How Gojira's big Olympics moment shook up the world stage

Okay, I'm a little late to this. But before the year properly wraps up I gotta do a deep dive into one of my favorite things to happen this year and possibly ever:

That death metal performance at the Paris Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony.

Fronted by French metal band Gojira (the Japanese name for Godzilla, pronounced 'goh-JEE-rah') and featuring opera singer Marina Viotti, their French Revolution-themed act was such a jarring contrast to the more mainstream, sparkly performances at the opening from the likes of Lady Gaga and Celine Dion.

Even if you're like me and barely touched the Olympics this year, you couldn't escape those hardcore 3 minutes of 4 rockers playing loudly while strapped to the side of a castle. Towering flames, 'blood' streamers and singing, headless Marie Antoinettes, - ya know, for families!

And look, I know this happened 4 months ago now, and there was A LOT from that opener that's been covered to death now.

But honestly...I never stopped thinking about this performance. As a fan of the band, metal music, history, special effects and stunts, this performance has left a lasting impact on me. And

I think it's worth exploring why this was such a standout performance on several levels.

Screaming for justice

First off, lemme give you some context on Gojira.

Being French isn't their own unique trait as a world-famous metal band. They're known for their messaging, which is quite progressive and often centres around environmental causes.

One of their most popular albums, 'From Mars To Sirius', is a sci-fi concept album about interstellar travel and space whales. The message ultimately boils down to protecting ourselves from the climate crisis.

That's right - they're screaming, shredding guitars and blasting drums on this record. And all just to say 'save the trees' and 'keep our oceans clean!'

Celebrating your country(?)

When your country hosts the Olympics, it's a time of national pride! Most countries bring their brightest moments and greatest achievements to the forefront and put it on show in front of the world.

France for the most part did this, too. But they weren't afraid to recognise some touchy stuff that happened just over 200 years ago.

I won't give the full lowdown on the French Revolution. But what you need to know is that for several reasons, between 1789 and 1799, the general public grew tired of France's monarchy. And they took some drastic actions to snuff it out.

Gojira depicted pieces of this chapter by playing a cover of the revolution-era song 'Ça Ira'. They employed a choir of headless Marie Antionettes dressed in bloody red. And they performed from the side of the Conciergerie, where Antoinette was held before her execution.

While the revolution isn't something to necessarily be proud of, it's nonetheless part of the story of France. As singer Joe Duplainter put it, 'It's French history. It's French charm, you know, beheaded people, red wine, and blood all over the place — it’s romantic, it’s normal.'

Capturing the cultural zeitgeist

Gojira was already well-known in heavy metal circles before the Olympics. But since then, they've become a more familiar name in broader music circles.

The most obvious reason is just how shocking the performance was. It wasn't offensive, but man was it bold! I mean, how often do you hear metal riffs, double-kick drums and see headless queens at the Olympics?!

But something I don't see get talked about too much is the band's choice to portray the French Revolution, especially given the current state of global politics.

I'm gonna do my best to not get too political - as a marketing newsletter, it's really not our forte.

But the general fact is that globally, many political figures have recently gained prominence through hateful campaigns, disinformation and by pushing values that threaten democracies and help normalize autocratic rule.

It's a reality that has millions concerned, most especially those who've studied history and know how things could play out.

Gojira didn't name names, point fingers or encourage violence in their performance. All they did was reference history.

But at the same time, given the band's own politics and the fact they did this while political threats weigh on people's minds, their act comes across as a timely reminder that the more powerful people become, the greater the resistance they'll face.

Gojira were paying homage to their country's bloody history. But they were also aligning themselves with the thoughts and feelings of millions watching them from around the world.

It's made the band's name one to remember. And, after a show like that, their message certainly won't be forgotten either!

-Devin, Copywriter