Nyon Tourism is currently running a competition to win free tickets, passes and entry for various weekend trips and hotel breaks. All you have to do is send the best photos you have taken at any of the five Nyon official festivals (this includes Paléo!) via Instagram using the hashtag #festivalsnyon or through Facebook with the tag @Nyon Région Tourisme. The competition ends on the 26th August 2018. Rules of entry here Photo above - Street theatre in La Ruche area of Paléo 2017 Photo C. Nelson-Pollard

There is always a wide variety of music and performances on offer at Paléo, and Thursday night was no exception. From the "neuvo flamenco" performed by Spanish band Calima in the L'Escale tent (see video below), Kokooko's dance rhythms from the Democratic Republic of Congo in the Detour tent, to headline act British band Gorillaz on the main stage. These three acts were just a very small sample of music from artists that performed across the ground from 16:30 until the small hours of the morning. Frontman of Gorillaz, Damon Albarn gave a superb performance through the entire "virtual" show interspersed with hip-hop and pop from other band members and several solo artists. The crowd roared when Albarn said he preferred this part of Switzerland to the "other part". This was a guaranteed crowd-pleaser! He continued to provide "sunshine in a bag" right until the end of the set which finished at 01:35. The three short videos give a taster of the Gorillaz concert, plus a short video of Calima performing in the L'Escale tent. Check out the line up coming up for Friday night here, Saturday here and Sunday here Photo above and video below - Spanish band Calima Videos below - Gorillaz

The future of hip-hop is female. Geneva-based artist Danitsa’s showcase today was definitely a reminder of that fact. As female hip-hop artists and rappers are changing rules of the game all over the world, from the amazing Princess Nokia in New York, to rappers like Nadia Rose or Little Simz in the Uk (the latter will be playing tonight at Paléo), Switzerland isn’t left out of the game. Born in Paris and having spent her teenage years in Geneva, Danitsa pleases with her great beats and amazing voice. Mixing it up with a touch of soul, funk and reggae, she defies musical genres. Her vocal technique is spot on, and her warm voice is as convincing on masterpieces like Captain as it is when she covers the legendary Nina Simone. Inspired by her Jamaican heritage and her numerous trips to the island, she sings in English, a slight French accent betraying her mother tongue, but a flow that competes with the best rappers. Her presence on stage is bright and powerful. Performing in front of a crowd of journalists ahead of her concert tomorrow night, Friday, at 16:30 under the Club Tent, she had everybody shaking their hips and grooving along. From more light-hearted track like Repo Man to the powerful and affirming Captain, her sounds where on spot. The swiss hip-hop scene is definitely one to look out for, with a couple of concerts at Paléo this year- an edition that has a big focus on up and coming hip hop artists, from Little Simz to Romeo Elvis. Friday will also be the occasion to discover the infamous Geneva trio behind the Xtrem Tour: MC’s Makala, Slimka and Di-Meh. Their reputation for giving explosive concerts is set, and Paléo should be no different.

Wednesday’s line-up featured a certain number of women under the spotlight, from Angèle, the 21-year-old rising star from Brussels to the Russian queen of techno Nina Kraviz (no relation to Lenny Kravitz who will be playing on Friday!). The most convincing of the three shows on the main stage was definitely delivered single-handedly by Jain, whilst Ana Moura captivated the crowd with her beautiful voice under the Dôme. Angèle has yet to release an album- it is due this autumn- but has already gathered a huge following on Instagram, and the three singles she has released have all become instant classics, thanks to her light and humorous brand of pop chanson. Her first song, La Loi de Murphy is a quirky take on every-day mishaps and contributed to her rise to fame. It would be easy to assume that as young as she is and without that much experience on stage, her concert wouldn’t be the best. Angèle proved to a packed-out Club Tent that this was not the case, dancing and delivering her songs with ease. Fun fact: Angèle is Belgian rapper Romeo Elvis’ sister, and her first musical appearance was on one of his songs (a beautiful track that you can enjoy here). It turns out that Romeo Elvis is playing under the Arches on Friday! He has been at the forefront of the new Belgian rap scene that has taken the French-speaking rap world by storm, and his concert will surely be amazing. The last time Jain came to Paléo, a couple of years ago, she played in an absolutely jam-packed Detour, and this time around she was given a more fitting stage. Playing alone in front of over 30 000 people on the main stage, she delivered an impressive show, playing songs from her first album, including the amazing tribute to Miriam Makeba, and a selection of new songs from her second album due to be released this August. Using a console and a loop station to build her songs, clad in a bright blue jumpsuit, she kept the crowd jumping from the first beat to the last. Even when she experienced a few technical problems, she didn’t miss a beat and entertained the crowd with a shouting contest while her technical team fixed her controllers. Girl power! Nina Kraviz is a Russian DJ who has garnered quite a reputation in the techno scene, usually playing in the hypest nightclubs around the world. So her set at Paléo was definitely something to get excited about. Sadly, she didn’t really convince, playing a rather strange and unstructured set. Not the best end to the night!

Did you know that behind the scenes of Paléo, 120 volunteers are busy washing all the plastic cups from 08:00 in the morning to 23:00 at night? Why do you pay CHF 2 a deposit on your drinks cup? How many Paléo cups are kept as festival souvenirs? Jonas Parson, Living In Nyon's festival reporter went behind the scenes to take a look at the eco-cup facility at Paléo. He says it's one of the most impressive operations of the festival, at least when it comes to the number of volunteers and manpower needed to make it happen. Sustainability has been an important issue at Paléo Festival for a number of years. Paléo introduced reusable cups back in 2009. The festival has received several awards for its environmental policies. Paléo president Daniel Rossellat takes pride in the fact that the festival is often cited as an example at reducing its environmental impact. Most big events have now caught on to the trend of using renewable cups, as issues like waste reduction and sustainability have become more important over the past decade. But managing and cleaning enough plastic cups to keep up with the thirst of 45,000 festival-goers every day (not including the nearly 5,000 volunteers who also get super thirsty from all their hard work!) is no mean feat! If you count the fact that most people will usually have more than just one drink over the evening, and that you need to factor in a number of different glasses, from the main 30cl beer cup to the champagne flute and coffee cups, it’s a huge logistic endeavour. 120 volunteers washing cups During the festival, the Gobelets et cie area has 120 volunteers working from 08:00 to 23:00. The work is divided between the teams that wash the cups, and the people in charge of the logistics of collecting cups from across the grounds, bringing them back to the washing facilities and then sending them back into the festival so that you can order that beer you crave because of the heat, (we should really talk about the tragic unavailability of any kind of craft beer in the festival, but maybe another time…). Approximately 45 volunteers are on shift during the day, cleaning up to 9,000 cups an hour. Giving work to the teens One of the characteristics of the cup washing operation is that it employs around 45 juniors. This is the name given to teens between the ages of 12 and 18, mostly children of people working for Paléo and eventually their friends, who are given the opportunity to get a first volunteering experience. They are asked to work three hours a day (half of what other volunteers usually do), and most of them come back year after year. The adult volunteers who clean the cups have their work divided into two 3 hours shifts, making the gruelling work of cleaning cups easier to manage, under the heat and humidity of the hangar in which they work. A lot of work is put into making the volunteer’s experience a nice and enjoyable one, from the resting area where they are given breakfast when they start working at 08:00 to make sure they work on a full stomach, where they can drink a coffee or a glass of fresh water. The atmosphere is industrious but casual, loud music blasting through the area, competing with the clunks and whistles of the steam, the cups being stacked and put away, and the whirring of three big fans in one corner of the room. A well-organised cycle The dirty cups get sent to a couple of collecting places on the site, before getting collected in a fleet of big white vans and all the cups are brought back to the cleaning facility. There, the cups are sorted by type onto trays, where they are sent through a first cleaning tunnel. At this point, someone checks that the cups are still stacked correctly before going through a second tunnel that finishes the jobs and dries them. The cups are then individually checked to make sure they are clean, then put away into boxes that are then sealed shut and stacked into the storage area. The newer boxes are stored at the back, giving them time to cool down before they are sent back out to the bars, to make sure you don’t end up with a steaming hot glass of beer! The stemmed wine glasses and champagne flutes are trickier to wash and take more time than the basic beer cups. These are then all dried by hand to make sure they stay clean! Last year, on one of the busiest days of the festival, they cleaned approximately 160,000 cups in one day! The eco-cup-nomics of it all As each cup is exchanged for a CHF 2 deposit, it very important for the volunteers to seal all the boxes sent out to the different bars. They have to account for the number of cups they receive and the number they send back for cleaning, and the deposit is sent directly to Gobelets et cie. This system actually generates money, as a certain number of cups( around 100,00 cups a year) are kept as souvenirs by the festivalgoers. The cost of a single cup is divided between the cost of the actual plastic cup, ordered in France, the cost of having them decorated and for the two designers who work on creating new designs for each edition of the Festival. This leaves around 40-60 cents of margin per cup. The money generated is injected back into the logistics of the operation, and also into investing in making the whole thing more sustainable. This has enabled Paléo to install a system of water pipes that run along the tin roof of the space where the cups are washed. The heat that is created by the roof is absorbed by the water running through the pipes, pre-heating the washing water and cutting on the costs and energy needed heat the water. The secret behind getting people to keep the cups and leave their deposit is because they like to collect the cups with different designs Two designers work on these - one is charged with using the visual identity of the Festival, the other designer takes care of cups made especially for the Village du Monde, linking to the theme of that year's edition. The last straw Using reusable cups cuts on the waste generated by single-use plastic cups, and this year the festival has gone one step further to cut on plastic waste, introducing new biodegradable straws made from corn starch. This decision anticipates on a global movement away from single-use straws, with laws banning plastic straws being developed across Europe. Here again, Paléo seems to be a precursor when it comes to being environmentally friendly.

Paléo kicked off in style last night in warm weather and with a breeze to cool down the festival-goers. Jonas, Living in Nyon's annual Paléo reporter has reviewed some of the evening's music in more detail in a previous post and below is a snapshot of the first night from the editor's perspective. As ever, there was a real melange of music on offer across the various stages and tents across the grounds. From the explosive and energetic dancing of Diron Animal, a group from Angola and Portugal in the Dôme tent (see first video below) to the pop rock of British 19-year-old Declan McKenna who played on the Arches stage early in the evening. There was more dancing in the Detour tent to USA band Algiers with their music billed as "gospelpost-punk funk and soul". Video above - Diron Animal in action Django Django from the UK attracted a crowd at the Arches (second video), but the biggest crowd of all was the one that gathered for Depeche Mode who played on the main stage (the Grande Scène) later that night (see third video below). There was massive applause once they appeared on stage and lead singer Dave Gahan worked the crowd with his singing, dancing, and spinning (and a fair bit of posturing) throughout the set. The evening didn't end there, with more artists playing until the early hours of the morning. Away from the stages, there was, as always, street theatre in the grounds (photo below - it seems the Dodo is not dead after all....) there's a fountain to cool off in and structures lit up for the festival, check out the "Colosseum" in the Village du Monde area and the "Coral Reef" (photos below). For those with children, don't forget there is a creche/kindergarten on site for children up to eight years old and children have free entry to Paléo up to the age of 12 (accompanied by an adult). You can also follow Living in Nyon on Facebook and Instagram. All photos and videos - C.Nelson-Pollard Video above - Django Django at Les Arches Photo above - USA band Algiers in the Detour tent Video above - Depeche Mode in action

There was an air of nostalgia floating around the grounds of Paléo Festival for the first evening of the 43rd edition of the festival. The 70s and 80s were massively represented, be it by the bands that actually defined those eras, like the new wave giants of Depeche Mode, or musicians who found their inspiration in music from those years. Altin Gün are one of those. Based in the Netherlands, their project is a celebration of the vibrant underground psychedelic rock scene that shook Turkey in the 70s. (it doesn’t get much nicher than that, does it?) They had the honour of playing the first concert of the festival on the main stage, which is never an easy task. Playing earlier in the day means the crowd is never as big as it gets later on, and a lot of people just watch casually from afar, or sitting down in the grass on the sloping terrain in front of the stage. The uplift beat, oriental touch and trippy guitar riffs were a perfect match for the sun shining over the grounds. The weather treated us yesterday, with a short bout of rain earlier in the day keeping the dust on the ground, and a sunny afternoon and evening. This is probably due to the Mediterranean vibes coming from this year’s village du monde, the area of the festival devoted to world music. This year highlights the music and culture of southern Europe, a region that despite being our neighbours, holds many musical secrets and treasures. One of these was Imam Baildi, who you can catch again today at 17:15 under the Dome! Their name comes from a tasty Greek dish mixing tomatoes and aubergine, and their music is just as vibrant and tasty. They give a new life to Greek music from the 40’s-60’s (here’s a bit more musical nostalgia for you!). On the menu, you’ll get bouzouki, saxophone and electric guitars, topped with some warm vocals. You can feel the Greek sun and taste the ripe tomatoes coming out of their music! The Dôme is always a good place to discover new bands and have a good time. This year’s scenography represents the trade-mark arcades that you can find all over the south of Europe, and a big circus tent has been set up with a bar and stage where most of the bands playing on the larger stage of the Dôme all come and play smaller, more intimate acoustic sets. It’s a great way to enjoy their music in a slightly different setting, to get more of a band you love, or simply to discover new music in small samples. You can find the schedule of the stage, called l’Escale, here. The two other bands playing at the Dome on Tuesday night were unanimous successes. The rowdy and dancy kudurock of Diron Animal – a mix of rock and kuduro, the Portugo-Angolese electronic music fusing lively beats and African sonorities. Dressed in sparkly attire invoking afro-futurist aesthetics, Diron Animal gave a frenzying concert, the air thick with dust rising from under the dancing and jumping crowd. The sides and back of the tent are always calmer, giving everybody the chance to enjoy the concert the way they wanted to, be it in a more casual fashion or letting themselves be possessed by the music. Later on, the Catalan band Txarango shared their festive songs with a packed-out tent. They delivered their politically and socially engaged message, calling for a Europe of solidarity and hope, against today’s Europe of borders. Their performance was generous and full of light, bringing the first night of the festival to a joyous and dancing end. One last mention for Living in Nyon’s musical discovery of the day, Swiss-German singer Crimer. With a musical inspiration deeply rooted in all the best that the 80’s new wave and synth-pop legacy has to offer, his music is much more than a simple copy of that periods music but has the potential to spar with the big names of the genre. Playing just before one of his major influences, Depeche Mode, his concert was just that much better. His performance was embodied, gracing the stage with his quirky and irregular dance moves, his deep voice surfing on the very best synth tunes and upbeat tempos. He actually played three times last night: a showcase for the press at four was followed by an improvised concert on the grounds at five before his scheduled concert at nine. Each one of those was given with enthusiasm and energy despite the warm weather. No skimping or posturing for him! His idols, who played later on on the main stage, could definitely have taken a page out of his book when it came to giving an interesting and engaging concert. Crimer might have a foot in the past when it comes to the inspiration for his music, but he clearly has an amazing future ahead of him. PS: a reminder that if you were thinking of coming to the festival, it is sold out but 1500 tickets have been set aside and are put on sale every morning at 9:00 for that evening on the Paléo website.

Finishing touches at Paléo before the festival begins tomorrow. Photo above - realxing before the crowds arrive. On the day before Paléo officially opens to the public, a press conference is held on the grounds so journalists can see how the festival is shaping up and report on any new developments on site. Living in Nyon walked around the grounds to see what's new. Music from Southern Europe is the theme for the Village du Monde area 2018 and this year there is a massive circus-type tent in situ called L'Escale. This space has a bar and tables, it's a place to sit down and relax with a drink and listen to music. Some bands and artists will give a short, more intimate concert in this tent - a taster of what's to come before their main performance later over in the main Dôme tent. All performance times of these "taster" concerts are marked with a sun symbol on the printed mini programme and listed on the Palèo App. Need tickets? 1500 ticketshave been set aside for each evening during the Festival. They will be on sale from 09:00 every day of the Festival. No tickets will be on sale at the Festival ticket offices. The Village du Monde area is decorated in the style of Southern European countries, look out for the mini Colosseum in the area! Also on the grounds this year is DEEP - a seabed universe filled with "corals and reefs". This is an original and temporary creation brought to life by the HES-SO University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland. It's probably going to look amazing when it's all lit up. Festival-goers will also be able to rest in the giant hammocks suspended above the "corals!" (see top photo). Another new development is La Lanterne - a collaboration with the Murten light festival. Every year Paléo festival selects a charity partner to support and this year they are welcoming SOS Mediterranee Suisse, a humanitarian association independent of any political party or of any religious denomination. You can find their stand in the Paléo grounds. Photos below - festival goers taking the train to the campsite - putting a speaker in place on the grounds -bins all ready for the cigarette butts.

The Paléo festival starts next week in Nyon from the 17th- 22nd July. Transport info and information signs have gone up around the town in readiness for festival-goers, posters are up in the railway station and the Paléo App is now online. This App is full of all the info you need to get to and around the festival, listing the full programme of artists playing on all the stages, where to find the food stalls, music in the Village du Monde and more. Need tickets? 1500 ticketshave been set aside for each evening during the Festival. They will be on sale from 09:00 every day of the Festival. No tickets will be on sale at the Festival ticket offices.

The pianos are back in town! Five pianos have been placed around Nyon for members of the public to play. They can be found at the Place du Midi/La Combe, Esplanade Jules César, the Temple de Nyon, the Rive and in the courtyard of Nyon's château. The pianos are part of the "Jouez Je Suis à Vous" ("Play me I am yours") Street Piano initiative (also in Geneva) and will remain in town until the 27th June. There are some scheduled performances on these pianos but they are mostly free to play at any time. Living in Nyon spotted Regina (in photo below) a visitor from Munich, playing Schumann in the courtyard which delighted the passers-by! Living in Nyon is now taking a short break and will back in the second week of July with more articles and events. However, the Living in Nyon column will continue to be published every Friday in the print version of La Côte newspaper. This English column is a light-hearted look at living in this part of Switzerland. Local Events La Côte newspaper has a comprehensive listing of events happening in the area in its Sortir La Côte.ch section. The newspaper has a great offer on at the moment of one month's online subscription from just CHF 2. It's also a great opportunity to read the local news and discover more about this area. Nyon Région Tourisme also lists many events on its website. During the summer period, the tourist office has a presence in a portacabin at the ferry embarkment area. Here are a couple of other useful links for readers Families - If you are looking for a summer camp for your children there is an excellent list of summer camps for children in an article on the Know-it-all passport site here. Castle Exhibitions - There are two new exhibitions on right now at the château of Nyon and the château of Prangins. In Nyon the exhibition "Un rêve d’architecte. La brique de verre Falconnier" showcases the revolutionary invention of the glass brick which dates back to the end of the 19th century. In Prangins the new exhibition is entitled "Chintz - How a fabric changed the world". Note: the château of Prangins is now running special shuttle buses from Nyon to Prangins for its visitors. Living in Nyon will be reporting back on these two exhibitions in the future.

There will be a Street Food Festival in Nyon on the 29th, 30th June and the 1st of July. Food stalls galore next to the lakeside. From tacos to Tibetan food, local beers, wine and more. This year there will be a kid's corner at the festival. Timings and more details here.

The Focale Galerie at Place du Château in Nyon has a new photography exhibition entitled "Scrublands". This exhibition features the work of photographer Antoine Bruy. Antoine has focussed his lens on men, women and families who have chosen to live off the grid, away from urban life and the modern world. This a small but interesting selection of photos which were taken in various countries across two different continents. The bookshop next to the gallery has a good range of photo-related cards, postcards and books on photography. The gallery is free to visit and is open Wednesday - Sunday from 14:00 -18.00. More info here. Photo above by Antoine Bruy. Photo below, the photographer in conversation at the vernissage (opening) of his exhibition. Photo below - the Focale gallery (near the castle) - courtesy Focale