NEW ORLEANS FESTIVAL

From July 20-23, soul and blues made their way to Innsbruck for the 25th time. The New Orleans Festival celebrated the music and lifestyle of one of Innsbruck's twin cities. Around 25,000 visitors were attracted to the Landhausplatz, where they swayed to the best sound.

the special togetherness and the perfect complementation of the local scene with international acts directly from New Orleans ensured a unique atmosphere again this year. That our Tyrolean musicians can also play soul, blues and funk, they proved not only at the traditional Tyrolean Blues Night adrucksvoll. Markus Linder, the artistic director of the festival, emphasizes that it is especially important to him to get our Tyrolean talents on stage and to offer them a platform here. But not only the solo artists, but also numerous local bands brought the audience with rousing sound to dance, snap and swing along.

A special highlight were certainly the two main acts from the States: Kevin Gullage & The Blues Groovers brought a particularly rousing Drive to the stages and infected the audience with it. The up-and-coming band shared the stage with a true legend - Gary Brown, whose almost 80 years could not be seen at all and who made everyone feel his passion for music with his saxophone. The closing of the festival days was again the Gospel Mass in the Cathedral of St. Jacob. STB Dixie Train created a very special atmosphere in the cathedral, which was filled to the last rows and beyond.

As a prelude to the festival, the Long Night of Music invited local bands and thus blues and groove to numerous venues in downtown Innsbruck. "Der Hausberg hat den Blues" brought hundreds of music-loving hikers to the Patscherkofel, where New Orleans feeling was spread in the best summer weather.