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Saturday, June 18, in Nyon, the moon was bouncing through a cloudless sky off Lake Geneva. The setting was perfect for music and general debauchery under an artistic pretense. With concert and bar tents all over the sloped evening-lit town, the stage settings were scattered throughout from La Place du Chateau to the Bord du Lac. The night did not lack volunteers. Summer marks the beginning of music festivals worldwide. Switzerland is no different. There are consistently impressive venues bringing famous acts to Paleo, Montreux Jazz and Caribanna. Nor is there a lack of talent, eager audiences, beer and food shacks. Beyond these huge crowd-drawing events, opportunities emerge for local musicians and music fans a like.

June 18 - 21 marked the Fete de La Musique Nyon, which for most music goers is an opportunity to refine their beer diet and late night lifestyle. For musicians, it marks an opportunity to impress upon inebriated youth and gain recognition in the town most famous among festival lovers for its proximity to Paleo.

Of the many impressive acts on Saturday, the band Sheila She Loves You drew more undecided bystanders than most other acts. They energized the crowd better (of course I was only able to see one act at a time, so apologies to other acts performing at the same time). The indie pop-rock band, scheduled to play at Paleo on July 24 and 25, used their opportunity sublimely by capturing the crowd for their entire performance. Their charisma oozed through their exquisitely corroborated music, and the crowd received it seamlessly.

Beer tents surrounding the Paleo tent for the main portion of Sheila She Loves You were struggling to keep pace with the thirsty music-lovers. The part music, part beer-lovers swarmed back and forth exercising indecision deserving of Greek tragedy. The conundrum plaguing the eager festivalgoers was unrelenting as the act continued to impress and their thirst insatiable. Fortunately for the festivalgoer purists who revel in negotiating the difficulty of indecision and draw humor from those who are less successful, the crippling quality of this conundrum was not isolated to the Paleo tent.

Those unacquainted with the overwhelming temptation of alcohol and music presented in the same atmosphere. They were all over town bobbing their heads from side to side like someone afflicted by turrets. Fortunately their sufferings are not without benefit and will soon bare profit. Most of the audience will likely see an act or two at Paleo. By then, they should have more experience in navigating the festival arena and perhaps be less inclined to exhibit signs of indecision.

The night and setting made this a truly enjoyable experience. The music is great and it continues to draw a range of acts and audience. The festival was well received, enjoyed by all levels. Some were there to admire the atmosphere. For others, it served as a replacement for their weekly bar hopping ritual. And for many, it marked the beginning in a long summer of music festivals. What united them all all was the enjoyment drawn from the experience. The night had a calming yet energetic vibe and only slowed down when people had to get the last-call public transport back home.

Nick Smit is a pre-law senior student at Northeastern University in Boston, Mass. He is currently interning with the Institute for Media and Global Governance in Geneva.