Next week it’s a bank holiday on Thursday. So I’m also taking Ascension off. But you’ll get my newsletter the day after on Friday.
Give my love to the city, Ron

The cult venue KIFF in Aarau celebrates its 20th anniversary. Its name is an abbreviation for Culture In the Feed Factory – ha, not what you thought -,  which the building was before it was turned into a club and concert venue and that became renown all over Switzerland. There, I spent many happy hours, especially in my youth. So it’s time to revisit the past even if they had to relocate for this to the horse race track. There will be food, stalls from the local night market and much to hear: Element Of Crime, Sivert Høyem, Blood Red Shoes (one of my favourites), Leech (another favourites), Das Pferd and much more.

I have 3x2 festival passes to give away, just send me a message.

Programme.
Thursday from 6.30 pm & Friday from 6 pm, Pferderennbahn Aarau

10 years ago a collective known as Glückstück held a few electro parties at Bogen 13. Since then they’ve had many, many more excellent parties all over the city and grown to become Zurich’s finest electro record label. They celebrate their 10th birthday this weekend with a 2-nighter at Cabaret and, as you might expect, have some great djs on offer including Mathias Kaden, Alex Smoke and, a favourite of mine, Die Galoppierende Zuversicht
Friday and Saturday 11 pm, Cabaret

Festival fever is starting to heat up as the summer gets warmer and this weekend is an early chance to ease yourself into the chaos with the Stolze Openair. It’s Zurich’s largest, free music festival but is within the city limits and is easy to get to with public transport. The line-up are a good mix of local and international bands, with a special note to anyone with a taste for original British punk, as The Mekons will headline on Saturday night.
Friday and Saturday, Stolze Openair

I told you last week about the ewz.selection photography exhibition and how you could vote for your favourite photographer to receive my Ron Orp’s Mail Community Award, well this Saturday is the exhibitions final day and the lucky winner will be announced. There is a whole evening of events with the award being given out at 10.30pm followed by, I hope you guessed, a celebratory party. Come to see if your vote won, or just to see what other Ron readers like. I’ll see you there.
Saturday 6 pm, ewz.selection

Being a city guy, I love a neighbourhood party and this Sunday Kanzlei has their Frühlingsfest (Spring Party). There’ll be some bands from the area playing live as well as bocchia and table football tournaments to make you feel king of the city (if you win). Much food and drink will also be on offer, but what has my attention is the star guest, who is mysteriously known only as The Astronaut. I don’t know what he’s about but with a name like that, he must be from the neighbourhood.
Sunday 1 pm, Kanzlei

Up the Rock is a new cultural salon at Kreis 6. Their second exhibition starts this Wednesday with works by the Canadian/Australian artist James Stewart. The opening night gets even more international with Irish singer songwriter Dermot Kelly playing solo on guitar. Everybody is welcome and entry is for free – and you don’t have to go to work the next day. So this could be your start into a long, long night.
Wednesday 5-9 pm, Up the Rock

Don’t be fooled by the name. The Jon Spencer Blues Band may be called a blues band but don’t imagine BB King wailing about heartbreak. The band, and especially Jon Spencer, sounds as if Elvis kidnapped the Stooges and told them to play a little louder.  If this gig at Rote Fabrik doesn’t thrill you through the midweek hump, nothing will. Mama Rosin, a fantastic Cajun band all the way from the Geneva bayou, is supporting them.
Wednesday 8.30 pm, Rote Fabrik

Gloria, is one of the venues in Zurich that seems to have been here forever, almost a classic. The round shaped windows are its trademark and as it’s close to the art school you often find groups of creatives working on a project in the corner. The food is great and varied but mostly Gloria is famous for its Sunday brunches. Especially as they subscribe to various magazines and newspapers which you can read while waiting for your order.  
Josefstrasse 59

Recently I discovered the music blog In the Open and found a video featuring the talented Ellie Goulding. Wow, she’s good! Although I’ve heard a few songs by hear beforehand, I had never noticed the rough edge in here voice. Listen for yourself!

When I saw the pictures of the photographer Tom Ryaboi for the first time, I had to swallow hard. The views he shows are nothing for the ones with weak nerves and not for those who are afraid of heights. The Canadian has a soft spot for roofs – which is how he earned his nickname Roof Topper. To take a spectacular image he dares to go where usually only suicidal or secret agents linger, like the edge of a roof on a skyscraper. To the images