Record crowds flock to Paléo music festival

A rare moment of sunshine at the Paléo festival Keystone

Switzerland's biggest open-air music festival, Paléo, has attracted a record number of visitors this year. Commemorating its 25th anniversary, Paléo saw 225,000 spectators pass through its gates over ten days.

The record was cause for celebration, but not everything at the festival has run so successfully.

The British band, Oasis, walked off stage just 25 minutes into their performance. The group said the crowd had pelted them with bottles, cans and coins.

Oasis threatened to sue the organisers. Paléo replied by calling the band “fragile”, denying that empty plastic bottles and water balloons had come anywhere near the performers.

The organisers said they had considered legal action against Oasis for wrecking the show, saying the decision of lead singer, Liam Gallagher, not to reappear was a “total disregard for the public safety risk”.

As well as superstar rows, there was also wet and dull weather to contend with throughout the week.

Nevertheless, six of the evenings were sold out and the last weekend attracted 12,000 spectators.

Organisers said groups such as Rita Mitsouko, Noir Désir and Buena Vista Social Club were the main crowd-pullers.

swissinfo with agencies