c'est magnifique

Allow me to define magnificence.

Is there anything better than a truly magical live performance? One that resonates through your entire body and keeps you smiling the entire time? What about one that has you constantly trying to stop the tears of joy that keep springing to your eyes?

Well, that's how last night's performance of Baby et Lulu affected me.

You know I'm a Francophile. Anyone who has more than a cursory glance at this blog knows how deep my love for France is. And I have plenty of French CDs in my collection. But to hear beautiful songs sung in French up close-and-personal? Wow.

Once again credit for this discovery goes to Twitter where there was a conversation about a band Baby et Lulu. I quickly went to check them out online and found out that Abby Dobson, she of the amazing voice from Leonardo's Bride made up half of the duo.

Sold.

Lara Goodridge, a violinist and singer harmonises beautifully with the haunting majestic of Abby's voice. And then there's the band. A lovely bunch of blokes playing guitar, keyboards, double bass, flute, saxophone and, naturellement, the piano accordion.

With tunes ranging from Piaf, to Camille to Gainsburg to Bridget Bardot I was enchanted from the opening bars to the closing. And when Abby Dobson sang the Leonardo's Bride classic Only When I'm Sleeping IN FRENCH - mon dieu, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven.
Go check them out here and buy the album if you're a Francophile like me. And if you have the chance to see them live please do. They're playing at the Byron Blues Fest later this year, and a festival in the Blue Mountains next Month.

If you're anything like me you'll go home singing. And keep that song in your heart well into the following days.

French word of the day: heureux (err- ro) - happy.