It turns out that there are no festival rules. No absolute need for a campervan. No obligatory boggy fields to wade through. No gag inducingly hideous toilet cubicle to negotiate. In fact, Montreux is a festival you are more likely to go to by Bentley than Ford Transit.
It's based very much in the centre of town, and uses all the lakefront facilities to provide an intimate, low key vibe that belies the wealth of talent on show over the annual three week festival.
Since the 1960's it has showcased the best the Jazz world has to offer, and rapidly crossed over to become an eclectic mix of all music genres. Name drop alert. The late Molly Duncan, one of the worlds greatest saxophonists, and founder member of The Average White Band described Montreux to me as the musicians festival. True Legend, much missed. AWB 1977 (click link and then tell me I'm overstating his talent.)
Montreux Jazz Festival should be high on every music lovers bucket list. Certainly festival goals for many years at NHSontheRun. Host to Nina, Miles, Ella, Quincy, Herbie, Buddy, Chuck, BB and every other musical hero you can recognise just by their first name.
Music history as iconic as the performers it has hosted. After all, was it not here that Freddie's party guests inhaled recreational substances from the naked bodies of people of short stature? Didn't Frank Zappa's roadies not sit stoned and giggling as an electrical fire took hold burning Montreux Casino to the ground? Deep Purple penned "Smoke on the Water" to immortalise that day in 1971. Very Different times. Not politically correct, but secretly, don't you wish you'd been there, rather than at your Saturday job in the Co-op?
We've bitten the bullet for your enrichment once again. The Swiss riviera on Lake Geneva shore line. 2024, the weather perfect, not a whiff of burning Casino, and the line up was irresistible. Since Amy, we've craved for a female British icon to knock our socks off. And Raye has popped up to do exactly that. With her 'me too' approach to the music business, her body confidence, her vocal range, genre defying music and her stunning girl next door stage presence. She is the star we've been waiting for. Couple her up with Rag n Bone man and it's getting better. But then load this delicious offering with a mod god in the form of Gordon Sumner and you've got us hooked. Sting, Raye, and the big man, all within 24 hours. (Gordon, Rachel and Rory as Ella and Quincy would have likely known them).
For the uninitiated, Montreux is a three week festival. The capacity of the main stage is only five thousand. It's wonderfully intimate. We went for two days, our first time. It's in Switzerland so it was always going to be expensive. We identified the day Raye was playing and worked with that. It's one of those booking conundrums where you can't be sure the ticket you want will be available if you drop off the site to make sure you can book a flight. So buy and then sort logistics. Then the Sting gig was sold out, so we had to get those tickets through a resale site, eye watering became seriously buttock clenchingly expensive. For reassurance, the whole experience was worth every centime.
Swiss air to Geneva was good value mid week. The trip by train from the Airport to Montreux was a spectacular trip around the lake side for an hour. We went halfway back by boat which I highly recommend.
Hotels are also super expensive, after all the whole festival was invented in the 1960's by the Montreux tourist board to fill hotels with dwindling occupancy. A sharp drop in the number of wealthy elderly British ladies "taking the air" was part of the problem. French Riviera grande dame resorts became more popular. And also in part, tuberculosis become less common. The festival seems to have sorted the occupancy issues.
There were however, enough AirBnB's to allow us to find good clean accommodation in the next village of Clarens. Very reasonable rates. From there a hop on free and regular bus/tram service that works with well oiled Swiss efficiency.
Food ranged from Michelin to MackyD's. There were a host of great street food stands in the festival area too. Our favorite was an old Italian Montreux favorite. High up in the back streets of the town, but just 10 minute downhill walk after dinner to the venues. Incredible host who despite lack of English was welcoming and gave great recommendations. His home made pasta would make his Nonna proud. His wine list is a table covered with price tagged bottles, which is a fabulous touch. We could not recommend this place more : La Corsa Al Cilento.
So get saving, plan early, and take sun cream. Forget Glasto, Montreux is the one for your bucket list.
If you need more persuading :
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