Les Méditerranéennes Internationale

Heading the best-known French and world music festival in the south of France for a dozen years, festival director Bernard Batzen is looking to move Les Méditerranéennes up a notch.

Although his 10,000-capacity three-dayer at Leucate already has an international reputation, he’s now looking to grow it by trying to catch exclusive shows from international acts.

"I’d like to have exclusivity for all France when I can, but it’s usually enough to just have the southern part of the country," he told Pollstar after the festival had announced Deus, Sonic Youth, the only French performance from legendary crooner and national icon Charles Aznavour, plus another regional exclusive from Sinemilia, the polticially charged 10-piece reggae band from Grenoble.

Deus and Sonic Youth, for which Les Méditerranéennes will be their only shows in the south, were booked for the festival by Nick Hobbs from Charmenko. Batzen sees the partnership as a key to giving Les Méditerranéennes more of an international platform.

"It’s good to be thought of as the best in the area, but that doesn’t mean we can rest on our laurels," he explained. "We have to move on or soon we won’t be best in the area."

Other acts on the Les Méditerranéennes bill August 6-8 include Phoebee Killdeer, Cesaria, Mademoiselle K, Watcha Klan, Sanseverino, Agnes Bihl, and Grand Corps Malade.