The Magic of the AVO SESSION Basel

When international stars like Sir Elton John, Zucchero or P!nk come to Basel, the AVO SESSION Basel is sure to be the reason. Each autumn, major stars make their way to this popular Swiss lifestyle-music festival, where they leave the festival audiences with concert memories they will never forget. Visitors are not only thrilled by the big stars, but also often by the many newcomers at the festival. With pop, rock, singer-songwriter, soul, funk, blues, jazz and world music, the richly diverse programme offers a range of music styles that appeals to all of its approx. 20,000 visitors.

The club-like setting

Music stories told in an intimate setting

One very special feature of the AVO SESSION Basel is the incredible proximity to the stars and the unique club-style atmosphere with round tables and candlelight. The festival guests get up close to internationally renowned stars that generally play for well over ten thousand people in a concert hall which seats only 1,500 people. The intimate setting with seating at small round tables creates the ambiance of New York-style music clubs. Giant screens ensure that the audience members who are seated at the very back also will not miss any details of the fascinating stage show.

Another unique feature of this indoor music festival in Basel is that each evening, two or three artists are presented who are linked in some way, giving them a common thread with which they can weave a story to thrill the audience throughout the evening. Instead of unrelated concerts that are simply slotted back to back, the audience at the AVO SESSION Basel experiences a well-rounded evening with artists who have similar stylistic, historical, geographical backgrounds or some other shared characteristic which is often surprising.

With elegance and attention to detail

Music is clearly the main attraction at the AVO SESSION Basel. Off-stage, this boutique festival also leaves nothing to be desired. All of the public and VIP areas are decorated with great attention to detail, giving the festival a touch of glamour. Guests appreciate the ambiance, well-known faces can often be spotted in the audience. At the sight of so much glamour, some guests have been overheard saying that they are surprised that «there’s nothing like this in London or Paris» - but there is in Basel. Another exclusive element of the festival is the exquisite photo calendar featuring the evocative artist portraits taken by Marco Grob, which has developed a cult following amongst ASB fans.

The festival’s AVO CLUB provides the perfect hospitality platform to entertain special guests. A maximum of 100 guests are treated to the culinary delights provided. Just like AVO VILLAGE, the AVO CLUB remains closed to sponsors during the performances – because at the AVO SESSION Basel, music is the main event.

International stars love coming to Basel

Miles Davis was the first major star that performed at this premium Basel event back in1988. Since then, the AVO SESSION Basel has made a name for itself with artists and agents all over the world. The biggest names in the business: Joe Cocker, Tom Jones or Grace Jones all love coming to Basel. The list of performing artists who have taken the ASB stage is the best recommendation a music festival could get. Even the most successful musicians know they are in good company at the AVO SESSION Basel.

Some artists are sceptical when they see the club-like seating at the AVO SESSION Basel, but after the concert they rave about the magical atmosphere in the hall and the intense contact to the audience, also to the audience members who often jump out of their seats and start dancing right in front of the stage. The stars’ feedback is unanimously positive. Mark Knopfler, for example, «loved the whole vibe», P!nk «had the closest contact to the audience of the whole tour», and the legendary Joe Cocker is «looking forward to coming back again».

International media broadcasts

Thanks to the major interest of the media, the AVO SESSSION Basel has been able to reach an international audience. The concerts are recorded by Swiss TV and are broadcasted on five continents in over 80 countries. This means that the festival can be seen even in countries such as Japan, Argentina and China. Special programme highlights are even broadcasted live by EUROVISON and further live broadcasts are planned for the future. Many of the concerts can also be heard on Swiss Radio DRS: Two legendary ASB performances, namely the concert featuring Solomon Burke (2003) and Jethro Tull (2008), were released in America and all over Europe on DVD. Additional DVDs are planned.

Small but select – the secret to the AVO SESSION Basel’s success

Ever since the AVO SESSION Basel was founded in 1988, it has stayed true to its initial concept, refusing to increase capacity at the expense of its special club-like atmosphere. The intimate setting with only 1,500 people per evening combined with the seating at round club tables, creates an intimacy and proximity to the stars, which no other festival can offer. It’s no wonder that the AVO SESSION Basel reaches 97-100% capacity each year and has won numerous prizes.

The AVO SESSION Basel owes much of its success to its experienced team. The festival management has been lead by Beatrice Stirnimann (CEO) and Matthias Müller (President) for several years. A team of 12 people works all year long to provide the festival guests with unforgettable concert evenings. During the festival, the crew grows to include 220 people. Many of them have been with the festival for a number of years and their motivation and experience helps them as they devote themselves to satisfying the needs of the festival guests.