We were impatiently awaiting it, the program of the Montreux Jazz Festival was revealed on the morning of April 18, 2024. This year again, the major summer event on the banks of Lake Geneva mixes many musical styles, from 70’s rock to pop , electro or even rap.
The program gives pride of place to young artists, such as Yamê, Mahalia, Raye, Lauren Spencer-Smith and James Arthur, but long-time festival regulars will certainly be happy to find Zucchero, Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, PJ Harvey , Paolo Nutini or Duran Duran (the group performs on the same day as Soft Cell, nostalgic fans take note!).
A unique set-up
For its 58th edition, the organization of the festival is changing: in fact, work at the Congress Center planned until 2025 is forcing the event to reinvent its set up. This year, the space dedicated to the Montreux Jazz Festival extends over the quays, from the Quai de Vernex to the Casino Barrière. And since the Stravinsky Auditorium cannot be used for concerts, the festival has imagined a new (paid) outdoor stage: the Lake Stage. Installed opposite the Place du Marché, it will complete the paid offer of the Casino stage, to which the festival is turning again for more intimate concerts. We look forward to applauding the artists in front of the setting sun over Lake Geneva and the Alps in the background, a vision promising a certain magic!
To find out the program of free scenes, you will have to wait a little longer. The ticket office will open on April 19, 2024 at noon.
Concerts not to be missed
We won’t hide it from you, we’re a little disappointed not to see more young and female stars on the paid bill for the 2024 vintage. However, the classic programming, which invites music legends, will not fail to please to the public. Here are the artists we are delighted to applaud.
Justice, the flagship French electro duo of the 2000s, is making its comeback in Switzerland and will not fail to set the Scène du Lac on fire with its brand new album Hyperdrama (scheduled for release on April 24, 2024), including a title already released with the rock group Tame Impala, One Night/All Night.
We look forward to hearing the hits of the British trip hop group Massive Attack who made the whole world sing, such as Teardrop, Angel or Paradise Circus.
We dream of letting ourselves be enchanted by the very particular timbre of the Israeli musician Asaf Avidan, whose sounds mix pop, folk and soul. Back in Switzerland for an exclusive concert, the artist enjoyed dazzling success from his first album The Reckoning.
The sublime soulful voice of the Belgian Wrong Sueperformer of the hit Raggamuff, will resonate again within the festival grounds. This concert will be the only one in Switzerland this year.
We are more used to seeing her on our social media feeds in extravagant outfits on red carpets or on our screens, but the American Janelle Monáe is above all a talented singer, who mixes R&B, soul, funk and pop in energetic shows and who is making her return to Montreux for our greatest happiness.
The rock legend Lenny Kravitzwho is returning to the festival for the third time, will not fail to make the Vaudois city dance with songs from his twelfth album Blue Electric Lightexpected on May 24, 2024.
The full program is available on the event website.