Liestal Air: The cultural melting pot of Basel-Land
26/04/2017
written by Sidonia Maurer
Nick Tatsiopoulos, Project Manager Act Entertainment, talks about the small but mighty festival.
Series: Festival Summer 2017 | Episode 7: Liestal Air
Nick Tatsiopoulos, Project Manager Act Entertainment.
What is special about your festival this year?
Sarah Connor will be performing at Liestal Air for the first time, and as the only Swiss concert. The fans have never been this close to the artist before.
Which acts are you particularly proud of?
Sarah Connor's performance will certainly be full of energy - pure emotion. There will probably be a tear or two. Züri West's performances are a home game throughout German-speaking Switzerland. The Swiss rock veterans regularly send the fans wild.
What criteria did you use to put together the line-up?
As it's a city festival, we can't stick to one style of music. Although Liestal Air is one of the smaller festivals, we try to put together an exclusive and special line-up every year. For example, the only Swiss performance by Sarah Connor mentioned above or past appearances by Caro Emerald, Jethro Tull, Patent Ochsner or Uriah Heep.
What else is on offer besides the music? Culinary, for example? Other attractions?
There are various food and drink stands, and our sponsors always come up with something interesting.
The festival visitors enjoy the concert.
Festivals don't have a dress code. But is there anything you should bear in mind when it comes to clothing and outfits?
It's better to check the weather forecast. It can get very warm very quickly when the sun is shining. Make sure you bring sunscreen and light clothing. If it rains, which we hope it won't, it is of course a good idea to bring waterproof clothing. Umbrellas are not allowed. Our festival area is paved, so there will be no mud fights. Special footwear is not necessary in this case.
What moment are you personally looking forward to the most?
When the joy spreads across the faces of the band and the festival visitors. Then we as organizers know that we have done a good job. That makes up for the long and hard work you have to put in beforehand for a festival.
What was the most memorable/beautiful experience you've had with the festival?
One of Polo Hofer's last performances was at Liestal Air. It was an honor to have this Swiss music legend in our program. The audience also really appreciated it and almost never let him leave the stage.
How would you describe your festival succinctly in a tweet (max. 140 characters)?
Once a year, our small but excellent festival turns Liestal into the cultural melting pot of Basel-Land.
Year founded:2006
Number of visitors: approx. 5000
Biggest acts: Sarah Conner, Züri West
Number of stages: 1
The best way to get there is by: SBB
Website: liestalair.ch
