«For me, the most fascinating thing about music production is that no moment can be repeated.» This is how Richi Bärlocher from the video production company BBM sums up what live concerts are all about: pure, irretrievable musical magic. For the Baloise Session, brothers Roli and Richi Bärlocher capture it on camera and record it for posterity. 

The self-made pioneers of live recording have been in the limelight for over 30 years – and yet are always invisible behind the camera. They transform the Baloise Session concerts into cinematic masterpieces - with camera cranes above Elton John's head, remote cameras in the stage floor and the expertise to turn every note into a visual story. «We used to be musicians ourselves, but we're not so good in front of the camera,» laughs Roli. «But behind the camera? That's where we understand our craft and the language of music.»   

Behind the apparent ease is a lot of tireless work – night-long editing sessions, camera movements planned to the millimetre and the courage to implement ideas such as Alicia Keys' spontaneous stage walk live. All this has helped to establish the Baloise Session as a global brand for high-quality music productions with TV broadcasts in over 140 countries.

And the future? «Remains exciting,» says Roli. Streaming and social media are changing the rules of the game, but the goal remains the same: Capturing emotions in the highest quality. «Music has its own language,» emphasises Roli. «If you understand it, you can translate it for the world.»  

If you want to know how a concert becomes a timeless video experience – from the first rehearsal to the final applause – this edition of the «Backline Blog» will immerse you in the world of BBM's live recording experts and tell you why every song and every beat needs its own perspective and how the Baloise Session is constantly setting new standards for music productions.