Zermatt Unplugged 2023: Acoustic Encounters From Peter Maffay To Passenger

The spectrum of music at Zermatt Unplugged has rarely been broader. The 14th edition (April 11-15, 2023) offers melodic Swiss treasures from Patent Ochsner alongside German rock from Peter Maffay. The line-up continues with such international stars as Passenger and Of Monsters and Men, current streaming-millionaire Calum Scott from Great Britain and a whole host of emerging talent and discoveries from around the globe. The spotlight, as always, is on pure acoustic music and the up-close-and-personal concert experience afforded by our small and big stages scattered around the village and mountainside. Pre-sale for Club Members begins on December 13; tickets go on sale to the general public on December 15, 2022.

Campaign face of the festival is Jules Ahoi

From Tuesday 11 until Saturday 15 April, 2023, Zermatt is transformed into an international hub of acoustic music. And the best thing: artists that usually fill entire stadiums perform on-stage in a circular marquee in front of 2300 fans; there's room for just 500 at the Vernissage. And things get even more intimate at venues like the Kapelle Winkelmatten, at the Heinz Julen Loft for the "At Home With…" format, at 2288 m.a.s.l for the Sunnegga Sessions, and at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club.

Having already enjoyed five decades of success, German rocker, brainchild behind Tabaluga and The Voice of Germany juror Peter Maffay will now wow his fans in Zermatt with an acoustic concert set against a unique backdrop at the foot of the Matterhorn. We've also got a special highlight in store for indie fans: following a sustained absence, Of Monsters and Men return to the world stage with a concert at Zermatt Unplugged. And, apart from a catch-up concert, Patent Ochsner will perform their only gig in 2023 with an unplugged show created exclusively for Zermatt Unplugged. The Marquee Stage also offers the chance to experience Passenger, when he returns to the festival for a second time, and Calum Scott, who ranks high among the world's most streamed artists.

The Vernissage takes on a special role during the 2023 edition: instead of The Alex as in previous years, it will now play host to five major international acts, including the Australian singer-songwriter and upbeat tune-maker Vance Joy ("Riptide"), the Israeli singer-songwriter Asaf Avidan, the Melbourne-based soul and blues rockers with their Grammy-nominated album "Run Home Slow" The Teskey Brothers, the Echo-winning Alice Merton ("No Roots"), and the indie folk band Bear's Den ("All that you are").

From the South African language of Bantu to piano concert

"We want to focus more on our core values in 2023," says Festival Director Rolf Furrer. "Small, intimate locations, up-close experiences with artists, and an authentic mix of well-known and emerging acts." Which is why talents like Lucy Rose, who had the honor of opening Sir Elton John's concert in Hyde Park; Bongeziwe Mabandla, who sings in his South African mother tongue isiXhosa; Cam, one of the world's leading contemporary exponents of country music; and Joep Beving, one of the most listened-to pianists of our time, can all be enjoyed on our various stages.

Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club with special guest Curtis Stigers

Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club has been shaping the jazz world from London's Soho district since 1959. It is a privilege and honor for musicians from around the globe to appear in the club's line-up. For the five days of the April festival, the dignified atmosphere of London's legendary Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club is transferred as a true-to-the-original pop-up to Zermatt. The legendary house band Ronnie Scott's All Stars is billed to perform here with special guest and jazz interpreter Curtis Stigers. The Blues Club is also back, with Lucky Wüthrich and his "mentor" Philipp Fankhauser.

Campaign face Jules Ahoi from Cologne

The festival's campaign face is Jules Ahoi. With his catchy "Saltwater Folk", this Cologner-by-choice embodies both the joie de vivre of a vagabond and an inner affinity to nature. His latest album "Melancholic Dreamwave" is a complex work that elevates the surf musician and his dark, gentle voice into higher spheres.

Loyal sponsors and new partner

The Main Partners Raiffeisen, BKW and Swisscom, as well as the Co-Partners Volvo Car Switzerland, the Lindenhof Group, Michel Reybier Hospitality and Schweizer Fleisch as Presenting Partner of the Taste Village are with us again this year. The Swiss watch brand Norqain joins the festival as a new Co-Partner.