Saint-Denis-d'Oléron: Biouve returns on Fridays

On Friday, July 4th, the Biouve bar, located near the Plage des Huttes, kicked off its Friday night DJ set. The crowd turned out in force for the occasion.

Starting at 6 p.m., Matt-K and John I Kidd, the bar's two DJs, set up and prepare the speakers and lights for the evening. Erwan Lafitte, one of the bar's managers, has already taken care of the event's communications. The entire team is ready to welcome the public. "Fridays at La Biouve are a whole organization. We've been working on it since spring," he explains.

For this new season, new artists will be performing behind the bar's decks. However, Erwan Lafitte wants to maintain the soul of the program: "We're still sticking to the reggae, dub, and electro trend. It's what we like and what defines our identity."

Like every year, big names such as Dub Machinist and Youthstar will be added to the lineup for the nine summer evenings. Mathis, a 21-year-old seasonal worker, makes no secret of his eagerness to see them perform: "We usually come with colleagues after work, and given this year's lineup, we're not likely to be disappointed." The icing on the cake: admission is free.

Erwan Lafitte, anxious not to project a bad image of the party, agrees not to disturb the neighborhood. "We do what is necessary to not disturb anyone, we stop the music at midnight." He adds that he is dependent on the direction of the wind: "if it's southwest, the neighbors risk being disturbed." Matt-K, annoyed by the situation, explains that it is difficult to turn down the volume while he is mixing: "when the audience wants it, we can make exceptions and push it for an extra hour."

"It's not difficult to describe: barefoot on the sand in front of a sunset, listening to music. The setting is heavenly," explains Matt-K, for whom mixing on this site is a privilege. "The bay in front of us is the most beautiful place on the island." The 200 to 300 people who come every Friday wouldn't disagree. "The setting is exceptional, we come for that too," admits Mathis.

"There's a really positive energy emanating from the place," Erwan Lafitte proudly admits. "Artists ask us to come back even if it means being paid less. They fall in love with the place." Matt-K emphasizes the closeness the audience has with the musicians. "It's important for us to offer people a unique musical experience. They come back every week." Mathis, who has become a regular at the bar over the years, can't see himself partying anywhere other than La Biouve on a Friday night.

Until August 9, he'll have the opportunity to come and enjoy the bar's setting and the artists who come to mix. Erwan emphasizes the importance of having an audience that remains loyal but always respectful. We have two types of audience: vacationers and seasonal workers. We prefer that everyone gets along as well as possible and that everyone feels comfortable. For Matt-K, the only concern is the weather, but so far, it's been mild on Friday nights. "Knock on wood," he jokes.