Out Loud festival hosted by ten music collectives from Brussels at Beursschouwburg

June is set to be a month full of musical discoveries for those willing to climb Beursschouwburg's infamous stairway. Gilke Vanuytsel, music programmer at Beursschouwburg, asked several Brussels collectives to host an Out Loud evening: "This year, ten collectives will present new underground music from different genres. It's actually a real festival in that sense, allowing you to discover emerging styles and artists. The line-up is both local and international, yet always with a distinct Brussels touch, reflecting the diversity of the city's musical landscape."

The programme is exceptionally diverse: visitors may expect to enjoy jazz fusion by Artisjok (by AliA), punk and schlager by Stadskanker, dancehall by Suga 'N Spice, noise folk by Music on a Whim, to go clubbing on old Moroccan cassettes with Fissa, or to attend performances in the cinema (by BNA-BBOT) and in the stairwell (by Veduta). Each and every evening offers a unique insight into Brussels' underground offerings.

On Wednesdays, films in which music plays the lead will be projected after sunset.

MUSIC PROGRAMME

Wednesday 4 June: Estafette for Palestine

An ‘Estafette’ is a message carried from hand to hand, like a shared responsibility, a call for global solidarity. Tonight's artists call upon us all to gather in support of Palestine and raise funds for Palestinian families in the West-Bank. Come for a drink on the house, stay for the open Assemblée Générale, support the fundraiser with a donation, enjoy short films, live poetry, b2b music and each other. From the Zenne to the Noordzee, we will never stay silent. Welcome to Out Loud 2025.

At 19:00, the open "Assemblée Générale" on cultural resistance against oppression begins.

The two short films are by Lisette Ma Neza, the first official city poet of Brussels, and by Michel Khleifi, the first Palestinian director to win in Cannes, who has lived in Brussels for years and teaches at INSAS. Lisette will also give a live spoken word performance.

Artists:

Thursday 5 June: Music on a Whim

Under the name Music on a Whim, Harsh Agarwal has been organising concerts since 2022, of experimental and alternative music, with a particular emphasis on artists from the Global South with a love for noise and folklore.

Artists:

Friday 6 June: Suga ‘n Spice

Honorary beursschouwburger Rrita Jashari, sister Blearta Jashari and fellow aficionado Bongo hifi (Nils Beutens) couldn't get their dancehall fix in Brussels, so they started organising the Suga 'N Spice parties themselves: accessible and respectful to all, with extra care for equal balance in a (too) predominantly male scene. Welcooooome!

Artists:

Saturday 7 June: Stadskanker

Punk, schlager, and other essential counter-sounds for the world of 2025, live from the Belgian underbelly and the release party for Stakattak's brand new album!

Stadskanker is an equally cuddly and contrarian Brussels platform for unconventional music. In the form of vinyl & tape releases, live concerts, the Hangin' & Bangin' sessions on Kiosk Radio and the occasional well-aimed vieste vuilste feestje (dirty nasty party), they make the city just that little bit more unsafe. Tonight, they do so again with a raw, greasy, upbeat and Belgian line-up. Welcome back!

Artists:

Thursday 12 June: Veduta

Flemish-Brussels collective Veduta brings music and art into public space through their neighbourhood festival Nomadic. Tonight, we celebrate a successful 2025 edition — and also bid farewell to founders Alexander & Hassel. They're passing the torch, but not before treating us to one last line-up full of fresh surprises.

Artists:

Friday 13 June: Polytope

Polytope is a label for secular and scientific music investigations. After their very successful Out Loud debut last year, the young Brussels collective is back with a fresh, clubby, emotional and glitchy line-up of techno and other electronic delights.

Artists:

Saturday 14 June: BNA-BBOT

For its 25th anniversary, BNA-BBOT raises a toast to Brussels — to its stories, its people, its history and its future. For the occasion, artists and DJs will dive into the audio archives and transform them into installations or dance sessions. Let’s make Brussels LOUD together!

Artists:

Thursday 19 June: Artisjok

Artisjok is a Brussels based record label / platform founded by AliA - driven by rhythm and groove all while staying committed to supporting upcoming artists from around the world. Whether AliA is behind the decks herself or curating a line-up, you can always trust her to guide you on a sonic journey—eyes closed, ears wide open. Tonight, Nowhere People present their debut EP full of fearless jazz fusions, while Pippin immerses you in futuristic piano and more. Before and after the concerts, Essi, Mishulino and AliA serve up the perfect apero and/or dancefloor vibes.

Artists:

Friday 20 June: Futura Resistenza

Futura Resistenza is a label and platform based in Brussels and Rotterdam, working at the intersection of performance, music, and visual arts. Tonight's lineup brings together musicians and artists connected to the label, as well as those they simply admire and wish to see perform. Expect music with a high dose of performance, sound art with a high dose of music, and short films by American noise artist Bromp Teb with a high dose of sound art. Or something like that.

Artists:

Saturday 21 June: FISSA

​​FISSA (slang for party? slur for visa?) is a music collective supporting artists who experience difficulties obtaining a visa. Tonight co-founder DJ Glitter55, the one and only Retro Cassetta and Brussels' darlings Monstera Occulta and Cheb Runner are landing on this very rooftop, connecting Marocco and Begium.

And as a good closing party should, tonight goes on until 05:00 <3

Artists:

PROGRAMME OPEN AIR CINEMA

Two Wednesdays of free films where music takes center stage, after sunset on the rooftop terrace. Come <3.

Wednesday 11 June 22:30: Black Wax (Robert Mugge, 1983, 79min)
​An ecstatically free-associative portrait of blues poet Gil Scott-Heron.

Wednesday 18 June 22:30: Lovers Rock (Steve McQueen, 2020, 70min)
​Romance, small human dramas and the intoxicating sounds of reggae and dub at a house party in 1980's West London.

PRACTICAL

Out Loud festival in Beursschouwburg
​4 June - 21 June
​free entrance
​rooftop opens from 17:00
​Wednesday open air cinema ​ 22:30
​Thursday until 1:00 AM, Friday and Saturday until 3:00 AM, and the final night until 5:00 AM.
​More info on outloudfestival.be and beursschouwburg.be
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25 06 04 ESTAFETTE FOR PALESTINE Aza(C)Anselme Drain25 06 05 MUSIC ON A WHIM Yara Asmar25 06 06 SUGA N SPICE Kemarr

25 06 07 STADSKANKER Nicky Du Soleil (C)Kenny Kodak25 06 12 VEDUTA DJstraightagain25 06 13 POLYTOPE ASSYOUTI(C)Carole Hassoun

25 06 14 BNA BBOT ANTJE VAN WICHELEN TROUBLED ARCHIVES25 06 14 BNA BBOT SAGAT WIET LENGELER25 06 19 ARTISJOK AliA

25 06 19 ARTISJOK Essi25 06 19 ARTISJOK Pippin25 06 20 FUTURA RESISTENZA Bela Elektra

25 06 20 FUTURA RESISTENZA CéLine Gillain25 06 20 FUTURA RESISTENZA Clara Lissens(C)AuréLie Bayad25 06 21 FISSA Cheb Runner Retro Cassetta

25 06 21 FISSA Glitter55Rooftop1(C)Beursschouwburg

Rooftop3(C)MarianaMachadoRooftop4(C)MarianaMachadoRooftop6(C)MarianaMachado

Rooftop9(C)MarianaMachadoBlack Wax (Robert Mugge, 1983, 79min)

Lovers Rock (Steve McQueen, 2020, 70min)CDF Open Cinema © Bea Borgers 22