Vogel Gryff, Museums Night and New Songs

Before Herbstmesse and the Christmas markets have had a chance to fade into the deep recesses of your memory, and before Fasnacht (Basel carnival) proper kicks off, a host of Fasnacht-adjacent events take place in the interlude between winter festivals in Basel. One of our favourites is the Vogel Gryff, which is scheduled to take place on the 20th of January 2024. Organised by the three honorable societies of Kleinbasel – «zum Rebhaus», «zur Häre» and «zum Greifen» – its date alternates on a three-year cycle between 13, 20 and 27 January. On the day of the event, the three heraldic figures «Vogel Gryff» (Griffin), «Wild Maa» (Wild Man) and «Leu» (Lion), accompanied by three drummers, three standard-bearers and four jesters, who collect money for the needy, parade through Kleinbasel – after a trip which starts on a raft down the Rhein. Along the way, they perform their traditional dances. The event has its originis in the Middle Ages, when one of the responsibilities of the three honorable societies was to guard the city walls. Their annual weapons inspection ended with a march through Kleinbasel followed by a meal for the participants. Since 1838, there has been a joint procession for all three honorable societies during the event.

The Basel Museums Night is coming up on Friday, 19 January 2024, from 6 pm to 2 am. Why not take a nocturnal stroll and buy a single ticket that gives you access to around 200 events in 41 museums and cultural institutions in Basel, Münchenstein, Riehen and Weil am Rhein? The Museums Night ticket also gives you extensive transport options: from 5 pm to closing hours, you can use various means of public transport for free! A complete list of English-language events can be found at this link.

Our music theme this evening was all about recently released songs, featuring the following tracks:

The Black Keys - Beautiful People (Stay High)

Gusgus - Unfinished Symphony

Johnny Mancini - Flower Pot

The Miserable Rich - Quietly

Bishop Briggs - Triumph

Night Club - Crime Scene

Future Islands - Say Goodbye

Bring Me The Horizon - Kool-Aid

Liam Gallagher & John Squire - Just Another Rainbow