Welcome to winter time. Don’t forget to set back your clocks by one hour in the night from Saturday to Sunday. I wish you a wonderful, long weekend.
Give my love to the city, Ron

The massive beats from Sizar impressed me from the beginning, as well as the powerful timbre of Fabians voice and the skillful split between electro, rock and world music. The question was – will the three guys deliver live as well. And since the Winterthurer Musikfestwochen I can answer this confidently with: Yes, absolutely!  So I’m delighted that Sizar performs at Exil this Thursday. And if you’d like to join me, I have 2x2 tickets to give away for free. Just send me an e-mail. Tickets: 25 francs
Thursday 8.30 pm, Exil

As the days grow colder and the nights longer, it seems the perfect time for Zurich to be hosting the international literary festival Zurich Liest ’12. There’s nothing better than curling up and reading a favourite book, unless someone wants to read it to you, of course. Of the many events happening during the festival, here are three authors who will be reading extracts from their latest novels and being interviewed about their craft, all in English. Famous thriller writer Joy Fielding is at the Dolder Grand on Friday. Horror writer Justin Cronin is at Orell Füssli on Saturday (entry free) and is also perfect for a Halloween treat, and crime writer Martin Walker will also be at the Dolder Grand on Sunday. 
Friday 8 pm, Dolder Grand Hotel
Saturday 8 pm, Orell Füssli (English Store)
Sunday  11.30 am, Dolder Grand Hotel

Beethoven and Tolstoy aren’t usually the names you’ll see headlining a club night but this Friday the music and words of these two gentlemen will be combined as part of a multi-media experience at Plaza called MIR – Music im Rausch.  Young concert violinist Deborah Marchetti and Viennese pianist Bernhard Parz, will be performing wild and dynamic interpretations of Beethoven’s music intermingled with the words of Tolstoy. It’s definitely not your normal club night, but at least your ears will be ringing with the sound of a banging sonata and not the throb of the usual bass drums.
Friday 8.30 pm, Plaza

It's Halloween weekend coming up and if you want to keep the ghosts at bay you have to make some noise, every school child knows this. To help me stay very safe this year the nice people at X-tra are having another one of their loud Rattle 'n' Roll Halloween Specials. Headlining are UK psycho-billies The Meteors, as well as zombie, punk rockabilly band The Dead. There is a floorshow by the Spooky Dolls Surgery, which appears not to include kittens or butterflies. There'll also be a burlesque show, a couple of dance floors and enough fake blood to keep even the fakest vampire quenched.
Saturday 9 pm, X-tra

Their concert last year was a huge success so Swedish Movits come to Zurich again. This time to District4 at Langstrasse 83. Ut ur min skalle – if you follow the title of their latest release, you’ll also be "out of your head" at their show. The concert is followed by an electro swing club night with music from the 20s and the 30s. Therefore, come dressed appropriately. I have 2x2 tickets to give away for free. If you’d like to see the crazy Swedes, just send me an e-mail. Tickets: 32 francs
Saturday 10.30 pm, District4

If you’ve been looking for an indie band that also brings the funk, and Franz Ferdinand are just too noughties for you, then Citizens! should get you and your rhythm stick moving in perfect harmony.  Coincidentally, one Alex Kapranos, singer with Franz Ferdinand, has produced their album and he has managed to sprinkle their songs with enough 70’s glam and infectious melody to really make them into a portable party unit. They play at Mascotte on Sunday.
Sunday 7:30 pm, Mascotte

The days are getting shorter and on the bike you feel winter in the air. 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 (not too early, it’s winter time now!) as the goods are usually sold out fairly quickly. And it’s cash only. Entry: 5 francs
Sunday 12 pm, Messehalle 9, Zurich Oerlikon

Do you need new clothes but the wardrobe is full? Then make some space, select 5-15 pieces you can live without and bring them to Tauschrausch this Tuesday. You pay 30 francs admission and in return you can take home the same amount of shirts, jackets, shoes, belts, hats, trousers, skirts and dresses. The clothes exchange is for women only. Make sure to register beforehand at Spielraum and to bring by the clothes 30 minutes before the door open. Then head over to Idaplatz for a cup of coffee and return to the venue where you can browse through all the clothes and pick up whatever takes your fancy. Admission: 30 francs
Tuesday, from 6.30 pm (bring by clothes from 6 pm, Zentralstrasse 119a, inner court yard

If your house was burning, what would you take with you? Not a good question to consider but the answers will always be revealing. This question is openly asked on the website theburninghouse.com, with all of the responses coming in the form of a list and a single photograph of the items.  What would you take?