The  M4Music festival is setting up camp again. It's the annual shindig for all of music's great and good to gather in the city and blow our little minds. As well as panel discussions, conferences and a demo-clinic for aspiring musicians there are, of course, a fantastic selection of bands, singers and djs to be seen playing live. My highlights this year include Jungle, Nneka and Black Box Revelation.

Thursday to Saturday, various times and locations

A place filled with music and freedom, a place that never changes. At least this is what I always thought of Dynamo. Until their refurbishment. This weekend is the reopening of the youth culture house at the Limmat and I’m very curious to see what happened to my old friend and the rooms where I spent so much of my time. You’re invited too, of course. From Friday to Sunday there will be guided tours, plays, flea markets, diy and a lot of music. Sounds just like Dynamo.

Friday from 5 pm, Saturday from 2 pm & Sunday from 1 pm, Dynamo

Some theatre shows attempt to answer the grand questions of philosophy, religion and life. Others give you a dancing and moonwalking Moses, fabled father of the Jews. In The Table at Theater Stadelhofen, you’ll get all of this combined. Not only that, but the hero, Moses, at the centre of all this is a funny, cantankerous, cardboard-headed puppet who lives on a table and is controlled in the Japanese Bunraku style by 3 puppeteers. The show has travelled the world and won many awards for comedy and is being brought to Zurich by the UK based Blind Summit Theatre.

Friday & Saturday 8.15 pm, Theater Stadelhofen

The Zurich art collective Veli & Amos seem to be kindly souls. After having gone through the rigmarole of having talent, vision and ambition they’ve managed to get themselves an exhibition, Add Something, at Kunstraum Walcheturm and, guess what? They’re going to let you be a part of it too. You can rent space on any of their paintings and have the thing that’s on your heart or mind shown there, whether it’s your own painting or drawing, a logo, words or even a love letter. There are various sizes available. The exhibition doesn’t start until 15^th April but your contribution needs to be sent to them by email by Sunday (29^th March). Hence, the early announcement. 

Sunday 12 am, closing time to send entries for exhibition

15 ^th April until 9^th May, exhibition at Kunstraum Walcheturm

Ben Khan may be one of the most blogged about new musical artists to have come out of the UK in recent times but that means nothing until he’s come to our town and proves to us that all the fuss is warranted. Luckily for him, he’ll be playing his first and only show in Switzerland on Monday at Kinski. He hasn’t released a lot of music beyond a few EP’s and Soundcloud mixes but his sultry take on glitchy neo-soul and R&B have got an awful lot of people very excited. I have 1 x 2 tickets to give away. E-mail me.

Monday 8 pm, Kinski Klub

The none-more-indie UK band The Wombats have been away for the last few years without a peep from the little indie marsupials. Their highpoint last time was the song, Let’s Dance To Joy Division, a kind of M. C. Esher-ness of indie-on-indie action, but now they’re back with a new album and, surprisingly, they seem to have raised their game and streamlined their sound to incorporate a shiny sprinkling of sweet pop dust over their indie sponge cake. They’re playing at X-tra on Tuesday and I have 2 x 2 tickets to give away. E-mail me.

Tuesday 8 pm, X-tra

It might not feel like the right time to talk about flying, but this weekend the summer flight plan starts. Meaning that Swiss introduces 22 new European destinations with direct flights from Zurich, just in time to plan a short trip in the months to come. Sixteen of the new destinations – Naples, Bari, Bilbao, Porto, Toulouse, Leipzig, Dresden, Graz, Gothenburg, Helsinki, Riga, Krakow, Ljubljana, Sarajevo, Sofia and Zagreb – will be provided with year-round service, while six of them – Palermo, Brindisi, Malta, Thessaloniki, Izmir and Santiago de Compostela – will be served in the summer months only.

What with summer heading toward us at breakneck speed (it’ll be here soon, trust me), my thoughts always return to a little outdoors eating. Somewhere that’s got a view of the sunshine, the green countryside and, because I’m a city boy at heart, not too far from the maddening crowds. Fork and Bottle fits this profile perfectly. I’ve always loved their Sunday brunches, what with the pancakes, English muffins and California Breakfast Burritos but due to popular demand (possibly from me) they’re also starting a Saturday brunch. The first is this Saturday from 10am to 1pm. Add to this their special Easter brunch sessions on Easter Sunday and Monday, plus their new Friday best fried chicken nights, and they may need to start forcibly removing me at the end of every weekend. Reserve a table.

Fork & Bottle, Allmendstrasse 20, 8002

On species-in-pieces.com  you find an interactive gallery with 30 endangered animals. Informative, beautifully designed and with background music that makes your heart bleed. Not to recommend when you’re feeling down but a must if you don’t want to close your eyes to what’s happening all around us.

1. What is POPUP and where do I find it?
POPUP is the name of my city network on ronorp.net. This is where the city comes together. People network, share information, fall in love, develop projects, create, discuss, advertise ... We are the city and the city is waiting for you!  POPUP on RON ORP and life becomes more colourful.

2. Does it cost anything to be part of POPUP?
No. It’s just the same as everything else on ronorp.net. It’s free of charge and there is only a cost if you want more features ...

3. What will POPUP do for me?
You can get yourself known in the city. With your blog, sound, locale, style, shop, group, love, project ...
You can bring something new to the city. News, gossip, offers, topics ...
You become part of your city. People will find you on POPUP.

4. I am a musician, is there anything of interest for me?
Oh yes. You can bring your sound to the city, whether it’s as a link or playlists on SoundCloud, Spotify or YouTube. Everything is ready for you.

5. I am an events organiser or local business owner. Is POPUP also of interest for me?
It’s as if POPUP were made for you! Read point three again!

6. Is there a need for yet another social network?
POPUP is your cockpit for the city. Facebook connects you with your friends, LinkedIn with business and Popup with the city. We all live in the same city. Let’s get to know one another!

7. Can I have more than one profile?
Yes, of course. For every profile you can choose whether you appear under your nickname, your name, your group or your company.

8. I’m just a normal child of the city. Why should I get myself known in the city?
Because each of us is doing things, providing things, helping and moving around the city in parallel. POPUP is for all of us. Together we are the city! And together we can make the city livelier!

9. Is it true that I can send a message to everyone in Ron Orp’s mail?
No. But if your post your news on POPUP, it will appear in the newsletter of everyone who follows you.

And now: pimp your profile!