(Raffaella Mezzanzanica)
The 56th edition of the Montreux Jazz Festival started on July 1st, after two years of silence due to the lockdown. People coming to Montreux can enjoy live music to the full with more than 500 concerts and activities across 13 stages, reflecting the sheer diversity of the Festival line-up.
This is a review of the first five days of the festival, whose aim is to celebrate music without no discrimination and no judgement. The Montreux Jazz Festival is a joyful place where violence, hate, racism, xenophobia, sexism, homophobia or transphobia are absolutely banned.
The first thing to highlight is that, despite the two years of forced silence caused by the pandemic, the time seems to have stopped in Montreux on July 13, 2019 when Quincy Jones closed the 53rd edition at the Auditorium Stravinski. It was an incredible celebration with Quincy Jones performing with the Sinfonietta of Lausanne and many other artists (Jon Batiste, Ibrahim Maalouf, Jonah Nilsson and others) taking the audience back in time in a show called “Soundtrack of the ‘80s”.
Two years later, the Festival is back like it used to be. At the waterfront, people are immediately captured by the music and the atmosphere coming from the festival’s many venues, terraces, stands and bars located by the lake. Here emerging artists are in the spotlight on the free stages more than ever. In addition, a major new feature of this year’s event is the Lake House, which invites the public to take a unique journey into the world of the Montreux Jazz Festival.
But let’s have a look of what happened during the first five days.
Day 1 – a-ha and the never ending ‘80s
Photo: © FFJM 2022 – 41A9200 RGB
On July 1st, Mathieu Jaton, CEO of the Festival, took the stage of the Auditorium Stravinski to officially open the 56th edition and welcome the people at the venue. “I feel good!” These are his first words and this is the feeling all the people are sharing with him. Then, he introduces a-ha, performing at the festival for the first time ever.
The audience is extremely diversified but, of course, the great majority is composed of women who have matured a deep relationship with the band during the years and have been listening to their music since they were teenagers.
A-ha played all their most important successes from the ‘80s, even adding some songs taken from their upcoming album (True North which is going to be published in Autumn). The first part of the concert ends with The Living Daylights, the theme song from the 1987 James Bond film of the same name. Then, for the encore, they played their most famous tracks: The Sun Always Shines On T.V., I’ve Been Losing You and, of course, Take On Me.
What a great way to start the festival!
Day 2 – Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds set the Auditorium Stravinski on fire
On the second night everyone is really eager to see Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds returning to play at Auditorium Stravinski (a particular note: it was the first concert to be sold out as soon as tickets went on sale back in April). It is their second time at the Festival and their first time here has probably represented one fo the greatest performances in the history of the festival.
There are people in the audience who came back after seeing them performing in 2018. They know they have to be in the front row because they know that Nick Cave does not want any space, any holes to separate him from people attending the concert.
One person in the audience screams: “You are a living legend”. And yes, this is definitely what Nick Cave embodies. Because, no matter if you are one of his biggest fans or how many times you have seen him live, what you will face is not a concert but a real “experience”, something that will change you. But for those who thought they would attend a “copy” of the previous concert at the Stravinski well, their beliefs are completely turned upside down as soon as the band comes onstage. What the audience gets is a full “rock ’n’ roll” experience. The concert starts with Get Ready for Love, There She Goes, My Beautiful World and one of the band classics From Her to Eternity. As mentioned, there is no space between the stage and the audience. This means people in the front row have the possibility to interact with him.
After these three songs, Cave sits at the piano and play O Children, a beautiful song featured in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 which becomes like a gospel song in this particular occasion.
The setlist includes also other classic songs like Jubilee, Tupelo, Red Right Hand and Higgs Bosom Blues.
For the encore the band plays Into My Arms, Vortex and Ghosteen Speaks.
When Nick Cave takes the stage it is always a “one of a kind” experience.
Day 3 – Björk Orchestral w/Sinfonietta de Lausanne: the combination of the two
Photo: © FFJM 2022 – Santiago Felipe
Björk is the artist scheduled to play on the third night of festival. She returns to Montreux 24 years after her first visit and there are many people waiting for her. Some of them got kind of annoyed after learning that the artist requested not to take pictures and that not even official photographers would be allowed in the Auditorium (the audience is informed that official pictures of the show will be available on the artist’s official web page). But there is more. She also asked for the two screens placed at the side of the stage to be switched off during the whole performance.
The Auditorium Stravinski is sold out. As soon as she comes on stage accompanied by the Sinfonietta of Lausanne, the room is already very hot. After a few songs Björk has to stop performing and she has to ask the security to help a person in the front row who is not feeling well.
The concert goes on at a real slow pace and this forces some people to go outside for some fresh air.
Needless to say that it is too bad for an artist which has been acclaimed for forging new paths in pop music, exerting a lasting influence also on electronic music.
However, the combination with the orchestra is definitely successful and it is great to see artists of the most diverse music genres playing along with the Sinfonietta of Lausanne.
Day 4 – John Legend brings his good vibrations
John Legend lights up the fourth night at the Auditorium Stravinski. There are eight musicians on stage with him, together with three female background vocalists. During his performance, the artist takes the time to tell the audience about his life and about his family. He grew up in a house where all the family members where devoted to the church and to the music. His grandmother used to play the organ, his grandfather was a pastor, his mother was the director of the church choir, and his father played drums and also sang in the choir. Havin been exposed to music since an early age, it has been natural for him to become a singer.
He started his professional career collaborating with Lauryn Hill. In fact, while he was still a teenager he had the chance to play the piano on the song Everything is Everything taken from The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill and for this reason his friends nicknamed him “Track 13” (the song is the 13th track on the album). From there, he has collaborated with many other artists: Kanye West, Alicia Keys, the Black Eyed Peas, Jay Z and others.
He got really emotional while remembering and thanking her grandmother. He dedicates a beautiful rendition of Bridge Over Troubled Water to her.
But he takes time also to let the audience dance. What a voice and what a presence on stage he has!
The concert ends with one of the most acclaimed songs, All of Me, a very special way to close his performance.
A special mention to Yola (picture above), who was the first act, opening before John Legend. Even if the audience was there for him, as soon as she starts singing everybody is speechless, listening to her incredible voice. For those who already knew her, they might have found a change in terms of her style – in fact, she started as a country/folk singer produced by Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys) – but her concerts are always worth going to because she is nice, friendly, but above all, a great performer.
Day 5 – Paolo Nutini is finally back!
Photo: © FFJM 2022 – Santiago Felipe
The fifth night is all for Paolo Nutini, an artist who has definitely chosen Montreux as a second home, having performed here several times, the last one of which was seven years ago. In the past he also performed during the celebration for Quincy Jones 75th birthday (2008), and during the evenings paying tribute to Ahmet Ertegün (2006) and Claude Nobs (2013). This year his presence is even more special, because he published a new album – Last Night in the Bittersweet – on Friday July 1st. This album is the perfect example of how Paolo Nutini has grown up as a singer, musician and songwriter since the beginning of his career. The Montreux Jazz Festival is the perfect spot to present some of his new songs, together with some of his classics.
The night starts with Mathieu Jaton, CEO Montreux Jazz Festival, taking the stage and telling the audience about the great connection existing between the Festival and Paolo and how happy they are to have him back after seven years.
Since the beginning, there is a feeling of something special: his songs are arranged and rearranged to give them a more “rock” touch. At the beginning, it is even confusing because it is almost impossible to recognize them. This happens, for example, when Jenny Don’t Be Hasty is mashed up with New Shoes, another one of his classics.
He talks a lot to the audience and smiles a lot. Some of his most devoted fans who came to Montreux say they are surprised because it doesn’t happen that often. In the past, he used to be very shy while on stage. Now, everyone can perceive that Montreux is like home to him.
This is also something important to highlight in terms of how he has been grown up and evolved as an artist.
After the first five songs, the band leaves the stage and he starts a three-song acoustic set including a cover of Dream a Little Dream of Me.
He also takes the time to thank Claude Nobs and Mathieu Jaton who have always been supportive of his career since the very beginning. Then, he says that for this special night his mum is also in the audience.
For the firs encore he is alone on stage. He sings Iron Sky, a beautiful song which includes also an audio excerpt of the famous speech Charlie Chaplin gave in his film The Great Dictator.
Coming back on stage for a second encore, he performs Caledonia (Dougie MacLean cover) and the concert ends with Writer, a new song taken from his most recent album.
Paolo Nutini has definitely nurtured his fans with his beautiful voice and his songs along the years and the result is tangible here at Montreux where people came to see him performing from every part of the globe.
There are two other special moments during his concerts: the first one is when he jumps off the stage and starts shaking hands with the people in the front row and the second when, at the end of the concert, before disappearing backstage, he hugged Mathieu Jaton, a hug which is the main evidence of what this festival and that stage mean to him.
And when someone from the audience says: “Come back soon”, his reply is: “If they ask me, I’ll come”.
It was so good being back to Montreux after three years, feeling the same vibes like the time has stopped. This Festival is definitely the place “where legends are born”.
Special Thanks:
Montreux Jazz Festival – Press Department
Pictures:
Raffaella Mezzanzanica (if not specifically credited above)
