Ghent is the breeding place of loads of bands. Take a walk on the concert side and discover what this city has to offer.
Vooruit
Long ago, Vooruit was known as the headquarters of the Belgian socialist movement but nowadays it is known as a lively culture hotspot. Besides a whole lot of theatre, wild parties and performances, Vooruit is famed for its concerts. They have a broad musical range and you can spot MGMT as well as Goran Bregovic or a famous jazz musician on their stages. Are you in for a musical discovery but you don’t want to pay for it? Try their ‘gratis caféconcert’ (free caf
é concert). About once a month, new and upcoming groups try to convince you of their talent.
Bijloke
Would you rather spend your evening listening to Mozart’s Sérénades or Beethoven’s Symphonies? Check out De Bijloke. This former hospital, dating from the Middle Ages, provides the ideal scenery for an evening full of classical music.
Democrazy
Democrazy is a music club that organizes concerts, but doesn’t have a fixed location. Most of their concerts are in collaboration with Vooruit, although some of their concerts take place in Charlatan, De Centrale or Make-Up Club. They have a marked preference for young music, including all kinds of music styles: pop and (alternative) rock, electronic, hiphop, dubstep, soul, metal, reggae and many more. Just name it, they’ve got something for you.
Handelsbeurs
Handelsbeurs is a concert hall located at the Kouter for literally all kinds of music. Classical music lives next to jazz, pop and rock next to blues and flamenco. They are known for their Kraakpand sessions: in a very intimate setting the artists interact with the public.
Gentse Feesten
Once a year during July, Ghent turns into a gigantic party place for ten days. More than 1.5 million visitors enjoy one of the biggest cultural festivals in Europe. During the Gentse Feesten, you can go to free concerts throughout the city, make your best dance moves at Ten Days Off, an electronic music festival, shake your ass at Pole Pole Festival, or spot the top of the jazz scene at Ghent Jazz Festival. Be prepared!
Gentse Feesten in English on Wikipedia
Bars, clubs and other places
Ghent has loads of nice bars where you can enjoy (free) live music. Check out the concerts in El Negocito (latin, jazz), Charlatan (rock, alternative, electronic), Kinky Star (various), Video (various), Hot Club de Gand (jazz, folk, blues,…) or Frontline (mostly punk, hard rock, rock or metal). Also in FNAC, the bookstore, you can enjoy free mini-concerts. Check out the free magazine Week Up or their website for their programme. You can find it in almost every bar or shop in Ghent.
Week up (only Dutch, but you don't have to master the language to understand a place, a date and a concert)
28 maart 2010
