Concert News

One Week To Go | Montreux Jazz Festival 2022

• 24th Jun 2022

The 56th edition of the Montreux Jazz Festival is now one week away, taking place on the Lake Geneva shoreline from July 1^st – July 16^th. The 2022 instalment of the legendary Swiss music festival, aims to build on Montreux’s expansive legacy, highlighting the burgeoning genius of the world’s biggest and most exciting new artists. Gracing the stage this year, for two weeks of unmissable music, artists range from UK Grime flagbearer and 2019 Glastonbury headliner Stormzy to the legendary majesty of Diana Ross.
 
Boasting its most culturally significant line-up to date, the festival will host international household names on its main stages; Auditorium Stravinski and Montreux Jazz Lab, and elsewhere the Free Programme will showcase nascent, rising, and veteran talent across 11 additional stages in the newly introduced Lake House. Headlining the festival’s opening day will be Norwegian synth-pop stalwarts A-Ha, and it will end on the decadent high of festival ambassador Herbie Hancock, making his 30^th appearance in Montreux. This unforgettable experience will not only honour the legacy of the festival but build on its deeply burrowed roots that extend far beyond its spiritual home of Switzerland.
 
Alongside the artists performing in the festival’s iconic venues, festival-goers will be treated to a spectrum of activities, free stages, talks, workshops and film screenings along the famous Lake Geneva waterfront. This brand-new format invites attendees to enjoy a more immersive, all-encompassing experience than ever before, inviting them to the spectacular Lake House, the beating heart of the two-week event.
 
This large three-story residence will play host to eight enthralling rooms, each offering a unique experience, and showcasing a different side of Montreux’s sprawling curation. Open 24 hours a day, the public will be able to wander freely through the many rooms, enjoying musical, visual, educational, and technology-driven experiences. With themed bars and intimate lounges also located on each floor, these premises will act as the command post for all Free Programme activities, with revellers free to embrace the extensive world of Montreux Jazz Festival in this self-contained activity hub. Open non-stop from 5 pm to 5 am, this residence’s room will include American Jazz club The Memphis, night-time hangouts La Coupole and La Loggia, film-screening hub Le Cinéma, La Bibliothèque (Hosting the largest collection of jazz literature in Switzerland), the tech-forward La Galerie and Le Boudoir.
 
In addition to the main stages and Lake House, the Montreux waterfront will be brought to life by 5 extra stages dotted around the site. They will play host to an eclectic array of acts from Portuguese-born Danish songwriter Erika De Casier to the poetically political Poppy Ajudha.
 
Established in 2017, Lisztomania continues its exploration of emerging trends in all styles, and for the Super Bock Stage, Parc Vernex is transformed into a bustling Biergarten with two concerts per evening. Ipanema is a floating, open-air nightclub on the lake, promising late-night DJ sessions from the hottest names in drum and bass. The evolving ibis MUSIC Terrace will host Sam Ryder (of English Eurovision fame) for one of the electro-pop leaning evening performances and double as a laid-back lounge in the afternoon. Latin rhythms and sounds are celebrated every day at El Mundo, from dance classes in the afternoon to wild DJ sets at night, and the Pool Parties are back every Saturday at the mythical Casino pool, with sun-drenched DJ sets. Finally, Audemars Piguet is taking a select few to an exceptional secret location, to attend performances by Arlo Parks and The Blaze. These Parallel Experiences are reserved for the winners of contests organised on social networks and at the Patio during the Festival.
 
Mathieu Jaton, CEO and Montreux Jazz Festival says: “With so many great artists set to play this year, the 56th edition of the Montreux Jazz Festival will be one of our finest yet. For over 50 years, Montreux has created some of the most magical moments in music and we are excited to continue the festival’s legacy”. 
 
With over 500 activities, 2 main stages and 11 additional free stages, Montreux Jazz Festival 2022 promises to be its most immense iteration to date. With its decade-spanning history, the festival continues to innovate and adapt to entertain the masses, regardless of genre. Boasting not only a trove of hand-picked musicians, but also jam sessions, pool parties, silent discos, film and concert screenings, vinyl listening sessions, workshops, podcasts, exhibitions, and dance classes across the festival’s 16 days,
 
For more information on this year’s line-up, the new festival format and so much more, fans can visit www.montreuxjazzfestival.com.
 
Tickets are available here.