More about: Montreux Jazz Festival

It’s always strange when something iconic somehow manages to slip under your radar. In its 56th year and having previously hosted performances from Prince, David Bowie, Miles Davis, Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin and more - the history of Montreux Jazz Festival seems to include a definitive list of the most important names in music history. But ask anyone in the street if they’ve heard of it, chances are they’ll say no. 

I hadn’t, and when you start diving into the archives of the Swiss festival, the fact becomes a bit embarrassing as fun facts about the festival pull up more and more huge names and moments. In 1983, Keith Haring designed the poster, in 1986 Andy Warhol had a go before passing the baton onto names like David Bowie and Phil Collins. This year, French multi-disciplinary artist Camille Walala took the lead and I've never been happier to be lugging a giant tube home after three days exploring everything Montreux has to offer.

Extending far beyond the expectations of a jazz festival, Montreux is now a multi-genre, multi-generational, international event. Sticking to the ethos of jazz by spotlighting artists that rebel in some way, pioneering new sounds and leading in their field, the 2022 line up includes Diana Ross, Stormzy, Ashnikko, Måneskin, Björk, A-ha and loads more over the three weeks. Arriving on the 8th and leaving on the 11th, we only got a taster of what it has to offer, with around 70% off the festival being made up of free, open to the public stages, bars, workshops and screenings.

Spending the days swimming in Lake Geneva, tasting all the food the promenade stalls had to offer and soaking in the truly unbelievable views of the alps and hillside Swiss towns, the evenings then come alive with bustling crowds and music. Arranged more like a concert series as the music kicks off every night around 8pm, it's unlike any other festival around but still has a line-up and energy that could rival the best of them while skipping out on the grotty toilets and sweaty tents. 

Instead, the paid tickets give you access to two stunning venues - the Montreux Jazz Lab that hosts the best modern talent, and the iconic Auditorium Stravinski. Only at a festival like Montreux could you ask the crowds to not take drinking into a gig and have everyone oblige, protecting the rich wooden interior of the auditorium like it’s a living piece of festival history - the collective attitude is one of understanding, like an overarching sense of awe and privilege that here we all are, taking part in the 56th year while participants in the newest instalment of the Montreux legacy. 

Getting off the plane, doing a quick change and heading into the festival to catch Dutronc + Dutronc, the emotion was evident immediately. As now 79-year-old Jacques Dutronc took to the stage, flanked by his son Thomas and band, the crowd’s reaction felt similar to what Paul McCartney or Springsteen would receive. The king of the French counter-culture, Dutronc is their equivalent, creating some of the most iconic French songs around. And as they passed the mic between father and son, allowing them to still give the tracks all the energy they deserved, it was evident that Jacques’ legacy is still going strong as the whole crowd danced for him. Barraging towards a finale encore of ‘Les Cactus’ - a track so energising and timeless that The Last Shadow Puppets chose to cover it for their last album - the instant immersion into Swiss crowds, French music and the way nostalgia is sacred here had me in love with the festival from night one. 

Emerging from the venue alongside an older crowd fresh with energy from seeing their old favourite - the main street was packed. With a whole host of free venues from Latin stages, dance tents, indie areas and beyond, why wouldn’t you flock there? Even outside of the iconic venues and without having to pay a penny to attend, Montreux Jazz Festival is an event, bringing people from across the world who simply come for the vibes. 

And Saturday was much the same. Even amongst the early morning swimmers, the anticipation was palpable. Felt all around town as people flocked in by the train-load; Diana Ross was in Montreux and she was playing tonight. Held up to some unrealistic standard, i don’t understand the criticism that Diana Ross so often faces? At 78, the singer still commands her stage. Supported by a huge band and team of talented backing singers, the set was a tour de force of her decade spanning hits from The Supremes classics like ‘Baby Love’ to new album cuts. Including three costume changes, a cameo from her grandkids and so much joy i can’t even describe, who cares if she doesn’t sing every single word? No different to Jacques the night before or the way Ashnikko the following night rely on their backing track, Diana still sounded amazing and proves time and time again just why she has this incredible career.

From the dancing crowd at Diana Ross, we wandered over to the Lakehouse; a new venue for 2022. With a library, cinema, venues and bars, it’s a more chilled out space if you want a more intellectual experience. Hosting jam sessions in the ground floor venue The Memphis, the jazz origins of the festival were alive and well here. As members of the audience took their turn getting up, seeing an international group of musicians fall into a rhythm with total strangers was so inspiring. Making a perfect contract of icons and new talent, moments like this summarised the magic of Montreux Jazz Festival.

For the final day, we swapped over to the Montreux Jazz Lab and into the more contemporary side of things. The energy Ashnikko brought couldn’t have been further from the respectful joy of the previous nights. Packing the lab out with a crowd with an average age of half that of the nights before, Ash bounced onto stage to screams. Playing through her many TikTok hits like ‘Stupid Boy’, ‘Slumber Party’ and ‘Daisies’, the high-octane show was relentless in its energy and vulgarity. The kind of lyrics that make you blush (it’s never heard the word wet said so many times), Ashnikko’s thoroughly modern performance speaks to a whole new era for the festival. Still in-keeping with the attitude of jazz, the programme continues to broaden further and further as its demographic appeal only grows. Its refreshing to see a festival develop like this, moving into the modern world and expanding its horizons without falling into that bucket hat boring lads curse that grips the UK festival scene especially. 

Followed up by Girl In Red, this was the big surprise of my weekend. Despite having a place within the sad girl golden circle, a must-have addition to any somber, angsty playlist, her show had the energy of a full emo production; more MCR than Taylor Swift. Supported by a full band of hand-banging men, throwing themselves around like teens playing in their first rock band, the way her songs develop when played live was fascinating. Ending with a stage dive and a call for the crowd to open up a mosh pit, you’d never expect it. But the surprise was so, so welcome. 

Packing up and heading to the airport, I could've stayed for a week more. It felt like to truly see and experience everything the festival had to offer, you’d need infinite time to dance at every stage, try every food cart, see films and go to talks. And with the beauty of Montrex and the happy atmosphere, I doubt even being there for months on end wouldn’t have been a chore. A place that has been a home for so many musicians and has appeared in many songs and homed so many famous performances - the way that legacy hangs in the air is something else. As the history of the festival continues to be written year on year, it's a place I want to be, slowly watching as more icons take to the auditorium and fresh talent prove why they should eventually make it there too.

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More about: Montreux Jazz Festival