L'Orage

Originating in Italy's mountainous Aosta Valley, the folk-rock outfit L'Orage takes its title from a Georges Brassens composition. Singer/songwriter Alberto Visconti teamed with brothers Rémy and Vincent Boniface to launch the project in 2009. Their approach fuses longstanding folk traditions, classic rock foundations, and canzone d'autore in the vein of Fabrizio De André and Brassens himself. The debut album Come una Festa appeared in 2010. Strong regional support soon translated into broader national notice through touring and folk festival slots. In 2012 the group claimed first prize at the Musicultura festival for the song "Queste Ferite Sono Verdi" and issued its second album, La Bella Estate. The following year L'Orage backed its idol, Roman songwriter Francesco De Gregori, in a special concert; De Gregori repaid the gesture by performing the band's "La Teoria del Veggente," which surfaced later on the third album L'Età dell'Oro. Distributed by a major label for the first time, L'Età dell'Oro also became the group's initial entry in the Italian Top 20. After rejoining De Gregori for a 2015 show at Verona Arena, L'Orage delivered the album Macchina del Tempo.