"It's not always just glitter," we slipped behind the scenes at the Nuits Carrées music festival in Antibes.

The artist is alone on stage, but behind him, there is a team of eighty people. We are the people in the shadows ,” emphasizes Tchoul, lighting manager at the Nuits Carrées festival in Antibes.

Until Saturday, festival-goers gather on the Pré-des-Pêcheurs esplanade. But spectators aren't the only ones who gather each summer. Behind the scenes, professionals of all kinds work together to ensure the outdoor festival season runs smoothly.

Little-known figures to the public, but essential to the smooth running of the evenings, these specialists all agree that they form a big family. " Among intermittent performers, we often meet at this type of event. Over the years, I've been able to build great relationships. Today, we work as friends, " says John Pons, stage manager. Some even meet up throughout the summer, attending festivals on the Côte d'Azur.

A festival on a human scale

In a historic setting, it's often difficult to manage the large trucks that come to drop off the artists' equipment. John Pons coordinates the singers' staff and the Antibes teams. " Our role is to set up the stage design. Here, there's only one stage. When a show ends, we have to quickly change the set for the next performance ," he explains. " The set changeover must be done in 15 minutes maximum, otherwise the audience starts to get bored. It requires a lot of hands, energy, and technical expertise ," explains Tchoul.

While the stage set transforms during breaks, everything happens live when it comes to lighting. " Some artists don't have lighting technicians. In those cases, I'm the one in charge. I have to manage on my own. It's not always easy, but I've developed a certain artistic sensibility, so I'm good at improvising ," notes the lighting manager.

The demanding schedules and physical work don't demoralize the technicians. "It's a festival on a human scale, there's a family atmosphere here ," they repeat.

“It’s not always just glitter”

Behind the scenes, there's also the task of welcoming the artists. This isn't limited to the three days of the festival. " I have to take care of booking hotels, managing logistics, scheduling drivers, and setting up dressing rooms. It's a job that begins two months before the festival begins ," says Anaïs Gherardi, who is responsible for welcoming the singers.

Attention to the smallest detail is part of her daily life: " It's not always just glitter, it takes a lot of patience to organize ," she confesses.

A regular at Nuits Carrées, she ensures that the artists are received in the best possible conditions. " If the singers are happy, they'll give the audience a good time too! " assures the manager.

Beyond the music, stalls are present on the esplanade to ensure public entertainment. " We're here to delight people. The festival gives us a lot of visibility, which is good for my business, but the priority remains the public's enjoyment ," says Jeremy Gaggero, manager of Casa Peyrani, a food truck present on site.

The Nuits Carrées festival runs until Saturday, June 14. The lineup includes Soolking, Bakermat, Théodora, and many more.