journeyed through several decades with them, from the unbridled stage energy of the ’70s (Deep Purple would have loved it) to more ’90s-style outbursts (a good chunk of ’80s hard rock flashed through our minds, followed by Axl Rose, Sebastian Bach, and even the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Mr. Big when the band pretended to launch into its “ballad”).
Wicked Elephant Revival - Live 25092026 - (c) Jeff GARNIER for Shakears Magazine - All rights reserved
On stage, energy is everywhere, binding the five band members together, with musical influences that are sometimes very diverse, from rhythms that flirt with heavy metal to Sylvain’s superb solos, Philippe’s subtle yet well-executed flourishes on the keyboards, and Julien’s round, punchy bass, all held together by JP’s drumming, which constantly amps up the energy. On top of that, the unstoppable Fabien gives it his all, reminiscent of Iggy Pop at his very best. This Friday night, the WER managed, without any frills, among friends and enthusiasts, to breathe new life into music in its rawest form of communion and sharing, to make the whole region, which is brimming with talent (many of whom showcased their skills in the second half of the evening), vibrate far beyond the venue, and to inspire hopes for more celebrations like this one.
Broken Bones, Iron Harlot, Clearwater sons & Wicked Elephant Revival - Live 25092026 - (c) Jeff GARNIER for Shakears Magazine - All righhts reserved
Time really flew by between the concerts and the autograph session. Above all, we didn’t see that little smile of happiness coming, the one that lit up our faces as we walked away from the venue into the night, our ears still ringing and our heads full of images, when time suddenly folded in on itself, as the footsteps of a teenager and a father overlapped (“Father and Son”?), one and the same person, the same streets, two eras, the same energy, and that certain something that makes you feel human and alive. Thank you for that, too. Love is all!
If you're reading this from the other side of the world, go get these amazing guys' album right away!
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