Hey there - I’m a pretty passionate music lover (mostly alternative) and I’ve just moved to Basel from Australia and think it would be great to get a thread started that would hopefully turn into a Facebook page of people sharing gig dates and their interest in heading to concerts with those that are likeminded. A great opportunity to meet new friends and obviously so that no-one misses out on any upcoming gigs of interest! Winning... please let me know if there is something already like this that I’ve missed?

I’ll start - foals are playing in Zurich April 2020. Anyone keen?

There is a gig thread, but I think it covers all sorts of stuff, not just alternative music:
https://www.englishforum.ch/concerts...-heads-up.html

Which bands do you call alternative? John Butler Trio are regulars in Zurich, and Xavier Rudd.

Zurich has a fair amount of bands playing. Editors I think are in Feb and may even have a black friday deal on tickets.

The thread could be endless. If you are ok to travel to Zurich, heres some music venues, starting with the smaller ones, which perhaps may get more alternative acts, going to the bigger ones which get the bigger names
Dynamo
Komplex 457
Volkshaus
X-tra
Samsung Halle
Halle 622
Hallenstadium

For Basel, you could look at
Z7
Kaserne

Check out Facebook events, and eventually FB will start to pick up the events you show interest and it will be easier to see whats happening. 20 Minutes also usually has a listing of whats happening where and can be good

Theres some good up and coming bands playing for free in the bars if you look in the right places. Gotthard is a bar in Zurich I like to go to for this. There were some more live music venues on Lang str but its gradually being gentrified

Just want to add Mascotte in Zurich which is a cracking little venue. Saw Mark Lanegan there. https://www.mascotte.ch/

I've got my tickets for Santana and Clapton next year.

I just saw Ron Carter last week at the UBS branch in Basel. It was good acoustics for the set up.

Check what will be your favorite venue's webpage on a regular basis, or ticketcorner.ch and even these promoters: http://www.offbeat-concert.ch/konzerte or https://allblues.ch/

In Basel, there are festivals around the year, like blues, jazz, Im Fluss, and the Baloise Session that offer good opportunities.

IMO - there are some good shows on their way.

Lettuce anyone?!

Good plan! I second all the recommendations in Zurich, the city attracts the the best artists and the venues are small and intimate. I've seen so many bands I could never imagine seeing front row in any other part of the world. Only pity is that the audience is a bit toned down from the crowd you will find in surrounding nations. But if you are in good company, it doesn't matter. Volkshaus & Mascotte are probably my favorite venues.

Bern also has a really great alternative music scene, the bands are more "underground", but the atmosphere is better than any you will find in Switzerland. Check out gigs at the Voodoo Record Store and Reitschule.

That's what I keep telling my friends back in the UK. I've been front row at Extreme and Radiohead without any real effort. Considering I'd seen Radiohead 9 times previously and only made it to the front once, that was an absolute luxury.

In my experience, they're more laid back and a bit slower to warm up, but once they do, they're brilliant. We were on the balcony at X-Tra for The Specials gig the other week and I'm glad we were. It was heaving, and everyone in the crowd below was dancing. right from the front to back of the venue. Cracking gig.

True, true - I've had the most fun I've ever had at gigs here, but once...and I will never get over it, I went to see The War On Drugs & this girl pushed her way to the front and proceeded to plug her ears up with her fingers because "it was too loud". Adam (the singer) has anxiety issues and you could tell it really bothered him and he ended the show abruptly. He didn't know that the Swiss have extra sensitive hearing and thought she didn't like the music. I am a massive Patti Smith fan and I have seen her 4 times in CH. Every single time, I am told at least once "Shhhhhhhhh" by someone in the audience when I sing along or cheer.

The Specials...wow, wish I knew about that gig and I'm still waiting to see Radiohead up and close.

Me and my mates saw them 3 nights on the trot in a big top tent at Warrington in 2000 for the Kid A tour. It was amazing. We got into the golden circle on the 2nd night, but at Openair St Gallen 2016, me and my OH were at the front.

Sh1...missed your post in the other thread . I'd have gone along to that.

Wow cool! Kid A would have been the best time to see them I think...I'd do anything to hear Idioteque properly live. Jealous I saw them in '95, but I was too young to appreciate them and they were the size of ants from how far away I was.

Sorry for going off topic...I could talk about music all damn day.

That's such a shame. Just a taster to prompt you to put a ticketcorner alert on them for next time (Not my vid) It was a cracking gig, but my best so far in Zurich was Extreme.

Sisters of Mercy are playing in Winterthur in March.
Recently saw the Pixies in Zürich, now that was fun.
Met-Bar in Lenzburg has some good gigs from time to time.
System of a Down of playing in June but that sold out in less than a day. A friend and I might head in to see if we can find something outside on the night.
There is loads of other stuff in the summer. If you are into festivals (me not any more) you are spoiled for choice then.
All the best.

Glad that Pixies are gigging again.

They have been for almost a decade now? Unfortunately they don't seem to be very good anymore.

Well that's only natural...still they are a band one should see live...

The Stereophonics are playing Volkshaus, Zurich soon. Got tix and cannot wait!

Lizey, another option as you are so close to the border is Stimmen festival in Lörrach. Some unbelievably fantastic artists in such a cool location. This year brings Deep Purple, Patti Smith and others.

I don't know how much about how alternative you want to go, but Koch Areal has some great punk and metal gigs. Sometimes they have some experimental or indie bands come through.

Beck's playing Halle 622 in Oerlikon, Zurich on Weds 26 June. Tickets went on sale today on Ticketcorner.

First saw Beck supporting The Verve back in 1998 when he was still touring 'Odelay', then supporting Radiohead in Oxford 2001 when he played an utterly sublime acoustic set.