The rain finally stopped on Saturday afternoon to let the stall holders sell their wares. The drummers and musicians got to perform and the shoppers took down their umbrellas. The sun even made an welcome appearance even though it was only for a few short hours.

The exciting news was announced yesterday (March 13) that Gilberto Gil, world famous singer-composer and former Minister of Culture of Brazil will be coming to Nyon on Saturday 20th April for the world premiere of the film Viramundo at the  Visions du Réel Documentary film festival in Nyon  (19-26 April) "Viramundo" will be screened at 19:30 at the Théâtre de Marens and will be hosted by Radio Télévision Suisse (RTS).  Gilberto Gil is the central character in the documentary. The filmmaker, Pierre-Yves Borgeaud and the producer Emmanuel Gétaz will also be present. A second showing of the film is scheduled on Sunday 21st April at 12:00  in the Salle Communale. In the event of an exceptionally high attendance, another screening of the film will also be given on  Saturday 20th April at 22.15 on the day of Gilberto Gil’s visit.   The film will be followed by a panel discussion with Mr Gil and the film makers. There will be another showing of the film the next day, Sunday 21st April at 12:00 at the Salle Communale. The complete Festival programme will be released on March 25th. As in previous years, Living in Nyon will be covering the entire festival, reviewing films and keeping readers updated with latest news.  See trailer and description below of the film. Above - Trailer of  Viramundo Below is an explanation of the film "Viramundo" proved by Vision du Réel  "  A portrait of Gilberto Gil questioning the universality of his vision of the world" After decades performing in concerts before packed audiences all over the world, the Brazilian musician Gilberto Gil embarks upon another kind of tour. As the Brazilian Minister of Culture from 2003 to 2008, Gilberto Gil promoted his vision of a multicultural world; a world in which new technologies could become vectors of expression and cooperation for future generations. Are we ready to live together and share the same world? Can we preserve our cultures and prevent them from becoming dissolved, swallowed up by globalisation? Will the new technologies help us defend our local traditions? The film Viramundo follows Gilberto Gil on his tour exploring the Southern Hemisphere while raising these questions. “The destinations chosen are all linked historically. These countries have all suffered from European colonisation and in a certain way their future is linked”, says Gilberto Gil. “Who better than Gilberto Gil – a living legend, a model in terms of artistic commitment, and a figure embodying Brazilian multiculturalism – is able to raise these questions and seek an answer to them?” adds filmmaker Pierre-Yves Borgeaud. From post-apartheid South Africa to the despoiled lands of the Australian Aborigines, and on to Brazil and the region of the Amazon, this journey across the Southern Hemisphere is a living testimonial to Gilberto Gil’s vision for future generations: a diverse world, interconnected, a world full of hope, exchanges... and music!

This Sunday 2nd November, there will be a classical afternoon concert (17:00) at the Conservatoire of Nyon by  "Quator Baggi" with Felix  Froschhammer on Violin, Andrea Baggi on clarinette, Nico Prinz on violoncelle and Virginie Falquet on piano.  These classical concerts  have become a tradition at the prestigious Conservatoire  along Nyon's lake side and are a lovely way to end the weekend! Ticket prices  Adults  - CHF 20 , Students A.V.S CH 15 Children and members of COV, CHF 10. To reserve a seat call  TEL. 022 994 23 60,  or email  info.nyon@cov-vd.ch See COV f or details. Evening with Bertil Galland On Wednesday 29th October at 19:00 La Page Cornée the local French literary association will host an "Evening with Bertil Galland". Photo above - courtesy La Page Cornée. Mr Galland is a renowned name in the world of literature in French Romandie. He will recount stories and impressions from his long career, from that of editor, essayist and journalist.   The event will take place place in the foyer of the Grand-Champ Théâtre in Gland.  Tickets CHF 15 including a glass of wine and snacks.   More details see La Page Cornée.   No reservations needed.

The Visions du Réel festival  which began on Friday, is now in full swing. Films are being shown from morning through to late evening at various venues in Nyon and Gland. There is also a temporary festival bar and restaurant for both film-goers and members of the public in the centre of the festival (next to the Salle Communale) in Nyon. This year, as in previous years, Trish Thalman, an American living in Gland, will be reviewing a selection of films at the festival. Here is her review of 'Eismädchen' (Ice Girls) about life at the ice rink in modern times, and what it now takes to win competitions. This film will be screened today Sunday 19th April at 18:00 at the Capitole Fellini cinema in Nyon. Info and tickets here Figure Skating – More Than Sequins.    Having spent some years at an ice rink trying to perfect my toe-loops and compulsory 'figure 8's' (no longer compulsory), I looked forward to seeing 'Eismädchen' (Ice Girls) by Lin Sternal about life at the ice rink in modern times, and what it now takes to win competitions. It's still not easy! Lin Sternal has made a lovely, honest film about a mother and her two daughters, who are currently spending their lives dedicated to training and competitions at the Ice Sport Center in Oberstdorf, Germany, where the famous Gold Medal Ice Dancers 'Torvill and Dean' spent many years training. It's about competition, tough emotions and the balance between a mother – who wanted to be an ice skater, and was for a few years – and her two daughters who are very good skaters. One is better than the other – for reasons of confidence and talent, and the other, lack of confidence who has to work harder to capitalise on her skills . Both have different styles of skating because of their physical stature, level of interest, competence and personalities. The mother lovingly encourages both girls in different ways – without being an obvious 'pushy-mother', but her goal is to have her girls win competitions. Full Stop! The sisters encourage each other and take pride in their skating and each other's skating. Both are teenagers, thus, tempers, emotions and 'non communication' days occur. Practices and trainings are recorded with latest technology: iPads and video cameras for instant feedback. The women who train the girls have different approaches, and help to prepare 'winning' routines and get the best out of the girls. They are the second-level of influence and support to the 'triangle'. They are also dedicated to producing winners. The girls go to ballet classes to give them strong backs and hips, lithe legs and arms. Physio therapists are part of the routine to keep muscles and tendons working without to much stretch or damage. Choice of right-colour/right-cut outfits for the up-coming National Competition are viewed and purchased on-line. That's when we see the sequins and sparkles. The rest is hard work, tension, homework, and continual training and exercises, with some tough 'telling off' by the trainers, to get the girls to improve their skills. Mostly the soft-focus, tele-photo shots of the faces of the mother and sisters sitting in the stands living the 'flash seconds' of smiles, dismay or anxiety due to a fall or missed movement tells the real story of what the film is about......the falling down on your bottom, missing a jump, and gutty grind of working to make it to the top in Figure Skating. The story continues, in that the younger sister is now a nationally ranked Junior Figure Skating Champion in Germany. Watch the next generation of Figure Skaters at the European Ice Skating Championships. Meantime, I'll stick to the temporary ice rinks we have during the Winter. Photo below  - Trish Thalman

Don Ca (Mr Ca) by Patricia Ayala Ruiz, Colombia. Screening today 24 the  at 21:30 in the Salle Communale and tomorrow Thursday 25 the April at 10:15 in Capitole 1 Buy tickets online to this film here Don Ca is portrait of a man with a social conscience and desire to be free.  His chosen home, the area of Guapi on the Pacific Coast of Colombia, forms the secondary character in this documentary through the depiction of its striking countryside, river and people. Living far from his home town and having renounced all its comforts and anchored traditions, Don Ca has chosen the simple life in a village community where he is respected. He has chosen freedom. Yet this freedom feels under threat - Guapi cannot shelter one from the realities of the 'big' Colombia of paramilitaries and guerillas. Choosing Home  We learn that Don Ca decided to leave his grand family and move to this area some 35 years ago in search of gold and with hunger for adventure. But quickly he felt as if he belonged here and able to help the community. Far from his birth place and happy to choose a life without the ease and material abundance of the city, many of his friends at first do not understand. Don Ca compares it to falling in love with an ugly woman – friends might not understand the appeal, but it does not matter as he is happy nonetheless. He is free to live as he chooses, naturally and without the weight of tradition. The rich colours and verdant explosions of Guapi quickly identify this area as a tropical and idyllic paradise. Don Ca's has pet monkeys; cockfighting is pastime, as are swims in the river. Life is simple and the community is happy. There is a physicality to life that is grounding. As Don Ca defines happiness, 'the distance between what you have and what you want', we feel that this village is content. Yet the slow hum of helicopters overhead announce a threat to the community's insouciant way of life – a malignant force that it is bigger than it and over which it has no control. A Way of Life Under Threat Tension builds after paramilitaries steal from the poor people of the region and Don Ca has to leave town for awhile after being designated a snitch. He returns to the hustle and bustle of the city and here we see the demands of tradition as he dresses up for the pomp of the Easter procession. Later  on in the documentary, thrilling shots of Carnival back in the Pacific Coast region stand in stark contrast to these restrained rites. Carnival shows raw energy and release – the feel of real celebration and joy. In striking and disturbing contrast to this episode, Patricia Ayala Ruiz places her shots of the paramilitary entering the village – these are eerie in their silence. Disconcerting also, as an innocence has been lost. Don Ca, the wise man of this village, a folk hero of sorts, hopes this is temporary. We too hope that the 'violence and anger' of Colombia, with its drugs and guns, does not overwhelm this peaceful community, far removed from such things. However, there is also the sinking feeling that one cannot hide from such a reality and that there are few places that can remain islands in our increasingly global world. We understand the consequences of these developments through Don Ca – if it is temporary, one can adapt, 'like a fish in a flash flood'. Yet if it is permanent, one must move or die.

Saturday has been announced as the hottest day in Switzerland since 2003 , the year the massive heatwave struck Europe. Paléo was no exception, as people walked around under the blistering sun. The high temperatures pushed people to take off their t-shirts, and exhibit sweaty torsos, while some ingenious girls had swapped T shirts for a bikini top. Coming through the main entrance, one of the voluntary workers sprayed water above the crowd, freshening the festival-goers. Next to the fountain (which is used as an emergency cooling unit by some!), a fine mist was also vaporised into the air, much to the pleasure of the people gathering under it. The temperature rose under the Dôme, where the Tambours du Burundi displayed impressive agility and strength, as well as an impeccable sense of rhythm. Mixing rhythm with balancing skills, they played with their (pretty heavy) drums on their heads, striking up at them, and dancing around on stage, making people’s feet itch and yearn to dance. I went back to the Ruche to watch Mlle Orchestra- enjoying it just as much as I did the first time round. If you haven't had the chance to see them, don't miss them as they tour the grounds or play at the Ruche at 20:45 . It's also the last moment to check the Filharmonic Von Strass, performing at 21:45 . As BB Brunes were playing on the main stage, and (let's be honest) they're not really what I'm into, I thought I would go and check out the free animations going on at the Pl'Asse. Swing, Shoes & Lipstick, a feminine tap-dancing quintet were doing a tap-dance demo and teaching those brave enough to come on stage to tap. Several different shows take place everyday at the Pl'Asse, ending with a Dj set. Today, you can see Mlle Orchestra, learn to customize your clothes, and dance the Charleston and the Lindy Hop. Check the timetable here . Saturday's main concert was obviously Blur , and the crowd gathered in front of the main stage to watch Damon Albarn play all the hits from the 90's. Although sceptical at first, I was quickly charmed by the energy of the band. Albarn played with the public a lot, climbing on to the barrier for a whole song, high-fiving people and donning a hat someone threw at him. He also commented on someone wearing an Oasis t-shirt (remember the terrible feud that went on back at the time between Blur and Oasis, leading up to Noel Gallagher wishing them AIDS, but which definitively ended in March when they all played for charity together at the Royal Albert Hall ), saying it was a good try at pissing him off, but didn't work any more. The band rocked and riffed along their greatest hits, the crowd moving to the music with gusto, for an incredible concert that made the audience go through a range of emotions, which is what the magic of music is all about! This is the last moment to go and discover Birdland, HES-SO's project. Made of pine logs planted without any concrete into the ground, Birdland delves into the question of freedom in a world where technology keeps us connected all the time. Do we feel any safer with more and more cameras watching our every step (in London, you will be filmed an average of 300 times a day!), does being connected to internet all the time make us freer? You can also taste some delicious cordials and learn about hobos and their secret sign language (there's still around 20 thousand hobos living in the States). But the most interesting part of Birdland is probably the hut where you can try and win a small glass of champagne, from some really interesting wine-makers by shooting a cork at a cage to free the birds. If you want to watch a concert again, some of them are available on the Paléo website, along with great photos taken over the week. Storms and heavy rain have been announced for tonight (as it started, so it ends!), but Paléo has announced that all the security measures have been taken to ensure the best possible experience for festivalgoers, and the fireworks should still take place. So don't forget your rain-jackets , and if you happen to be camping, make sure your tent is well pitched down to prevent it from blowing away.

An eclectic mix of events and information for readers from Tennessee Williams to Expat Clubs, to Health Courses in English!  Firstly, the Glass Menagerie by Tennesse Williams will be performed by GEDs ( Geneva English Drama Society) from the 13- 17 March 2012 at the Théâtre du Centre de l'Espérance in Geneva. This play is billed as "a deeply American play which demonstrates that hope and love are understanding as well as tragic". This play was Tennesse's William's first successful play before he went on to become one of America's most highly regarded playwrights and has not been played in Geneva in English for nearly 30 years. Full details on the GEDS website. Click here. Expat business, voluntary and professional associations in Switzerland The Connectors, the weekly programme "by expats for everyone "on World Radio Switzerland has recently started to feature professional and voluntary expat clubs, associations and groups across Switzerland. Members and representatives of these clubs are interviewed on the show and on Thursday the 23rd February, the American International Club of Geneva was featured. Click here  to listen to the interview. You can hear what the club does, the activities it organises throughout the year, and hear all about the speakers past and present who have been invited to speak at an AIC event. One such event coming up is a luncheon on the 8th March in Geneva featuring Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. His talk will be " R20  Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's contribution to the low carbon energy model shift".  For full details of this event and how you can attend Click here.   Note: the American International Club has a membership of approximately 30% American and 70% other nationalities from all over the world ie: you don't have to be American to join!  Would you like your club or association to be featured on World Radio Switzerland?  If so, email theconnectors@worldradio.ch for more information.  Health Courses in English in Nyon - First Aid for Child Injuries HealthFirst is running this course on two different dates in Nyon, 1st March and 13th March 2012 from 18:30-22:00. The course is packed with practical advice, hands on training, lively discussions and lots of information.  Along with other topics, you can expect to: Learn how to deal with burns, scalds and electrocution Understand the importance of head injuries and what to do Practice how to deal with major bleeding, cuts, bites, broken bones and sprains Get advice on what you should have in your first aid kit and how to use it  The cost is 100 CHF per person and this includes a comprehensive course booklet.   Second hand English Books in Nyon . There is a stall selling second hand books in different languages (including English) in the La Combe shopping centre today Friday 24 and Saturday 25 The stall is run by volunteers of Nyon hospital. Sunday Flea Market Flea market this Sunday the 26th February " Les Puces de Nyon" - The monthly flea market will take place down by the lake side in Nyon.

This Saturday - International Pot luck Meal in Nyon This Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 June, it's the Interculturelle weekend in Nyon. Over two days all the different nationalities in Nyon will be getting together for various events. One of these events is a potluck meal at 18:30 where Nyon residents are invited to take a dish typical frrom their country down to the Salle Communale where there will be a big table with other international food for everyone to share. The editor of Living in Nyon will be there to share some food too (before dashing off to the final night of Caribana) so if you want to bring a dish to serve approx 4 people then come along! Also in the Salle Communale on the Saturday there will be an exhibition entitled "Nyon and Immigration" showing the history of all the different nationalities that have come to live in the town, and all the clubs that have sprung up through this immigration. There is a website for information on the weekend.   Strawberry fields forever   The strawberry picking season is a short one but it's a fun activity to do. If you fancy going along to pick some of these summer fruits, then here is a list of local places you can do this. The nearest to Nyon is Genolier. There is a website with picking times and a map of how to get to the strawberry fields. This list was taken from the Monday update of what's on around the Geneva, France and Vaud area in an email newsletter called "Lisa's Picks of the Week" compiled by the editor of  Know it All Passport .    More events are listed on the Know it all Passport website too  under the "events calendar" section. It's free to subscribe to this Monday update see the site for details. Other strawberry picking farms below. .  ** Stéphane Kläfiger 1136 BUSSY-CHARDONNAY (VD) 078 924 14 66 fraisesdebussy@gmail.com Monday to Saturday 8h30-19h00 ** Famille Borboën Route de Denges 1026 DENGES (VD) Wednesday to Saturday 9h-11h30 and 13h30-17h, Sunday 9h-11h30 ** Famille Wyss Chemin Es-Gogandé 1272 GENOLIER (VD) 022 366 04 04 www.ch-wyss.ch ** Denis et Samuel Pache Le Taulard, Chemin du Boulard 1 1032 ROMANEL-SUR-LAUSANNE (VD) 079 240 78 36 www.taulard.ch

Decorated Fountains Around Nyon Walking around Nyon, you might have seen one of the numerous decorated fountains across town. A local tradition, the fountains are decorated each year at Easter by local schools, groups and shops, for the pleasure of all. A “treasure hunt” is organised around these fountains: each fountain has a sign with part of a word written on it. If you go round town and discover all of the fountains, you will be able to find the mystery sentence, and win one of three prizes given by the local shops! This game is organised by the Nyon tourism office, and is a great way of getting to know the town, and the many beautiful fountains that riddle it, as well as discovering the creative decorations that transform each fountain into a work of art! Is Spring Here At Last? After Thursday's terrible weather, we might doubt such a thing, but walking around town on Wednesday, appreciating the sun shining, it seemed like Spring is just around the corner- after what is apparently the coldest month of March in 26 years! The temperature hasn't risen over 19° this month- with a maximum of minus 4° measured in St-Gallen this Tuesday! Something that hasn't been seen since 1987. But the flowers that are blooming all over town and the budding trees look like messengers of an approaching Spring- let's hope so anyway! (Even though according to the weather reports, it doesn't look like the temperatures are going to rise...) Looking For an Easter Celebration in the Nyon Area? You can find two English-speaking churches in the Nyon area, one in Nyon and one in Gingins where you will be able to celebrate Easter with other English speakers. Different activities are organised by both churches around Easter for all ages. Check out their websites for more information! Here for Westlake Church in Nyon, and here for the Anglican Church in Gingins.     Tulip Festival in Morges Starts This Friday Every year the Tulip festival takes place in Morges. Over 120'00 tulips of 300 different varieties are brought together in the Parc de l'Independance in Morges for 6 weeks. A series of events are organised around this festival, including a brunch on Monday the 1 st of April. This festival is one of the first open-air events of the year, and animations take place during the weekends in the park. Note that the first tulips will bloom mid April. For the whole program, look here .     Looking For a New Game to Discover? Have you heard of the Ludothèque in Nyon? This is a toy library based in the corner of the Place Perdtemps in Nyon. With a huge collection of toys and games for all age groups, this is the perfect place to go to discover a new game. Special workshops and events are also organised for kids and for adults (including a adult-only games night on the 19 th of April). You need to be a member to borrow games. All the information regarding opening hours, events and membership can be found here . La Venezia Open For the Season Last but not least, La Venezia , Nyon's Italian style gelateria situated on the lakeside (near the Quai 23) will be opening this weekend for the season. They have opened on the last two weekends, and will be open regularly from this weekend onwards. Treat yourself to delicious home-made ice cream, with loads of interesting flavours (for the adventurous, try the amazing chocolat delire ( ie chocolate madness), dark chocolate with chilli).

Above: Apricot sellers in the Valais -  See below A reader has sent details of this house in Begnins which is available to rent from the 1st of September. Semi-detached triplex house to rent with 5,5 rooms and garden (Begnins, VD) A wonderful semi-detached house with 5,5 rooms, within 3 minutes walking distance of the centre of the village. Close to shops, schools and public transport. Within 20 minutes (driving time) of Geneva. Built in 2005. This is a sunny and spacious house of 189 m2 with the following layout: Entry level: 1 hall, 1 guest WC, fitted kitchen, a large dining room with access to a terrace and a garden. 1st Floor: 3 bedrooms (2 with terrace), 1 separate toilet, a shower room. 2nd Floor: 1 large bedroom, 1 bathroom, 1 small closet room. Basement: a large cellar, a double garage with direct entry to the house. Rent: 3,500 CHF / Charges: 320 CHF. Free from: 01.09.2011. Phone:  0788785046  E-mail: begnins.maison@gmail.com Apricots galore on sale in Nyon  shops It's the apricot season right now and the shops and markets are full of fresh apricots for sale. Did you know that these apricots come from the Valais (the next canton to Vaud), and that the area around  the village of Saxon is in one of the biggest raspberry and apricot growing areas in Switzerland? The Valais is also a very popular spot for walkers, hikers, cyclists and for family days out. Why not take a short drive or take the train to check the area out at this time of year?  See the Valais tourism site for more information.

Nyon is a little quieter now that the majority of the fans who came to the town for Paléo have gone home.  The signs for the festival are being taken down around the town, so that's it for another year. 2013's Paléo will take place from the 23rd to the 28th July, and the music featured in the Village du Monde will come from the Indian Ocean part of the world. This year's highlights  This year's Paléo, (as promised at the initial press conference), was indeed a "grand cru" of a festival with almost perfect weather conditions for the six days, apart a few hours rain on the Thursday night and slight windy conditions on the final night. There were many excellent concerts this year. For the Living in Nyon editor these were: Franz Ferdinand, Sting, Holly Cooke, a band from Fribourg called mmmh! and the Egyptian Project concert, (there was a great moment when the group left the stage to mingle with the audience whilst continuing to sing and dance!) However, the main highlight for the editor was definitely the Caravan Palace concert. To get a glimpse of what this was like, scroll to near the end of this hour long video below (from around 55.45 minutes),  despite the heat of that day you can see the energy and charisma behind the group and the crowd's enthusiasm and appreciation. Caravan Palace, Paléo Festival Nyon 2012... par paleo For Jonas Parson who wrote for Living in Nyon during the festival, there were also many good concerts, in particular that of Rodrigo and Gabriela (see his post here ). Trish Thalman, (who has has previously written for this site during the Visions du Réel film festival), particularly liked the Lenny Kravitz's concert - see her review below. Lenny Kravitz At midnight on Friday, the damp, cool weather at Paléo was instantly dismissed from everyone’s state-of-being, when the dynamic, hugely gifted, ‘hot’ Lenny Kravitz appeared on the Grand Scene with his formidable musicians, and immediately warmed up the shivering masses with the opening note from his guitar and the accompanying strobe lights. My ‘Inner Rock-Chick’ was rejuvenated at that moment of musical explosion that flourished into a ravishing concert for the next hour and 20 minutes. Lenny pulled out the stoppers and gave it his all, for which he is well known, being generous toward his audiences with his music and charisma. He looked good too: stylish and elegant, wearing his body-hugging, black leather jacket designed to emphasise his finely honed, upper arm muscles. The play-list included many of his great hits: old, new and classics. Sure, they played ‘Believe’. Lenny’s voice seems to improve with experience and age. At one point, he gave it over to his superb horn section, which regaled us with a taste of jazz-funk-rock style of music. It was noted that one of the premier bass guitarists in rock music, Gail Ann Dorsey, accompanied Lenny with her usual brilliant playing and sublime back-up vocals. There were some ‘take-a-break moments’ without music and lights on stage and at one point Lenny stopped to have a cup of tea, or similar-type liquid. OK. The penultimate tune was ‘Fly Away’ with the audience loudly joining the sing along. ‘Are You Gonna Go My Way’ (with one of the greatest opening riffs in funk rock music history) closed the show. No encores. The energy and performance of the star and his enduring music rocked the evening….and, he looked sooo good. So a great year for Paléo and a thank you to all Living in Nyon readers who followed the festival via this site and who emailed the editor with your comments and own experience of the six day fest. Lots more on the agenda Despite the festival now coming to a close here in Nyon, there is a lot more to look forward in the town, there is always something going on, the Far arts festiva l begins soon and in the meantime, don't forget the outdoor cinema is now open and has a full programme of films to last until the end of August  many of these are in English. Just a few hundred metres from the lake and set against a backdrop of the back of the old town, it's not a bad place to watch a film on a warm summer's evening!

Last weekend, British group "We Have Band" performed at the Usine a Gaz in Nyon, so Jonas Parson (a.k.a. "the barefoot writer" and one of Living in Nyon's music reviewers), went down to chat to the band before their concert. This summer Jonas wrote several reviews for this site of concerts during the Paléo festival and you can read these and more about him here. For details of all concerts coming up at the Usine a Gaz  check out their website . Photo above courtesy Jonas Parson   - " We Have Band" back stage in Nyon Skinny Dipping, Iggy Pop and Venue Vibes - "We have Band" talk to Jonas Parson The barefoot writer is back again- but with his boots on this time. And there’s nothing better than a nice concert to warm up in this cold and drizzly weather. So off to see "We Have Band" at the Usine A Gaz, Nyon’s main music venue. I was planning on trying to get an interview with the band at some point before or after the concert, and ended up spending nearly an hour with them in their dressing room before the concert, chatting with them about what it was like to play in Switzerland, their plans for the future, and dolphins (yes, dolphins). Jonas: So you’re back in Nyon for the second time this year, in a totally different venue. (n:b they played at the Paleo Festival this summer ) So how do you feel about tonight’s concert? Dede: Well I’m excited, although this time I won’t be swimming in the lake like I did last time - actually I went literally five minutes from here. ( Darren: With your Mum!) - Yeah with my mum. All of us including my mum swam in the lake. J: So you’re not planning on going for a swim after the concert… Darren: Skinny dipping in the night time! Dede: No I don’t plan to… ( Darren: The thing is you never plan to skinny dip! You have too much to drink and next thing you know, Yahoooooooooooo!) Dede: Anyway… So yes, we are expecting it to be a bit of a different night, because obviously we played at the festival which was in the afternoon, and it was very nice ( J: and open air) yes, and open air and it was extremely hot. ( J: you played in the chapiteau right? The second biggest stage of the festival. ) Darren: yeah, that’s right! Not the fourth or third biggest, the second biggest! Dede: Iggy Pop was on the biggest one we went and watched him. Darren: There isn’t enough room on that stage for Iggy and us- too much ego! J : So tonight you’re playing in a closed venue, less people obviously. But then probably more people who really know you and are fans. Darren: Yeah, yeah I guess so… Dede : Yes well obviously festivals are always, you know, a bit different to you own shows anyway and there’s good things in a festival and against your own gig, and vice-versa, so you sort of just get different things out of your own gig than out of a festival ( Darren : Totally!) You know, it’s nice to meet new people at a festival, but when you play at your own gig it’s nice to see people who have come to see you so- it’s always a bit different anyway- but we are looking forward to tonight! We like playing in Switzerland a lot. J : Yeah I saw you had quite a few dates in Switzerland. Darren: Eight!!! Like Zürich, here, Chur, Basel, Wil... Anyway, the bottom line is it’s been a lot of fun. It’s been quite crazy actually! The thing is, we’ve had a couple of big years- I mean, Paleo was big, and we did the Montreux Jazz festival the year before, so yeah I guess we’ve been, dunno, knocking around this place for quite a long time really, so feels really good! It’s exciting. J: Ok, and so what are your plans for the future? Darren: Oh god, we just try to get through the day… No well we’re going to start writing a second album and we aim to bring it out quite quickly. Just because obviously our first album came out in April, but we’d been writing it for over two years. We don’t want to hang around, our plan is to write quickly- who knows what will happen, but our plan is to write a second album and then start touring again . Dede: Yeah you know, sort of bring out a second album and hopefully come back and play, and develop the show more, and making it more enjoyable for people to watch the show. So basically it’s developing ourselves and the show. So that’s the sort of plan for 2011 and onwards. J : Now the interesting thing about We Have Band is that you started touring before your first album came out, so your concerts are quite an important part of your success. -More than just bringing out an album and being really cool in the studio and being crap on stage. Darren : Yeah well some bands do a few demos and then sign a big record deal and you just see posters of them everywhere, and you think, I’ve heard of that band but I haven’t heard a note. Which is what it is, but it’s not our style. Who knows, maybe we could have gone that way and we would have been fine with it, but I’m just really happy about the way it did go, because it’s really important to know what’s real and what isn’t really. Dede: We felt like we were a bit more old fashioned, a bit more traditional, where you play a lot, and then bring out an album, as opposed to people knowing you, and you’ve never played, and you’ve got an album or a something, but you can only play for twenty minutes, because you’ve only got four songs, and you have quite a lot of hype about you. But anyway, I just think it’s about choice, either way, if whatever suits the band and the person, I mean we went that way because it suited us better, but you can do whatever you want! Darren: Yeah, and once again, we don’t support war…. After the interview, it was time to go and mingle with the crowd waiting to see the concert, leaving the band to get ready before they came on stage. The room was quite full, the people having come to see the concert mostly between twenty-five and thirty years old. Not exactly the type of people I was used to seeing at the Usine A Gaz, but it was a nice and varied audience for the concert. The supporting band for this concert, MY Heart belongs to Cecilia Winter, had been cancelled (one of the musicians was apparently sick in bed), so the evening didn’t start till eleven o’clock, but a DJ was brought on to mix some music for the people having come for the first part and therefore too early for We Have Band. We Have Band were playing in a slightly different configuration from their last concert in Nyon, drummer Mark Pell having joined the trio for their tour. Mark plays with a band called Micachu and the Shapes, an experimental pop band worth listening to. We Have Band didn’t waste any time and soon got everybody in the vibe, dancing and singing along with the band. On stage, they were really energetic and it was really enjoyable to see them play. You could see they were giving everything they had for Nyon, not playing half-heartedly but with all their energy. And what a concert it was! Their explosive energy was highly contagious, and on songs like Oh! and Divisive, everyone was dancing about on the music. There were also “calmer” moments, with songs like Hero Knows, the mesmerizing beats and voices of the band gently rocking the whole venue. But the concert was soon over, Darren Dede and Thomas having run out of songs to play. But they were soon called back by their fans, and giving us another helping of Oh!, with even more enthusiasm from the audience. After the concert, it was the trio who sold their merchandise to the people grouping around them to get CDs and T-shirts signed by the band. It’s nice to see artists who are still close to their audience and don’t just lock themselves up away after the show! All in all, a very nice evening, We Have Band having managed to make us forget that outside it was still November… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQb0KlSrAho