Each year in late August people make their way to a field in Glattbrugg, Switzerland for 4 days of music, food, drinking and dancing at the Zurich Openair festival. This year over 60 bands performed across three stages, some of them including major headliners such as The Libertines, Seeed, Skrillex and Alt-J. Occurring annually since 2010, the event is visited by 40,000-70,000 music enthusiasts. This year tickets sold out quite quickly, but as always, the team priding themselves on fan involvement offered a free wristband to anyone willing to volunteer.
It is evident that the festival reflects the relaxed atmosphere of the city of Zurich itself. Visitors benefit from the rare opportunity to be able to catch popular bands in a more easy going setting. For anyone very keen on having their personal space, this is the festival for you. If you find yourself emerged in a crowd at the Zurich Openair, it´s likely you’ll make it out unscathed and more often than not, you’re left with a bit of wiggle room. Looking to make barricade? Showing up a mere 30 minutes before a band is due to set the stage will suffice.
The Openair really is all about the music and that may leave some people feeling like they’ve missed out on a true experience – no drugs, no rain boots necessary and for most people, no camping. While the option of renting a space is available to all guests, the majority choose to commute to Glattbrugg, often following a day of work or school. Resultantly, there tends to be fewer people in the afternoon, and the audience participation during these shows left me feeling a bit underwhelmed and feeling very sympathetic towards the musicians who had travelled so far to be there. However, after dark the festival really came to life.
Wednesday
Although I wasn’t a massive fan of many of the headliners, there were some really solid supporting acts. On Wednesday we were graced with gorgeous weather and a brilliant lineup to kick off the Openair. Luckily there weren’t any major time-clashes on that day, so I was able to catch a handful of bands.
My evening began with a fun and energetic performance from British electronica group Years and Years. Having risen to fame with their single ‘King’, and the recent release of their album, Communion, the trio was welcomed to Zurich by a crowd of eager fans. While Years and Years haven’t been touring for so long – which is sometimes noticeable when they play – their enthusiasm proved to be both refreshing and contagious. Their set consisted of a satisfying mix of electrifying dance songs and the occasional slow jam, showcasing their versatility. The performance ended on a high note with ‘King’, forcing the crowd off their feet.
Later that evening I saw Ásgeir. Having first discovered him via a KEXP live performance, I was instantly hooked to his unique sound. I’ve always been interested in Icelandic music and after a few dire A Level exams I even planned a gap year and a trip to this year’s Iceland Airwaves festival. That idea fell through on results day when I was indeed accepted to university. Although the Airwaves will have to wait, being able to see my favourite Icelandic musician was definitely a consolation. Ásgeir and his band played in a tent with ambient lighting and relaxed vibes. The 23-year-old performer, whose dark and melodic sound has captivated his home country, seemed humbled when the Swiss crowd sang his lyrics back to him. It is said that 10% of the Icelandic population owns a copy of Ásgeir’s album and understandably so! The audience was left silent as he stunned them with his graceful voice and poetic lyrics. As a multi-instrumentalist Ásgeir uses a variety of timbres in his music. However, I really enjoyed the performance of ‘King and Cross’, a track with very prominent acoustic guitar and vocals.
Following an amusing but rather messy performance from the Libertines, The Kooks finally performed. I’ve liked them since I was around the age of 13 and their performance lived up to all of the expectations. Unfortunately, I was only able to catch about half of the songs. Having a festival on a Wednesday night in the outskirts of the city resulted in a handful of people having to rush to catch their last train. However, from what I managed to hear in the odd 30 minutes I was there, I was very impressed. The band played a mix of old and new material, balancing their new pop infused sound with some more acoustic tracks. It’s clear that they’re talented performers with years of experience. Their set was energetic, engaging and most of all, their sound was impeccably similar to that of their records. I can clearly remember days spent in my old bedroom room listening to ‘She Moves in Her Own Way’ and seeing them perform it live made me feel like a tween all over again.