THE BAND
When one mentions Dario Mars, it's not your typical rock band. It's a captivating musical journey, a sensory experience that delves into and transcends eras and genres.
At the heart of this adventure lies the partnership of two complementary talents. First, Renaud Mayeur, the band’s leader, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist (known for his work with Hulk, La Muerte, and Triggerfinger). His rock experience is enriched by a significant contribution to the film industry, collaborating with directors such as Bouli Lanners, Olivier Masset Depasse, and Mathieu Donck. Renaud was also honored with the "Magrittes 2013" award for "Best Original Music" for François Pirot's "Mobile Home." On the other hand, there is David Kostman (Hulk, King Child), a versatile multi-instrumentalist, classically trained musician, and brilliant arranger whose talent transcends genres. Together, they've worked on film soundtracks, including Olivier Masset Depasse's "Duelles", and founded several bands, including the resounding "Dario Mars and the Guillotines".
This lineup has released two highly acclaimed albums: "Black Soul" (2014 / Ván Records) and "The Last Soap Bubble Crash" (2017 / Ván Records / Granvia). These albums were marked by fiery performances on various symbolic stages across the Benelux, including the Dour Festival, Ronquières Festival, Scumbash Festival, Roadburn Festival, and iconic venues such as Paradiso, Melkweg, Poppodium 013, Willem Twee, den Atelier, Trix, Botanique...
It was with the album "Flesh" (2019 / PIAS / Granvia) that the Dario Mars project reinvented itself, exploring a predominantly instrumental path influenced by 60s and 70s genre cinema, easy listening, and psychedelic rock.
The year 2023 marked the arrival of new talents within the band: Leila Alev on keyboards (The Von Dead, Atome, The Banging Souls, Doria D), a classically trained pianist passionate about sound exploration, and Olivier Justin on drums (The Semitones, Yel, PHC, Cloé du Trèfle), a multi-instrumentalist combining musicality and finesse.
Mauvais sang
Despite the challenges posed by the global pandemic in 2020, the band embarked on composing and recording a new album. Although its release was delayed several times, two preliminary excerpts are already available:
"Trust Me" (2022), a predominantly instrumental and sensual work, was created in collaboration with the Héliotrope string quartet, paying vibrant homage to François de Roubaix and the Gainsbourg of "Melody Nelson."
"Je Suis Le Feu" (2023): A disquieting journey into the heart of a twilight Western Spaghetti imaginary, elevated by the enchanting voice and interpretation of Jean-Jacques Burnel, founding member of The Stranglers, whose enthusiasm led him to lend his voice to this track.
The full album, titled "Mauvais Sang," is slated for release in 2024 (Kuroneko / PIAS / Granvia).
L’étrange couleur de Dario Mars
With the directors' enthusiasm, "L’Étrange Couleur de Dario Mars" was born—an enchanting spectacle with a strange beauty that stirs the senses of the audience.