Bastille Day provides a reason to return for a pop-up show to fill the Allison Transmission slot— hardly enough time for all those French language pop songs — from the indispensable Plastic Bertrand to Edith Piaf; to Petula Clark doing the Kinks in French; to anthems extolling Paris from Joni Mitchell, Jonathan Richman and Morrissey.
French stars like Maurice Chevalier and Django Reinhardt were included, but none more than Serge Gainsbourg, whether joined by Brigitte Bardot or covered by Feist or former French First Lady Carla Bruni.
On a darker note, one Gainsbourg song had lyrics from one murderer (Bonnie Parker), and the whole French National Day salute ended with the voice of someone else convicted of negligent homicide (Claudine Longet).
But there was a nine-song set sampling just some of the rock songs played on by drummer Jim Gordon, born this day in 1945, but convicted of murdering his mother in 1983 and who died in jail last month. The other birthday noted was for the ever influential Woody Guthrie, born this day 111 years ago.
Here’s the link to the whole show; the setlist follows.