SCOTTISH ROCK WITH A SWISS FRONTMAN

With hard-hitting rock songs and dreamlike ballads, Nazareth have made a name for themselves around the world over the past 58 years. Since the end of 2025, a Swiss frontman has been breathing new life into the veteran band: Basel native Gianni Pontillo is the new voice of the Scots. He is looking forward to a highly emotional homecoming show at Pratteln’s rock temple.

Founded in 1968 in the Scottish city of Dunfermline, Nazareth belong, alongside bands such as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Uriah Heep and Black Sabbath, to the first hard’n’heavy generation in music history. With almost 60 million records sold worldwide, Nazareth are, alongside Simple Minds, Scotland’s most internationally successful music group. Since last December, Gianni Pontillo has stood at the helm. Over the past thirty years, the Basel native has made a name for himself with Pure Inc, The Order, Fun Halen, Pontillo & The Vintage Crew and, most recently, with German heavy rockers Victory. Now Nazareth marks the next step in his career. Bassist Pete Agnew, the last remaining original member of the rock institution, first contacted Gianni at the end of 2025. “Pete called me personally after someone from the scene had sent him a video of me. I could hardly believe it. The cult band Nazareth. The legendary co-founders of hard rock. I have known and loved this band since I was a child. I watched my parents dance through the living room to ‘Love Hurts’, and they even had a Nazareth ‘Greatest Hits’ record in their collection.”

Nazareth have since played several concerts together with Pontillo, and the newcomer feels completely at home in his new role: “It’s simply fantastic! The guys in the band, the crew and the whole environment are absolutely amazing. Respect is the be-all and end-all here. You very rarely find that in the music business these days.” The fans’ reactions have also been very positive. “I’ve already met lots of die-hard fans, and they are all very happy with me as the new frontman. They have also told me some fascinating stories about the band and original singer Dan McCafferty.” Pontillo greatly enjoys performing Nazareth’s timeless classics. Asked about his personal favourites, he replies: “I actually like all the songs. But ‘Hair Of The Dog’ and ‘Whiskey Drinkin’ Woman’ are definitely two absolute highlights. One has a really great rock groove, while the other is a killer blues number with very funny lyrics. Pete and I sing in unison here, and our voices harmonise perfectly.” In November, Pontillo will come to Pratteln with his new band for the first time. It will be a very special moment for the singer: “Z7 is my home; I practically grew up with the venue. I attended my very first concert here and have also played here many times as support for great bands. The place is legendary, the sound is top-notch and the whole team is simply amazing. I’m already looking forward to this concert. It will be very emotional, because all my friends and family will be there. It will be a fantastic celebration.”