Music venues & clubs – All our local tips

Well, OK, let’s make it official: Sundays are an issue.

You were working the whole week, waiting for a nice week-end.

But of course, Friday night finds you knackered so you better stay home.
Saturday: you’re busy doing the shopping, and then again to exhausted to go out.
Finally on Sunday you feel full of energy, you feel like the king of the city, but then… you find yourself with this ultimate question: “what the hell can I do on a Sunday?

In the series of “What to do on Sunday?”, let’s discover Bar du Marché.

I love it, as simple as that. The bar is nice, the staff is fun, the other customers are friendly, and you will receive some nuts with your fresh drink.

On Sundays, it’s “Jazzette”: a jazz band will swing your afternoon. My ultimate pleasure is to have a nice cinnamon tea, waiting for some friends, having a chat with some people around (well my male friends use to say that they’re making a move, but whatever). It’s the best way to finish the w-e.

Almost perfect? Well, I still must warn you about the same bar at nights… it’s not the same atmosphere; but a bit more decadent.

It could be appreciated by some of you (I don’t judge), but it’s not the place to chill out at night. If I compare it with literature, I would say that the bar is Dr Jekyll at daytime, and Mr. Hyde at night. You’ll find good reasons to visit one or another…

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Bar du Marché | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music
Rue Alphonse de Witte, 12 | Ixelles
09:00 – 02:00 daily

The Beursschouwburg is a large arts centre in the middle of town, showing contemporary theatre, dance and exhibitions.

The café, or rather Kafee for its Flemish, is on the ground floor, though it has the feel of a cellar-bar, with its exposed-brick walls, lack of windows and tressle tables. It hosts film showings, talks, musical performances and other cultural happenings – normally they are free you just need to buy drinks.

Well worth checking out is the regular shortescape night which screens short films – normally on the first Wednesday/Thursday of each month.

In summer the roof terrace opens up. After the trek up four floors you get to enjoy a great view over the city. They also show films up here on a big outdoor screen.

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Beurskafee | Art & culture, Bars, Cinemas, Music, Theaters
A. Ortsstraat, 20 – 28 | Center | +32025500350
19:00 – 00:00 daily

The Botanique is the greenest place in the centre of Brussels. A variety of flowers, plants and trees decorate this spacious garden. There is even a little lake and a labyrinth of bushes for you to get quiet and inhale a little piece of paradise.

This small patch of bliss lies between a major four lane traffic road which makes the opposition nature versus construction even more apparent. Still, wandering there makes you forget the stressed out people caught there in traffic. The whole park is built on a steep hill, there are entrances to it at various places.

You’ll see a lot of families having a pick nick on the grass, couples romantically sitting near rose bushes or joggers going up and down the hill. There is even a small herbal patch with some medicinal plants like for instance Echinacea.

When the Botanique was built it was a major scientific research temple with a very large variety of exotic plants, flowers and trees. To acquire money for maintenance they used to sell vegetables and other crops from the garden. At this place they created Belgian endive.

At present times the Botanique serves as a known cultural venue. It has different concert halls, exposition rooms and a museum. There is also a large bar and restaurant with a splendid terrace from where you have an amazing view of the botanical garden. They serve great lunches and dinner. The expositions held there are open from twelve until eight.

Their concert programming is worth checking out and during `Les nuits Botanique’ large crowds gather there to see indoor and outdoor concerts from a large variety of groups.

Unfortunately the park closes at five but the cafe and concerts continue until two or three. In the weekends this place is a good way to spend your night out.

For good photographic expositions and interesting concerts go check it out!

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Botanique | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Relaxing
Entrance Koningsstraat 236 | Center | +3222183732
10:00 – 18:00 daily

Since at least 6 years an “after work” concept has entered into Brussels young community habit.

It’s an event on Thursday, starting at approx 19:00 and lasting not until later than 01:00.

There is food till 21:30/22:00, and then djs make people dance till you drop. But by 01:00, everybody is out; time to sleep to be in perfect shape for Friday work.

Havana is the newest club offering this concept.
With the summer season this club has open an outdoor terrace where is possible to enjoy some tapas, dinner or drinks. The party will be inside though!

The food is good (14€ main course) and drinks are affordable.

Happy hour ends at 22:00 and depending on the day you can get free tapas or other surprises.

A plus of this club is the free parking a few meters away. Why spend hours looking for a parking spot when instead you could be enjoying yourself dancing with your friends while drinking a mojito?

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Havana | Bars, Music, Restaurants ( Intern.) | Entrance fee € 5.00
Rue de l’épée, 4 | Center | +32493502396
Thu 18:30 – 01:00

Set in the beautiful art nouveau building `The old England’, this museum guarantees a well spent afternoon. Various instruments, European and non European. are at display. Infrared headphones offer the possibility to hear extracts from the instruments you are viewing.

They collected a large sample of extracts for you to listen to, making a visit to this museum a feast for body and soul. In September until June concerts are organised there. These concerts make use of the enormous rare and ancient instruments in the collection.

Your visit is chronologically structured taking you to instruments and their sounds from ancient times until present day. Guided tours are also offered to give you a more thorough understanding of musical evolutions. Next to this rich collection of instruments the museum has a library where you can proceed your investigation of everything about music. It has a long history of collecting, renovating and preserving instruments that makes this museum extra spectacular.

There is also a shop where you can buy books, Cd’s and other music related products. Pictures and video extracts nicely put next to the instruments on display give you further insights. This is truly a museum where education, entertainment and conservation come together.

Finally the restaurant on the top floor offers a spectacular view of Brussels, the terrace looks out on the best of Brussels architectural jewels. Even if you don’t have time to visit this museum you can still visit the restaurant without paying for the entrance to the museum. But still, you’ll regret missing out on this extravagant temple of music.

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Musical instruments museum | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Restaurants (Lunch)
Hofberg 2 | Center | +3225450130
Tue – Fri 9:30 – 17:00, Sat – Sun 10:00 – 17:00

One of the things I missed as soon as I left my Torino was the ritual of the aperitif. After work we used to meet in bars in the town center, and enjoy some drinks accompanied by free food, this is the concept.

And one day, walking around Brussels, I heard someone speaking my dialect, I turned around and saw “La Piola” aperitif bar in Brussels. I almost cried while ordering a glass of white Moscato wine and picking some of the food.

A few years have passed since that day, and the Piola is still running. There are 2 even.

La Piola Libri is a bookstore, wine bar, apero bar, concert/conference place for Italians or Italy lovers. The evenings with Guccini and Vinicio Capossela were unforgettable.

It’s nested in the European Quarter not far from Schuman.

The second branch, La Piola is just off pl. Chatelain (rue du page 2, Ixelles). It’s an apero bar, a wine bar and also a good simple Italian restaurant with a nice front terrace and a backyard garden.

Do not expect the variety of food you can get in Torino, but still I feel at home (you can even read La Stampa, the Turin newspaper).

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Piola Libri | Bars, Music, Shopping, Restaurants (Italian) | Daily special € 10.00
Rue Franklin 66-68 | Etterbeek/ Eur.Qt
Mon – Fri 10:30 – 20:00, Sat 12:00 – 20:00

If you’re not interested in the spots where you have to be hip and trendy and you want something more ‘underground’, then Recyclart is the place to be for you.

Literally because of its location beneath the railway track, and even more because this former railway station is an alternative artistic hotspot. Meet your cultural soulmates in the bar, or have a look at the art exhibitions, photography expositions or architecture projects.

Wanna move your feet? Go the the frequently organised parties or concerts and shake your body on the rhythms of dubstep, electro, worldbeat or guitar noise. 
Disko disko partizani!

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Recyclart | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Festivals & events
Rue des Ursulines 25 | Center | +3225025734
Tue – Fri 11:00 – 17:00 (bar), 12:00 – 15:00 (food)

The first time I went to a Strictly Niceness party was the beginning of a new era.

Before Strictly, I felt lonely on the dancefloor with my friends, when we had a chance to have good music for 5 minutes or if by chance we finally found a very nice party. And not to talk about the weird fauna looking at us while pretending not to and while drinking anything probably to forget how boring the party (or their life) is.

I like to funk, I like to groove, I like to hip and to hop, I like to shake my body all night long.

So, I always asked myself if in this big universe (most of Brussels night life) I would ever had a chance to meet some people like me; who wants to have good times the all night long for the pleasure of the dance and the music…

Yes, a lot of people do have very good time on the dancefloor in Brussels, and you will if you like Electro music. But what about all the rest?

And suddenly one day (one night, shoul I say) I finally decide to follow the advice of my friend, Phil, aka DJ Kwak, who told me long time ago that I have to come to the parties he’s organising since a few years now…without understanding why I never showed up!

How to explain what I felt when I first arrive there?

First thing: the music: the DJ set (DJ Kwak and Dobbs) is a non stop pleasure for your hears. And your brain will not understand why the rest of the body is no more under control.

Second thing: the people, looking at them is pleasure for your eyes. And your mouth will not understand why you have this endless smile on your face.

Third thing; the combination of energy of everything (music, atmosphere, good DJ, nice people, nice location La Bodega) is a pleasure for your heart. And your soul will not understand why you feel so full of energy for the rest of the week.

I can add much more. But if you don’t experience it, you won’t believe me.

I can only suggest you to experience the pleasure for your hears, with the radioshow Back To Niceness.

See you on the dance floor!

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Strictly Niceness Party | Bars, Music | Before midnight € 6.00
La Bodega – rue de Birmingham 30 | The West
Monthly (2nd Sat of the month) from 22:00

You must know it already if you were reading my articles, I like jazz music (and soul, funky, groovy, hip-hop music, …): so I can’t keep this legendary place in Brussels for myself and the very few who like Jazz. It’s located in a little street near the city hall of Ixelles; The Sounds.

The name itself sounds like this is the place were things happens. And things have been happening for more than 20 years now at the Sounds!

I can’t explain you more than that, it’s not something you have to read, it’s something you should hear and live by yourself. The atmosphere is similar to other places for initiates. It’s warm, cosy, friendly and the sound in the air is one of the best in town.

Every Monday, you’ll enjoy the Master Sessions (with very good Belgian jazzmen), every Wednesday the sound is more latino, I’m sure none of us will complain.

And there’s a concert every other day, so you must find what you’re looking for (and even be well surprised).

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The Sounds | Bars, Music, Snacks
Rue de la Tulipe, 28 | Ixelles
Mon – Sat 20:00 – 04:00