This is what I’d like to see happen for the 50th anniversary of Oxygene. I doubt any of this will happen, but doesn’t stop me dreaming
City In Concert – Not a tour, but instead, for one last time, a one night only spectacular in Place de la Concorde, back where it all started. Revisit the venue from 1979 but using all the latest technology. See the opening ceremony for the 2024 Paris Paralympics as an example for how that civic space can be transformed using the latest audiovisual and staging techniques. This is a landmark album in French recording history, and the city authorities should close the streets for this important anniversary. He wants a band on stage with him, and some special guests too. Track list heavily skewed towards fresh, up-tempo version of Oxygene and Equinoxe, and few other classics. But please, nothing from the Electronica era – just won’t fit and we’re bored of it now.
Street In Concert – Before JMJ takes to the stage in Place de la Concorde, he does a mini street performance, using just an Eminent, a VCS3 and a Korg Minipops on the street out the apartment on Rue de la Trémoille where he composed Oxygene in the summer of 1976. Think of the mini concert at Tiananmen Square as a precedent for this. This concert will sound like Prelude on Oxygene, Live in Your Living Room – in effect a warm-up for the main Place de la Concorde show. Instead of a motorcycle sidecar, this time he can be taken from Rue de la Trémoille to Place de la Concorde in an open top Renault.
Oxygene Infinity – An app for iPhone and Android, a bit like EōN but this app just includes Oxygene-like sounds, those white noise swooshes and mini-pops to allow the users to experience non-stop new versions.
Oxygene @ 50 – A reissue of the Oxygene Trilogy, with sound levels corrected, and a new Dolby Atmos continuous mix. Also, bonus track – Oxygene Part 21. This is a 21 minute, ambient piece – think WFC, Bridge From The Future – but very much using the tones and textures of Oxygene.
Oxygene Works – Similar to Oxymore Works, or Odyssey Through O2, a remix album of various of the twenty Oxygene movements.
Merchandise – High quality art prints of the Michel Granger’s original, 7-13 and 3 cover art. Also, a limited edition 3-D printed skull/globe sculpture.
Documentary – A one hour TV special, inc. interviews with Michel Granger, Michel Geiss, Charlotte Rampling and more who were around at the time. Including archive news articles and press from across Europe around the time Oxygene became a big hit in 1976-77. Also featuring interviews with young, contemporary musicians who cite Oxygene as an inspiration. This film included as a bonus disc with Oxygene @ 50 release.
Photobook – Released later in the year, including images from the two anniversary concerts, and behind the scenes archive images from the 1970s. A lovely contrast of hi-res digital colour photos from 2026 with the black and white film photos from 1976. Think of the hardbook souvenir photo books from PLD, EIC and more recently Bratislava.
