Blind Date March 2018
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s u b b a c u l t c h a e v e n t s in March music
film 16.3 Jupiter’s Moon Cinema Zuid, Antwerp
1.3 Low Jack + more
KulturA x Amer Lab., Liège
20.3 Hustler White Cinematek, Brussels
8.3 10 Years Icarus NTGent, Ghent
21.3 Coonskin KASK Cinema, Ghent
9.3 Chynna AB, Brussels
theatre/dance
10.3 Bozar Electronic Series
Bozar, Brussels
13.3 Forever Pavot Botanique, Brussels
16.3 Cuckoo Campo, Ghent
14.3 Esmerine + more KulturA, Liège
9 + Fractured Memory 10.3 KVS, Brussels
14.3 Rumours + Universe Kolonie, Ghent
21 Pornographies 10.3 Kaaitheater, Brussels 28.3 STUK, Leuven
15.3 Bang!: Easter + Lolina VK, Brussels 17.3 3 Years HE4RTBROKEN
16.3 Wild Life FM Campo, Ghent
Beursschouwburg, Brussels
23.3 Underwater Fuse, Brussels
28.3 Loopstation KVS, Brussels
27.3 Bang!: Sean Nicholas Savage C12, Brussels
31.3 Midnight Chardonnay Het Bos, Antwerp
29.3 Deux Boules de Vanille + more
expo
KulturA, Liège
29.3 Listen Festival: Stroom x Crevette Flagey, Brussels 30.3 Few Bits + Dream Wife
Eden, Charleroi
30.3 Listen Festival: MHYSA
Beursschouwburg, Brussels
31.3 MHYSA Minard, Ghent
Beursschouwburg, Brussels
15.3- 1.4
Emmanuel Van der Auwera
— 8.4
Derrière le soleil — Extra View BPS22, Charleroi
Argos, Brussels
Argos, Brussels
— 27.5 FIG BPS22, Charleroi
Alter Schlachthof, Eupen
31.3 Listen Festival: Rozzma + more
To each his own mask
— 22.4 Get Help Argos, Brussels
31.3 Deadbeat + more
— 11.3
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All events are free for members. Join at subbacultcha.be
intro
Blind Date We like to invest in the knowable, the ascertainable — the things and people on whom our time and energy will be a well-placed investment. We want to know what will be a worthwhile venture before we take that leap. Makes sense. But what about the unknown potential behind the mystery setup? The invitation from a stranger? The unscheduled itinerary and unknown route? The possibility of disappointment, the probability of setbacks, go hand in hand with the potential for a good story. A seamless, predictable life is not what we line up to see. So accept the invitation to this specific blind date. Whoever — or whatever — is on the other side will surely be worth the story. 5
by
This p
ed nt
tion was a c pr li b i u
Drukkerij GEWADRUPO bvba Hoge Mauw 130 B-2370 Arendonk info@gewa.be +32 (0)14.67.86.69 6 6
content
Blind Date
subbacultcha events Chynna 24—29 Perron Zes 30—33 Clara! 34—37 artist 38—43 style 44—47 book 48—49 recent finds 51—59 we visit you 60—61
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9—23
Explore the unfolding universe of hip hop
GAIKA Open Mike Eagle Junglepussy
WWWater Stikstof milo Chynna Moor Mother Ivan Ave NAH Flohio Strange U Movie screening ‘Word is Bond’ by Sasha Jenkins
Info & tickets vooruit.be Arts Center Vooruit, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 23, 9000 Gent VU: Franky Devos
Afterparty with Azer Supafly Collective
Saturday March 10th Vooruit Ghent
It’s been ten years since Icarus began showcasing the entirety of the electronic scene, and they’re celebrating their birthday at Democrazy. From a radio show, to concerts, mixtapes and recorded live sessions, their interest in the sound of machines is endless. For their anniversary they’ve invited everything hard to label: Berlin-based percussionist and experimental producer Andrea Belfi, multidisciplinary drummer Greg Fox — who experiments with the limits of rock and electronic sounds, and Berlin via Brussels trio Dictaphone, who will take you into their weird journey between electronica and jazz.
music
Low Jack + Black Zone Myth Chant 1 Mar – KulturA x Amer Lab., Liège 21.00 – €6 – free for members Low Jack is the founder of acclaimed French label Editions Gravats and is also — perhaps unsurprisingly — one of the most interesting composer/producers in contemporary electronic music. His experimental style merges techno, industrial sounds and traditional music. He will own KulturA’s dancefloor accompanied by his collaborator and friend Maxime Primaut, aka Black Zone Myth Chant. Alternating between possessed chants and psychedelic synths, Primaut’s music simultaneously evokes the past and the future in a hypnotising and mysterious fashion. In short, two rare live sets that will move you and also make you move.
Chynna
9 Mar – Ancienne Belgique, Brussels 20.00 – €15 – free for members Philadelphia’s hip-hop priestess Chynna is coming to Brussels to mesmerise you. The model, rapper and A$AP Mob protégée released her debut EP, Ninety, in 2016. On it, she opened up about her past and her painful battle with addiction. In 2017, she released a new EP, Music 2 die 2. As always, her raps are characterised by dark, moody sensuality and an incredibly smooth flow, her lyrics are brutally honest and her beats extremely danceable.
10 Years Icarus: Andrea Belfi + Greg Fox + Dictaphone 8 Mar – NTGent (Democrazy), Ghent 19.30 – €18 – free for members
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DEMOCRAZY MUZIEKCLUB GENT 08.03
10 YEARS ICARUS: ANDREA BELFI, GREG FOX, DICTAPHONE
NTGENT
09.03
FADED: SEVN ALIAS
NTGENT
12.03
BALMORHEA + MARTYN HEYNE
13.03
RICO & STICKS
15.03
EEFJE DE VISSER SOLO
21.03
TRISTAN
23.03
COLLIEMAN + PIRATES CREW SOUNDSYSTEM
25.03
HALVE FINALE HUMO’S ROCK RALLY
28.03
BALOJI
29.03
FLEDDY MELCULY + RECTUM RAIDERS, GOE VUR IN DEN OTTO
29.03
K1D
30.03
CONDOR GRUPPE
31.03
VRWRK
04.04
NOSAJ THING, KUTMAH + D. TIBERIO
05.04
BIG NEXT: OLDEN YOLK
05.04
THECOLORGREY (EP-VOORSTELLING)
VOORUIT
12.04
PANDA DUB - CIRCLE LIVE
VOORUIT
13.04
ALELA DIANE
VOORUIT
13.04
THE VAN JETS
VOORUIT
16.04
TOM WALKER
NEST
17.04
CHELOU
17.04
JAMES ELKINGTON
24.04
ANGÈLE
01.05
FENNE LILY
NTGENT VOORUIT NTGENT NEST NEST
VOORUIT CONCERTZAAL NTGENT VOORUIT BALZAAL NEST NEST NTGENT VOORUIT TREFPUNT
NEST BAR MIRWAAR VOORUIT
DEMOCRAZY.BE
NEST
Bozar Electronic Series: Emptyset + Yves De Mey
Sometimes, all we need is a bearded guy making the peace sign while balancing a slipper on his head to tell us everything is going to be all right. We’re not having a vision here, we’re just thinking out loud while listening to La Pantoufle, the latest record from Forever Pavot, out on Born Bad Records. With this new effort, Emile Sornin chooses to follow in the footsteps of bands like Aquaserge, singing in French over psychedelic riffs and Seventiestoned melodies. The whole album oozes with nostalgia and candour, inviting listeners to get lost in experimentations, loops and jazzy breaks. A trip not to be missed live.
10 Mar – Bozar, Brussels 19.00 – € 18 – free for members
Esmerine + Phil Maggi ‘Animalwrath’
At the beginning of the year, Subbacultcha handed out black-andwhite pins with the words ‘I like difficult music’ to their beloved members. And indeed, what music fan doesn’t like challenging, innovative and refreshing sounds? Since 2005, the Bristol-London duo Emptyset has consistently been on the vanguard of sonic experimentations. Their new projects, Borders and Skin, are out on Thrill Jockey and explore unknown territories, playing with acoustic materials and compositional structures. Yves de Mey, a Belgian sound-designer and composer, never ceases proposing new definitions of music through his work. Go ahead and immerse yourself in ‘difficult music’.
14 Mar – KulturA (JauneOrange), Liège 20.00 – €8 – free for members Esmerine is a band notoriously difficult to label. Swinging between modern postrock and classical music, they take pride in bringing together two audiences that usually never meet. As a way to explore different energies, the supergroup don’t hesitate to collaborate with different musicians. Their impressive discography is a reflection of our modern mixed society. Phil Maggi, meanwhile, will bring an improvised energy where electronic experimentation meets modern jazz. The unexpected will be the main theme for a night in KulturA.
Forever Pavot 13 Mar – Botanique, Brussels 19.30 – €16 – free for members
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Rumours + Universe 14 Mar – Kolonie, Ghent 20.00 – €13 – free for members With the help of the Live Fast Die Young platform, Rumours has quickly become one of the most talked-about bands in the Flemish electronic scene. After a promising EP in 2016, the Ghent-based quartet is ready to mesmerise your senses with a new effort called Megamix. The release party in Kolonie will be the occasion to discover their new tracks, confronting their cold, shamanic electronica with the heavenly setting of Ibiza. This unusual clash gives birth to original and refreshing compositions. The show will continue with Universe, an enigmatic one-man project that will lull you into a dream world.
Bang!: Easter + Lolina
15 Mar – VK (KultuurKaffee), Brussels 20.00 – €12 – free for members
Berlin-based post-everything band Easter will make you cry on the dance floor with their deadpan poetry floating over minimalistic synths. The ever unpredictable Lolina, fka Inga Copeland aka one half of Hype Williams will make you dance, laugh, or cry too. Her latest release 2017’s Lolita, is a true gem of deconstructed club music. A night for fanciers of 18+, Gaika or Actress.
3 Years HE4RTBROKEN: Asmara + Manara + Kablam + Clara! + Liyo & Steff + nevrland 17 Mar – Beursschouwburg, Brussels 22.00 – €10 free for members before midnight It’s been three years since their first party and it seems our love affair with HE4RTBROKEN is far from over. And they’ll never leave us heartbroken. For this anniversary edition they invited Asmara, one half of esoteric electronic duo Nguzunguzu and a member of the Future Brown collective, as well as Fade to Mind and Night Slugs compatriot Manara. Together with HE4RTBROKEN residents Liyo & Steff they will bring progressive, globally conscious and genre-blending club music to your cochleae.
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Underwater: Loom + Galtier + Samuelspaniel + Trime + Terrorriba + Doofpot + DJ Hunid + Jonas Brenger
Magic Island’s debut LP Like Water was one of last year’s revelations: a true dream pop lullaby with touches of soulful R&B and New Age that is severely addictive. She shares the bill with Sean Nicholas Savage, your favourite indie crooner. The utterly prolific Canadian released 12 albums in the last ten years, all of them full of future pop classics. Oh and, he recorded a song together with Magic Island. Will we witness a dream duet?
Deux Boules de Vanille + The Fractal Jungle Orkestra
23 Mar – Fuse (Perron Zes), Brussels 23.00 – €9 free for members before 01.00 Perron Zes is a Brussels multidisciplinary collective whose activities range from exhibitions to a show on Word Radio and Bruzz to their own clothing brand. On 23 March they’ll fill the rooms of Fuse with their own mix of forward-thinking beats. Think, the floatiness of Sky H1, the harsher beats of Fatima al Qadiri and the aesthetics of NON Worldwide — and blend it into club music that for sure would find a place on dotheastralplane.com.
Bang!: Magic Island + Sean Nicholas Savage
29 Mar – KulturA (Go With The Flow & SauvageSauvage), Liège 20.00 – €6 – free for members What’s better than one insane drummer? Yes, that’s right: two insane drummers who trigger analogue synthesizers with their self-made and hand-painted drum kits. Loup Gangloff and Frederic Mancini are the two boules of vanilla ice-cream who mathematically deconstruct and build up music that wouldn’t sound out of place in a mosh-pit, disco or at the supermarket. Think, a viscous blend of Rihanna, Tony Conrad and Silver Apples. Pretty far from vanilla — but tasty as hell.
27 Mar – C12 (KultuurKaffee), Brussels 20.00 – €12 – free for members
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TRAJAL HARRELL ANTIGONE SR. 18 © WHITNEY BROWNE
MAR
SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE STUK SPRING
SOUND
DANCE
IMAGE
Flying Horseman Eefje de Visser Damien Jurado Inne Eysermans
Noé Soulier Arkadi Zaides Mette Ingvartsen Trajal Harrell Liz Kinoshita
Nevin Aladag Lore Stessel Rubén Orio
APR
INFO: WWW. STUK.BE
Listen Festival: Stroom x Crevette label night
Listen Festival: MHYSA
29 Mar – Studio 4 (Flagey), Brussels 19.30 – €18 – free for members For the opening of the third edition of Listen Festival, in Studio 4, Belgian label Stroom and Brussels-based record shop Crevette Records have curated a varied and demanding line-up. Robin Storey, member of Zoviet France, will launch the evening with his solo project Rapoon. Roman Hiele and Milan Warmoeskerken will then reveal their first collaborative effort, an electro acoustic piece called ‘Anniversary’. The night will continue with O Yuki Conjugate, the experimentations of Suzanne Kraft and Johnny Nash and, on top of that, an exclusive performance by The Mystic Jungle Tribe.
30 Mar – Beursschouwburg, Brussels 22.00 – €14 – free for members Mhysa describes herself as the ‘Queer Black Diva and underground popstar for the cyber resistance’ and this perfectly describes what you should expect from her live show. Her last record, fantasii, is a reflection of what it means to be queer and black in 2018, all wrapped in electronic experimentations, samples of everyone from Beyoncé to TLC, and her unapologetic verse. Her music is political and comes as a reminder that white supremacy is real and continues to oppress black femmes/women.
Few Bits + Dream Wife
MHYSA + Scraaatch + DJ LSDXOXO 31 Mar – Minard (Vooruit & Courtisane), Ghent 21.00 – €10 – free for members
30 Mar – Eden, Charleroi 20.00 – €22 – free for members
Self-described underground popstar for the cyber resistance+womanist+
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04>08 APRIL
INDOOR FESTIVAL AB BRUSSELS SLEAFORD MODS - YOUNG FATHERS JAMES HOLDEN & THE ANIMAL SPIRITS THE MUSIC OF ‘STRANGER THINGS’ BY KYLE DIXON & MICHAEL STEIN (S U R V I V E) THE VELVET UNDERGROUND: A CELEBRATION OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF ‘WHITE LIGHT/WHITE HEAT’ W/ BARST PLAYS ‘SISTER RAY’ AMMAR 808 & THE MAGHREB UNIT IRREVERSIBLE ENTANGLEMENTS FEAT. MOOR MOTHER TAK:TIL PRESENTS JOSHUA ABRAMS & NATURAL INFORMATION SOCIETY + ŠIROM CONSOULING SOUNDS PRESENTS ‘DIRK SERRIES EPITAPH’ FEAT. YODOK III + FEAR FALLS BURNING + SCATTERWOUND + STRATOSPHERE BLACKEST EVER BLACK PRESENTS CARLA DAL FORNO + SILVIA KASTEL + AF URSIN + PESSIMIST (DJ) NON WORLDWIDE PRESENTS NKISI + CHINO AMOBI + FAKA + BONAVENTURE INFO & TICKETS WWW.BRDCST.BE
Listen Festival: Rozzma + The Mauskovic Dance Band
Diva MHYSA made a huge splash last year with her debut album, fantasii. On that album she animates R&B and church musics into swirling, impossibly balanced structures, providing a gateway to dreamlike dimensions but at the same time investigating concepts such as vulnerability, sensuality, Afro pessimism and black femme agency. And as independent music specialist Boomkat notes, a refreshing lack of broken glass or gunshot samples makes these productions all the more original. For those who like their dance music political or their politics danceable.
Deadbeat + Markus Offermann + Caspro + Daniel(i)
31 Mar – Beursschouwburg, Brussels 22.00 – €14 – free for members
31 Mar – Kulturzentrum Alter Schlachthof Eupen (Meakusma x NoName), Eupen 22.00 – €12 – free for members Meakusma, known for its avant-garde electronic music discography, joins forces again with the NoName collective. This March they collect for the fourth time the best modern electronic dance music in the Alter Schlachthof in Eupen. On the line-up this time: Deadbeat, Markus Offerman, Caspro and Daniel(i).
Two exciting new acts will conclude the Listen Festival at the end of the month, in our dear Beursschouwburg. The first is an MC and producer from Cairo called Rozzma. Discovered two years ago with his incredible banger ‘Baby’, this mysterious Egyptian UFO mixes bass music with Bedouin influences. The result is playful, psychedelic and extremely danceable. He will be followed by the Netherlands-based group The Mauskovik Dance Band, known for their exotic sound cocktail of cumbia, Afro-Caribbean rhythms and space-disco. Radio Martiko will then end the festivities with an excellent set from all over the world.
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and occasionally fluffering in porns. Ever-morphing from satirical black sex multi-referenced comedy to anthropological catalog of sexual habits and customs, Hustler White promises no less than ‘the truth, the whole truth and nothing up your butt’. Included: a touching ballad about Luke Perry’s feet.
film
Jupiter’s Moon 16 Mar – Cinema Zuid, Antwerp 18.00 – €5 – free for members The European refugee crisis has brought a lot of hysteria, delirious frights and regrettable actions. Desperate questioning surfaces from the chaos: What is humanity? What is Europe? What do we want it to be? Many questions that contemporary ideologies seem to fail answering. Jupiter’s Moon stages a young migrant named Aryan (Zsombor Jéger) who discovers he can levitate after gettingt shot while crossing the border. Mustering sci-fi, thriller and parable together, Mundruczó’s film examines the very process of storytelling and sways between invention and social depiction in an attempt to grasp reality and delve into its substance.
Hustler White 20 Mar – Cinematek, Brussels 19.00 – €4 – free for members Scornful ‘kind-of-a-writer’ Jürgen Anger (Bruce LaBruce) goes to LA to research gay hustling and porn scene. He falls in love with Monti Ward (Tony Ward), a beau with a body like a roasted turkey who spends his days rakishly strolling down the 8-shaped hustling portion of Santa Monica Boulevard, waiting for customers to show up
Coonskin
21 Mar – KASK Cinema, Ghent 20.30 – €5 – free for members Accused in turns of being anti-black, anti-white, anti-USA and anti-gay, Coonskin never received a proper release and nearly put an end to its director’s studio. Ironically, Bakshi’s first live-action/animated film was aiming to incarnate a subversive response both to the budding popularity of blaxpoitation and to White views on the African American experience (conveyed by movies like Disney’s rendition of the Tales of Uncle Remus, Song of the South, which has since been tossed into the ash heap of history). Coonskin fiercely chews stereotyped iconographies of all kind, gargles and opens its mouth wide as it bouncingly shatters American hypocrisy.
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theatre/dance
Cuckoo 1 Mar – Campo (Victoria), Ghent 20.00 – €10 – free for members
intertwines his own experiences with James Baldwin’s essay ‘Princes and Powers’, which describes a congress of Afro-intellectuals, writers, artists, philosophers and theorists.
21 Pornographies
In Cuckoo, South Korean Jaha Koo has created a play with three unusual performers: rice cookers. That’s right, you read that right. Rice cookers. The play takes you through the last two decades of Korean history, with both personal experiences, major political events, as well as eating culture. This humorous yet sometimes frightening piece reminds us of the technological evolutions and limits of humanity: is this what we’re heading towards? Watching robots on stage? How would actors fill their bowls of rice then?
Fractured Memory 9 + 10 Mar – KVS, Brussels 20.30 – €17 – free for members Kenyan Ogutu Muraya is looking for new approaches to storytelling. He interlaces literature, video projection and storytelling to ask the question of how to deal with the inheritance of a multi-layered and complex colonial history. The solo Fractured Memory is a performance examining the consequences of colonialism and the values of an oppressed culture. Muraya
10 Mar – Kaaitheater, Brussels 20.30 – €16 – free for members 28 Mar – STUK, Leuven 20.30 – €14 – free for members Mette Ingvartsen examines and reveals how pornography and hypersexualized images are deeply rooted in contemporary society. The third part of her The Red Pieces cycle mixes physical actions with evocative readings, triggering the senses and the imagination of the spectator. Ingvartsen scrutinises sexuality and confronts the spectator with cruelty, expressions of violence, clinical precision, pain and pleasure, resulting in an extraordinarily intense performance. Members who’d like to attend the event in STUK need to mail before 26 March at memberships@subbacultcha.be to make reservations.
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© Bryan Murray
© Geert Vandepoele
VR
VR
Myra Melford’s Snowy Egret
09.03
Flying Horseman (cd-release) Metropolitische blues © Thomas Geuens
VR
16.03
3Men in a BoaT /Mopo Krachtige jazz
Icoon van de Amerikaanse jazz
© Tom Wagner
DO
23.03
WO
22.03
Kronthaler
28.03
King Dalton: ‘The Third’ Nieuwe plaat
met jazzgitarist Kalle Kalima Bewerkingen van Purcell e.a.
© Elise Tyler WACHT LIJST
DI
20.03
‘An Acoustic Journey Through Maraqopa’ in de St-jacobskerk
Handelsbeurs Concertzaal
Kouter 29, 9000 Gent T ICK E T S Tickets Gent Sint Baafsplein 17 09 265 91 65 www.handelsbeurs.be
vorm: Pascal Van Hoorebeke
An evening with Damien Jurado:
Wild Life FM
A world where natural cycles occur without obstacles, where balance can be found everywhere. Director Alexander Devriendt, with the help of an incredible team of actors and the music of Hyoid, creates a timeless, haunting space. Not to be missed.
Midnight Chardonnay
16 Mar – Campo (Nieuwpoort), Ghent 22.00 – €14 – free for members Buckle up, friends, because you’re getting yourself into something you’ve never seen/heard before. That’s right, it’s both a performance and a musical experience at the same time. Nine young adults (aged between 15 and 22) remind us of what it’s like to be a teen through the impact of music, sound and video. A perfect satire exploring the limits of the stage.
Loopstation
31 Mar – Het Bos, Antwerp midnight – €6 – free for members
28 Mar – KVS, Brussels 20.30 – €20 – free for members
Discover Midnight Chardonnay, presented to you by the London GASS collective as a one-off collaboration in different cities. See it as a fluid mobile home for contemporary art, progressive music and creative technology. Their first stop: Antwerp. Curated by Mamiko Motto, prepare yourself for a day and night of mixing people, ideas and sounds. In the day you can enjoy an expo that combines the travelling exhibition with local forces; at night, be ready for GASS’s selected music in the blend with local musical guests.
An enigmatic play, a multi-faceted performance, an experimental musical evening: LOOPSTATION is all of that. Revolving around the importance of repetitive patterns and ritualistic behaviour in human society, LOOPSTATION is an invitation to reflect on these invisible loops we’re living in. On stage is a world built brick by brick by nine performers. A world where the notion of routine is no longer scary and our needs are understood.
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Marcel Berlanger: FIG
expo
Emily Vey Duke & Cooper Battersby — Get Help until 22 Apr – Argos, Brussels 11.00-18.00 – €6 – free for members
Tine Guns — To each his own mask
until 11 Mar – Argos, Brussels 11.00-18.00 – €6 – free for members
Emmanuel Van der Auwera
until 27 May – BPS22, Charleroi 10.00-18.00 – €6 – free for members
Pauline Beugnies: Derrière le soleil — Extra View until 8 Apr – BPS22, Charleroi 10.00-18.00 – €6 – free for members Born in Charleroi, Pauline Beugnies followed the youth of the 2011 popular movements in Egypt. Her expo at BPS22 condemns the nationalist propaganda and context of violent repression of the opponents under Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s military regime. She uses documents, testimonies and photographs to speak of the families’ need to prove and make visible the existence of their missing family members whilst the military dictatorship denies any crime against the Egyptian people.
15 Mar-1 Apr – Argos, Brussels 10.00-18.00 – €6 – free for members
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music
Chynna
Journal-writer-turned-rapper Chynna Rogers is just a regular girl who likes burgers, burritos and bbq ribs. If you met at a party, she’d never tell you she made music unless you really pried. Every so often, the West Philadelphian’s serious, wry demeanour is rippled by bursts of youthful enthusiasm for hopping on planes to unknown places, her loyalty to Panic! At The Disco, and chain-ordering junk food to her apartment in Chinatown, Manhattan. Chynna’s latest EP, music 2 die 2 hails a fresh return for the 23-year-old since her 2016 Ninety mixtape and even earlier releases Glen Coco and Selfie, which first set people’s rap radars on red alert for this irresistibly cool emcee. Straight outta high school vibes have long been shaken off. In their place appear Chynna’s biting spoken lines and woozy beats, reflecting a brewing anger and a coming to terms with the aftermath of death, depression and drugs that have passed through her life.
text by Zofia Ciechowska
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Photos by Yael Malka shot in New York City
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Chynna 9 Mar – Ancienne Belgique, Brussels free for members
music
Perron Zes With Perron Zes, what you see is what you get. They prefer not to be labeled, seeing themselves as a constant changing collective. They’ve put their unique mark on the Brussels underground scene by combining everything they love, from designing clothes to organising parties to hosting a radio show. We went on a blind date with Jonas, Lars, Miel and Dennis — the four core members of the collective — and talked about their friendship, the importance of the internet and their future.
Interview by Elice Spillebeen
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Photos by Eva Teetaert shot in Brussels
How was Perron Zes born and how did it evolve into what it is now? It all started on platform six at Brussels North train station, which was the place where we went to chill around noon when we were studying in Brussels. The idea to start designing clothes was born there. We didn’t really like what we found in normal shops, second-hand stores were overhyped and expensive high-end streetwear wasn’t our thing either, so we decided to do it ourselves. Over time the other elements — such as the parties and exhibitions — grew organically and before we knew it two years had passed. We like to just go with the flow, and not make too many fixed plans for the future as we get most of our inspiration from our environment and prefer to evolve with what happens around us. That’s also why it’s hard to put a term on what we do; it’s constantly changing. How did you all meet? We all met at Sint-Lucas in Brussels. It was a kind of friendship at first sight. We all call each other by nicknames, and even have our own kind of language that can be hard to understand for outsiders. Someday we want to launch our own dictionary [Laughs]. We just love to make up new words.
‘Everyone has his own tasks within his own strengths, and in that we trust each other blindly’ How would you describe Perron Zes? We just do our own thing, and everyone who wants to join, can join. We don’t hold on to one specific genre or style, but simply select everything we love. We depend a lot on our gut feeling, but also keep an eye open for new movements in the club scene. For example, in selecting our music, we go and look for things we haven’t heard before, music that intrigues us. That can go from new wave to electro. We believe that’s also our strength: the unique combination of all these different forms. We don’t just combine different genres in music; we mix it up with designing clothes, throwing parties and hosting radio
so amazing. Thanks to the online world, we’re able to give foreign artists exposure in Belgium that they might not get otherwise.
shows, all of which creates a sort of rhythm that makes endless crossovers possible. Inside the collective, everyone has his own tasks within his own strengths, and in that we trust each other blindly.
What does the future hold for Perron Zes? We have two parties coming up that we’re looking forward to: UNDERWATER at Fuse in March and one with Slagwerk in May. Next to that you can expect a lot of radio shows and a clothing collab with Subbacultcha. We’re also looking to expand our collective further than Brussels as we’re all living in Ghent at the moment. We’d love to do some things here.
The internet today is a digital meeting place. What role does it play for you? A very big one — long live the internet! We don’t just get a lot of inspiration from the internet; we reach most of our community online, too. The internet also plays an important role in discovering new artists. It makes international collaborations possible; even if someone lives on the other side of the world, because of the internet it’s possible to communicate and reach out to them. This is what’s
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Underwater 23 Mar – Fuse, Brussels free for members before 1am
music
Clara! Clara! is an up-and-coming DJ and vocalist living in our beautiful capital. She’s dedicated to redressing the stereotypes of the male-dominated reggaeton scene and trying to find a balance between making music and taking care of her child. With her third Reggaetoneras mixtape on the horizon, we were curious to meet the woman behind the moniker‌
Interview by Laura Callewaert
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Photos by Sasha Vernaeve shot in Brussels
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Tell us, when did you know you wanted to make music? When did it all begin? When I was younger, reggaeton was a big thing in Spain, especially during my early teenage years. The first time I played was at a little party in The Student in Schaerbeek. I was invited by my good friend Juliette [DJ Amigo III], who recently co-founded the Poxcat collective. We had a lot of fun and I decided to continue. Then, as reggaeton was making a comeback a couple of years ago, it came to my attention that there were almost only guys behind the decks, and I went looking for other women involved in the genre. Ivy Queen’s ‘Yo quiero bailar’, where she sings, ‘I want to dance, I want to have fun, that doesn’t mean I’ll go to bed’ became an important statement for me. I posted the first Reggaetoneras mixtape on Soundcloud and it got noticed by the Sister collective. That’s when I started getting more attention. The tape Reggaetoneras 2 came out a while after on the Gravats label, and now we’re here.
‘As reggaeton was making a comeback a couple of years ago, it came to my attention that there were almost only guys behind the decks…’ Unfortunately, I need to have a side job to pay my rent, but I prefer to earn less money and have more time for my family, friends and music. How do you see yourself evolving? I’m working on my first productions with Maoupa Mazzocchetti, who encouraged me to sing. Besides that, I’m about to finish the mixtape Reggaetoneras 3, which should be out soon on Gravats. I also help my good friends Coquelin and Cloarec with their label PRR! PRR! And I have a show called Fuego FM with PRR! PRR! on LYL Radio. Could you tell us a bit more about the PRR! PRR! label?
Okay, we’re curious. How does a typical day in the life of Clara! look? Well, it isn’t that sexy or anything! Having a baby while making music isn’t easy. I work on mixes and develop my own sound while Félix is at kindergarden or sleeping.
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Clara! HE4RTBROKEN 17 Mar – Beursschouwburg, Brussels free for members before midnight
artist
Sybren Vanoverberghe
Interview by Herlinde Raeman
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Photos by Eva Teetaert shot in Istanbul, Turkey
While studying a Master’s degree in Photography at KASK Ghent, Sybren Vanoverberghe spends a portion of his bottomless energy on other interesting projects. We caught him while interning at Akina Books — an independent publishing house of challenging photo books, currently based in Istanbul — during a (not so blind) date with Eva. Vanoverberghe is exploring new paths and sees an exciting future ahead. How come you ended up in Istanbul? Last July I met Valentina Abenavoli and Alex Bocchetto, the two lovely Italians behind Akina, at the Arles Photo Festival. At that time, I was looking for a place to do my internship. Akina is currently based in Istanbul because they print their books at MAS MAT, so we decided to do the biggest part of the internship here. I’m learning a lot about editing and producing art books. Next to that, Istanbul is a very inspiring place for me to photograph and get ideas for future projects. What’s next when you’re back in Belgium? Shortly after my return, my publisher — Art Paper Editions — and I are going to print my second book in Hamburg. Everything should be finished before the launch and opening of my
exhibition on 22 March in RIOT, Ghent. The week after we’re also planning a book launch at Le Bal in Paris. So back in Belgium I’m gonna be mostly busy spreading the book as much as possible. But I’m also looking forward to spending some time in my atelier to work on new stuff. Oh, and at the end of March I’ll go to Berlin with my girlfriend to see a Motorama concert. What’s the subject of your upcoming book and expo? The title of the exhibition and the book is 2099. The project talks about my perception of place, time, history and its repetitive character. I deconstructed different historical places by photographing them, as well as places close to home, manipulated icons and put everything together in one project to create a kind of prophecy or new overview of the present. It is important for me
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that every image can stand on its own and includes an underlying lyricism. I like the fact that the book launch is accompanied by the exhibition so I can have two different ways of telling the story. The exhibition will also include a selection of new works that I’m currently working on.
Where or how do you (secretly) get inspiration? Before I used to get a lot of inspiration from other photographers’ work but lately this has changed more towards other art forms in which different mediums are used together. Most of what I produce is not even an artwork, but more the trial and error to practice other forms. After March I’m trying to learn a bit how to cut marble, I’m experimenting with drawings, etc. I don’t see these things as final works but I do realise it gives me inspiration for my own practices as a photographer because it lets me think further about my own medium. For example, How can I interfere more as a photographer in the landscape? Or how can I make more interesting exhibitions by adding stuff besides photography? Furthermore, I’ve always been inspired by going to archaeological museums in places like Athens and also here, in Istanbul.
You also showcase work of others in a space called Pinguin. What’s the main focus in selecting people there? Ilan Weiss and I have run Pinguin, an open project space, in Brussels since late 2017. Our main focus is showing in between works that didn’t reach the final state or didn’t reach the bigger public yet. During the opening exhibition we organised a duo show with Ilan’s works and mine. After that, we had the book launch of Marie Dhaese and towards the end of March we’re inviting Thomas Vandenberghe and Tine Guns. They will show mostly new works for the first time, so we’re very excited about this! It’s also the first exhibition in which this in between/ experimental state of the works is so present. The nice part is that we do not function as a gallery so the artists are free to do whatever they want. In the future we want to work with artists that don’t necessarily use photography; however, they should have a relevance to the medium. 43
Sybren is launching his book and solo exhibition at RIOT, 22 March. sybrenvanoverberghe.com riot-ghent.org
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book The Redstone Book of the Eye Julian Rothenstein
text and artwork by Gabriela González
A book that has no text is hard to write about if it’s not within your career choice to do so. The Redstone Book of the Eye is one such book; aside from introductory paragraphs to each enigmatically titled section (‘The Artist’s Eye’, ‘Tricks of the Eye’ and so on), the written word gives way to unfettered celebration of the act of seeing, as well as the exaltation of what the eye cannot fathom. Flipping through pages filled with myriad illustrations that range from Japanese woodcuts to eye tests, from children’s illustrations to Photoshopped trickery, is an act of blind faith; what will your pupils welcome next? There is music for the eyes, all rhythm and nuance, colours and textures composing silent melodies of visual cues; there are games for the mind, where what you see is not what is there and vice versa; there are the manifold ways that artists have rendered what they see, and what their vision tells us about individual experience; and there is what cannot be seen but which still seeks visual representation — fleeting emotions, deep-seated fears, memories and dreams that are interchangeable as ambiguous tokens of reality. In this vein, the importance of seeing as a chief means of apprehending the world comes into doubt. The eye can make its own reality and its own interpretation thereof, and it is as trustworthy as it can be unreliable. In the words of the late and supremely great John Berger: ‘The relation between what we see and what we know is never settled. Each evening we see the sun set. We know that the earth is turning away from it. Yet the knowledge, the explanation, never quite fits the sight.’
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15 – 18 MAART 2018 KORTFILMFESTIVAL IN NIEUW GENT WWW.CINEPRIVE.BE50
with Alfred Anders
the lost track Yellow Fever Mike Okri Label: Premier Music Released: 1992
This month’s lost track that I want to wipe the dust off is by Mike Okri. Okri stormed the Nigerian music scene in 1988 and released the record Cracks on Premier music in 1992. This album has a couple of cool tracks including my personal favourite, called ‘Yellow Fever’. It takes you on a trip with a wide range of good feelings along the way — from a seductive intro to some ’80s-sounding percussion and drum machine verses, and from some wonderful euphoric breaks to a compelling chorus that will make you sing along even if it’s the first time you’ve heard the track. I’ve been playing this one a lot lately and I like that every time I play it I see smiles on people’s faces. Okri might have been chart-busting in Nigeria back then, but the track got forgotten over time
recent finds Sandwich Quille Podcast
by Manon Vadelorge
soundcloud.com/vecteur_charleroi
La Quille is a typical café located in the Ville Basse at Charleroi. It’s pretty much unavoidable if you visit the neighbourhood. Just next to La Quille, you have Le Vecteur, a multidisciplinary art centre that regularly hosts Belgian and French artists’ residencies. At Le Vecteur, they have a tradition with their artists: they invite them to taste the famous ‘Sandwich Quille’. What is that? It’s a huge hunk of bread stuffed with a slice of turkey, cheese, a lot of sauce and a mountain of french fries. Meanwhile, Le Vecteur also do an interview with them that they post on their Soundcloud. The result of their blind tasting date, these podcasts reveal funny stories and anecdotes about the artists’ works and their vision of Charleroi.
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THE COLORIST ORCHESTRAFTLISA HANNIGAN ALEX CAMERON ROY MOLLOY ON HORN MADENSUYU WWWATER JULIEN DESPREZ FRANCK VIGROUX & KURT D'HAESELEER
#subbafam Invite your friends & get your membership for free
recent finds Artefact
artefact-festival.be
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16-25.03.2018 MARK GUILIANA
JAZZ QUARTET NASHEET WAI TS E QUA L I TY QUA RTE T BINKER & MOSES SONS OF KEMET XL ZARA MCF ARLANE DI GITAL MYSTIKZ PIERRE-GYSELINC K + LEFTO -S CHILDERS
recent finds Nightshop
by Hannes Rooms
soundcloud.com/nightshopmusic
Nightshop may well be the first solo project consisting of three members, since Yann Geraltovskiy is often joined by Brickle and Lennert Goessens in the studio and on stage. Nightshop has been on our radar for a while now thanks to some contagious witch house tracks, but Geraltovskiy has moved on. For his upcoming EP, he’s collaborating with drummer Rune Scimitar, who formerly contributed to Deeb Web’s compilation Mirai. Expect a melting pot of footwork, UK garage, dubstep and trap. To celebrate, Nightshop will host two showcases in actual night shops in Ghent and Brussels. Go check it out, and bring me a Stella and a pack of Camels, will you?
2 Times Nothing
oundcloud.com/2timesnothing
After being invited by Lefto for Made In Belgium last year, 2 Times Nothing has gained momentum and is releasing a fresh EP, named Uskumatu, in an attempt to crystallise this window of opportunity. It’s a single track-slash-composition followed by no less than five remixes which demonstrates that, 2 Times Nothing is more than just the next jazz-, hip hop- and fusion-inspired instrumental quintet. As part of the Perron 6 collective they’re operating somewhat outside the box, with Nangdo delivering the most interesting edit by reworking it into a footwork tune. Moodprint adds a groovy congo layer, Mambele a laidback hip-hop beat and Vincent Paola an organ. It’s best consumed in a pub, barely lit with candles.
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recent finds Le chantier des gosses
by Sabzian
10 March, 19.00 Allee du Kaai, Brussels
When Jean Harlez lived in Brussels he was fascinated by an enormous construction site just down from the Palace of Justice. A complete neighbourhood was demolished to make space for the plans of urban developers. What remained was a vast vacant space. Fallow ground is fertile ground for young boys and girls, who in their games develop their own urban landscapes. Harlez saw how they claimed and structured the space, improvising infrastructures and inventing and issuing rules. He decided to make a film with them. Le chantier des gosses will be shown at Allee du Kaai, which is also a place where youngsters gather in a public space that grew out of abandoned terrain. But now city developers have discovered the old harbour, they’ll have to find new fallow ground for their community of ‘gosses’, since Allee du Kaai will have to give way for another construction project, 60 years after Jean Harlez captured the resistance of the youngsters of the Marollen neighbourhood.
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VOLTA NACHT VAN DE TOEKOMST
SONS OF KEMET DE BEREN GIEREN FROM SCHNTZL MOLENBEEK BXL talks Lichtinstallaties Faalverhaal
30 APRIL
WITH LOVE
+ AFTERPARTY DEUREN: 19u00 CONCERT: €12 DANSVOORSTELLING: €12
BEURSSCHOUWBURG BRUSSEL
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WWW.VOLTAXL.BE
Le fils
Sabzian is a collection of online reflections on cinema, and maps cinephile events in Belgium and its surroundings. Articles are written in Dutch, English and French. sabzian.be
1 March, 20.30 KASK cinema, Ghent
For the second Seuls programme at KASKcinema, Sabzian will be screening Le fils (2002) by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne. Le fils is the third in a series of films by the brothers, which began with La promesse (1996). The film is characterised by its documentary simplicity, its long shots clinging to the characters, its tender humanism, the Liège suburb Seraing as its fixed location and its attention to our world’s strangulating economic determinism. With a short introduction by and an extensive conversation after the screening with Luc Dardenne. In the next few years Sabzian will be hosting a series of film programmes at KASKcinema: ‘Seuls. Singular Moments in Belgian Film History’. These programmes will be accompanied by the publication of unique texts by Belgian filmmakers and writers on Sabzian’s website.
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we visit you
Name: Celeste Mattot Age: 19 Zodiac sign: Gemini Website: celeste_mattot.tumblr.com Subbacultcha member since: About two years ago
Tell us, what do you do in life? I paint, buy pants and party.
Which future Subbacultcha show are you looking forward to? Kavir, curated by my darling Niloufar Nematollahi.
What do you like best about your place? Making a mess and getting out of touch with reality :p What kind of music are you listening to at the moment? Anastacia; 3 Of A Kind, ‘Baby Cakes’ and Neil Young, ‘Heart of Gold’. What’s the first record you bought? I can’t remember if it was Joy Division or Fka Twigs… What’s your favourite pastime? Walking, painting, Flying Tiger, watching Thuis and spending money. What makes you dance? Alcohol. Worst dating experience? I’m not that kind of girl… ;) Have you experienced any regrets recently? Buying another two pairs of pants in Prague to enrich my 50 other pairs at home.
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Photo by Catherine Lemblé shot in Ghent
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front cover: Perron Zes by Eva Teetaert
thank you: Isaac Barbé, Mattias Baertsoen, Koi Persyn, Niloufar Nematollahi, Hannes Rooms, Vicky Derweduwen, Lindsey De Laet, Mert Sen, Jeroen Albertijn, Mats Wosky, Junior Bokele, Paulina De Vleesschouwer, Margaux Fabris, Kellan Smith, Lynn Cailliau, Anna Hortense Vanden Brande, Naoki Karathanassis, Nelson Henry, Lara Decrae, Jelle Dens, Isabelle Vanderstockt, Valerie Buckenmeyer, Melanie Musisi, Eline De Vos, Axelle Vertommen, Gert Van Dijck, Lisa Alemán Arévalo, Sofia Van Laer, Amani Wijte, Maria Antchougova, Amaury Wilkin & friends, Ian Wiglema, Emilia Vangrinsven, Frederik Vliege, Pascal Vandenberghe & Frederic Busscher
editors in chief: Herlinde Raeman & Kasper-Jan Raeman magazine editors: Julien Van de Casteele & Gabriela González copy editor: Megan Roberts design: Chloé D’hauwe website editors: Valerie Steenhaut & Thomas Vanoosthuyse
partners: Botanique, Beursschouwburg, Het Bos, Gewadrupo, Vooruit, Democrazy, KVS, 013, Leuven Jazz, STUK, Rewire, Offscreen, Cactus, Cultuur Gent, Curieus, Bozar, AB, Handelsbeurs, C-Mine, Little Waves, ICC Distribution, KulturA, Amer Lab., Ancienne Belgique, JauneOrange, Kolonie, Life Fast Die Young, Kultuurkaffee, Go With The Flow, SauvageSauvage, Perron Zes, Listen Festival, Eden, Courtisane, Meakusma, NoName, Cinema Zuid, Cinematek, KASK Cinema, Campo, Kaaitheater, Argos & BPS22
community management: Lisa Wallyn (lisa@subbacultcha.be) advertising & partnerships: Kasper-Jan Raeman (kasper-jan@subbacultcha.be) distribution: Herlinde Raeman (herlinde@subbacultcha.be) printer: Drukkerij GEWADRUPO, Arendonk, Belgium
office: Subbacultcha Belgium, Dendermondsesteenweg 80A, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
contributing writers: Gabriela González, Julien Van de Casteele, Herlinde Raeman, Manon Vadelorge, Nicolas Baudoin, Bart Bruneel, Anaïs Violet Van Eldere, Matias Calderon, Dries Robbe, Laura Callewaert, Elice Spillebeen, Eléonore Kenis, Pim Thomas, Hannes Rooms & Sabzian
contact: magazine@subbacultcha.be
contributing photographers: Catherine Lemblé, Eva Teetaert, Femke Fredrix, Sasha Vernaeve & Yael Malka contributing artists: Sybren Vanoverberghe & Gabriela González
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