Archives for “Music” tag

In Ghent we’re spoiled with all kind of cultural activities whole year round. But in summer the offer is really massive. Of course we have the Ghent Festival in July. But just before it starts we can enjoy the Gent Jazz Festival, this year for the 12th time from July 12 to July 20.

The festival takes place in the lovely scenery of the Bijloke Abbey. Where you maybe already visited the City Museum. The programme offers a wide range of artists. Starting with pure jazz, going to Blues, world music, etc. If you don’t find your choice of music on the programme, just go and discover, there will always be something which you will like.

And if the music would really disappoint you, you will be excited about the atmosphere. It is more a luxury festival in a unique historical setting.

Vooruit, today and in the past, is more than just a bar. The building is closely related to the socialist movement and has a vivid history (here you can read all about it). Today it’s a cultural temple and a meeting spot for beginning and experienced artists.

But let us stick to one of the rooms: the bar. Very important for Belgians, because this is the place where you find beer. If you’re looking for a small, cosy bar, this is not your spot. At daytime people come here to drink, eat, chat, work (free wifi), read newspapers, etc. In the evening it gets more crowded as people pop in before or after a concert or theater performance. Sometimes the bar is used for free concerts, movies or dj-sets.

If I want to experience the energy of the city, this is one of my favorite places to go to. They serve good drinks and meals (Fair Trade and organic), there is always a vivid atmosphere and still this place feels quite relaxed.

If you drop in and just wait at your table, you might not get anything at all. They only serve at the bar. Bad service? No! This is the place where everything is possible, but nothing is forced to happen! Enjoy!

Update: this year Vooruit is celebrating its 100-years birthday with all kind of events, check this website.

This bar is actually linked to the ‘Geus van Gent’, a liberal centre where a lot of organizations have their homebase and from which a series of activities is set up. Their meeting point ‘Het Geuzenhuis’ has become a nice bar for everyone to enjoy.

Het Geuzenhuis is near the movie complex so mostly after a cinema visit, I like to come here for a drink and discuss the film we’ve just seen. Sometimes you have to be lucky to find an available spot as this is a popular place, especially during the week when a lot of students find their way to this bar.

When you enter, it feels like you are entering your own personal living room with the wooden tables, red covered couches, book shelves and retro cinema chairs. There are several separate and cozy corners where you can make yourselves comfortable with a hot tea or coco.

Not only is this a great place to lay back and relax, you can find some action as well: playing a game of pool or listening to the weekly organized jam sessions with some fabulous jazz musicians!

You could call this festival the smaller brother of the famous ‘Gentse Feesten‘. That one attracts loads of tourists and guarantees 10 days of madness all over the center of Ghent, the ‘Patersholfeesten’ are much smaller, intimate and with a more local public. Although when the weather gods are generous, it can get pretty crowded here as well. 

During the second weekend of August (9 – 11 august 2013) the alleys of the oldest, and my favorite, neighbourhood of Ghent are filled with people of all ages. There’s a full program with street artists, exhibitions, activities for children, and lots of other performances. The epicentre of the festivities is definitely ‘het Kaatsspelplein’.

At the same time as the Patershol festivities, also the Oudburg festivities have a full program with activities. Oudburg is adjacent to the Patershol. Here you will find quite a young public as there are lots of DJ-sets organised. Last year I was here, I must say there was a great vibe!

On Sunday (from 08:00 – 16:00) there’s a flea market all over the place. It’s definitely worth a visit, just already for the atmosphere!

The festivities end with the ‘Kaarskensprocessie’ (with starting and arrival point ‘het Kaatsspelplein’ and the symbolic extinction off the Patershol festivities (picture).

Het Trefpunt is one of the nice bars on the ‘Bij Sint-Jacobs-square’. One of the reasons I really like the place is because of the mixture of people you can meet here. Young, old, foreign, fashionable, seedy, name it and you can find them in this café.

The bar is part of a cultural organisation called VZW het trefpunt. They organise a lot of stuff like concerts, comedy-shows and so on.

Every Monday there is a free concert. On Sunday evenings they have DJ-sessions. Every Thursday evening at 9 pm they organise a stand-up-comedy-show in the venue next to the café with the improv comedians “The Lunatics” and sometimes a guest comedian. Usually the comedians perform in Dutch language, but sometimes the guest comedians perform in English as well. It depends, so it’s worth to have a look.