The Hellfest, a festival dedicated to metal and its currents, “must improve” on the issue of the prevention of sexual violence, recognizes with AFP its boss Ben Barbaud, who set up a first device last year. . This event, which takes place from Thursday June 15 to Sunday June 18 in Clisson – near Nantes – and is sold out with 240,000 spectators expected, refuses on the other hand not to program artists if they have already been condemned by justice, in order to not to “create a kind of second sentence”.
You are programming Johnny Depp this year as guitarist of the Hollywood Vampires, despite the controversy that has surrounded him since the trial which opposed him to his ex-wife Amber Heard on the background of accusations of domestic violence, and Tommy Lee, drummer of Mötley Crüe, sentenced in 1998 for domestic violence against his ex-wife Pamela Anderson…
Ben BARBAUD. – Our line of artistic programming is based on the request that we are made or not of an artist. They are part of world famous bands that attract crowds. I am well aware that some would like us not to program them. But I am neither a judge nor a prosecutor. I do not wish to create a sort of second sentence. Tommy Lee was convicted over 20 years ago.
What if Rammstein, whose singer is accused of sexual assault, asked you to play next year at Hellfest?
There is vigilance to be had. We talk about behavior during concerts. I didn’t hear of anything like this when Rammstein played Hellfest in 2016. If the band were to contact us for next year, which they are not, if complaints were filed, if a investigation is underway, with consistent clues, we will not go. It’s giving me too much importance and skills to expect me to be a prosecutor and a judge. But the safety of festival-goers is my responsibility. Last year, a brigade, Hellwatch, was created to prevent sexual and gender-based violence. We decided to beef it up with 60 people this year. We know it is perfectible. For environmental issues, prevention of sexual and gender-based violence, it is wrong to say that we do not care because we sell our tickets in five minutes. We are aware that we have to improve.
The Hellfest, for its exceptional double edition, consumed 300,000 liters of fuel oil last year…
I was too transparent in saying that. But I didn’t say I didn’t care. I said that, concerning energy, it is difficult for the moment to have technical solutions. But, I insist, we know that manufacturers, manufacturers of generators, are working to find ways for us to, I hope, in the future, organize events with cleaner energy. I don’t claim to be an expert. Maybe it will go through hydrogen, photovoltaics… This year, Hellfest is testing a hydrogen solution on a group and we have committed to a photovoltaic support test next year. 15 years ago, the Hellfest did not do selective sorting; today, we are at 70%. I don’t do “green-washing”, we know that everything is not perfect at Hellfest.
Why does the four-day pass increase by 40 euros to 329 euros this year?
Compared to its size, Hellfest is the least subsidized festival with 40,000 euros out of a 35 million budget. You should know that we are not looking for profit, we reinvest what we earn in scenography, security, public reception for the next edition and we suffer general inflation on energy, the price services from our service providers. The price is not accessible for all, I regret it. But we don’t go over 500 euros unlike other festivals abroad. We operate in a niche but the bands we program also play on supply and demand. There is also a real question of the environmental impact, because artists arrive with an increasingly gigantic production with sets, etc. If the artists slowed down a little on this, maybe we would see lower fees, even if I find it hard to believe.
