The 23rd SnowpenAir was opened by local heroes, Crazy Mofos. Following them on stage, Stefanie Heinzmann from the Valais captivated the audience with her unmistakable soulful voice. Her songs gave the audience an opportunity to warm up their vocal chords before Patent Ochsner upped the energy levels: many of the Bernese band's songs have long since become popular favourites. And it showed. A large portion of the music fans who attended the festival knew all the lyrics and were visibly thrilled to be singing along at the top of their lungs once again.
The closing act on Saturday was reserved for the headlining act, Sunrise Avenue. Unbeknown to many, the lead singer Samu and the entire band had already arrived a few days earlier to enjoy some skiing and snowboarding in the Jungfrau Ski Region. Thanks to the excellent winter sports conditions they were able to enjoy the week in full measure, which also became apparent in their eagerness to perform.
On Sunday, Helene Fischer's performance was eagerly awaited after an extended break. Carinthian Melissa Naschenweng, who appeared at short notice for indisposed Francine Jordi, ultimately didn’t end up performing in Austria, but at SnowpenAir instead, as a support act for Helene Fischer. At noon on Sunday, the Bermudas from Wilderswil energised the crowd.
New concert venue at the Grindelwald Terminal
Offering up views of the Grindelwald Terminal and the valley station of the Eiger Express, the new venue on a gently upwards sloping site in Grindelwald Grund made various logistical aspect easier, but also brought new planning challenges with it as part of the venue’s relocation from Kleine Scheidegg down to Grindelwald. Consequently, the first day of the festival was unfortunately hampered by some bottlenecks and longer waiting times at the entrance. "It was a tour de force for all involved," enthused Urs Kessler, festival founder and Director of Jungfrau Railways.
The fact that the SnowpenAir was no longer able to be staged at its original location near Kleine Scheidegg was largely due to the V-Cableway intergenerational project. The objectors to the project, the owners of the Hotel Bellevue on the Kleine Scheidegg, were only prepared to withdraw their objection if the SnowpenAir was permanently held at a different site in future.
Around 250 tonnes of equipment were used to stage this year's SnowpenAir event. And approx. 300 volunteers worked hard to make the event a success. The concert budget was 2.3 million francs.
Video from the SnowpenAir 2022 on our Youtube channel
