Cassius to perform for the first time since death of Philippe Zdar at Paralympics closing ceremony

Seminal French house act, Cassius, will perform for the first time since the tragic death of member, one half of the duo, Philippe ‘Zdar’ Cerboneschi in 2019.

Taking to the stage for the Paris Paralympics closing ceremony, surviving member Hubert ‘Boombass’ Blanc-Francard will play a one-off set in memory of his dear friend and co-producer.

Pioneers of French Touch, a brand of house music that originated in France in the late 1990s, Cassius have not played live or produced any music for five years – until now.

Read this next: RIP Philippe Zdar: The energising force behind decades of beloved music

A host of other huge names from the French electronic music scene are also set to feature to mark the end of the Paralympic games, including Jean-Michel Jarre, Anetha, Busy P, Chloé Caillet and Kiddy Smile for an evening that spotlights and celebrates the scene.

The three-hour ‘electro party’ will take place on September 8 at the Stade de France, after the athletes' parade and the passing of the flag from Paris to Los Angeles.

Read this next: The best of Philippe Zdar: 10 essential productions

Philippe Zdar sadly passed away after accidentally falling through the window of a building in Paris, sparking a wave of tributes from peers including Mark Ronson, who described him as a “a true, true legend” and The Blessed Madonna, who called him “a visionary and tectonic force who shaped the geography of modern dance music”.

At their height, Cassius worked alongside fellow beloved musicians, including Phoenix, Serge Gainsbourg, One Republic, MC Solaar, Hot Chip, The Rapture and Franz Ferdinand. Their first studio album, ‘1999’, was pivotal to the French Touch movement, influencing many subsequent electronic producers. The duo’s final album, ‘Dreems’ was released just two days after Zdar died.

At the closing ceremony for the 2024 Paris Olympics on August 11, electronic duo Justice featured nearly 18 minutes of music while the track ‘Nightcall’ by French producer Kavinsky became the “most Shazamed song in a single day” after it was played at the event. Daft Punk declined an invitation to perform.

Meena Sears is Mixmag's Digital Intern, follow her on Instagram