It is the largest acoustic festival in Europe: from April 8 to 12, 2025, Zermatt will once again be the venue for Zermatt Unplugged. For the 16th time, fans will experience their stars in front of a gigantic backdrop at the foot of the Matterhorn. The headliners are Stephan Eicher & Friends, UB40, Amy Macdonald, MIKA and Clueso.
What makes Zermatt Unplugged so special? Music stars who normally fill large halls play in front of 2,200 people in the round tent and 500 listeners in the Vernissage club in the Backstage Hotel. The Sunnegga Sessions at almost 2300 meters above sea level, in the Heinz Julen Loft or in the cosy Winkelmatten Chapel are even more intimate.
Stephan Eicher will open the festival on April 8 with a premiere of a special kind: he will be accompanied by an entire orchestra, the Swiss Orchestra under the direction of Lena-Lisa Wüstendörfer. The writer Martin Suter will provide a literary framework for the concert.
The British reggae and pop band UB40 celebrates its 45th anniversary and presents some of its songs in acoustic reinterpretations on April 9. April 10 belongs to Scottish singer Amy Macdonald, who is known for her mix of indie folk, pop and acoustic rock.
On April 11, the Lebanese-British singer MIKA will present songs from his first album in French, among other things. On April 12, the German singer-songwriter Clueso will take to the big stage.
Other well-known artists will be performing in a more intimate setting: Matt Berninger, frontman of The National, will be making his Swiss debut at Club Vernissage. German rapper Samy Deluxe presents his album "Hochkultur 2", accompanied by a chamber music ensemble. The program also includes performances by Jalen Ngonda, the folk duo Amistat and up-and-coming British artist Paris Paloma.
The audience can get up close to the music at the Sunnegga Sessions (2288 m above sea level) - with Calexico, Jade Bird and Fink - including a shared ride on the funicular. The audience can also get up close and personal at "At Home With..." in the Heinz Julen Loft with James Vincent McMorrow, Fil Bo Riva and Gigi Perez or in the Winkelmatten Chapel, where Scottish singer-songwriter Cara Rose performs her sensitive songs on the piano without any amplification or double bottom.
A collaboration with London's Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club provides additional musical variety. The Ronnie Scott's All Stars and the Soul Family will create a Soho jazz club atmosphere on five evenings in the replica jazz club at Mont Cervin Palace.
The program also includes numerous Discovery Acts and DJs, which are accessible with the Unplugged Pass. Zermatt Unplugged offers a variety of music from midday until the early hours of the morning.
The complete line-up can be found here: zermatt-unplugged.ch/en/program