AVO SESSION News
06. 12. 2011 SESSION Basel 2011 - Record-breaking year
Tonight, Goran Bregovic Wedding and Funeral Band and George Dalaras will bring the AVO SESSION Basel to a close with the final concert of this year’s edition. The festival bids farewell to its long-standing venue, the Festival Hall of the Basel Fair, with the record-breaking number of ca. 20,000 tickets sold. The festival management is proud to have presented 14 diverse and unforgettable concert evenings in an intimate club setting.
Once again, the 2011 festival edition has set itself apart from other music festivals with its diverse, colourful programme. From funk and soul with Jan Delay und Beverley Knight, country music with Toby Keith and Steve Earle to disco funk with The Earth, Wind & Fire Experience and Chic feat. Nile Rodgers, there has been something to satisfy lovers of the most varied types of music. Some special highlights this year were the concerts with Broadway legend Liza Minnelli, crooner Paul Anka, who gave Basel a magical performance, and Laura Pausini, who presented the world premiere of her brand new album. The Swiss bands were equally convincing: Stephan Eicher and his Lost & Found Orchestra presented a suitably thrilling Opening Night and the up-and-coming performers Anna Rossinelli and Blush also created some excitement.
Unfortunately, there was a concert cancellation. Due to illness, Nina Hagen was not able to appear. The chart-topping band Pegasus from Biel, Switzerland, opened the concert evening in her place and immediately won over the hearts of the audience.
The festival management is pleased to announce an all-time ticket sales record. On 14 evenings, the festival sold 20,020 Tickets, surpassing the magic number of 20,000 for the first time and meaning that 99% capacity was reached.
Once again, the 2011 edition honoured two artists with the AVO SESSION Basel Award. The Lifetime Achievement Award, which honours the life’s work of an artist, was awarded to Broadway legend Liza Minnelli. The second award was presented to country musician Steve Earle. He received the Musician’s Musician Award, which honours a musician who is especially revered by his music peers.
In 2012, the AVO SESSION Basel will run from 26 October to 15 November 2012 and will take place in the Basel Musical Theater before moving to the new Event Hall of the Basel Fair, designed by Herzog & de Meuron, in 2013.
All of the concert evenings were recorded by Swiss Radio and TV and will be broadcasted, along with 200 concerts from previous festival editions, in up to 80 countries on fives continents. All of the concerts can be seen on SF 2 and 3sat starting at the end of this year. The concert with Paul Anka and Sharon Corr was broadcasted live on Swiss Radio DRS 1 and parts of the other concerts will be played on DRS1 or DRS3. Selected highlights such as Liza Minnelli and Paul Anka will be shown on the channels Arte and Eurovision. The dates of the broadcasts will be published on www.avo.ch as soon as they are made public.
The festival management is very pleased with the 14 event evenings. Matthias Müller, president and founder of the AVO SESSION Basel, says: “In 2011, more than ever, artist managements, agents and audiences showed that we had gained their trust. The value of an intimate concert experience in a tasteful setting as well as the high quality of all aspects of our event meets current expectations perfectly and is highly appreciated by our audiences and also by the artists.” Beatrice Stirnimann, CEO, adds: “It gives us great satisfaction to have achieved 99% capacity. This is not to be taken for granted in today’s times. We would like to thank our audience for attending in such large numbers.”
