For those in the know, the Montreux Jazz Festival is among the world’s most legendary live music events. Launched in 1967, it’s since hosted pretty much every major musical figure from Miles Davis to Cat Power, and was even the inspiration for Deep Purple’s ‘Smoke on the Water’. So we’re pretty jazzed (if you’ll pardon the pun) that the festival has just opened up its archive of incredible live performances to the public for free.
Despite the cancellations of everything from Glastonbury to Eurovision, this year’s Montreux is still in the diary for July. But ahead of that, you can head to the festival’s website to stream 35 hall-of-fame artists playing live in Switzerland over the years.
Sign up to Montreux’s streaming partner Stingray Qello and use the code ‘FREEMJF1M’ for 30 days’ free access. Then catch a 1981 set by James Brown, sit in on Nina Simone’s appearance from 1976, see Johnny Cash headline in 1994 or revisit the 2007 performance by Wu-Tang Clan. Only this time, the best seat in the house is your sofa.
And here are loads more classic live concerts you can watch for free online.