This Friday, the sun finally threads its way through the clouds, just in time for the gates at the Domaine National de Saint-Cloud to swing open. From whimsical pop to the most incandescent rock, the day promises to be rich in sound. And it will fulfill every promise, from the opening amuse-bouche to the grand finale!
Kingfishr, an opening act full of charm
The day begins with the Irish group KINGFISHR and their folk music as delicate as it is effective. Straddling the line between tradition and modernity, the band quickly finds its way into the ears of the earliest festival-goers arriving on site. A very lovely discovery that we can’t wait to amplify on streaming platforms!
Biffy Clyro, Scottish fervor
It took an early arrival to witness the day’s first true spectacle. The Scots BIFFY CLYRO burst onto the stage with all the vigor they’re known for.
The trio presents itself in a broader formation, backed by several musicians, including two violinists. A setup that adds extra richness to a sound that is already notably dense. Between more introspective moments and waves of rhythmic guitars, the group deftly alternates between contrasts and emotions.
A small surprise moment with a few notes of “I Will Always Love You,” an unexpected tribute to Dolly Parton.
Rallied crowds and curious onlookers alike are not mistaken. Every song is welcomed with warmth, the audience giving back the energy it receives. At the center of it all, Simon Neil seems almost transcended by the moment. Charismatic and intensely inhabited, the frontman attempts a few lines in French, to the delight of the crowd.
Wet Leg, far more than a “Chaise Longue”
The British duo has come a long way since “Chaise Longue,” the track that propelled them to the forefront in 2021.
Today, armed with two albums, Rhian Teasdale, Hester Chambers, and their bandmates have plenty to defend their place on big stages. Their music, rhythmic and textured, relies on instantly recognizable riffs and an identity that stands apart from the rest.
We might have wished for more audience interaction, but the essence lies elsewhere: the machine that is WET LEG is operating. Bodies begin to move, heads start bobbing, and when the first notes of “Chaise Longue” echo, a good portion of Saint-Cloud willingly allows itself to be carried away.
Sparks, the gentle madness
For more than fifty years, SPARKS possess a rare talent: the ability to make time stand still during a concert, letting everyday concerns drift away.
Their Rock En Seine appearance is no exception. The whimsical pop-rock of the Mael brothers brings a welcome lightness to a day that is otherwise incredibly intense. Russell, on vocals, sports a flamboyant neon pink suit, fully joining in this atmosphere as absurd as it is delightful. Ron, on keys, in the theatrical role of the nonchalant musician, prolongs this delicious sense of oddity with his legendary composure. Together, the Sparks brothers hardly need more than a few gestures, irresistible melodies, and that unchanged capacity to turn the absurd into true art.
A perfectly calibrated set, drawing smiles from faces and prompting arms to swing in time without hesitation.
The Black Keys, welcome to Ohio
14. The number of albums in the duo’s blues-rock catalog. And the number of years since their last appearance at Rock En Seine. It’s fair to say the reunions were eagerly anticipated.
As soon as they stepped onto the Grande Scène, THE BLACK KEYS were greeted with fervor. The Ohio duo is in fine form, delivering their classics with the confidence of artists who know exactly why the crowd came, as in “Gold On The Ceiling.”
The duo also used the occasion to promote its latest album, Peaches, but it’s obviously the most emblematic tracks that trigger the strongest reactions.
A special mention for their cover of “I Wanna Be Your Dog” by the Stooges, performed in their own style. The iconic riff lifts Saint-Cloud and reminds, if anything was needed, of the unifying power of a few well-placed chords.
And how to cap off this set? It’s hard to beat “Lonely Boy.” A unifying finale, carried by a crowd that is won over, even if the mix is somewhat rough and certain moments feel uneven due to a sometimes inconsistent setlist.
Franz Ferdinand, still irresistible
More talkative than their predecessors, Alex Kapranos of FRANZ FERDINAND takes the time to address the crowd regularly, in impeccable French.
On stage, the show is colorful, vibrant, and propelled by an utterly contagious energy. Very quickly, Franz Ferdinand turns their appearance into a giant collective party. And perhaps the most impressive thing is that the songs haven’t aged a day. From “Take Me Out” to “Love Illumination,” via “The Dark Of The Matinée,” they still hit hard.
They continue to make generations of spectators dance, sing, and jump with the same efficacy. The Scottish group seems to take as much pleasure in performing them as the audience does in hearing them. Without doubt, this is the headlining set of the day, the one that left everyone in agreement from front to back.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, the grand mass
To close this intensely rock-filled day, it’s hard to imagine a ceremony more imposing than the one led by NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS.
This concert marks the end of their tour, and from the first track, “Get Ready for Love,” the Australian artist rejects any distance from his audience. He moves among the crowd, walking among the front rows and taking hands extended toward him. The communion is immediate.
The ensemble, particularly well equipped, unleashes a massive sound, underscored by a fabulous trio of gospel backing vocalists. Yet amid this instrumental richness, it is clearly Nick Cave who draws every gaze. On his knees among the crowd, he then returns to the stage, runs to his piano, and launches into “From Her To Eternity.”
However, he cannot resist the urge to reconnect with his fans for long.
Like a master of ceremonies in front of a crowd that is entirely his, the singer delivers a performance under constant emotional tension. His baritone voice traverses the songs as he delivers almost theatrical performances, each gesture and word inhabited by something beyond the ordinary.
Between rock, blues, and gospel, there is no time for dull moments. The most transcendent songs follow piano ballads in a fascinating balance. Each musician seems propelled by something beyond them, and Warren Ellis’s astonishing violin lines only add to this dizzying sensation.
But perhaps the most striking element remains the silence. The audience listens with almost religious devotion. Even at the far reaches of the site, where attention can waver at a festival, eyes stay fixed on the stage. Nick Cave is not merely giving a concert; he is delivering a rock ’n’ roll grand mass.
Alone at the piano, he closes, after more than two hours of emotional highs and lows, with “Into My Arms.” At sixty-eight, Nick Cave ends this stage marathon with a stamina that leaves the audience more exhausted than he is.
A day to recall Rock En Seine’s DNA
From the folk-sweetness of Kingfishr to the emotional grand rite of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, this Friday, in a 2026 edition focused on rock, offered a superb snapshot of what the genre can offer in its most diverse forms.
