The Parenthèse - Nyon's small but influential music club
- Catherine
- Mar 26, 2012
- 5 min read
Photo above: Courtesy ©Les Hivernales 2012 / Niall Macpherson) of The Bianca Story, performing at the club.
The barefoot writer is back! Regular readers of Living in Nyon may remember the great reviews of both the atmosphere and the music from Paléo 2010 written by Jonas Parson (a.k.a "the barefoot writer"). Last year Jonas went travelling to Australia and to India and for the first time in his life he missed Paléo! However he has now returned to Switzerland and we are happy to report he will be writing for this site again during this year's Paléo and on other music events that are happening around the Nyon region.
Jonas is now studying philosophy and French literature at the University of Lausanne, and says he spends his time reading a lot, practising at the Nyon circus school, and hanging out at the university student pub. He also says - "I'm happy Spring is back as it means I can put my shoes away and happily tread the barefoot path of freedom". Jonas has written an article below called; "In between the brackets - a night out at the "Parenthèse", on the small but influential music club in the heart of Nyon.
Read on to find out more about the concerts at this venue, the club's music policy and how it is now acquiring a reputation for attracting new and exciting new bands from all over the world.
Strolling along the Grand-Rue in Nyon, you've probably already gone past the Parenthèse, just opposite the charming cobble-stoned Place du Marché, maybe without even knowing it was there.
Photo above C. Nelson- Pollard - The venue (enter the tunnel here in Grand Rue next to the music shop to find the Parenthése) Venturing down a small tunnel dating back – according to the stone carving above the entrance- to the 17
century, you find yourself in front of the entrance to this small bar dedicated to promoting live music in the area. Plunge down a flight of stairs, and you'll find yourself in what used to be a wine cellar; this is no place for the claustrophobic! The slightly cramped feeling is actually one the charms of the place, making it a small and cosy venue: narrow and long, the bar at one end, the stage at the other, and a dozen tables along both walls.
The club entrance - Photo ©Les Hivernales 2012 / Niall Macpherson
The Parenthèse opened in 2008 with the idea of promoting music -rock in particular, but also widening the range to other styles in Nyon. Concentrating mainly on local bands at first, the team at the Parenthèse gradually developed a network throughout the region and started hosting bands from farther afield. The walls of the Parenthèse were soon reverberating to the tunes of bands from as far away as the United States, or from slightly more exotic places like Estonia with
, who'll be 'folking' around on the 27
of April.
See Utube video of their recent hit "Good Man Down".
Not satisfied with being just a bar that stages live gigs at the weekend, the Parenthèse has a philosophy of promoting and sharing music, an approach that sometimes seems to be becoming all too rare in the world of contemporary show-business.
Photo ©Les Hivernales 2012 / Niall Macpherson
Their contacts and the reputation they've built means that this modest venue is hot on the heels of the ultra-professional rendezvous like the Eurosonics in the Netherlands, an annual and much vaunted conference/showcase between programmers and bands. In fact about a dozen bands who played at the Parenthèse last year went on to play at Paleo Festival the same year, with some bands also playing at the Montreux Jazz Festival or the Printemps de Bourges.
This is what the Parenthèse has to offer to bands who come to play in Nyon, as the pay check is more symbolic than anything else in a bar where entrance is free. “ We basically provide board and lodging, pay for them to come to Nyon and for a sound engineer. But they won't get paid much else. On the other hand, the interesting part for the band is that we'll be able to put them in touch with clubs and festivals” explains Benjamin Zumstein, one of the founders of the Parenthèse and in charge of the venue's music programme. “ We all eat together before the gig, and it's a great way to share stuff and meet people. Band members also get free access to the bar all evening, which is something that you don't see much any more”.
The Parenthèse is organised along voluntary lines (the association“La Parenthèse culturelle” was created last year), and membership fees cover the expenses related to hosting, feeding and producing the bands at the venue. It is just CHF 50chf become a member of the association, note: you don't have to be a member to go to the club or see a band.
“We reckoned this was the best way to keep the spirit of sharing alive. It also means the bar itself, which is a limited company, can try and cover the bar expenses quite independently. As entrance is free, we're not actually making any money for the time being, so the idea is to try and limit the losses. The bar is open five nights a week, which means we need to pay a full time bar-tender, and there aren't that many people popping in for a drink during the week. So after the summer break this year (well yeah, it's the festival season, and people would rather go and have a drink outdoors than in a cellar!), the bar will only open from Thursday to Saturday.”
The club attracts a varied public, ranging from teenage music fans to older people happy to come for a drink in a place where they know they'll discover new music and a truly eclectic line-up, the Parenthèse is a fine place to go and chill out, have a drink and discover some very cool music. La Parenthèse, Grand-Rue 22bis, Nyon. Here's a latest list of the complete line-up of bands playing up to the summer break or see site here
29 – No Mad (F)
31 – Se3en (CH)
5 - Teletextiles (USA)
6 – Chloé Mons (F)
7 – Sound of Guns (UK)
13 – Jerrycan (CH)
14 - CATS ON TREES (F)
18 – The Travelling Band (UK)
19 – Maia Vidal (ESP)
20 – Joan and the Sailors (CH)
25 – Peasant (USA)
26 – Will Samson (UK)
27 – Ewert and the Two Dragons (EE)
5 – Appletop (F)
17 – Kandle (CAN)
19 – The Deers (CH)
25 – Fog Horn (USA)
Concerts are free, and usually take place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. The bar can be rented out this summer for private parties, the money will help continue bringing bands to Nyon and keeping the concerts free.
Photo above: Photo ©Les Hivernales 2012 / Niall Macpherson. The group "Owwle" at the Parenthèse.