L’Olympia: hier, aujourd’hui, demain

With its iconic neon red sign and consistently excellent concert schedule, the Olympia is no doubt one of Paris’s most iconic and best loved music halls. And yet, to this day, its long and illustrious history has never really been properly told. Lucky, then, that from April 27 to June 15, concert-goers and passing music fans can drop into an exhibit that traces the cavernous concert hall’s fascinating backstory through rare photos, video footage and various other historical paraphernalia. Expect eye-opening anecdotes and surprising revelations, as well as stories and photos of some of the greatest stars ever to have performed on the Olympia’s stage (everyone from Edith Piaf and David Bowie to Ray Charles and the Beatles). Defying the disconcerting number of recent venue closures across the French capital, the exhibit – which is divided into three chronological sections, ‘yesterday’, ‘today’ and ‘tomorrow’ – hints at a thoroughly prosperous future ahead.

TRANSLATION: MARIA THOMAS