18th edition: Too Much Pressure!

In the United Kingdom, at the end of the 70s, faced with the rise of the racist, nationalist extreme right, a group of activists chose music as their weapon. This was the adventure of “Rock Against Racism”, which, with The Clash at the forefront, was to reconcile the communities of a country in crisis to the sound of punk, rock and reggae rhythms. Among the bands on the bill was The Selecter, led by singer Pauline Black, one of the few female ska singers of the period! Pauline Black, a witness to this era, is one of the many guests at this 18th edition! Too Much Pressure,” she sang in one of her hits! Too much pressure? Let’s talk about it! Since the last edition of Rock This Town, we can’t say that the pressure has really died down! And the Masters Of War of which Dylan spoke are clearly not ready to be buried.

So, what else can a music film festival do in the midst of all this, other than show people’s journeys, recount their struggles and reveal the power that music has had over certain generations, whatever the era? Watching a hundred musical films (and selecting just thirty or so at the end), we discover, we learn, we shake off a few prejudices too. And we understand that, in the end, history is also about notes!

And a festival’s programming can then sketch out a discourse, draw an alternative world, manifest a few convictions. The themes that emerge from this 2025 vintage testify to the possibility of cultural revenge. In England, Argentina, France and the United States, where black American figures have also shaken people’s consciences. Sly And The Family Stone, Prince, Harry Belafonte, Herbie Hancock and the creators of House Music rise from the past to react to current events on our screens!

A good music film? Perhaps it’s the one that hides its game, that proposes, behind the portrait of an artist, or a musical genre, the vision of a society, a world, a struggle, a breakthrough. Judge for yourself! Far from being backward-looking, the 2025 edition is totally in tune with the times! You’ll find a wealth of emotions, eccentric characters, luminous projects and journeys too: diphonic singing in Mongolia, metal rock in Polynesia, rap in Aubrac, Irish hip hop sung in Gaelic, jazz in Congo or Switzerland… No borders, no passport needed for this musical trip to the four corners of the world!

When it comes to legends and cult artists, we’ve got it covered. The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Led Zeppelin, Prince, Talking Heads, Mars Volta, Jimmy Somerville, Blur, At The Drive In, The Cimarons, The Selecter, Erroll Garner, Peaches, The Residents, Genesis P-Orridge, André Minvielle, The Black Keys, Robert Wyatt, Madness… And to sweeten the deal, Eric Satie and Roland de Lassus will also unveil their mysteries.

Rock This Town is 18 years old. Major and inoculated, free and independent, this atypical festival awaits your eyes, your ears, and all your curiosity! Whatever your genre, your tendency, your origin, your age! Too much pressure? Let the party begin!

Xavier Le Falher

Artistic director and festival organisator