United we stand in BELGIUM
After 10 years with ups & downs the scene has never been bigger. In 2005 we had several indoor-parties with +1000 visitors. Psytrance is not only being played here, it is also being produced!
The expectations of the audience have grown a lot the last couple of years. So again Belgian dancers were spoiled with several international live-acts every month: Astrix, Pixel & X-noize (@Six-o-Four), Silicon Sound & SBK (@Amon Horus), Juno Reactor (@Tribal Gathering), Xibalba & Symphonix (@Purple Snow), Derango (@Pandemonium) Chakra, Xerox & Illumination (@ 3years Kairoo), Jaïa (@FFTB) Lamat & Ananda Shake (@Back-to-Basics), & many more…
But we are also proud of our blossoming dj-culture. Each weekend there are 1 to 4 smaller parties with domestic heroes like Jharu, Kairon, Nemesis, Anoebis, Oonah, Whicked Hayo, Strophoria, Tohm, Elfie, Whizz… the list is endless. The emerging dark psy-genre is very popular these days, even in highschool. The two main representatives of this style are Femina Mandragora and Mystical Druids Society.
Unfortunately, as a secret police-rapport revealed: authorities keep making things difficult for our scene.
A special police force often contacts venue-owners to “warn” them about what kind of party there is going to be. Or local majors forbid parties based on the negative image that is portrayed of us in this rapport. Of course, every canceled party is a small tragedy of it’s own. But the biggest loss was definitely the Dance-a-delic Open Air (a cornerstone of the scene since the late nineties) being prohibited for the first time. This left us with only 2 open air-festivals, Rakti Dei is the most international. But next summer will be better again!
This crackdown is forcing the scene either into bigger, more mainstream & 100% legal events or deeper underground with smaller parties for a selected crowd. A big event will cost you 20-25 € & will be more hi-tech & very professional. Smaller parties are less restricted & come as cheap as 5€. A famous Belgian beer will cost you about 1.5-2€. The main trance-hotspots in Belgium are Antwerp, Ghent & Hasselt, do try to visit these cities, when you come over for a party (check www.use-it.be for travel info).
All of this can’t stop the movement, because music wise, things are really picking up! With Digicult, who are releasing their first full cd on USTA! In 2006 Kairoo Rec. (based in our only psy-record-store) will bring you Lani’s second full album & the first release of new artist Bitkit. Other Belgian live-acts like Ephedrix & dj’s like Mary Jane are often invited to play abroad from Germany to Mexico, so be sure to check them out if you can. The Neo-Oldskool label Suntrip Rec. so far released albums from Filteria and Khetzal & has the new Ka Sol album coming up.
Belgium is also famous for it’s diverse taste in music: more obscure genres like Suomi & Oldschool bring out quite a crowd!
Interested? Just check out www.psychedelic.be for all info about local parties & artists or browse our huge Party Gallery to see what you’ve missed so far…
Facts
- 10 million ppl who speak Dutch or French & nearly everybody understands English
- generally an open minded atmosphere although repressive conservatism is gaining power.
- less then 5g of softdrugs is tolerated, but hard drugs of course are not.
- the weather is nice in summer & spring but the rest of the year can get cloudy & rainy.
Links
Contacts
Tox@psychedelic.be
Eskimo@dacru.be
Rik@psygarden.be
Text
 Name: Tox
E-mail: Tox@psychedelic.be
Internet-activist, writer, photographer & graphic designer.
“We all smile in the same language!”
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photos by Mie & Tox (3)
photos by Tine & Mannes (2)
 photo by Celine
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