Zurich’s clubs are dying. After the legendary techno club (and sometimes concert venue) „Zukunft“ fell victim to gentrification, another nightlife institution since 1916 is closing its doors: Mascotte. One of the oldest clubs in Switzerland, the venue hosted the likes of Josephine Baker, Louis Armstrong, Arcade Fire, The XX, and MGMT.
In an interview with the newspaper Tages-Anzeiger, co-operator Alfonso Siegrist states the familiar reasons why the club is shutting down:
- People drink less: „Revenue at the bar has fallen by up to 30 per cent in the last year or so.“
- Young people don’t frequent clubs anymore: „Young people’s behaviour when going out has changed significantly since coronavirus.“
- Rising costs: „A well-known DJ might bring you 1000 people, but he also costs 20,000 or 30,000 euros. I paid around 1000 euros for Arcade Fire in 2006.“
Siegrist also touches on strategy and investments, about which I recently wrote in a somewhat provocative way. He states that they indeed would have needed to make significant adjustments: new lights, new interior, and more. However, the city of Zurich, the protected building’s owner, is planning renovations in two years.
Jacob Banks performing his first Switzerland gig in sold-out Mascotte club 2017. Credits: Evelyn Kutschera
However, Alfonso Siegrist also points towards the further concentration in the live music market: „There are very few agencies left that have a lot of power and determine everything.“
