Tell us about the music scene in… Basel
P. Noir - Jonathan Ruf (left), Roman Vögelin (right)
One feature on Reverb Dream will be asking several musicians and people within the music industry across Switzerland for their opinions and insights to different cities and towns across the country. Hopefully, this will allow us to get a better understanding of the music scene in the town/city and to discover new bands, places and events from there.
[First edition - Geneva - Nicolas Scaringella (Adieu Gary Cooper, Cheptel Records)]
For the second edition of our series , I contacted Roman Vögelin, the drummer and half of the dark ambient/doom/drone band, Basel-based P. Noir. The duo, with Jonathan Ruf on effects, released their latest album, MYCELIAL WHISPERS: Delving into the Decaying Pulse of the Soil, in March of this year.
There are a lot of genres which inspires their music and their biography on the Sixteentimes website describes the most-recent record best as “the ultimate fusion of dub, dark ambient, doom and electroacoustic in their unique style – a trip full of drums, drones and dread”.
Last year, at the first edition of the Alles Post- MusikFest!, I was not only impressed by their performance - through their creativity and their musicianship - but the duo were very friendly and approachable. Hearing about their long experience on the Basel scene, I thought of them immediately when starting this article. I would like to thank Roman for his replies and also his offer of providing another contact for further details about the music scene in the city.
(Editor’s note: the questions and replies were originally in German, you will be able to see them after the social media links/videos at the end of the article in English)
First of all, tell us about yourself. Which band(s) do you currently play in and which bands have you previously been in? How long have you been active in the music scene in Basel?
Since 2014 I have been playing the drums for the drum’n’drone band, P. Noir. Before, I was the drummer for the psychedelic doom band SNARF from 2003 (until 2014).
In your own words, how would you describe the music scene in Basel?
I would say that the music scene in Basel is quite diverse. The amateur musicians, who were born in the 1980s, are in a lot of rock, heavy rock, stoner rock, doom, metal and experimental bands, often with punk rock and grunge roots. However, I don’t think there are many punk rock and grunge bands still around these days.
There is also an active hip-hop scene but I don’t know too much about it. When looking at the line-up of BSCENE Music Festival in Basel, it is largely dominated by indie-pop rock bands. I think it is primarily made up of younger bands playing there.
Which places/concert venues would you recommend to experience the local scene?
My favourite is clearly the concert cellar in the restaurant Hirscheneck (also known as “Hirschi”). The venue is rather small and dark and it doesn’t take long for a good atmosphere there. There are a lot concerts from underground and heavy bands, or other controversial acts. The Humbug is bigger than the Hirschi and, nevertheless, has a very unpretentious program with non-commercial acts.
The Kaserne is the first address to go to for the bigger acts of any genre. The smaller of the two halls, the Rossstall has a very good sound. Furthermore, the Kaschemme, the Sudhaus, the Sommercasino and the Quarterdeck at the harbour are cool clubs. Outside of Basel (in Liestal) there is a squat/occupied house, A_Way, which is a secret tip for fans of more extreme music.
Are there any special or annual events such as festivals which you would recommend/which you have enjoyed?
In Basel there is, for example, the annual festival, BSCENE, where lots of local bands perform. An excellent concept, even if it has become very indie pop/indie-rock-orientated recently For heavier styles of music there is Tales of Wrath, who organise concerts and festivals. The rave collective avalon is inventive. QUEERSCHI in the Hirschi for all things queer.
Which bands are Basel’s best kept secret? Which bands do you think would go onto bigger things or at least deserve to?
Sandro P. is a super live band, I believe they are all professional musicians. From the amateur scene I can recommend the psychedelic stoner-blues band Oakhead and Echolot, the latter combines doom, metal, progressive rock and psychedelic rock. And, of course, the synthesiser-artsit Papiro. Universe By Ear are also interesting, they are a formidable heavy psych rock trio.
Does being close to the French and German borders have an impact on the music scene in Basel?
A lot of the concertgoers, mainly from the German border regions, come over the borders to see shows in Basel.
How does it compare to experiences you have had in other cities in Switzerland?
I don’t know the other cities that well but I would say that Basel has really a lot to offer culturally for a city of its size. The music scene is small but very well networked, everyone knows and helps each other. Normally as a local band, you get a lot of support from the local audiences.
Links:
Erzähl uns von dir. In welchem Band (in welchen Bands) spielst du im MOment? Und in welchem Band (in welchen Bands) hast du vorher gespielt? Wie lang bist du aktiv in der Musikszene in Basel?
Ich spiele seit 2014 Schlagzeug bei der drum’n’drone band P. Noir. Vorher mit dem gleichen Instrument bei der psychedelic doom Band SNARF seit 2003.
In deinen eigenen Wörten, wie würdest du die Musikszene in Basel beschreiben?
Die Basler Musikszene ist ziemlich divers würde ich sagen. Von den Amateurmusikern der 1980er Jahrgänge gibt es noch einige Rock, Heavy Rock, Stonerrock, Doom, Metal und experimentelle Bands, oftmals mit Wurzeln im Punkrock und Grunge, wobei letztere Stilrichtungen glaube ich nicht mehr viele machen. Es gibt wohl eine aktive Hiphop-Szene – da kenn ich mich jedoch nicht aus. Wenn man sich das Programm des Basler Musikfestivals BSCENE anschaut, dann dominiert klar der Indie-Poprock. Ich glaube, der wird auch primär von jüngeren Bands gespielt.
Welche Orte/Musiksäle schlägst du vor, um die Musikszene in Basel zu erfahren?
Mein Favorit ist klar der Konzertkeller des Restaurants Hirscheneck „Hirschi“. Der Ort ist recht klein und dunkel und wartet darum schnell mit einer guten Stimmung auf. Dort treten viele Underground- und Heavybands auf oder auch kontroverses Zeug. Das Humbug ist grösser als das Hirschi und hat trotzdem ein recht puristisches Programm mit nicht kommerziellen Acts. Für grosse Acts jeglicher Stilrichtung ist die Kaserne die erste Adresse. Wobei der kleiner der zwei Säle, der Rossstall einen sehr guten Sound hat. Ansonsten sind die Kaschemme, das Sudhaus, das Sommercasino und das Quarterdeck am Hafen coole Clubs. Ausserhalb von Basel ist das besetzte haus A_Way ein Geheimtipp für Extremes.
Gibt es irgendwelche spezielle oder jährliche Events/Veranstaltungen, die du vorschlägst, oder die dir gefallen?
In Basel gibt es zum Beispiel das jährliche Festival BSCENE, wo viele lokale Bands auftreten. Tolles Konzept, wenn auch in letzter Zeit sehr Indie Pop/Rock lastig. Für harte Stilarten gibt es die Konzertserie Tales of Wrath. Das Rave kollektiv.avalon ist originell. QUEERSCHI im Hrischi für alle Formen von Queerness.
Welche Bands sind Basels “best kept secret” (top Geheimtipp)? Welche Bands werden bekannt werden oder zumindest sollen bekannter werden?
Sandro P. ist eine super Liveband, sind glaub ich alles Profis. Aus dem Amateurbereich kann ich die psychedelic stoner-blues Band Oakhead empfehlen und Echolot, Letztere machen Doom Metal, Progressive Rock und Psychedelic Rock. Und natürlich den Synthie-Künstler Papiro. Universe By Ear sind auch interessant, das ist ein anspruchsvolles Heavy Psych Rock Trio.
Gibt es einen Einfluss auf die Musikszene wegen den Grenzen mit Frankreich und Deutschland? (Dass die beide Länder so nah sind)
Über die Grenze hinweg läuft der Strom der Konzertbesucher vor allem von der Deutschen Grenzregion nach Basel.
Wie würdest du Basel mit Erhfahrungen in anderen Städten in der Schweiz vergleichen?
Ich kenne andere Städte nicht gut. Ich würde aber sagen, dass Basel ein relativ hohe „Kulturdichte“ hat. Die Musikszene in Basel ist klein, aber sehr vernetzt, man kennt und hilft sich. Grundsätzlich bekommt man als lokale Band viel Support durch lokales Publikum.