Rock en Seine at Domaine de Saint-Cloud is one of the best-located music festivals in Europe. The grounds overlook Paris from the southwest and the contrast between the city skyline and the festival atmosphere is something no other venue near Paris can replicate. I attended three days of the 2025 edition and each day produced a different kind of experience.
The opening day was defined by Kid Cudi headlining after A$AP Rocky cancelled at late notice. The crowd’s response to the cancellation news had been frustrated, and Kid Cudi entering a room with that context required a specific kind of performance capability. His set started quietly and built through the middle section to a finale centered around Pursuit of Happiness that reminded everyone why he matters. I rated the show 8 out of 10.
The second day had Justice headlining, which should have been the show of the festival. Instead, the set produced the most discussed disappointment of the weekend. The music was technically precise and the production design was impressive. But the lack of crowd interaction, the silence between tracks, and the absence of any apparent acknowledgment that they were performing to 30,000 people in their home country produced a disconnected atmosphere. The smaller acts earlier in the day, particularly a Kenyan artist named Kabeaushe, delivered more energy and left a stronger impression.
The third day was Kneecap, the Irish hip-hop trio whose political positions had generated significant controversy before they appeared at the festival. Palestinian flags filled the crowd. Protests occurred inside the festival grounds. Security attempted to restrict certain flags and imagery. Kneecap performed exactly the show you would expect if you know who they are: militant, funny, and completely committed. Fontaines D.C. followed with their own kind of intensity.
I rated Kneecap 10 out of 10. It was the most interesting and most discussed performance of the entire festival and the one I will remember longest from that edition of Rock en Seine.
