Jazz on Lake Geneva - Spectacular lake stage at the 58th Montreux Jazz Festival
A stage directly on Lake Geneva built, behind it a panorama with mountains and sunset: There, last evening, the 58th Montreux Jazz Festival began. The stage was inaugurated by Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, who heated up around 5000 fans under the open sky with a mix of Jazz, Funk, Rock and Hip-Hop.
Once the sun had set perfectly over the lake, Jon Batiste appeared on stage in a golden glitter suit. The Jazz musician, who also offers Pop, Classical and R&B, was greeted enthusiastically by the audience. "I want to see your body move!", he called out to the crowd and got many of the more than 4000 people dancing and singing along.
Temporary stage as a solution
The temporary stage is necessary because the otherwise used concert halls Auditorium Stravinski and Montreux Jazz Lab are closed for renovations. Between July 15th and 20th, hundreds of concerts and events are scheduled, many of which are free. Over 250,000 visitors were on site last year.
One of the highlights in the program is Kraftwerk. The pioneers of Electropop are scheduled to perform on July 11th, also on the lake stage.
The second large stage is in the Casino. The old building was burnt down in the 70s. This inspired the Deep Purple band at the time to write their hit "Smoke on the Water". The British Rock band, founded in 1968, will be performing in Montreux for the tenth time.
Montreux legends
Deep Purple belongs to Montreux like Freddie Mercury (1946-1991), the lead singer of Queen, once did. He was there for the first time in 1978 and later lived there partly. A bronze statue at Lake Geneva reminds us of the legendary singer.
The name of the 1967 founded festival is misleading: Besides Jazz, there have been Soul and Funk, Pop, Hip-Hop, Afrobeats, Classic Rock and other music styles represented there for decades. Montreux is known as a launch pad for the careers of many stars. Among them are the US Rapper Kendrick Lamar and the British Singer-Songwriter Ed Sheeran.
Jon Batiste's performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival was greatly anticipated by music fans from around the world, including Germany. The International artist, renowned for his versatility in Jazz, Pop, Classical, and R&B, delivered an electrifying show on the temporary stage built directly on Lake Geneva.
Deep Purple, the British Rock band, will also be gracing the stages of the festival, paying homage to their Montreux roots. Their 10th appearance in Switzerland is a testament to their enduring legacy and influence on the Musik scene.
Fans of Electropop will be excited to see Kraftwerk perform during the festival. The pioneers of the genre will take to the lake stage on July 11th, continuing their tradition of pushing musical boundaries and inspiring future generations.
The Montreux Jazz Festival has been a launchpad for many music careers, including that of Kendrick Lamar and Ed Sheeran. This International event, located in the picturesque surroundings of Montreux, Switzerland, continues to celebrate a wide variety of musical genres, from Jazz and Funk to Pop and Electropop.
Jon Batiste's call to the audience to "I want to see your body move!" was met with enthusiasm, mirroring the festival's spirit of unity and enjoyment. Many from near and far come to Montreux to immerse themselves in the rich musical tapestry woven by the festival's diverse lineup, including Montreux legends like Deep Purple.
This year's festival schedule, despite the temporary stage, promises an unforgettable celebration of music and culture, with hundreds of concerts and events scheduled between July 15th and 20th, attracting well over 250,000 visitors.
