Allgemein, Concerts

Concert Highlights 2018

2018 was a year with lots of good concerts but also a few bad ones which usually doesn’t happen a lot! So unlike 2017Β this year is pretty easy picking my highlights. Of course I can’t name just one but let me highlight a few for you.

The Script gigs:


Like I already warned you in 2017 this year would be a very scripty year. But it ended up to be quite different than expected. First up was 3rd Night in Dublin which obviously was a highlight. Seeing a band in their hometown is always special. Read more here.
A month later the lads should have played the Hallenstadion in Zurich…. the important word here is SHOULD. Unfortunately Danny got a chest infection and wasn’t able to sing at all plus Glen felt slightly under the weather as well. So in 10 years of The Script this was only the 2nd time they had to cancel a show. We were all gutted but read some more of my thoughts here.
With that I was travelling to Milano where I learned that the gig was cancelled too. But hey, we still had a great night out.
Luckily 10 days later Danny and Glen were back and Amsterdam gig could go ahead as well as the Paddy’s day gig in Brussels. Unfortunately I couldn’t get around to write down those memories yet but let me tell you not only The Script had a magical night but also Ella Eyre. She spent the whole gig with technical problems only to have a complete shutdown during her song “Answerphone”. We all got our phones out and lit up the stage. It was magical. I still get goosebumps thinking about it πŸ™‚
Lastly I thought the Caribana gig was the last one on this tour. It really would have been a great end. Read more here.
But thanks to a lucky draw from my friends at Loads of Music we got to see the lads on their final gig of the Freedom Child tour at the Moon and Stars Festival.

The hottest gig: 2 nights of Ed Sheeran

2018-08-03 22.06.55
The two nights with Ed Sheeran, Anne Marie and Jamie Lawson at Stadion Letzigrund were unforgettable. Not only because it was one of the hottest outside gigs I’ve ever witnessed but also because all of them are incredible musicians! But you can read some more right here.
If you want to reminisce in 2019 you can since Jamie Lawson and Anne Marie are back in Zurich! Get your tix via Starticket.ch.
Jamie Lawson 13.4.19 at Plaza
Anne Marie 2.5.19 at Halle 622

The woodiest gig: Justin Timberlake


Justin Timberlake transported us into the Woods and it was incredible – Just like I imagined. I had this vision of how he started and finished plus I had a few deja vu’s from the last time. It was perfect. Plus having my two friends from Loads of Music front row across the room was even more special! You were actually rooting for them to see the Man of the Woods very much up close and they did. Read more here.

The wow gig: Katy Perry


Katy Perry’s show was incredible! I remember her playing Volkshaus and even then the shows were great. Flying planets, huge mosquitos, a basketball court, a huge mouth, a flying clock…. I could go on and on. Try to top that! I had an amazing time. I was dancing and singing and being blown away by her show. But look at some more pics here.

The two biggest surprises:
Jason Derulo


I’ve seen a few of his gigs on TV and I always thought he was dancing more than singing or talking. I guess it must have been the TV’s cut. Jason Derulo is a great singer and entertainer but most importantly he appreciates his fans and the money they spend on him. He tries to give us more than 100% of his energy and that laid back super cool energy infected the Hallenstadion. People were dancing and singing and having a ball. Read more here.

Charlie Winston


Charlie Winston has been around for ages. 10 years ago he sang one of my fav songs of the year “Like a hobo”. For some reason I thought he’d be a singer songwriter who puts up a very thoughtful slow song show to enjoy to listen to but not dance to. I couldn’t have been any more wrong. His energy that came on stage with him infected the whole room. Within seconds people were dancing and clapping and having an amazing time. Shirley from Loads of Music described the gig exactly like I would have done so have a read here. I think this really has been on of my top highlights this year. I walked out with aΒ huge smile and that’s always a success.

Crazy is good: Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats


I saw Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats before so I knew I had to go there and I wanted to be front row however I didn’t know how crazy it got being front row at Nathaniel Rateliff gig! If you want to know have a look at my review: click here.

The king/queen of ballades: Sam Smith


Sam Smith was actually another surprise. He’s hands down one of the best ballade singers but his gig wasn’t all sad gloomy at all. We were actually dancing a lot which I loved – even though I was a bit handicapped at the time. He might not be top of mind if I think of gigs 2018 but he sure deserved a mention in my highlights blog post! Read more about this surprising gig here.

The punkiest gig: Billy Talent


Like Charlie Winston Billy Talent have been around for a long time so when I finally got to see them at the Winterthurer Musikfestwochen my 15 year old self was very very happy. πŸ˜€ I was so surprised that I actually knew almost every song… I guess I really like them so please read more here.

Getting my rock on: Foo Fighters


Since I saw Dave Grohl hosting the EMA’s and after I watched the documentaries I knew I needed to see the Foo Fighters live. And they didn’t disappoint – over two hours of guitar riffs, drum solos and loud screams. It was amazing and well worth the money. I do hope I get to see them again sometime. But read more of this amazing legendary rock gig here.

Behind the Scenes with Saint City Orchestra


Seeing them at the Caribana as a warm up for The Script was perfect. As it happens sometimes I was able to shadow them for their gig at Rock the Ring in Hinwil. It was pretty cool being backstage with a band the first time. A new view of the tour life that I haven’t actually seen like that before. The lads of Saint City Orchestra were super welcoming and we had such a good time there. If you don’t know please check them out. They’re a great band from Switzerland and if you wan’t know more have a look at my review.

The tric-iest gig: Kate Voegele and Tyler Hilton


While I was about to fly back to Zurich from my trip to Wilmington I learned that Mia Catalano and Chris Keller aka Kate Voegele and Tyler Hilton are coming back to Zurich. I was over the moon and I couldn’t believe the coincidence! So of course I got home and bought myself a ticket. Nothing can beat the feeling of being in your favourite series whilst you’ve actually visited the set – or what’s left of it – a few months back. When they started “When the stars go blue” I could actually see myself in Tric rocking out to it πŸ˜€ #fangirling I know…. if you are ok with that read more here.

The Swiss love Aussies: Sons of the East


I haven’t heard of them before but thanks to Loads of Music I got to meet the three lads from Sons of the East before the interview. They were pretty laid back, nice and funny just how you imagine Aussie guys no? πŸ˜€ It was also a super hot summer day so it all fit together. Dynamo was like an oven and we got enjoy a summery show but read some more here.

Getting my Country on: Country Night Gstaad


I got very lucky this year I found someone actually two people who are as obsessed with country music as I am. So finally we were able to go to our first Country Night Gstaad. Midland, Maddie & Tae and Brett Young were the artists playing this year. Little did I know that we’d be screaming like crazy because apparently Brett Young is a huge Gavin DeGraw πŸ˜‰ Yes, country and pop music go together! Read some more of our Country adventure here. Oh and stay tuned for our C2C weekend in London in March! πŸ™‚

The cool Germans:
Max Giesinger


Max Giesinger is cool dude. He’s super down to earth and sooo funny! His music is great and I love to listen to it live. His gigs are always a mix between enjoying good music and trying not to pee yourself because you have to laugh so much πŸ˜€ I don’t know why but each time I walk out of his gigs I’m a little bit in love with this guy. But I guess this is a very good thing and I bet I’m not the only one who feels like that. He’s back in March but unfortunately I just realized that I’ll be getting my country fix in London. So really bad timing Max! πŸ˜‰
Read more of his last gig here.

Nico Santos


I had the pleasure to interview Nico Santos who sang one of my fav songs of 2018 “Rooftop”. He’s such a cool down to earth guy. Read more of our interview here. I can’t wait to see him live on May 3rd at X-tra. Get your tix now: ticketcorner.chΒ 

The funniest gig: Lewis Capaldi


Let’s face it Lewis Capaldi should be a Comedian but then again the music industry would love an amazing voice so why not combine those two features into one show. That’s what Lewis Capaldi did. Seeing him supporting Sam Smith was a joy especially since we discovered that we never ever do any exercise because it will kill us haha. I immediately knew this guy needs backing so when he announced his headlining show I was in – little did I know that he apparently reached some more couch potatoes. Lewis Capaldi’s show was sold out! But this guy doesn’t seem to tire because he’s supporting Bastille next year and tix are still available: starticket.ch

The gig from the future: Black Eyed Peas


The Black Eyed Peas are back and celebrating their 20 year existence. They’ve evolved quite a bit from their first record. Taboo, Apl.de.ap and Will.i.am are three childhood friends making music. Even if they don’t fill the big stadiums anymore you can see and feel that they enjoy what they do. The guys are musicians through and through and that’s what I like to see. In addition to this they’ve not been bitter about people having phones at their gigs but actually thought about it and come up with an idea how to involve the phone in the gig. It was one hell of an experience actually sending big hearts to the stage! So much fun! Read some more here.

The good and now the bad ones…

Unfortunately this year we had a few very bad ones like I mentioned at the beginning. I’d like to name them quickly here. Nena, Billy Idol, Kim Wilde, Lily Allen and Hozier were all very disappointing. They didn’t spread good energy and I didn’t leave with a smile on my face. However in all of those gigs some people enjoyed it. It just wasn’t for me.

But I want to end my last blog post of 2018 on a good note. I am so grateful to have spend so many hours with lovely new and old concert buddies sharing what we love – Music. Being able to see my favourite artists is a blessing. Moments like we’ve had this year at gigs are unforgettable and will stay with you forever. So if you see an artist you like is coming to town go and support him – it’s worth it πŸ™‚

Allgemein, Concerts

Jacob Banks got moves!

After seeing Jacob Banks last year at Mascotte and trying to see him at his uber full gig at the M4 Music Festival I was stocked to learn that Just Because invited him back to play a gig at X-tra.

Anna Leone – a tiny lady with a big voice

A very shy girl in sweats came on stage with her guitar. Anna Leone fascinated with her voice. However lots of people decided to continue talking which was a shame. They missed out on a very talented artist and I could only hope that they would stop during Jacob Banks’ performance.
P1000797

Jacob Banks is back and he got moves

Last year I was front row too but I really don’t remember him having those super sexy moves. What was the same was Jacob Banks incredible voice. A voice that so soulful and magical that it gives you goosebumps every time you hear it. I loved the first song. It had sooo much energy! Unfortunately I didn’t get a setlist this time so you will get a little different review.
P1000828
Jacob Banks said thank you for being here very early on and he explained that he will sing songs off his newest record VILLAGE and some songs off his previously released EP’s. With “Mercy”, “Mexico”, “Be Good To Me” we got lots of amazing songs already in the first 30 mins. But one of my highlights – sooo romantic – was the song “Caroline”. X-tra was turned pink and we enjoyed this slow soulful ballade. I bet the many couples in the crowd loved it too. Speaking of the crowd it was so diverse! There were teens, couples and older people enjoying the same good music by Jacob Banks.

This next song “Pilot” is for the people who are coming to the gigs. It is not on any record because I want you guys to have something special others don’t.

With that Jacob Banks took his guitar and sang “Pilot” which is a very beautiful ballade and I was mesmerized by his voice and that song. The time flew by listening to Jacob Banks because he fully captivates you.
oznor
 

Time to dance

Jacob Banks origins are Nigerian and so to honour them he wrote “Kumbaya”. You can literally feel the African vibe and the three LED screens in the back showed some videos from back home. The crowd started moving too. After focusing on him and his voice so much it was good to let loose a little. Another highlight for me was when he covered “Fix You”. Usually I get to hear it during Naturally 7‘s gig without any instruments! I keep repeating myself but I was fascinated to see the actual guitar sounding just the same! It was amazing!! πŸ™‚ He earned so much applause which I think he didn’t expect. His face lit up and we got see a huge smile. So cute!


With “Say Something” and “Unholy War” Jacob Banks rang in the last part of his show. After a versatile music mix we were getting the biggest soulful energetic songs at the end.   The crowd loved it! πŸ™‚ And of course all good things have to come to an end so Jacob Banks and his amazing 4 piece band left the stage before the encore. One by one they re-emerge and Jacob introduced them in a very sweet way. Each of them were brothers from other mothers and sisters from other misters πŸ˜€ I loved the fact that Jacob Banks seemed to have opened up a little and spoke to us a little more.

Finally he said that:

Thank you for choosing to be here. You could have spent your evening doing something else but you chose to support us. We really appreciate thank you so much!

and with that he introduced his biggest hit “Chainsmoking” and wooo’s and yeah’s rang around the X-tra. What a song! What a voice! What a man! Amazing moves! But see for yourself:

Amazing right? I’m so glad Loads of Music and I got to see this brilliant gig which was the last one in 2018. Here’s to 2019 with many more gigs to be review here on Kekoas Korner! πŸ™‚
Share your memories right here or on Instagram. πŸ™‚

Check out my latest gigs: Black Eyed Peas, Walking on Cars, Drew Cole
Allgemein, Concerts

Black Eyed Peas are better than ever!

Black Eyed Peas are back and they are better than ever! Why? Because now they are a band of brothers again that know how to get the crowd going. They formed a unity, created an amazing set and still know how to party. The masters of the sun rocked the Hallenstadion and to all the people who didn’t go just because that lady isn’t in the group anymore – too bad, you missed out!

Embracing Technology

Taboo, Apl.de.ap and Will.i.am are into technology and I love it! Artists who are moaning about people in the audience pointing phones at their faces annoy me. I agree sometimes during a beautiful ballade it can be a bit too much. However BEP managed to embrace this trend and used it to their advantage. Before the show they told us to download the tour app and during certain songs we enjoyed an AR experience which was incredible and soooo much fun!!! πŸ˜€
BEP
First things first: The Black Eyed Peas came on stage showed us that they are “Back 2 Hip Hop”. The guys rapped superbly and I just felt sooo happy to see them again after 7 years! I still remember their sold out Hallenstadion show like it was yesterday. I really wished that they would start with “Let’s get it started” and they fulfilled my wish πŸ™‚ I was up dancing and some other people on the seats were too! One of my fav song is “Imma Be” and yes the song got stuck in my head all night. “Imma Be” turned into “Rock that body” in one swift go. More and more people were caught up again the world of the BEP and started dancing and enjoying themselves. The electronic vibe continued with Boom Boom Pow”.

Welcome Jessica Reynoso

Of course the three guys needed some female vocals and they found it in Jessica Reynoso. Apl.de.ap found her on the Voice of Philippines and made her part of the crew for the Masters of the sun tour. What an amazing chance and the lads gave her room to shine which I thought was lovely. With “Just Can’t get enough” and “Shut up” the Black Eyed Peas continued their hit set. I really loved how much they seemed to enjoy themselves and this naturally transferred itself onto the audience. Everyone had a good time! The stage was set as a huge pyramid with the band playing on level 3 and BEP’s singing on level 2 and 1. They seemed so together and performed in a group which I didn’t feel like that did back in 2010.


For the next one they said the UK peeps went absolutely mental and I think the Swiss audience did quiet a good job too. During “Pump it” there was even a small mosh pit on the side. There was enough space that different groups of people could actually dance or mosh how they wanted. Those gigs are the best! Good atmosphere, space to dance makes for an overall brilliant gig. “Pump it” marked the end of the first hit act.

Act 2 – May we introduce the new BEP

If you watched the Voice UK you’ve noticed that Will.i.am uses the word dope a loot. So this new song “Dopeness” comes as no surprise to me πŸ˜€ The new songs are really more hip-hopy again. “Ring the alarm” and “Constant” followed. The pyramid stage actually served as a huge screen and the projections were incredible. But this was topped during the next song. It was time to get out phones and activate the MOTS-app. During “Big Love” we were able to send heart towards the stage. It was so much fun sending as much hearts as I could. I couldn’t stop laughing and the song was over way too soon πŸ˜€


Black Eyed Peas remixed “Dum Diddly” from their debut record with “Mi Gente” and it made for a great party song. After this it was time for each Black Eyed Pea to step into the spotlight by themselves. Taboo was up first. He told us that he’s been battling cancer the last four years and is now super grateful to be back on stage. I was shocked! He smoothlessly rapped to “Rocking the Beat” and deserved the huge applause that followed. Apl.de.ap was up next with “Bebot” and Jessica took the spotlight with a BeyoncΓ© cover “Love on Top”. And finally Will.i.am took the stage with a medley of “This is love”/”#thatPower”/”Scream & Shout”

Final Act – Party on

It was clear that with “Don’t Stop the Party” and “The Time (Dirty Bit)” the Black Eyed Peas wanted us to party on. Almost everyone were on their feet rocking out! Their breakthrough hit “Where is the love?” is still very current and I had goosebumps while they performed it. If you think about it, it’s unbelievable. BEP released it in 2003 and 15 years later it still sounds like it’s written just this year. To finish this amazing performance we needed to get our phones out again to enjoy the AR experience πŸ˜€ With “I Got A Feeling” a huge pyramid dance floor stage was projected on top of the actual pyramid stage and the lights on the phone added to the lights on stage and it really was an incredible experience. We were jumping up and down with out phones – sooo much fun πŸ˜€

dav
Where is the love?

Have you experienced the MOTS-Tour or have you ever witnessed an AR experience? Share your story here or on Instagram.

Check out my latest gigs: Walking on Cars, Jason Derulo, John Legend

 

Allgemein, Concerts

The wait is almost over for Walking on Cars fans!

So this is the last night of the Baloise Session 2018 and it’s “Indie Chartbreakers”-Night! I am super excited to see Walking On Cars for the 5th time! Why? Because they are in the middle of their songwriting process of their 2nd album and yes they are playing new songs!!!! Before they hit the stage LP will warm up the crowd.

LP

I’ve had many chances to see LP live but her style of singing is just not for me. Plus I don’t like if artists whistle all the time. I don’t why but I just don’t think there is any reason why whistling should be put in songs πŸ™‚ However lots of people disagree with me and came to see LP performing at the Baloise Session and let me tell they weren’t disappointed! I might not like her style of music but I do think she’s super nice. She collected lots of fan presents during the fourth song. She took her time and said hi to everyone. I absolutely loved that.

lp_pld965201
Photo credit: Dominik PlΓΌss

What I loved too is that she came down to us more than once and walked through the audience. She gave absolutely everything during her 1h 15mins set and I can appreciate that even if I’m not a fan of her music.

Walking on Cars

We were so excited to see them like I already mentioned! So when they started with “Tick Tock” we were totally in the groove and it felt like they’ve never been gone. After “As we fly south” Sorcha had some technical problems with her key board. So Patrick tried himself as an entertainer and cracked a joke. However I don’t think it suits him. The joke was pretty bad and only a few laughed. Maybe it was also because of the language barrier that people didn’t really laugh. Luckily after a few mins he got the go ahead and was able to perform “Ship Goes Down”. His dancing shows a lot of passion and to other people it might look weird but it just shows how passionate he is. LOL

walking_on_cars_pld0016
Photo credit: Dominik PlΓΌss

Finally three songs were over and we were able to claim our first row spot πŸ™‚ “At Gunpoint” and “Love backs down” were next. The latter is one of my fav songs! The energy, the rhythm.. just everyone makes it so special to hear it live. I also loved that the we had enough space to dance. There were lots of people there to support Walking on Cars but respectful ones. Everyone seemed to have a good time and I saw lots of smiles around.
walking_on_cars_pld0028
Photo credit: Dominik PlΓΌss

“Flying High” is another incredible song and if you listen closely you can hear the beautiful voice of Sorcha in the background. Lots of “Uhhh’s” and “Hallelujah’s” were sung during “Two Stones” I got goosebumps. The energy was just incredible and that’s the trademark of any Walking on Cars show. Now this next song “Coldest Water” isn’t on their debut record called “Everything this Way” but it’s already on of the fans favourites since they were playing it on their last leg of the tour last year. It’s amazing if you can test new songs live in front of a crowd of people. That’s why I loved watching their reactions and I tried my best making them feel like they did a good job. But before we heard really new song we enjoyed “Always be with u”.

New Songs!

Patrick said that the album is 90% done! So this is good news Walking on Cars fans! 90% is good! I assume we will hear more next year and that’s great! πŸ™‚ “Waiting on the Corner”, “At my door”, “Nothing’s impossible” are the new songs we have been dying to hear. On my instagram account you can listen to some in the highlights section. I have to say they are awesome and fit perfectly into the set and their first album. They are powerful, rhythmic and just incredible – so Walking on Cars πŸ™‚ Guys if you read this, keep up the good work and finish that album! πŸ˜€

walking_on_cars_pld0073
Photo credit: Dominik PlΓΌss

The last songs of this year’s Baloise Session

“Catch me if you can” and “Hand in Hand” were performed by Patrick, Sorcha, Paul, Evan and Ross. Yes, Ross who played the guitar instead of Dan. I can only assume that Dan wasn’t able to travel here so they had to find someone to help them out. It worked out well. He did a good job and fit right in however I did miss Dan LOL I guess it was just me πŸ˜‰ Off they went for the little encore break.
A piano was brought on stage and Pat played “Coming my way” which is another song we heard before but isn’t on an album yet. Such a beautiful ballade! So moving and I was sooo happy that everyone shut up – we could literally listen to the piano and Pat’s voice and sink into the song – so much that when it finished we needed a sec to gather our thoughts and a huge applause followed. “Don’t mind me” was next but lots of people were waiting for “Speeding Cars”. This song finished the 2018 Baloise Session with the whole audience singing “Heya Heya” πŸ™‚ A very beautiful special moment.

walking_on_cars_pld0247
Photo credit: Dominik PlΓΌss

Thank you Baloise Session

A huge thank you to Baloise Session! Every year they bring out amazing artists to create special evenings. I already cannot wait for next year so mark your calendars: 13 – 31 October 2019!
Have you been to this year’s Baloise Session? Share your story here πŸ™‚

Check out my latest gigs: Country Night Gstaad, Jason Derulo, John Legend

 

Allgemein, Concerts

Soulnight with Alina Amuri and John Legend

I can’t believe it’s been a year since I visited the Baloise Session the first time ever. It left a lasting impression and I knew I had to come back again so when the line-up was announced I knew I really had to get a move on. So when I got the confirmation to come this Soul Night evening with John Legend and Alina Alina I was over the moon.

Last year Alicia Keys was part of the Baloise Session and as you know before the first act goes on stage they show a concert. I was very happy to watch last’s years gig and it got me in the right mood. I always try to be there very early because there is so much to do. Cafe Royal offers you a yummy coffee, SprΓΌngli is giving out Luxembourgeli and dark chocolates, there are lots of competitions and of course I always try to get a good seat too.

Alina Amuri

I knew Alina Amuri’s new album Chasing Traces pretty well since I wrote a New Music post about it. Unfortunately I always had other concerts already planned so I never got the chance to see her live with the new album. So tonight I was very excited for both artists and of course Alina Amuri didn’t disappoint. In fact she received standing ovations from the crowd so she must have done a great job warming up the crowd for John Legend.
P1040352
First up was “Turn to Gold”, followed by “Pioneers”, “Water” and “Won’t Cope with It” which are great for a rainy autumn night (I know It’s now what we’re used to anymore :-)) The beginning of Alina Amuri’s set was very souly but this changed with “Giving up on you”. The electric guitar boomed around the venue and it was a sudden change which I think surprised many. I love it! She changed up the set again when she asked Walter Esposito on stage to sing the title track “Chasing Traces” with her. He not only supports her on stage he also co-wrote the album with her.
P1040344
Next was “Don’t/Won’t let them take me under” before Alina Amuri changed her sound again. “On my Way” was already very dancy but this one got topped by “Move Slowly”. She asked everyone to stand up and dance and a few followed her request. It was very 80’s synthie but still in a very soulful way. Hearing Move Slowly live confirmed my notion I had when I listened to the album back in June. For “Your Eyes” Alina Amuri played the German flute at the beginning and I was impressed once again. With the beautiful ballade “Daughter” she finished the night πŸ™‚

John Legend

Only one big black piano got put in the middle of the stage and at 20 past 9 John Legend to his seat with “Made to Love”. John Legend’s beautiful voice accompanied by his skillful play of the piano was enough to sell out the Baloise Session. To be honest with you I thought it could get boring but because he kept sharing little stories throughout the evening and joked and smiled a lot it was very entertaining. John Legend continued with “A Good Night”, “Tonight” and “Love me Now”.
P1040363
John Legend explained that he worked in a normal 9 to 5 job doing excel sheets and creating power point slides during the day and on the weekends he would play in this small club called the Living Room. Of course he would not be able to play during prime time but at 4 pm. Who wants to listen to Jazz at that time?! πŸ˜€ But his room mates cousin happens to be Kanye West who just got his first record deal and was producing The College Dropout and in 2004 John Legend got his first deal as well producing “Get Lifted”. So very early on John Legend worked with big names already. So his next song is from his first his first record “Let’s get lifted”. For “Used to love U” he needed the audience’s support in singing “Holla holla haaa”. It kinda seemed like a gospel choir with the director on stage with the piano. “Save room” and Maxine was next.
 


John Legend told us a little about how he writes songs. First he starts with a melody and uses a lot of gibberish. Only after he’s got the melody of the song he starts writing the lyrics to it. So he showed us with “Again” how he started out and how it turned out. With every song he showed us a little bit more of his voice range and I was super impressed. After I sat down for the first 30 mins I knew I had to see him up close a bit more so I went up front because hey, when you get the chance to see them so close why don’t you use it? πŸ™‚
P1040368
He continued his set with “Where did my baby go?” and “PDA”. One of his bigger hits it seems is “Ordinary People”. When he started playing the first chords I heard a lot of “Ohh’s and Ahh’s”. I didn’t think it’s possible to cover Sam Smith and not look stupid doing it. However John Legend managed it. He sang “Lay Me Down” and I had goosebumps listening to it. How good is his voice if he can compete with the very highs of Sam Smith?

It’s time for the world to change. To love each other and fight for peace and justice. So wake up everybody!

With that he introduced his next song “Wake Up Everybody”. Staying in this theme John Legend covered Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song”. Another very big name and he did an amazing job with this song! He turned all his covers into a John Legend version without disrespecting the original artist and that’s an art. “You and I” and “Green Light” followed and with the latter he got everyone dancing and moving. Back in 2001 when he wrote “Stay with you” he didn’t know Chrissy but it is a perfect love song for your parter. He admitted that his songs get played a lot at weddings πŸ˜€
John Legend said that he grew up in a church because his whole family was involved in his hometown church. But it was his Grandma who told him how to play the piano. And what I loved the most was when he said:

Everything I do here is dedicated to her

And with that he played a wonderful rendition of “Bridge over troubled water”. To finish this beautiful soulful night John Legend played his biggest hit “All of me” and I think everyone at the Baloise Session sang along with him. I had goosebumps and it was a very special moment I enjoyed a lot.

dav
Thank you Basel

I want to thank the Baloise Session again for inviting me to the event and guys if you are going to this year’s edition you have to participate in this amazing competition where you can win 300 francs for next year’s Baloise Session! All you need to do is follow them on Instagram, Post a pic with your ticket and let them know why YOU are their biggest fan and use the hashtags #Baloisesession and #baloisesessionfan” and you’re in! All you need to do then is hope for as many likes as possible to be crowned Fan of the day! πŸ™‚
Share your Baloise Session memories below or on my instagram account! πŸ™‚

Check out my latest gigs: Jason Derulo, Country Night Gstaad, Walking Papers

 

Allgemein, Concerts

Jason Derulo brought a piece of his heart to Zurich

Thanks to abc Production I got see Jason Derulo last night. I saw his Isle of Malta show on MTV and I knew that he’d be putting up a great show. But I was surprised at how personal he made the show. Of course there was dancing but there was also quite good singing and a lot of nice and quick talks. What I loved too is how the atmosphere was super laid back and everyone seemed to have a great time!

Marcus & Martinus


The night started with the newest teenie crush Marcus & Martinus. The two very young and very sweet twins are the next Justin Bieber. The two gathered quite an audience who came just for them. The girls were partying already. It was super cute to watch and of course you could hear lots of screaming because good old clapping is out πŸ˜€ I have to say I was quite sceptical at first but they did a pretty good job warming up the crowd with their pop music. Most girls already had the time of their life!

DJ Jae Murphy

Due to the support act there was a very funny mixture in the audience. You had the kids and teenies, the peeps who were into dancing, couples and women in their twenties and thirties who knew Jason Derulo songs from their night out. For the next 20 minutes Jason Derulo’s DJ Jae Murphy took the stage and turned the Hallenstadion into a Club. He set the perfect mood for the following 90 mins with Jason Derulo.

Jasoooon Deruuuloooo


At 9 a very long intro video showed Jason Derulo in Africa explaining to us why the tour is called 2 Sides. Jason is half human half lion. And that’s how he came on stage – like a lion king with “Watcha Say”. After a very old song he threw in his newest song “Tip Toe” and he literally was on his tip toes and of course almost all clothes had to go so he could show off his abs. With “Don’t wanna go home / Shots” we definitely got turned into a club and lots of people were already dancing on front of their seats. Because of the laid back atmosphere people didn’t feel like they had to be afraid of standing up.

One of my personal favourites “Wiggle” was next. However I didn’t really like the way they performed it live. I felt like the wiggles weren’t too clear, it was kinda too rocky. What we also noticed is that – were we sat – the mix wasn’t too good. The music was louder than Jason Derulo’s voice. A beautiful ballade called “Trumpets” was next where we could get out our phone lights. Derulo now said that he is doing something special he wants to try out new music for his family: “Make Up” – a very cool uptempo song with his typical style. You can be looking forward to hearing it!
P1040299
“In my Head”, “Get Ugly”, “Let me be the one” (Yes, he brought out the treadmills on stage for that and I cannot tell you how much I love that effect) and “Marry Me” followed. Of course lots of girls wished that Jason Derulo would asked that question to them LOL And the romantic atmosphere continued. Derulo asked his back ground singer who was in beautiful dress to join him up front. Together they sang the Little Mix duet “Secret Love Song”. And let me tell you wow her voice blew us away!

Up next was “IT-GIRL” and the girls put their signs up “Can I be your it-girl?”. After the first few chords he interrupted the song and said “Hold Up, Hold up I cannot sing this song without an IT-Girl”. His bodyguard picked a girl from the front row and she was brought on stage to be serenaded by Jason Derulo. She couldn’t believe it and for us it was great fun to watch!

Where are my single ladies at?

With that he introduced his next song “Ridin’ solo”. This hit was followed by “If I’m lucky” and “Cheyenne” where his dancing was supported by a haunted house in the background. “Swalla” with Nicki Minaj was next and it was time to shimmy πŸ˜€ Before we had to be “Breathing” πŸ˜‰ It is amazing how many songs you actually know just from going out and listening on the radio. Jason Derulo has so many hits and knows how to put them together in show! “Goodbye” started and I already thought oh oh it’s time to say Goodbye. What a great song to finish! But he wasn’t finished yet πŸ™‚


Normally the artists go off stage and we start “Oh Oh Oh” to the bass line of Seven Nation Army but this time we did it together! πŸ™‚ And finally Jason Derulo talked dirty to us! At this point I was a bit worried about the kids singing this song because I mean I hope they don’t know what “Talk dirty 2 me” is πŸ˜€ Jason closed the show with “Want to Want me” and all I could think of was why isn’t Luke Bryan popping up with some headphones on? If you don’t know what I’m talking about here’s the link:

Amazing right??!! And sooo funny haha
P1040332
But what came next I really didn’t expect at all and it was my absolute highlight of last night. Jason Derulo walked into the middle of the stage into the crowd and said:

Thank you for coming out tonight. I hope you saw that every piece of this show is a piece of my heart. My crew is like my family and you are now part of it too.
I do not take this for granted. You are the reason why I am able to live my dream. And you can live you dream too. I don’t care how old you are, what you religion is or the colour of your skin. I want you to have what you desire so go after it! I don’t care how long it takes. Make it happen! ‘Cause I believe in you and you should believe in you too!
I love y’all! God Bless you and Good night!

What a way to finish this amazing 90 mins show! Again thank you abc production and thank you Jason Derulo!
Have you seen a show on the 2 sides tour? Share your memories below or on my Instagram account!

Check out my latest gigs: Country Night Gstaad, Max Giesinger, Walking Papers
Allgemein, Concerts

Getting my Country on with Brett Young, Midland and Maddie & Tae

For years I wanted to visit the Country Night Gstaad and this year I finally found another Country Music Fan to join me! We started our little road trip at noon so that I could join the Line Dance workshop at 4. Of course the we couldn’t start without the right music: The hottest Country songs atm πŸ™‚

When we arrived at the venue I kinda felt transported into a convention centre in the US. Obviously country music was playing, some people were eating and some were already line dancing. Let me tell you the work shop was a lot of fun and I never thought that line dancing is so exhausting! LOL

KrΓΌger Brothers

2018-09-08 18.57.25
They are Swiss but living in the US and they managed to get the most people into the actual concert venue! I quite liked their music and their performance however I was waiting for the other artists as my highlights unlike the majority of the audience. I think since the crowd is mainly middle-aged they prefer the good ol’ country music. And the Kruger Brothers perfect their unique style.

Maddie & Tae

2018-09-08 19.49.45
If you google Maddie & Tae you quickly realize that they are two gorgeous girls but believe me they are even better looking in real life. But they are just good looking they are super cute and very talented too. God must have had a good day when Maddie & Tae were born. With big smiles on their faces they started with “Ain’t There Yet”, “No Place Like You” and “Friends Don’t”. Maddie & Tae’s harmonies were just perfect and together they played the guitar as well. I was super impressed and loved their set already. The girls continued with “Tourist”, “Fly” and “Waiting on a Plane”.


My absolute fav tune was “Your Side of Town”. It’s a super fast song including some clapping and it just has so much energy! I really really loved it. It doesn’t get more country than “Shut up and Fish”. For you country rookies let me show you what I mean with the following lyrics:

Oh I was fishing he was wishing
We were kissing I was getting
Madder than a hornet in an old coke can
Getting closer sliding over
Crowding up my casting shoulder
Reaching out and tryna hold my reeling hand
Saying I’m pretty saying he’s in love
And how it don’t get any better than this
I say yeah it could
Boy if you would
Shut up and fish

Just perfect! haha “Trying on Rings” was next before we got to hear a beautiful ballade with on point harmonies again: “Everywhere I’m Going”. I could listen to Maddie & Tae all evening. They deffo made a new fan πŸ™‚ “I Don’t need to know” and “New Dog” followed. But of course the girls couldn’t leave without singing their biggest hit “Girl in a Country Song”. Such a cool song and the video is sooo funny so have a look below:

I think they loved it so much they added another lovely ballade “One Heart” to the set list. But what I really appreciated most was that they properly took time to sign the booklets of their fans and were just super sweet!

Midland

2018-09-08 21.58.31
Midland looks like a band from the 80’s with their long hair and moustaches which one of the lads shaved off the day before and he got a lot of grief for it πŸ˜€ In any case I really really loved their set. You could feel that they love what they are doing and they were super grateful to be in Switzerland and play for us. They mentioned more than once that this was a once in a life trip and they enjoyed the beautiful views including a super dangerous hiking trip. I loved Mark’s storytelling skills. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get a set list of all their songs since I was already crammed in to get a good spot for Brett Young’s first song.


They played a lot of folky country songs almost leaning into blue grass and what I really liked was when they covered “Stand by Me”. Their harmonies were absolutely on point in all the songs and they tried to get the crowd going a few times! And of course at the end they played “Drinking Problem” πŸ˜€ So you just read that fishing is big in Country Music now I can tell you that drinking is almost as big and this song is just the perfect example. Have a look at the video:

Brett Young

2018-09-08 23.45.25
He was the headliner but only started playing at 11.40 so I was already super exhausted however he managed to get me up dancing from the start! For the first song “Here Tonight” I was front row again and hoped to get some good close up shots. “Used to missing you” was next and then I couldn’t believe it one of my fav BrettΒ YoungΒ songs was already up: “Like I loved you” was on and I was singing and swaying along. So my concert buddy and I decided we couldn’t watch it from the back so we joined others who were dancing on the side.
One of his biggest hits wasΒ up in 5 4 3 2 1Β “You Ain’t Here to Kiss Me” πŸ˜‰ Brett then started talking. He said that he grew up in California and that one of his biggest inspirations is Gavin DeGraw and I looked over to Shirley from Loads of MusicΒ completely gobsmacked. I didn’t expect this at all. I was over the moon and I loved him even more so when he started playing “Not over you” I could barely contain myself haha I absolutely looove surprises at gigs!
2018-09-08 23.42.23
After that we had to catch a breath and calm down to “Making me Say”, “Crazy Love” and “Ain’t too proud”. I knew that the slow part was coming now so we sat back down and enjoyed the next fewΒ cover songs where you could hear his very beautiful voice. Brett Young started off with “Walking in Memphis”. I love the song even in a slow version. “Bartender Blues” and “Garth” was next. He then asked Maddie & Tae back on stage to sing with him “Whiskey Lullaby”. Let me tell you those harmonies were on point! And to finish the slow cover songs set he sang “Hallelujah”. Such a beautiful moment and I enjoyed the quiet part very much.


“Close Enough” and “Catch” got us up andΒ dancing again. For “In Case you didn’t know” Brett Young said that if you are here with your partner this is the song to dance to. At first no-one stood up but then finally a couple started dancing and it was just the cutest! This guy earned some major husband points that night lolΒ “Left Side of Leaving” I usually turn up the volume real loud so I was screaming it back at him haha thank God the music was loud enough so that no-one heard me πŸ˜‰
His hour was over waaay to quick since we were already in the first song of the encore with “Mercy/Silence”. For the last song “Sleep without you” we were allowed back in front of the stage and some even got selfies with him! After a short thank you and good night Brett Young left the stage and lots of people were left without his signature in their programme booklet.

Who’s excited for the Country Night Gstaad 2019?

It was such an amazing day filled with good country music, nice people and loooots of fun! I hope I can come back next year – maybe we get to see Sam Hunt? πŸ˜‰ The date is already out so mark your calendars on the 20th/21st September!
Want to share your Country Night Memories? Just comment below.

My latest gigs: Selah Sue, Max Giesinger, Walking Papers

 
 
 

Allgemein, Concerts

Chained to the Rhythm with Walking Papers

A few weeks ago Shirley from Loads of Music told me to come along to see Walking Papers at Dynamo. And I trust her judgement on music so last night we headed to the venue where oddly enough not too many people were hanging outside compared to Sons of the East and Max Giesinger.

Fueled by Grace

P1040027
Unfortunately for the support act my first impressions were right. Only a few peeps showed up for their set which was a very good warm up – especially since it’s been short notice for them. My fave was called “Escape”. It has a bit of a country vibe to me. The guys did their set in a very professional manner even though only a few people showed up. I felt very sorry for them. Here’s their set list if you wanna check out this cool Swiss band: 1. Overcome, 2. She, 3. Dad’s track, 4. Escape, 5. Home, 6. The End

And then came Walking Papers with Rattling Chains

P1040034
Walking Papers came on stage with “This is how it ends” and I was absolutely fascinated with the Saxophonist who was rattling a chain which sounded great. I couldn’t believe how easy it is to create such an amazing sound. Within the first few secs they already had me and the few people who showed up were about to witness a great rock show.
P1040077
“How it feels”, “Death on the Lips”, “Hard to look Away” were next and lead singer Jeff used the space and came down to us to rock out. In a small venue you can properly connect with the audience which I personally like very much. And like he said it’s bigger and better than a parking lot in which they played frequently.

Parking Lots are the same from Argentina to Zurich

The set continued with “Somebody Else”, “I’ll Stick Around”, “King Hooker”. It was great to see the 6 musicians doing their thing. You could feel and see that they knew what they were doing. The Sax, the guitar, the drums, the huge bass, the keys and of course the voice were on point!


“Into the truth”, “A place like this”, “The butcher” followed. But my highlight of the show was the Missionary Position cover “Every Man for himself”. A little audience choir sang the chorus back and the few people did a good job. What I love about the crowd yesterday was that they were quiet! Everyone enjoyed the good music and were dancing, head-banging, clapping or just listening which I was so happy to see. This is how I am at every gig haha

Christmas is in 3 months!

Was my first thought when Gregor – the Saxophonist – brought out the bells. If Walking Papers ever need female band member I’m in LOL I could do the bells, chains and rattle part πŸ˜€ “Capital T”, “Two Tickets and a Room”, “Already Dead”, “The Whole World’s Watching” were next. Walking Papers didn’t do the Encore thing they just played their songs without a break. After 90 mins we had only three songs left “Your Secret’s Safe with Me”, “Leave me in the dark” and “Red and White”. After a lot of good music, mic swinging and a bit of small talk the band jumped off stage to meet their fans by the merch.
P1040051
I headed for the toilet and I couldn’t believe that Jeff – the lead singer – was already there. Β Other bands take minutes to hours and Walking Papers literally took only seconds to meet their fans. So if you see that Walking Papers are coming to your town please support them and enjoy a great rock show πŸ™‚
Have you seen the Seattle Rockers live? Share your experience below:

Check out my latest gigs: Sons of the East, Selah Sue, Max Giesinger
Allgemein, Concerts

Max Giesinger: Vom EichhΓΆrnli ΓΌber Kuschelrock zu Tretbootfahren

Letztes Jahr durfte ich Max Giesinger an der Baloise Session zum ersten Mal live sehen. Ich hatte total falsche Vorstellungen und innerhalb von weniger Minuten hatte Max Giesinger mich zum Fan gemacht. NatΓΌrlich wusste ich, dass ich mir die Chance ihn im Dynamo zu sehen, nicht entgehen lassen kann.

2018-09-09 20.40.53
Chris James – der Support – ist Deutscher macht aber Musik in Amerika. Er hat echt toll Lieder und war super sympathisch. Die Leute wurden super aufgewΓ€rmt und ich wΓΌrde mir den Namen merken πŸ™‚
2018-09-09 21.30.42
Kurz vor 21.00 Uhr drΓΆhnte plΓΆtzlich Bruno Mars’ “24K Magic” aus den Lautsprechern. Die Leute fingen schon an zu Tanzen. Das Licht wurde ausgemacht und Max’s Band kam auf die BΓΌhne. Nach einem kurzen Intro kam Max Giesinger auf die BΓΌhne und sie fingen mit “Roulette” an. Aber zuerst wurde die erste Reihe per High Five gegrΓΌsst und dem Rest wurde zugewunken. Aber das war noch nicht alles! Max besuchte die Party People in der Mitte, in dem er kurzerhand ΓΌber die Schranken ins Publikum sprang. Ein kurzer Remix mit Pharrell Williams “Get Lucky” lag auch noch drin πŸ™‚
2018-09-09 21.31.12
Die 5 Jungs spielten am Tag vorher am Energy Air for 40’000 Zuschauer und natΓΌrlich ging die Party Backstage weiter. Deshalb war am Sonntag ausschlafen und chillen angesagt. Da der Sommer in die VerlΓ€ngerung geht, konnten die Jungs in der Limmat schwimmen – Ja Max der Fluss heisst Limmat nicht Rivella πŸ˜€ Nach dem kurzen Wintereinbruch letzte Woche sind wir wieder im Sommer. Der beste Song dafΓΌr hat Max Giesinger natΓΌrlich im GepΓ€ck: “Kalifornien”. Die Jungs haben sich natΓΌrlich nicht eingecremt und nen dicken Sonnenbrand eingeholt. Also bitte Leute immer eincremen auch im September! πŸ™‚
Einer meiner Lieblingssongs im Moment ist “Legenden”. An der Weltklasse ZΓΌrich wurde das Lied am Schluss gespielt und fΓΌr mich war das einfach der perfekte Song im perfekt Moment. Eine Stadiumhymne, die auch im kleinen funktioniert. Wie Max gestern erzΓ€hlt hat, man mΓΆchte ja als KΓΌnstler immer grΓΆsser werden, aber es ist genauso schΓΆn in kleinen Clubs zu spielen. Man spΓΌrt die Energie und sieht die Leute. “Ultraviolett” von seiner zweiten CD war als nΓ€chstes dran. WΓ€hrend “FΓΌr Dich, FΓΌr Mich” sangen wir “Ohhh ohhh ohh” und bei “Nicht so schnell” wavten wir mit den Armen πŸ™‚ Ein wunderschΓΆner Song bei dem man genau auf den Text achten sollte.
2018-09-09 22.07.48
Max sass dieses Jahr in der Jury von The Voice Kids und fand ein Schweizer Talent: Flavio Rizello. NatΓΌrlich hat er ihn jetzt eingeladen, mit ihm zu singen. Die beiden sangen “Feeling Good” und ich hatte echt GΓ€nsehaut. Ich hΓ€tte nie gedacht, dass Flavio eine so tolle Stimme hat. Max meinte, dass nicht mal er mit 14 so gut gesungen hat – vielleicht nicht mal jetzt πŸ˜€ Nach einem kurzen Umbau stellte Max mit viel Witz seine Band vor. Die 5 sassen nun nebeneinander und spielten eines meiner Favoriten: “Die Guten Tage strahlen”. Das Lied hat einen Country-Music-Touch und ist einfach nur super toll.


 
Wieder ein kurzer Umbau und da ich ganz links war, sah ich ein weisses T-Shirt hinter dem abgetrennten Teil nach hinten rennen. Ich wusste, dass muss Max sein πŸ˜€ Niemand sah ihn zum Sound laufen. Die meisten schauten mich komisch an, weil ich immer nach hinten schaute… Als das Licht dann auf ihn gerichtet wurde, war es den Leuten klar warum ich nach hinten schaute, anstatt nach vorne wie sie πŸ˜€ “Der Junge, der rennt” sang Max Giesinger in Mitten des Publikums. Ich finde es einfach toll, wie nah Max Giesinger am Publikum ist. Man merkt einfach, wie viel Freude es ihm macht und er einfach nur dankbar ist, dass er nun vor grΓΆsserem Publikum spielen darf.
2018-09-09 22.12.51
Dieser Hit durfte natΓΌrlich nicht fehlen und alle erkannten ihn sofort als Max Giesinger das Harmonium in die Hand nahm. Nach “Wenn sie tanzt” hatte Max noch etwas vorbereitet. Er spielte einige Takte z.B. von Lambada auf dem Harmonium und wir sangen sie nach. It was a lot of fun! πŸ˜€ Dann meinte Max, er mΓΆchte bei jedem Besuch einige WΓΆrter auf Schweizerdeutsch dazu lernen. Dieses Mal waren es zwei: Erstens ChuchichΓ€schtli – was natΓΌrlich jeder Schweizer als Paradebeispiel benutzt – und zweitens und jetzt kommts EichhΓΆrnli! Flavio hatte ihm das beigebracht πŸ˜€ So ein nΓΌtzliches Wort, nicht wahr?!
2018-09-09 22.49.50
Der nΓ€chste Beat kannten alle und da wir so ein musikalisches Publikum waren, fingen wir sofort an “We Will Rock You” zu klatschen und zu singen. Max liess sich sofort darauf ein und sang die erste Strophe und der Refrain bevor er dann ins nΓ€chste Lied “Vielleicht im nΓ€chsten Leben” einstieg.Β Max Giesinger erzΓ€hlte nun von seiner Jugend. Er besitzt jede Ausgabe der Kuschelrock-CD vor allem die Nummer 18 bedeutete ihm viel πŸ˜€ Deshalb spielte die Band und Max ein Medley aus 90’s Songs: Can’t Stop von den Red Hot Chili Peppers, Don’t let go von En Vogue und eines meiner Lieblingslieder – das normalerweise nur Pink covern darf – What’s up?! von den 4 Non Blondes. Einfach nur toll!
2018-09-09 23.03.42
Im November kommt die neue CD und “Wir Waren Hier” wird da drauf sein. Es ist die Geschichte von Max Giesinger, der sich vom Β Strassenmusiker zum Berufsmusiker durchkΓ€mpfte. Ein toller Song mit tollem Text! NatΓΌrlich geht Max nΓ€chstes Jahr wieder auf Tour. Er wird am 10. MΓ€rz im Kaufleuten spielen. Tickets sind ab Freitag auf Starticket verfΓΌgbar. Leider war es nun schon Zeit, dass sich die Jungs von uns verabschiedeten. Aber natΓΌrlich nur fΓΌr ein paar Minuten. Mit seinem Mega-Hit “80 Millionen” meldeten sie sich zurΓΌck. Nachdem wir als Background-Chor ausgedient haben, holte sich Max 3 kleine MΓ€dchen auf die BΓΌhne. Ein mega sΓΌsser Kinderchor und sicher ein Erlebnis, dass die kleinen nie mehr vergessen werden! Max Giesinger sang mit den super textsicheren Kiddies und wir waren ganz still und lauschten πŸ™‚
Nach 2 Stunden war das Ende nah und die 5 Jungs spielten “FΓΌr immer”. Der perfekte Abschluss fΓΌr einen tollen Konzertabend der mit dem folgenden Text endete:

Du hast gesagt du bleibst fΓΌr immer, fΓΌr immer
Du hast gesagt du bleibst fΓΌr immer
dass wir die Lichter sehen, bis die Musik ausgeht

Ach ja, was noch zu sagen bleibt. Lieber Max, natΓΌrlich kannst du in ZΓΌrich Tretboot fahren aber hier heisst’s Pedalo fahren! πŸ˜€
MΓΆchtest du deine Erinnerungen deines letzten Max-Giesinger-Konzertes teilen? Dann schreib doch unten die Kommentare oder schau auf Instagram vorbei πŸ™‚

Check out my latest gigs: Billy Talent, Sons of the East, Selah Sue

 

Allgemein, Concerts

Selah Sue shuts up the crowd with music

Thanks to Just Because I always get to try out new music I don’t know yet. So on Tuesday I went to see Selah Sue – a Belgian musician who came back from the mommy break to shut up the Kaufleuten crowd.

A little after 9 a piano player and cello player took the stage and played an intro and then Selah Sue came from the blackness into the light. It was a super weird intro at least that’s what I thought. I really didn’t know if I was going to like what I’m about to hear. I was pretty critical. Selah Sue started with “So this is Love”. I was still observing…

09-Selah 5
Credit: Patrick Holenstein from BΓ€ckstage Magazine

She then told us that she became a Mum this year and that she loves laying down in a hammock with her son. I could picture her just doing that. Of course Motherhood inspired her so the next song was written for her little boy called “In a Heartbeat”. I loved it and I loved how she explained the story behind this song. She warmed my heart already.
Plus she started playing the guitar now. Soft chords for the last song and loud ones for “Fyah Fyah”. Surprisingly the Kaufleuten crowd knew the song and sang with her! What I feared the most seeing her at Kaufleuten was that the crowd would constantly chat and you could hear the bar people working. This is what normally happens. However she must attract a different audience than most. They were quiet! I was really impressed and happy πŸ™‚ When looking around into people’s faces they were actually listen to her singing. I absolutely loved the atmosphere. “Fyah Fyah” was my favourite and after seeing Julian Marley a few weeks ago it was right up my alley πŸ™‚ She must have grown up with a lot of Jamaican buddies.

07-Selah 7
Credit: Patrick Holenstein from BΓ€ckstage Magazine

Selah Sue brought out the loop thingy too and you know I’m a huge fan of it. Ed Sheeran can fill a stadium with his guitar and a loop station. This little thing is so impressive. She created a whole band and backing singers with it. So for the next few songs I was focused again on her being a very talented musician and her special raspy voice: “Peace of Mind”, “I won’t go for more”, “Alone”, “Full of life”. Then she explained that she was working with another Jazz musician on a cover song the past month so she started with some very famous lyrics:

When I was just a little girl I asked my mother what will I be?

Of course it’s “Que sera, sera”. “Always home” and “I Need” followed. I don’t know why but I seem to know the next song. It’s “This World”. Her last official song. For this one she brought out another gadget. It replaced the drummer. It’s quite difficult to explain so best to have a look in the highlights on my Instagram account. Of course the effect of the that gadget was supported by the lights and those two things together made for a great show.

08-Selah 6
Credit: Patrick Holenstein from BΓ€ckstage Magazine

The three musicians left the stage and I really didn’t think they would come back. But Selah Sue came back with her guitar and asked us so what songs do you want to hear? 5 different songs were shouted at her. It came down to two songs after trying the loud-o-meter with audience. First she sang “Summertime” a very lovely ballade. The 2nd favourite song was “Raggamuffin”. Another song with Jamaican roots. She changed the lyrics again and sang:

In ZΓΌrich they want me

And yes we really do! I hope Selah Sue comes back really soon! Thank you for surprising me and turning me into a fan πŸ™‚
Have you seen Selah Sue in concert? Share your experience in the comments below.

Check out my latest gigs: Justin Timberlake, Billy Talent, Sons of the East