Musikmesse Festival 2018 presents acts such as Albert Hammond, Asaf Avidan, Curse, Dionne Warwick, En Vogue and Gino Vanelli
Over 60 concerts throughout Frankfurt – and, for the first time, highlight events right on the exhibition grounds. For the third time running, the four-day Musikmesse Festival parallel to the Musikmesse fair is set to make Frankfurt a mecca for music lovers from around the world. The multi-faceted programme includes appearances by artists such as Albert Hammond, Asaf Avidan, Curse, Dionne Warwick, En Vogue, Gino Vanelli and Brian Downey’s Alive And Dangerous. As the official Musikmesse opening concert, the grand finale of the International German Piano Award will be held in the ‘Alte Oper’ concert hall two days before the fair begins, on 9 April.
Musikmesse Festival 2018 presents acts such as Albert Hammond, Asaf Avidan, Curse, Dionne Warwick, En Vogue and Gino Vanelli
photo by: ASS. Concerts
Over 60 concerts throughout Frankfurt – and, for the first time, highlight events right on the exhibition grounds. For the third time running, the four-day Musikmesse Festival parallel to the Musikmesse fair is set to make Frankfurt a mecca for music lovers from around the world. The multi-faceted programme includes appearances by artists such as Albert Hammond, Asaf Avidan, Curse, Dionne Warwick, En Vogue, Gino Vanelli and Brian Downey’s Alive And Dangerous. As the official Musikmesse opening concert, the grand finale of the International German Piano Award will be held in the ‘Alte Oper’ concert hall two days before the fair begins, on 9 April.
“From classic and jazz, via rock and pop, to electronic sounds, the Musikmesse Festival presents the complete spectrum of music. The four-day, all-embracing musical experience has developed into a component part of the Musikmesse fair and the cultural scene in Frankfurt. For this, we owe a vote of thanks to our many supporters who join forces with us to organise the event – from officials of the City of Frankfurt, via venue operators, to our partners from the culture and music industry,” says Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt.
Unique events right on the exhibition grounds
During Musikmesse, Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre is the hotspot for the international music industry – and the venue for special concerts in the evening. Festival director Wolfgang Weyand explains: “More than ever before, the Exhibition Centre will be the venue for concerts ranging from a piano recital to a headliner evening. In this connection, we are delighted about the great exhibitor response to new formats, such as the Piano Stage”. On Wednesday, 11 April (beginning at 19.00 hrs), the new ‘Festival Arena’, an event tent for up to 1,500 visitors, is the setting for the only concert to be given in Germany by Canadian pop singer Gino Vannelli. On Thursday evening (12 April), there will be a jam night with members of the Rockin’ 1000 group – famed for their viral megahit in which 1,000 musicians performed the Foo Fighters song ‘Learn to Fly’. ESC participant Michael Schulte and YouTube celebrities Costantino Carrara, Jannik Brunke and Luca Stricagnoli will appear at the 100 Million Clicks Night (13 April).
Photo by: Karsten Jahnke Konzertdirektion
Visitors can enjoy a no-less unique musical event at the Congress Centre Messe Frankfurt (CMF) on 13 April when renowned jazz pianist Joja Wendt appears together with young music ensembles and gives talented children and young people the chance to demonstrate their musical skills to a big audience of music fans. The only concert to be given in Germany by five-fold Grammy winner Dionne Warwick will be the crowning glory of the Musikmesse Festival when she sings with the New Philharmonic Orchestra Frankfurt at the CMF on Saturday evening.
For the first time, Musikmesse Festival is collaborating with European music-promotion initiatives to present showcase evenings with bands covering the spectrum from indie, electro, folk, rock and R‘n’B from countries such as Ireland, Luxemburg, the Czech Republic, Russia and Hungary. The venue is the Maritim Hotel at the Exhibition Centre on the first three evenings of the fair, beginning at 19.00 hrs.
Musikmesse Festival rocks the city
In over 30 locations in Frankfurt, the Festival presents concerts by national and international artists of all genres. Among those taking part: Israeli folk-rock musician Asaf Avidan (13 April, Batschkapp) famed for the megahit ‘Reckoning Song (One Day)’, Britain’s singer-songwriter Albert Hammond (12 April, Alte Oper) and US soul band En Vogue (13 April, Gibson). Fans of German hip-hop can look forward to rapper Curse on 14 April in Batschkapp culture centre. The Nachtleben club on Frankfurt’s Zeil street will rock to the sound of Brian Downey’s Alive And Dangerous, the band of Thin Lizzy’s long-standing drummer (14 April), and German punk band Radio Havanna (12 April). Girl power with hard riffs are on the programme of the Cave club with female-fronted metal band Fallcie on 14 April and at Club Voltaire with the alternative rock band Calling Vega on 12 April. Fans of electronic music can party until the early morning at the ‘Berlin Nights’ event with DJ Dirty Döring (14 April, Tanzhaus West).
photo by: Patti Battista
Atmonspheric jazz evenings
In cooperation with the Frankfurt Jazz Initiative, Musikmesse Festival presents two special jazz evenings. Belgian guitarist Philip Catherine has been at the forefront of the European jazz scene since the sixties – on 13 April he will be joined by Paulo Morello and Sven Faller for a concert at the Hotel Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof. A day later, 14 April, Germany’s prize-winning jazz musician Gebhard Ullmann will appear at the same venue with the ‘Basement Research’ project.
Special musical activities during the Musikmesse Festival
The Musikmesse Festival is not only distinguished by great evening concerts but also puts the spotlight on special achievements. Following last year’s successful debut, the Backstage Club Award is back again and, chosen by musicians, will be presented to Germany’s best clubs at the Nachtleben club on 10 April. The day before, 9 April, sees the grand finale of the International German Piano Award in the Alte Oper concert hall – young, talented pianists compete for the renowned prize playing works by Brahms, Grieg, Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky. Additionally, the Musikmesse Festival presents concerts by the prize winners of the Young People Make Music competition in the Church of Our Lady (Liebfrauenkirche) on 11 April, the Old St. Nicolas Church (Alte Nikolaikirche) on 13 April and St. Catherine’s on 14 April. Public spaces will also be brought to musical life as part of the Musikmesse Festival: the Frankfurt Street Tunes project brings ‘playing areas’ to different places throughout the city centre and invites passers-by to make music. Anyone – beginner or professional – is welcome to give an improvised concert.
photo by: Ojoz
All Musikmesse visitors will be given a Festival wrist-band, with which they can attend Musikmesse Festival events at a special reduced price or, in some cases, free of charge. Additionally, the Festival wrist-band is available from the box office of many participating venues.
Programme information and ticket prices at:
www.musikmesse-festival.com.