Rock'n'Rural

Punk invades the Bourbonnais countryside

In the peaceful town of Jaligny-sur-Besbre, in the heart of the Bourbonnais bocage, a festival dares to resonate with the rawest and freest chords of the French and international punk scene. Rock'n'Rural, self-proclaimed “the fest of PUNK & GRRRLS,” was born in 2017 from the desire of the association LiberTERRE, based in Chavroches, to energize the deep countryside of the Allier through independent and alternative music.

A festival committed to parity and diversity

Rock'n'Rural's uniqueness lies in its firm commitment to the representation of women in punk music. Each edition features 10 bands over 2 days, with at least 7 including one or more female musicians in their ranks. This programming choice, claimed and assumed, makes Rock'n'Rural a unique event in the French festival landscape, where gender parity on stage remains too rare.

The festival explores all shades of punk: from melodic punk pop to the most visceral hardcore punk, including post-punk, riot grrrl, and folk punk. In 2023, upon its return to Jaligny-sur-Besbre after a five-year absence, the festival hosted Brigada Flores Magon, The Eternal Youth, Krav Boca, Monde de Merde, Plastic Age, Ambre (a slam-rock band from Vichy), Pathfinder, Brain Zero, Fuck It, and Fire Blossom. For its 5th edition in 2025, the festival has pulled out all the stops with Burning Heads, legends of French punk rock, The Decline!, Nagual X, and Working Class Zero.

An intimate format and a DIY spirit

Rock'n'Rural champions an intimate, human-scale format, with a capacity limited to 300 tickets per night. Held at the Espace de la Bertranne, a socio-cultural venue in Jaligny-sur-Besbre, the festival takes place indoors, creating exceptional proximity between the audience and the artists. The DIY (Do It Yourself) spirit permeates every aspect of the organization: the LiberTERRE association, driven by independent music enthusiasts, handles all production with modest means but boundless energy.

Ticket prices remain intentionally accessible — 18 euros per night or 30 euros for a two-day pass — reflecting the desire to make live culture affordable for everyone, especially in a rural area where alternative cultural offerings are scarce.

From Chavroches to Jaligny: the adventure continues

After a first edition in Chavroches in 2017 and several years of interruption, Rock'n'Rural has found new momentum in Jaligny-sur-Besbre. The LiberTERRE association, whose mission is to “energize the deep countryside of the Allier” and “promote alternative and independent arts in rural areas,” continues to organize this event that has become essential for the punk scene in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and beyond.