Gojira drummer Mario Duplantier recently reflected on the spectacular performance of the band at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony as they scripted a monumental moment in the band’s career.
Mario Duplantier opens up on Gojira performance
He summed it up in his Instagram post, calling it a “big step” for the metal community.
“What a tremendous honor to be part of this ambitious and epic ceremony in Paris. I have to admit that headbanging in front of a billion people, hitting as hard as I could in a revolutionary scenery made of fire and blood, was a very gratifying experience! A big step for the metal community as well. Special thx to the coolest @victor_le_masne and @daphneburki”
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A day leading up to Gojira’s fiery and heavy spectacle, French news outlets had only just begun reporting that Gojira was slated to play the opening ceremony among mainstream figures like Lady Gaga, Aya Nakamura, and Celine Dion. The news started creating waves in metal media corners and Gojira became the first metal band to ever perform at the Olympics.
Not much was known outside of the fact that Gojira would be doing a collaborative performance with opera singer Marina Viotti. There was no information of how involved Gojira would be sonically and visually in the performance, and it would be no surprise if Gojira were a shadowed backing band or less in the spotlight.
The band delivered one of the greatest performances to ever grace a global mainstream event. Performing ‘Ah! Ça Ira,’ a revolutionary song from the late 18th century, originally popular during the French Revolution.
Gojira and opera singer Marina Viotti were joined by a plethora of beheaded figures representing Queen Marie Antoinette. Right from the onset, the aesthetics laid out the perfect tone for the rebellious metal mayhem that ensued.
The string of pyrotechnics combined with Gojira’s pinch harmonic squeals and rapid-fire rhythms was nothing short of a spectacle that they produce at their live shows. Opera singer Marina Viotti also performed well with the band, though her performance was fairly short yet sweet in comparison.
Surprisingly much of the spotlight was centered on Gojira for the majority of the performance. It certainly played in the band’s favor the fact they were positioned atop such epic scenery, specifically the Conciergerie — a former prison where nearly 2,800 prisoners including Marie Antoinette were jailed and sentenced before meeting their fate at the guillotine. It was also the residence of French kings during the French Revolution.
