[Report] Ex:Re at the Café de la Danse: cathartic and heartbreaking

Almost six years to the day after her arrival at the Café de la Danse with her Daughter companions, Elena Tonra is back with Ex:Re, her ephemeral and poignant solo project. "I'm very happy to be here, I love this room," she confided at the outset, in front of a small handful of spectators, establishing a pleasant intimacy for this last of the three European dates. By choosing to start the concert on "My Heart", the final title of the album, the singer both sober and brilliant with a thousand lights opens us -literally- her heart from the first notes. Accompanied by three musicians, her touching and sublime voice is perfectly grafted to the raw arrangements of Ex:Re. If the lyrics are incredibly sad and broken, the concert takes place in a much more joyful and dancing atmosphere. The live here succeeds in giving power to songs such as "I Can't Keep You" or "Crushing". We catch ourselves dancing, instead of crying. The many technical hiccups will be an opportunity to take a few moments of break while conviviality, demonstrating all the humorous delicacy of Elena Tonra. From a musical point of view, we will remember in particular the extraordinary drumming of Fabian Prynn, leaving everyone speechless, without counting on the grandiose finale "Romance" and its background techno beat, on which the singer invites us to dance even more. Immediately said, immediately done. But do not panic, for those who came here for the emotion of the record, the cello and the keyboard come to subtly bring it on the touching "5AM", "The Dazzler" or the heartbreaking "Too Sad". After an hour of concert, the band disappears to return after a few seconds to perform "Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime" by The Korgis. Like a moral lesson to learn from every moment of life, this rhythmic recovery perfectly concludes this cathartic experience of unparalleled intensity.

Setlist:

My Heart Where The Time Went Crushing I Can't Keep You New York The Dazzler Too Sad Liar 5AM Romance

Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime