As opposed to, for example, testosterone-fuelled heavy metal, I’ve always thought of the electronic music scene as being pretty equal in terms of gender representation – at least the dance floors I attend are – but only 10% of the artists booked for clubs and festivals are women. Les Belle De Nuit have set themselves the goal of changing this with their 4-day Electronic Gender Bending Music Festival. The festival includes the Gender Benders photo exhibition at Photobastei, the opening night of which has performance artists, a silent movie, djs and food from the Palestine Grill. Supermarket hosts the other half of the festival with 23 international female musicians and djs. They are also holding a few workshops, the most interesting of which will provide you with the materials, and show you how to build your own DIY vibrator. This is the type of festival where, if the rhythm doesn’t get you, you need to make sure the vibrations do.
Thursday to Sunday various times, Supermarket & Photobastei

 

 

Cityscape Fashion launched online earlier this year as an outlet for emerging international designers of womenswear which are generally hard to find within Switzerland. They are now moving forward with the opening of an actual store (or is that backwards? I get confused in these digital times). The store will be called Rumour and has its launch party on Friday evening. You can expect music, food, drink and perhaps a slinky new outfit to wander home in.
Friday 6 pm to 9 pm, Rumour, Schlüsselgasse 16, 8001

 

 

 

 

 

If you like your design to be vintage then, and I realise I’m stating the obvious here, you should get yourself down to the Vintage Design fair on Saturday and Sunday being held in an old factory space in Oerlikon. They’ll have over 20 exhibitors across 600m2 showing and selling vintage furniture, lamps, objects and accessories from the 20th century. If you’re just browsing or actually buying something, they’ll also keep you entertained and refreshed with music, a bar and crepes. Free admission.
Saturday 10 am to 6 pm, Sunday 10 am to 5 pm, Leutschenbachstrasse 44, 8050

 

 

There’d be only one thing more frightening than meeting Frankenstein on a dark night in the city, and that’s meeting the people who will tell you that, well, actually, it’s the doctor that’s called Frankenstein, you’re thinking of Frankenstein’s monster. Whilst true, I’d still like to drive a stake through their pedantic hearts. And, yes, I know that’s vampires. Stop it now! Frankenstein – The Monster and the Myth is a play by TNT Theatre Britain showing at Berhard Theater on Monday. Using melodrama, comedy and a little splash of terror, they explore the moral questions of human cloning and scientific research, as well as Mary Shelly’s original novel and the myths and movies that have arisen from it.
Monday 1.30 pm & 8 pm, Berhard Theater

 

 

 

 

 

In town, the sun is shining like winter never comes but in the mountains there is already snow and several ski resorts will open their lifts early this year. If you can barely wait for the slopes to open but still need to complete your snowboard gear then visit the Iceripper fleamarket in Oerlikon this Sunday. There you'll find second-hand boards, shoes, clothes and anything else you're looking for, for a bargain. There are also some stalls with new goods, generally from last season. Make sure to get there early as the goods usually sell out fairly quickly. It's cash only. Entry: 5 francs
Sunday 12 pm to 5 pm, Messehalle 9, Oerlikon

 

 

 

 

 

Two weeks ago, we Swissies elected our parliament. However, in the canton of Zurich, one of the seats in the Ständerat (similar to the Senate in the US) remain empty. Just one of the candidates reached the amount of votes they would have needed. So they go into a second round which will take place at the end of November. This gives the citizens of Zurich a bit of time to dwell on who to vote for for the second seat. What does it mean for you? Probably that you'll keep seeing a lot of smiling heads on the advertising boards for the next few weeks.

 

 

How do you ensure contentment? A good pessimist knows just how. In this film for « The School of Life», Claudio Salas teamed up with group of artists, exploring a mix of different animation techniques to show how you can become a good pessimist. All written and narrated by Alain de Botton.