Paris (AFP)

The big summer festivals cut the sound, and what next? The Solidays ticket office remains open in solidarity at the request of festival-goers, the Printemps de Bourges becomes digital, while the Hellfest goes off in arms with its insurer.

Solidays is not a festival like any other. It is used to finance the Solidarité Sida association, support in 2019 for 108 patient assistance projects carried out by nearly 80 partner structures in 22 countries. The cancellation of the 2020 edition (June 19-21) means 3 million euros less for these programs.

Luc Barruet, founding director of the festival and the association, is working to persuade public and private partners to maintain subsidies and support, and had also asked that ticket holders do not request reimbursement.

"But two or three festival-goers told me and + why not leave the ticket office open to help? +, Tells AFP Luc Barruet. I said + it's a joke? +. I talked about it around me, did a survey on social networks. With positive feedback. We did it, and Tuesday evening, 200 new tickets were sold! "

"They're crazy," laughs the boss of Solidarité Sida. "It tells a great story, this period has the merit of bringing us back to basics, reminds us that the priority is the human". The ticket office remains open until April 30.

In May, Solidays will set up a reimbursement system for those who want it.

- "Creations, covers, texts, fantasies" -

Le Printemps de Bourges was one of the first to have to cancel due to the health crisis. But a digital version will hold well on the initial dates (April 21-26) with "creations, covers, texts, fantasies" proposed in particular by the artists originally programmed, as explained to AFP Boris Vedel, director of festival. Part of the poster will be unveiled on Thursday April 16, all Monday April 20.

"It is a reaction to an edition that was stolen from us, continues the manager. And then, we must not forget that 70% of the artists scheduled are emerging, this festival is an essential platform for their development, and it is what matters to us. " Boris Vedel is counting on "a hundred contributions" for this "Imaginary Spring".

The coming days for Hellfest, dedicated to the metal scene and initially scheduled from June 19 to 21 in Loire-Atlantique, are more down to earth.

The festival and its insurer compete on the terms of the contract which binds them since the cancellation. "It will force me to go to litigation, to generate costs, when we will already have trouble getting up from a blank year since this festival is our only activity", enrage with AFP Ben Barbaud, boss from Hellfest.

- Cagnotte for the Nantes University Hospital -

At the head of a budget "beyond 22 million euros" and "22 permanent employees", this bearded tattooed up to the knuckles already estimates the "dry losses at more than 2 million euros".

The only clearing in the sky is the success of the online prize pool set up by Hellfest to support CHU de Nantes on the front line against the Covid-19. The first goal of 66,666 euros - a nod to the number 666, the evil aura played by fans and groups of metal or hard rock - has already been reached in 48 hours, the festival having donated 20,000 euros (sum paid each year for the intervention of emergency doctors on Hellfest).

"It's a great generosity, it will allow me to make a first payment to the CHU, welcomes Ben Barbaud. We will leave it open until May 11 (possible date of deconfinement) and maybe we can pass the 100,000 euro mark ".

What to break the stereotypes associated with the metal fan? "Yes, it is a very marked public, which has a bad image, and there, it is the occasion to present it from a different angle", dissects Ben Barbaud.

© 2020 AFP