The festival to catch: Sonic City
Courtesy of Mute Records
By inviting Melvins, Factory Floor, HTRK, Mark Ernestus, Legendary Pink Dots, Tannhäuser Sterben & das Tod, Standish/Carlyon, and Sightings, LA-based Liars – who were asked to curate this two-day festival in Courtrai/Kortrijk – live up to the sharp, eclectic and somewhat offbeat taste one would rightfully expect of them.
From 29th to 30th October
Sonic City @ De Kreun, Conservatoriumplein – 8500 Courtrai/Kortrijk
The concert to go to: The Ex
Veterans of the Dutch punk scene, The Ex emerged at the height of the sub culture’s explosion in 1979 and survived its downfall. Going through several line-up changes during its three-decade career, the band’s sound evolved from anarcho-punk to new-wave, sometimes even incorporating elements of free jazz, afrobeat, blues and folk whilst never losing its relevance, edge or mythical energy on stage.
29th October
VK, Rue de l’Ecole 76 Schoolstraat – 1080 Brussels
The nights out: Bozar Electronic Weekend
Courtesy of Monkeytown Records
With Berlin’s Modeselektor headlining the bill, this weekend’s Electronic Weekend once again promises to bring sonic mayhem down on Bozar‘s labyrinth of underground rooms and corridors. Reinforcing an already solid international line-up (Siriusmo, Girl Unit and Rustie amongst others) with a finely-tuned selection of homegrown talent (Surfkill’s Ssaliva and Spank Me More Records’ Concert Debout), the two-nighter promises to deliver enough ear candy to keep you on your toes until the early hours of the morning.
From 28th October to 29th October
Bozar Centre for Fine Arts, Rue Ravensteinstraat 23 – 1000 Brussels
The walk to take: Parcours Modo
Courtesy of Modo
One of the quickest and safest way to get a good idea of what’s brewing in Brussels’ creative hotpot at the moment is to let yourself be guided through this weekend’s Parcours Modo, a fashion-focused, city-wide trail in which emerging and established fashion designers as well as the majority of downtown Brussels’ retail glitterati join forces to create a walk full of unexpected surprises. Top of our list this year is the exhibition ‘Fashion Drawers’ at Papers. Another must-do on our list: MAPP, which is hosting the so-called Smile Book project. If you’re lucky, you might even get to be photographed in one of designer Marc-Philippe Coudeyre‘s new winter jackets with a vintage polaroid camera.
Starting point and information: The Rits Café, Rue A. Dansaertstraat 70 – 1000 Brussels
The exhibitions to go to: Dreamsuits and Precarious Interchange
Dreamsuits
Courtesy of MoMu
What do Elvis Presley, John Lennon and Johnny Cash have in common? All three music icons wore outfits by Ukrainian-born designer legend Nudie Cohn, a tailor who by revolutionising Country & Western fashion rose from designing g-strings for New York strippers to international stardom. In what is the first comprehensive exhibition of his creations in Europe, the show allows you to discover a vast selection of Cohn’s extravagant outfits and accessories, including the personal collection of Belgian entertainer Bobbejaan Schoepen.
From 28th October to 12th February 2012
ModeMuseum Province of Antwerp, Nationalestraat 28 – 2000 Antwerp
Precarious Interchange
Courtesy of Waxy Pith
Waxy Pith, a new platform for contemporary art, displays the works of artists from France, Norway, the US and Germany touching different topics and artforms ranging from photography to video installations or sculptures whilst all having one thing in common: A certain sense of precariousness.
From 28th October to 13th November
Waxy Pith, Rue de l’Arbre 4 Boomstraat – 1000 Brussels
