Around 700 musicians thrilled more than 11,000 spectators at the spectacular premiere of THE GRAND JAM in Dresden. After months of intensive preparation with coaches and tutorials, hundreds of jammers – amateurs, professionals and karaoke fans – came together on Saturday to rock the stage as one. Half of the participating musicians came from Saxony; the rest travelled in from all over Germany and Europe, including France, Hungary, Spain and Austria.
THE GRAND JAM is one big live party for everyone who loves music and the hits on the radio. Singer Felix Räuber joined THE GRAND JAM as a special guest for the first time, and the band played his worldwide hit “Allein Allein” together.
The set also featured the greatest stadium anthems, among them “Sweet Caroline”, “Don’t Stop Believin’” and “Viva la Vida”, alongside German classics such as “Tage wie diese” and “Verdamp lang her”. The encore, “We Are the World”, gave the audience an emotional high point that made the evening unforgettable.
Beyond the music, an impressive supporting programme delivered a spectacular light show, flame and pyro effects, lasers and LED lights for the crowd. The dance team SHAPGANG, the Firedancers and the Dresden Monarchs cheerleaders added even more atmosphere.
A range of tutorial videos made taking part in THE GRAND JAM remarkably easy. The musicians played a wide variety of instruments – electric guitar, electric bass, keyboard, drums, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, violin, viola and cello – and singers were part of the biggest band too. In total, 250 learning videos were produced to help participants prepare.
It was an incredible experience to be part of this fantastic project. The energy and enthusiasm of the musicians and the audience were overwhelming. I am already looking forward to the next edition in Frankfurt in September.
Felix Räuber, singer and guest artist
The past few days and the concert itself have shown how music can bring people together. The rain did nothing to spoil it — quite the opposite: every single spectator sang along, even during the breaks, and created an incredible atmosphere. Tonight we were one big band. Months of preparation paid off, and we are proud to have inspired so many people to make music together. It was a great start to this year’s GRAND JAM journey, and we will definitely be back in Dresden next year!
Patrik Meyer, founder of THE GRAND JAM
THE GRAND JAM returns to Dresden on 5 July 2025.