Art & culture

Guy Stevens’ International Comedy Club brings English speaking stand-up comedians from around the world to Switzerland. Every fortnight, selected comedians take the stage either at Mascotte, Volkshaus, Kaufleuten, Alte Börse, Hallenstadion or Maier’s. It’s a great way to start the night with a chuckle and in contrast to other performances in Zurich, this evening is all in English. All venues are perfect for stand-up acts, intimate enough for atmosphere but also big enough to mingle before and afterwards for a drink and a chat at the bar.

The audience is very international and there are always two acts per night. Check the website to see who’s on, as the programme changes every time and, of course, to make sure there is an act on that specific Friday and where it’s hosted. There is no reserved seating, so first come, first seated. 

The Langstrasse area, in Kreis (districts) 4 and 5, is known for both its multicultural scene and its design community. As such, it plays host every year to Kreislauf 4 + 5, when 90 or so stores and studios open their doors to show their works and give the public an opportunity to speak with the designers.

If you’re not in Zurich the weekend it takes place in May (this year 24th – 26th of May 2013), it’s still worth checking out the event’s website, one of the best and most complete lists of Zurich’s many ateliers and designers, ranging from fashion and interior to jewellery and art – and available in English.

The entry for each label includes a short description along with a picture and the shop address. Under “Maps fo district” you’ll also find two maps to print with which you can do your own tour all year round.

Most people have heard of the Dada art movement, but few realize that it originated in the Niederdorf in Zurich in 1916, in partnership with Cabaret Voltaire.

The founder’s house has been preserved and was opened to the public in 2002 as a museum. Last summer, its café was turned into a bar and Duda was born. The name is a play on words, coming from Dada and the German for ‘you there’. So far, very few people know about the bar, as you have to walk through the museum shop – great for unusual gifts – to get to it, and because Duda is not allowed to advertise itself on the historical facade.

The management team is aspiring to create a local meeting point, which is missing in Zurich’s city centre, with a comfy lounge corner and good music and the cheapest (and exclusively local) beer in town! The stylish bar, made from what looks like copper, and original architectural features, make this bar one of a kind in Zurich.

Spotters generally recommend bars, restaurants and other locations. However, I think this newsletter could be a great help for an overview of Zurich’s nightlife. Ron Orp’s Mail has established itself amongst the locals (in German) throughout the last few years and launched an English version for Zurich’s international community in September 2008.

If you subscribe to the English version of Ron Orp’s Mail for Zurich (it’s for free), you’ll receive every Thursday recommendations for clubs, restaurants, bars, art, theatre, literature, concerts and shopping all over the city including the latest openings. It’s like a diary for the upcoming weekend and week with a varied mix of happenings.

Often you also have a chance to win free tickets to concerts and events. The Ron Orp team is really easy-going and I’m sure you could pick up the tickets (if you win) either at their office or at the door of the venue itself if you don’t have a postal address to which they can send the tickets in time.

Although Gessnerallee has been the home of avant-garde theatre in Zurich for more than twenty years, its foyer became Stall 6 – a thriving bar and club – just a few years ago. The former stable appeals to those looking to avoid the clichés and genres of Zurich’s nightclubs.

Banishing clubbing stereotypes in Zurich is tough, yet the varied music styles at Stall 6 mean the club has no set clientele and is one of the few places in Zurich where you never feel out of place no matter what you wear. The organisers are also not interested in a set concept for the club. It’s therefore possible to find reggae on a Monday, funk and soul on weeknights, and electro at the weekend. Alternatively, grab a programme and seek out a Hum Rush party, where you’ll hear all music styles in one night.

Situated in the foyer of Gessnerallee, Stall 6 makes a feature of elements of its past, when the building belonged to the military – such as the horse’s feeding troughs. With visitors ranging from theatregoers to night owls, the audience is constantly changing and the place is never empty; you can even start clubbing at 23:00 if you like, as you’re unlikely to walk into a deserted club.

Sometimes installations from the theatre make their way over to Stall 6, adding to its unique atmosphere, and the generous space offers ample room for groups to arrive at any time without a reservation.