An Aylmer band stands out
Daniel Lacasse
When most bands require 10 years before coming to maturity, a local musical review gave that level of success to Disco Fever Experience in less than five years. When the Bulletin asked the founder and drummer of the band, Sylvain Mercier, to explain this phenomenon, he attributed the success to the craze baby-boomers have for that time period.
“It was a social era where people would go out to live their wildest dreams. The fans of this fashionable style would spare no effort to prepare for hours: they’d style their hair, get dressed and would literally go all out to look their best. We’ll also remember that in the mid-70’s, young folks needed to free themselves from the established precepts and older traditions where they felt limited. This era favoured new values by offering people new opportunities to express themselves freely and allowed them to be who they really were,” explained Mercier.
What the Disco Fever Experience offers is not a simple show; it’s literally a time travel experience where the adept of this style can relive an era of freedom that evokes so many memories and feelings. The musical review has accumulated successes by the quality of its presentations, offered by a group of professional artists and musicians who share the same passion. Moreover, the common denominator among the artists is that they are all talented entertainers in their own ways. Each song, each medley, each dance step, each costume, each special effect has been carefully crafted and rehearsed. The costume changes are also an integral part of the show, to give to each medley an authenticity, while winking at the original creator of the song.
It goes without saying that a show of the magnitude of that of the Disco Fever Experience couldn’t take place without the precious collaboration of its technical team. “We rarely have less than ten specialists, technicians and stage assistants, who ensure the success of each show” adds the band leader with pride. “It’s similar to a team of mechanics and engineers who ensure the peak performance of the mechanical components of a race car,” said Mercier.
An Aylmer resident and ex-racing car driver himself, Sylvain Mercier possesses a valuable quality: he knows how to surround himself with the right people to ensure the success of his projects. “As for any business owner, it is of paramount importance to surround yourself with a diversified team of specialists who have the capacity to rise up to challenges with gusto, to propose innovative solutions and ideas, to contribute to the projects’ success,” said Mercier with great respect.
In the last two years alone, the Disco Fever Experience presented shows in festivals throughout Quebec, and have broken attendance records, playing to crowds up to 15,000 crazed spectators. The reputation they enjoy also attracted well-known stars who are thrilled to participate in their shows, like Nancy Martinez, who will be onstage with the band January 30th at Salle Odyssée in Gatineau. At the time of this publication, there is only a handful of tickets left and the show will probably play to a sold-out crowd, once again. But if time travel is of interest to you, get your tickets… now! http://www.maisondelaculture.ca/Salle-Odyssee/spectacles/chanson/
