Christian Marc Gendron brings Trilogie to the Capitole in a fast-moving musical ride
Christian Marc Gendron opened his new show, Trilogie, at the Capitole de Québec on Thursday evening in a first of three performances. The singer, composer, and performer delivered an eclectic mix of medleys, imitations, and original songs before a near-capacity crowd. He framed the night as a wide-ranging journey through the many ideas moving through his head.
Christian Marc Gendron sets the tone with Trilogie
From the start, Christian Marc Gendron made clear that Trilogie was built to move in several directions at once. The show pulled together songs tied to Ray Charles, boogie-woogie, country, Elton John, and Billy Joel, while also weaving in Quebec artist imitations, Gino Vannelli, WOW by André Gagnon, and three of his own songs. The result was a program that aimed for range rather than restraint.
He opened with The Greatest Show from the film The Greatest Showman, then quickly shifted into medleys after a rebounding version of WOW by André Gagnon. During his opening remarks, Christian Marc Gendron told the audience, “We promise you a very eclectic evening because there is a lot happening in my head. ” The performance followed that promise closely.
A full band, family touches, and a rich stage sound
The production at the Capitole featured nine musicians under the direction of guitarist Simon Godin, along with a drummer, bassist, three brass players, two backing singers, and his partner, Manon Séguin, on vocals. The sound was described as rich, well-balanced, and strong in quality. His daughter Kara also appeared briefly during the night, adding a family touch that was warm but did not change the shape of the show.
The audience was close to the venue’s maximum capacity and was made up largely of people in their fifties, sixties, and older. It took a little time for the crowd to loosen up, but the show gained momentum as Christian Marc Gendron moved through the set.
Christian Marc Gendron leans on imitations and big vocal moments
One of the night’s most talked-about features was Christian Marc Gendron’s use of imitations. He performed Ordinaire through the voices of Robert Charlebois, Éric Lapointe, and Mario Pelchat. He also took on Garou’s Belle, a successful Serge Fiori, a Claude Dubois song, and another by Pierre Lapointe. The variety gave the evening a restless pace and kept the focus on his range as a performer.
The presence of Manon Séguin and the two backing singers brought added vocal depth, while bassist Frédéric Beauséjour stood out for the power of his voice. One of the strongest musical moments came with I Just Wanna Stop, Christian Marc Gendron’s version of the Gino Vannelli song. He called Vannelli one of the greatest musical geniuses in Quebec, and said, “I had never done it before, but now I think I have the band to do it. ”
What comes next for Trilogie
Christian Marc Gendron closed the evening with Piano Bar, which shifted into Piano Man as a tribute to his mentor Billy Joel. In encore, he sang My Way in homage to Rodger Brulotte, a song they had performed together in the past. Christian Marc Gendron returns to the Capitole on Friday and Saturday night, with additional dates set for October 9 and 10. For now, Trilogie is playing as a broad, crowded, and highly active snapshot of what Christian Marc Gendron can do when he gives himself room to move.
