You know the sound: dreamy electro beats and soulful vocals - it’s the electro-pop soundtrack of many a summer party. Well, Jan Blomqvist invented that. The Berlin dj/producer has been taking his minimalist mellow moods to clubs around the world for the last few years, and this Friday he’ll be in Hive. Rather than relying on records he’ll be playing live with a band of like-minded electro geeks. It may not be mid-summer yet, but if you close your eyes you’ll feel a warm breeze ruffling your hair and see a flaming marmalade sun setting below the distant horizon.

Friday 8 pm, Hive

The adjoining Kon-Tiki and Züri bars on the Niederdorf are like ghosts of Zurich-past. They’ve been around seemingly forever and have been places of smoking, drinking and partying for locals, and a few intrepid visitors, since before I was a glint in Papa Orp’s eye. I must admit there were a few tears shed when it was announced that these cult venues were closing last year. But this weekend, like a Phoenix from a rather full ashtray, they are rising again, with the same spirit but cool new owners. Friday and Saturday are the opening nights, of what promises to be a rosy future. Both nights have some great bands playing live and a selection of the finest djs Zurich has to offer. Come and welcome back some old friends.

Friday and Saturday from 6 pm, Kon-Tiki and Züri Bars

"For in that sleep of death what dreams may come"...It’s the 400^th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death this year, and to commemorate and celebrate his life and works the Zurich Shakespeare Festival will be taking place throughout town over the next couple of months. The opening event is on Saturday at Kulturmarkt where several pieces of art created exclusively for the festival, by students of the Zurich University of the Arts, will be on display, along with a bar to help your poetic sensibilities ripen. The rest of the festival includes not only performances of his plays, but also readings, workshops, music and exhibitions inspired by the Bard.

Opening night - Saturday 6 pm to 8.30 pm, Kulturmarkt (free entry)
Festival – 2 ^nd April to 2^nd July, various times and locations

Vivian Maier was a nanny working in Chicago during the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s. She also had a secret – she was a prolific and brilliant photographer of everyday people and life on the streets of Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. It wasn’t until her death in 2009 that her unpublished negatives fell into the hands of a collector, who published them on Flickr, and which subsequently went ‘viral’. She is now recognised as one of the greats of 20^th century photography. Photobastei currently have an exhibition of her photography, which unfortunately finishes on Sunday (sorry for being shoddily late telling you), and are showing the Oscar nominated documentary Finding Vivian Meier in their bar on Saturday evening.

Saturday 7 pm, Photobastei

According to the media, gamers are lonely wolves. But I dare you to join the pack on the video game night at  Ebrietas bar on Monday. You can try out various games, including a selection of virtual reality experiences as well as hearing from several developers such as Mr. Masaya Matsuura, the father of rhythm-action games like 'PaRappa the Rapper' and 'Vib Ribbon', Fernando Ramallo, who worked as co-designer, lead programmer and artist on 'Panoramical', Matthias Moos and Zurich-based musician, Georg Bleikolm (Knor), about their collaboration on the first European transmedia app that combines virtual reality and music for the music single 'Don't Go' and Janina Woods, who will talk about her 'rail music shooter' for virtual reality called 'Shiny'. I hope I pressed the right buttons to get you interested.
Monday 7 pm to 10.30 pm, Ebrietas

If you're looking forward to spring but haven't said goodbye to winter yet, then you'll have a few days left to head to the mountains for some skiing or snowboarding. The season's end is near! Some areas will close this weekend already, the majority in a week, and the last few in a couple of weeks. Most resorts celebrate the end of the season with a big bang and I've chosen a few highlights especially for you. Feeling local: Swiss folk rock singer George plays at the Wetterhorn in Hasliberg on 2nd April. Feeling nostalgic: Snowpenair on Kleine Scheidegg (Jungfrau) with headliners Fantastischen Vier on 2nd April. Feeling cool: Season finale at Rider's Palace in Laax with Dub Pistols live on 9th April. Feeling international: Winter music festival in the mountains at Zermatt Unplugged on 5th-9th April. Last minute packages are still available.

Are you a victim of hay fever? I offer you my sympathy and a solution that is better than staying indoors when the sun tempts you to come out and play. Geekonaut created a pollen map for the city, where you can see which streets you should avoid. If you're allergic to birch for example, Kreis 6, Oerlikon and Schwamedingen are tough neighbourhoods for you. Also the parks and cemeteries can cause sneezing - so head to Fritschiwiese instead of Friedhof Silfeld. Next to the dangerous birches the map also provides information if you can't stand ash trees, alder or hazel. For android there is also an app available now. Gesundheit!