More than 33,000 people attended the 2014 edition of the Nice Jazz Festival, a decrease compared to 2013. The city’s mayor, Christian Estrosi, cited the “World Cup” effect while praising a “beautiful 2014 edition capable of satisfying all audiences”…
In fact, the lineup of this edition may simply not have been of superior quality, according to experts, with some slightly offbeat concerts. Additionally, the competition from the Juan les Pins Festival also played a role, and the ticket prices were not within reach of all budgets.
These small errors could be corrected for the next edition, although the whims of the weather and the football world cup can also partially explain this decline.
Patrick Allemand, leader of the opposition group “Another Future for Nice” (PS/EELV), points the finger of criticism at the pricing structure: “The main reason for the drop in attendance is due to prices that are far too high, disconnected from the current economic reality. People often go to the Nice Jazz Festival with their families. At 85 euros for an evening (for a couple with a child), many can no longer afford it.”
However, it is concerning the programming that some doubts are warranted. Indeed, while Patrice or Keziah Jones (despite his lackluster performance) were good choices, one can wonder how Deep Purple, Cassius, or the Gipsy Kings ended up there. Certainly, the Nice Jazz Festival has opened up to other musical genres for many years, but hard rock and gypsy pop are far from what an audience expects when attending this type of festival.
Hopefully next year…
