Diverse & Dynamic: Switzerland’s Exciting & Bright Future

Switzerland, despite its relatively small size, is as diverse a country as one can imagine. A federal republic composed of 26 cantons, with four main linguistic and cultural regions: German, French, Italian and Romansh. Therefore, two of the most important questions for any promoter operating across the Swiss market, are “What promotional strategy should I adopt across Switzerland’s diverse cantons?” and “How will demand for artists vary from region to region?” as Derrick Thomson, managing director of Live Nation Switzerland explains.

Thomson’s team has been finding all the right answers, proven by the “continued growth in both ticket sales and show count across all venue types this year,” he says. The arena business is “a key driver of that growth, but the calendar is shaping up well at every level.”

The other major player in the market is the Gadget Entertainment Group, formed in 2020 by some of the country’s longest-standing and most successful promoters, and backed by CTS Eventim. Stefan Wyss, partner and director of concerts & touring at Gadget, says, “There is a big amount of smaller and mid-size shows in the market, but some of the major artists are skipping Switzerland.” He confirms the trend of major international acts playing shorter European tours. “We are lucky this year with two sold-out stadium shows with Imagine Dragons,” he says, “but some of the bigger artists are more focused on playing multiple shows in the few biggest European markets.”

Imagine Dragons is an example of an artist that Gadget has been working with since the club level. Their two sold-out shows at the country’s biggest stadium, Stadion Letzigrund in Zurich in May, were a culmination of this long-standing partnership, and “a proud moment for our company,” Wyss admits. “Talent development is part of Gadget’s DNA. It’s important to have stages for upcoming domestic and international talents to develop them in Switzerland. We are passionate about discovering upcoming artists, giving them a platform, and introducing them to a larger audience each time – a process that usually takes several years.”

Ways to support the careers of emerging artists in Switzerland include “booking new artists at our festivals, securing support slots for more established acts, promoting shows in the club circuit, and leveraging our national and international promotional reach to help acts grow,” according to Thomson, who adds that “approximately 80% of Live Nation shows in Switzerland take place in venues with capacities between 100 and 1,800, which are ideal settings for developing talent, building audiences, and gaining live experience.”

The vital development of talent is only possible if there’s a healthy club circuit in the country, and, according to Wyss, “There’s a need for new venues especially at club level. The traditional club Mascotte Zurich has just closed its doors and there is a high risk that we will lose more venues in Zurich, given the high rents in the city.”

Thankfully, independently-run grassroots venues are still finding ways to make the economics work. Mühle Hunziken in Bern, which celebrates its 50th anniversary next year, is truly a one-of-a-kind venue, where the audience surrounds the stage from all sides, spread across three levels. The venue is filled with artifacts, antiques and rare objects.

“First-time visitors are easy to spot, they’re usually taking photos of every corner, and even bands often lose track of time during soundcheck as they explore the place in awe,” says the venue’s CEO Chrigu Stuber. Mühle Hunziken has experienced “strong growth in recent years, both in terms of the number of shows and overall capacity utilization,” according to Stuber. “For 2025, we’re planning around 230 concerts. The vast majority are already sold out or are on track to be. We’re seeing more people than ever attending live shows at Mühle Hunziken and showing enthusiasm for discovering new artists. That’s why we’ve increased the number of concerts – often hosting five shows a week. Summer has also grown in importance for us, which led to the development of two outdoor open-air stages. These spaces allow for a broader and more dynamic event offering.”

Historically a renowned jazz, blues and world music hub, Mühle Hunziken has expanded to host a wide range of international acts in rock, pop, indie folk, rap and metal. “Our biggest challenge will be to remain open to emerging trends, to continue refining the programming mix to ensure future relevance and to preserve the uniqueness of the location,” Stuber says. Switzerland, he adds, is fortunate to still have “a strong network of smaller venues. However, many of these – especially independent or subcultural spaces – face financial challenges. These venues are critical to maintaining cultural diversity and fostering the next generation of talent. It’s essential that they continue to receive the support they need to survive and thrive.”

Laurence Vinclair, director of Les Docks in Lausanne, in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, confirms, “There are enough different sizes of venues, as much in the French part as in the German part. Just in Lausanne there are five differently sized venues.” Key challenges include keeping ticket prices affordable despite rising fees, while government subsidies remain at the same level. And as sales of alcoholic beverages at the bar are in decline – a general trend in the European venue business – Les Docks has expanded its non-alcoholic offering. “Thankfully, the rock audience continues to drink a lot of beer,” Vinclair adds.

What makes Les Docks a “very special” building is “the configuration of the room with its big stage and the balcony,” according to Vinclair. “The audience is very close to artists, it seems to be intimate, but we can welcome 1,000 people. The professional team, the importance we place on hospitality, ensure that we continue to attract a wide audience in Lausanne.”

One long-standing Swiss event that’s far from the grassroots, but nevertheless shines through similar attributes — such as intimacy, room configuration, and top-notch hospitality — is the Baloise Session in Basel. The boutique fest’s lineup boasts some of the world’s biggest names in music each year, as well as hotly tipped newcomers. Laid out like a jazz club, the Baloise Session “captivates with its proximity to the artists,” as CEO Beatrice Stirnimann explains, adding, “It’s about music, music and more music with two great music acts per evening. “We put together our lineup in a way that appeals to different visitor groups: established acts, young acts, electronic acts, blues, country, artists speaking different languages. The Swiss people already speak four different national languages, and many different nationalities live and work in Switzerland. Accordingly, we always try to curate a musically diverse program for the Baloise Session.”

Over the years, the festival amassed an impressive archive of concert footage, including Chris Cornell’s “magical” solo show in 2013, P!NK in 2006, who took a detour from her arena tour to play the 1,500-capacity event, Dave Gahan solo in 2003, Ray Charles in 2000 and Nina Simone in 1998. Jacob Collier, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Take That, Noel Gallagher and Ms. Lauryn Hill have performed in recent years. But it’s not just clout that Stirnimann is looking for when booking the lineup; the main driver is an artist’s ability to captivate and excel live. Zaz, Asaf Avidan, Lewis Capaldi, LP, and many more may serve as recent examples.

Curating this type of program, and coupling it with the premium F&B offering guests have come to expect, is only possible with the help of “sponsors and partners, who believe in us and our festival concept,” says Stirnimann.

Remaining in Basel, but moving up the capacities into the arena space, Pollstar speaks with Thomas Kastl, director of St. Jakobshalle, who says “This year is shaping up to be both diverse and dynamic.” The event mix the 12,400-capacity arena has recently hosted, aside from concerts, includes international sports events like the FEI World Cup, ballet, corporate events, and this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. “Compared to last year,” says Kastl, “the volume and variety of events has increased, and we’re seeing continued strong interest from promoters and audiences alike.”

St. Jakobshalle is a multi-use building in the truest sense, “designed to adapt,” Kastl continues, “whether it’s a sold-out arena tour, a club-style gig, or a hybrid event with immersive elements, we can configure the space accordingly.”

The building is finding itself in an interesting place: “We’re among the larger venues in Switzerland, but internationally we fall just below the capacity threshold that many major tours consider optimal for maximum profitability,” Kastl explains. “That said, we’re able to remain competitive by operating efficiently and by offering strong value to both audiences and promoters. Success isn’t just about size – it’s also about the overall experience, technical quality, and service. We focus on delivering a holistic event experience that extends well beyond just the show.”

Finally, as far as capacities go, there’s Stadion Letzigrund, the country’s largest stadium with a concert capacity of 50,00, located in the country’s largest city, Zurich. Stadium manager Peter Landolt says, “This year’s concert and event season is developing very positively. We’re seeing strong demand and great interest from both promoters and audiences. Compared to last year, there’s an increase in the variety of events, which shows that Letzigrund Stadium has firmly established itself as a key venue on the event calendar.”

Metallica, Die Toten Hosen, and Ed Sheeran are among the musical acts set to perform at the stadium this year – in addition to the aforementioned Imagine Dragons concerts. Letzigrund, despite its size, offers “a remarkable sense of closeness between artists and the audience,” according to Landolt. “The open design of the stadium creates an intimate feeling that is appreciated by both
visitors and performers. Moreover, the stadium is located right in the heart of Zurich – you couldn’t be more central. This unique combination makes Letzigrund a stand-out venue.”

With the UEFA Women’s EURO coming up, and serving as home grounds for two Zurich clubs performing in the country’s highest soccer league, Landolt’s team has their work cut out for them. “Balancing all of this requires careful scheduling and smooth operations, but we are well prepared,” Landolt assures. “Our goal is to continue being seen as a showcase venue for international top acts and to further establish Zurich as a key stop on major tours. We’re very pleased that international promoters reach out to us regularly and that confidence in our venue continues to grow.”

What doesn’t change with the capacity are the economic challenges faced by venue operators. St. Jakobshalle’s Kastl says, “Like many in the industry, we’re navigating rising operating costs – particularly around energy, staffing, and security. On top of that, artist fees and production expenses continue to increase, while competition among European venues remains fierce. Our challenge is to remain economically sustainable while still offering a compelling, high-quality package for world-class touring acts. Balancing cost control with added value is a constant focus.”

Festivals feel the increased production costs the most, but Switzerland still boasts a slew of outdoor events of various size that are doing very well. The general theme, in line with most of Europe, is that the established festivals are doing great, while smaller and lesser-known events may struggle. Paléo Festival Nyon, for instance, sold out more than 200,000 tickets for this year’s edition in 13 minutes, which marks a new record (it took 21 minutes in 2024). It’s an astonishing feat that confirms that an event that has been building a loyal fanbase through offering an unmatched experience over the years is able to navigate the post-pandemic economy – even when forced to increase ticket prices to maintain the level of production visitors have come to expect

Paléo had to increase ticket prices by 5% this year to offset these costs. It marked the first increase since 2022, even though inflation has been rampant since COVID. For Paléo, a not-for-profit, non-subsidized event, ticket sales make up 50% of its annual budget. Despite the price increase, Paléo tickets are 10% to 12% cheaper on average than elsewhere in Switzerland, according to the Swiss promoters association SMPA. Given the 16 to 17 concerts that take place across the festival site per day, the incredible F&B offering Paléo has built a reputation for, and free general camping, it’s an undeniably good value for fans.

According to Ralph Schuler, president of the board of directors of Live Nation Switzerland, “Switzerland’s festival market remains strong. At Openair Frauenfeld, for example, we’ve broadened the musical offering and enhanced the on-site experience for fans. The key is to keep evolving so that you attract new audiences, while staying true to the festival’s identity.”

A good example of this is camping, which is more than basic accommodations at Openair Frauenfeld. Schuler says, “It’s part of the overall festival experience. We’ve responded to audience
feedback and introduced tiered camping options, from enhanced standard areas to premium glamping zones with pre-set tents and private showers. Beyond this, we’ve transformed our camping grounds into active lifestyle and leisure zones. Today’s audiences are looking for comfort, flexibility, and more engaging experiences—and we’re delivering exactly that.”

Christof Huber, partner and director of festivals at Gadget, which, among many others, promotes the fantastic Openair St.Gallen, says “The festival business is solid, but a little slower than in previous years. We expect sales to pick up closer to the events, especially in the younger audiences. It has been difficult this year to secure international headliners and the pressure on costs is high.”

For now, audiences are willing to pay the ticket price increases that inevitably had to follow the inflation. It’s a sign of the country’s high per-capita income, which also guarantees that the Swiss market remains “an attractive stop for international artists on tour,” according to Live Nation’s Thomson, who sees plenty of opportunity for growth in the future.

“Switzerland’s population has grown from 8 million to 9 million in the space of a decade and is expected to grow by another 450,000 in the next five years,” Thomson says. “This is driving up the number of potential concertgoers, which is a huge opportunity for us as an industry. This growth is concentrated in major urban areas such as Zurich, Basel, Bern, Lausanne and Geneva. As these regions become more diverse, so do musical tastes, so not only do we have more demand for shows, but more demand for a wider range of acts.”

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