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Sun brings Montreux festivalgoers out in force

Morven McLean
Morven McLean - [email protected]
Sun brings Montreux festivalgoers out in force
Photo: Montreux Jazz Festival

There were no dark clouds over Montreux’s annual Jazz Festival this year, which was played out under sunny skies in front of appreciative lakeside audiences.

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Organisers of the 49th festival reported that this year’s event passed off particularly smoothly, with audiences and artists equally enthusiastic.

The eclectic music on offer – Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga rubbed shoulders with Sinéad O’Connor and Lionel Ritchie – drew around 240,000 visitors, similar to 2013 figures.

Thanks to the 92,000 tickets sold and a very positive balance sheet, the festival’s accounts are in the black, organisers said in a statement.

The programme on offer went down well with the public, they said, with a mix of musical genres and generations.

Improvisation was also a key feature at this Montreux Jazz Festival which included jam sessions.

The festival, held in Montreux on the banks of Lake Geneva, kicked off on July 3rd with American R&B artist John Legend and Scottish pop singer Emeli Sandé.

Headline artists Lady Gaga and Bennett performed on the 6th with top tickets selling for 385 francs apiece.

Electro groups Portishead and the Chemical Brothers were among other headliners.

The festival organisers said preparations were already underway for next year’s 50th anniversary event to take place from July 1st to 16th.

 

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