Page 167 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Brussels Bruges Ghent & Antwerp

ENTER T AINMENT  165

Belgium’s top arena for big- La Tentation for flamenco,
name acts. Closer to the salsa and Flemish folk.
centre, Brussels’ other venues Although the city has few
tend to be more intimate noted bands of its own, nearby
places, with their own Liège has quite a strong indie
favoured musical genres. rock scene, centring around the
Café Central favours R&B, Jaune Orange label, whose acts
blues, bossa nova and often play in Brussels.
ambient. Cirque Royale
leans towards indie rock, and Theatre
has a reputation for booking
rock and new-wave bands There is a substantial English-
long before they are language theatre scene in
household names. Brussels. The city’s five
The downtown Ancienne English-language troupes –
Belgique has a similar line-up the American Theater
to Cirque Royale, if for more Company, the Brussels Light
Live jazz at the Music Village in Brussels’ established acts. Flemish Opera Company, the
Lower Town student venue Brussels Shakespeare
Kultuur Kaffee Society, the
leading soloists and groups are at the Vrij Irish Theatre
sure to include the town in Universiteit Company and the
their tour schedules. Brussel (the English Comedy
Every May, jazz fans from Dutch-language Club – are an –
around the world congregate university) always established part
for the Brussels Jazz has a strong line- of the Brussels
Marathon, which hosts up of bands and theatre society.
hundreds of gigs in all forms, serves the Logo for rock venue Performances are far
many of them for free. cheapest beer in Ancienne Belgique from amateur and all
The quintessential Brussels town. Recyclart plays are advertised
jazz venue is the venerable showcases avant-garde in the city’s listings magazines.
L’Archiduc, an Art Deco gem techno, hardcore, punk and The most important
in the centre of town where a bit of world music in a Belgian theatre is the Théâtre
Miles Davis once popped in to refitted abandoned train National, which stages
jam. There are regular concerts station. Look out for the old high-quality productions
at weekends and occasionally wood-and-brass ticket of mainly French classics as
in the week. For jazz ranging windows which have been well as welcoming visiting
from Big Band to contem- turned into the bar. Magasin 4 companies, such as the Royal
porary, head to Jazz Station, is dedicated to the promotion Shakespeare Company.
in a former railway station in of French punk and ska. Visit Young Belgian playwrights
St Josse. For international acts, the Halles de Schaerbeek, a have the oppor tunity to be
head to the classy Music 19th-century former market, showcased at the private
Village, which stretches across for a range of different groups, Théâtre Public, while French
two 17th-century buildings Vaartkapoen (also known as 20th-century and burlesque
close to the Grand Place, VK Club) for reggae, the pieces are staged in the
and features local and Beursschouwburg – the glorious and beautifully restored
international names. Regular Flemish Cultural Community surrounds of the Théâtre
jazz gigs are held in the Art centre – for Flemish acts, and Royal du Parc.
Deco splendour of the Flagey
building in Ixelles. Sounds is
another popular venue with
a prolific agenda of concerts
every day except Sunday.

Rock, Folk, World
and Reggae
Brussels is one of the best
cities in Europe to catch
up-and-coming acts, and ticket
prices don’t usually go much
above €20 for a concert.
The Forest-National, lying
southeast of the city centre, is Le Botanique cultural centre, venue for Les Nuits Botanique festival

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