It’s akin to a historic moment when the Baloise Session welcomes a musician who was the principal songwriter of legendary alternative rock band Oasis. The Britpop anthems of an entire generation, such as «Live Forever», «Whatever», «Wonderwall» and «Don’t Look Back in Anger», came from the pen – or rather the guitar – of Noel Gallagher. In Basel this legendary musician will be firing up the audience with his High Flying Birds. A little calmer, but no less fascinating in musical terms, is all-rounder Richard Hawley, with his crooner voice and songs that at times echo Johnny Cash, at other times Sinatra – a mix of jazz, rock pop and folk. He is celebrated as a guitar hero in his home town of Sheffield.

Zeno van Essel