Context: The beginning of the Swiss dark scene dates back to the late 70’s. After a marked presence of the Punk movement, it evolved and gave way to styles like Post-Punk, Wave and Goth.

The year was 1979 and some people felt saturated with the protest punk and opted to seek a new musical identity with more depth and introspection. By that time some began to dress in black and listen to new bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees, PIL, The Cure, Joy Division…

One year later, on September 26, in 1980, the first Swiss Wave Post-Punk song was released – Grauzone’s “Eisbär”. So this release can be considered as the cornerstone and trigger for the start of the Swiss dark scene. Now the local scene had its first own soundtrack, and began to develop slowly. Grauzone’s first concerts took place in locations like Club Spex, Gasskessel and Reitschule in Bern.

From then until the mid 80’s, diverse concerts, discos and parties were held in places like Rote Fabrik in Zürich, Totentanz in Basel, AJZ in Biel, Big Apple in Zürich, L’Association Post Tenebras Rock @ Le Bouffon in Genève, Fri-Son in Freiburg, Sedel in Luzern, Grabenhalle in St. Gallen, Dolce Vita in Lausanne and L’association État d’Urgences (L’Usine) in Genève.

Watch below some videos that capture the spirit of the local scene in some events through the years.