Bernard Lavilliers

Bernard Lavilliers is back on tour and will stop at the Zénith d’Auvergne on March 18, 2027. Born in Saint-Étienne, a former factory worker who became a long‑distance traveler, he has, since the 1970s, forged a body of songs at the crossroads of rock, reggae and Latin American rhythms. His lyrics are rooted in ports, urban nights and social realities, delivered in a deep voice and a frank manner that tell of the road, departures and returns. On stage, Lavilliers favors open arrangements in which brass and percussion converse, and where the rhythm section shifts from Brazilian pulses to Caribbean syncopations. The repertoire spans different periods — from O gringo and État d’urgence to Carnets de bord, and up to the more recent tracks from Clair-obscur — offering a journey between ballads, chronicle-like songs and more driving numbers. It’s an occasion that reaffirms his narrative streak and his taste for musical fusions, carried by a band well‑versed in these rhythmic back-and-forths.