Subbacultcha Belgium March 2020 by Subbacultcha

Bon Voyage March 2020

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Music

14.03 Sweaty Palms with D.K. & Le Curateur Onderstroom, Antwerp

Chibi Ichigo + IKRAAAN + Meyy 17.03 Lauren Auder 02.03 Het Depot, Leuven 12.03 Charlatan (Democrazy), Ghent 19.03 Biche + Pierres

Botanique, Brussels Volta, Brussels

04.03 ALL CAPS + Jet Lag 21.03 Overlast De Studio, Antwerp Super Fourchette, Brussels 21.03 OKO DJ KulturA (Les Flâneurs), Liège 05.03 BeraadGeslagen + Bothlane + 23.03 Shht Het Depot, Leuven M I M I (DJ set) KulturA (GoWithTheFlow x JauneOrange), Liège 24.03 Ryan Power + Raphaël 05.03 PILAR ASAP: Slagwerk s’améliore + Foreveroverhead Le Brass, Brussels presents Rezzett & Varg2™ Pilar, Brussels 25.03 James Ferraro + Franck Vigroux + Kurt d’Haeseleer 05.03 Youff + Pedigree + King Fu STUK, Leuven KulturA (PopKatari), Liège 06.03 Prettiest Eyes + The 25.03 Jerusalem In My Heart + Lucrecia Dalt Het Bos, Antwerp Permanentz + Pedigree Magasin 4, Brussels 25.03 Nooit Meer Naar Huis In De Ruimte, Ghent 06.03 Armless Kid + Tom Nate b2b Bee Fezz + D-Nite Bar Broos, Ghent Union Nautique (Unrhythmic), Liège 26.03 Fornet 07.03 The Shade with Lieke 27.03 Listen! ∞ Le Bureau Électronique ft. Tomoko Trienekens Club Capital, Antwerp Sauvage, Pak Yan Lau & Giulia 08.03 Amalyah + Mathilde Fernandez Vismara Les Brigittines, Brussels Ancienne Belgique, Brussels 27.03 Huna Presents Cornelius Doctor & Tushen Raï Amigo, Ghent Moneytalks 11.03 Riot, Ghent 29.03 OLTClub: MC Yallah & 18.03 De Studio, Antwerp Debmaster + Bombataz 25.03 Beursschouwburg, Brussels Vismara OLT Rivierenhof, Antwerp 14.03 Salon #4 with Girl Unit Amigo, Ghent a.be bacultch up at sub n ig S s. r e for memb s are free All event

Performance

06 + Black Privilege 07.03 Beursschouwburg, Brussels 07.03 WoWmen!: Escape Act Kaaitheater, Brussels

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KASKcinema, Ghent

Expo 21.03 - Textile As Resistance 19.04 Extra City (MoMu), Antwerp

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Cinematek, Brussels

13.03 System Crasher De Cinema, Antwerp

06.03 Cléo de 5 à 7

WWW.BEPARTEXHIBITIONS.BE

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STUK, Leuven

Film

WESTERLAAN 17, WAREGEM ZONDAG-VRIJDAG, 11:00-17:00

Beursschouwburg, Brussels

31.03 Every Body Electric

19.03 Srbenka

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27.03 salt. 28.03

24.03 1080/1000 SESSIONS: #3 – Cinemaximiliaan Argos, Brussels

20 + On Thin Ice 21.03 Beursschouwburg, Brussels

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STUK, Leuven

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11.03 Moving Ballads

10.03 1080/1000 SESSIONS: #2 – Permanent Argos, Brussels

09.03 Histoire(s) du théâtre II NTGent, Ghent

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ROBBERT& FRANK FRANK& ROBBERT 23.02—01.06 BREAD CRUMBS

n o e B ya g Vo intro

Dries Boutsen BE, Nelleke Cloosterman BE, Hanane El Farissi MA, Katya Ev RU/FR, Helen Anna Flanagan GB, Dani Gherca RO, Aziz Hazara AF, Olivia Hernaïz BE, Che-Yu Hsu TW, Nikolay Karabinovych UA, Karel Koplimets EE, Diego Lama PE, Nokukhanya Langa ZA/US, Gaëlle Leenhardt FR, Sandrine Morgante BE/IT, Hadassa Ngamba CD, Štefan Papco SK, Elisa Pinto MX, Paulius Šliaupa LT, Oussama Tabti DZ, Luca Vanello IT/SI, Shirley Villavicencio Pizango PE/BE

You can’t stay in the same place for ever. That’s the dictum of modern life. Packing bags and mapping routes bring about another inexorable truism about departing for new horizons: though nothing appears to happen very often, it’s during these moments that everything happens all at once. Overwhelming as it may seem, bowing out shouldn’t mean cutting loose. Don’t want to gush, but your town, real or metaphorical, will be there to wave your name on a banner and lovingly see you off to new pastures. May they deliver all that they promised, along with everything you didn’t realise you needed.

HIGH LIGHTS MARCH

HOUSE FOR DANCE, IMAGE & SOUND

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BEGÜM ERCIYAS © ELODIE DAUGUET

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content

subbacultcha events 11 - 29 MC Yallah 30 - 35 Fornet 36 - 39 Merely 40 - 45 Pleasure Island 46 - 51 style 52 - 55 recent finds 57 film 59 we visit you 60 - 61

EXPO ANGELA WASHKO DANCE FEMKE GYSELINCK BEGÜM ERCIYAS DORIS UHLICH

SOUND DIJF SANDERS JAMES FERRARO WACŁAW ZIMPEL LEA BERTUCCI

music Chibi Ichigo + IKRAAAN + Meyy 2 Mar - Het Depot, Leuven 20.00 - €13 - free for members 12 Mar - Charlatan (Democrazy), Ghent 20.00 - €15 - free for members These three women have three things in common: they’re very young, very talented and they have incredible voices. IKRAAAN’s HAPPY PILL EP is raw and honest, with Solange-like vocals and fragile melodies. Sabina Nurijeva, aka Chibi Ichigo, blends her Russian roots into her hip hop, creating lounge-like mystical lullabies. She worked with Zwangere Guy for her first EP, Legenda. Brussels-based Meyy released her first single, ‘Angelic Lies’, in 2019, followed by her EP Spectrum in 2020, and she blew us away with her poppy R&B that reminds us of FKA Twigs and Billie Eilish.

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ALL CAPS + Jet Lag 4 Mar - Super Fourchette, Brussels 20.00 - €5 - free for members If you’re into manic, overly energised post-punk sounds, ALL CAPS is your cup of tea. Their last record, 2019’s WE WERE WRONG RUN RUN RUN, is a mix of all-time noise, with a taste for chaos. The Brussels-based post-punk band Jet Lag will be opening for them.

BeraadGeslagen + Bothlane + M I M I (DJ set) 5 Mar - KulturA (GoWithTheFlow x JauneOrange), Liège 20.00 - €8 - free for members Expect an exciting night with Belgium’s experimental movers and shakers. Multi-instrumentalist duo BeraadGeslagen pay a jazzy homage to Belgian village life, with a good dose of quirk and humour. Drummer Alain Deval’s solo project Bothlane weaves techno and afro-jazz rhythms into brutalist, synth-infused soundscapes. M I M I closes the afterparty with her irresistible blend of hip hop and electronica.

Hoge Mauw 130 B-2370 Arendonk info@gewa.be +32 (0)14.67.86.69 12

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5 Mar - Pilar, Brussels 20.00 - €10 - free for members

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PILAR ASAP: Prettiest Slagwerk Eyes + The presents Rezzett Permanentz + & Varg2™ Pedigree As part of the Pilar Festival, Slagwerk were invited to open it with the first party in VUB. Expect a mixture of what’s new in electronic music, curated by young up-and-coming artists. From techno, to drum & bass, house and trance, it will fit every taste. Check out our interview with Merely!

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6 Mar - Magasin 4, Brussels 20.00 - €10 - free for members

Prettiest Eyes is a no-wave post-punk trio from Los Angeles signed to John ‘Thee Oh Sees’ Dwyer’s Castle Face label. Having met in the underground music scene of Puerto Rico, they sing in both English and Spanish. Fans of the Birthday Party, James Chance and Girl Band: ¡tú sabes que hacer! Estonian industrial metal band Pedigree and Brussels-based punk band Permanentz complete the line-up.

Youff + Pedigree + King Fu Armless Kid + Tom Nate b2b Bee Fezz + D-Nite 5 Mar - KulturA (PopKatari), Liège 20.00 - €8 - free for members

Youff (Gent), Pedigree (Tournai) and King Fu (Liège) are keeping Belgian noise rock and punk alive across Flanders and Wallonia. For tonight, think dirty, harsh, industrial noise rock injected with some good old classic ’90s punk – and a touch of new wave. Moshing guaranteed.

6 Mar - Union Nautique (Unrhythmic), Liège 23.00 - €10 - free for members Paris native Armless Kid’s house has a timeless, classic feel to

it. 1992 Chicago or 2017 Paris? Who knows – or indeed, cares – when it’s so irresistibly groovy? He’ll be filling the dancefloor along with De La Funk’s Bee Fezz and The Word resident D-Nite. Expect to boogie to soulful house, R‘n’B and funk.

The Shade with Lieke Trienekens 5/03

Disfear Your Highness

Toxic Shock Parasite

13/03

7/03

Space Force Operations

Victor De Roo, Maika Garnica, Aiko Devriendt, Thijs Paijmans, Hungry Soul

Fake Indians

album release + Peuk, Pink Room

19/03

Extra Academy: Valérie Mannaerts

26 t/m 29/03

Isabelle Tollenaere

(expo/film)

25/03

Jerusalem In My Heart + Lucrecia Dalt

20/03

K1D

www.hetbos.be

Ankerrui 5/7 Antwerpen

7 Mar - Club Capital, Antwerp 23.00 - €10 - free for members until 1 AM There’s a new party in town… The Shade is a party collective focusing on house music that has established its quarters at the one and only Club Capital, landmark in the Antwerp house clubbing scene. Yep, it’s guaranteed to be hot and bright, so don't forget to bring your sunglasses (not joking). For their first edition, the boys have invited Lieke Trienekens, so expect house music (of course) with a touch of funk, groove, balearic and ambient. The dutch DJ will be supported by our homegrown Bayny and Blue Boy.

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Amalyah + Mathilde Fernandez 8 Mar - Ancienne Belgique, Brussels 20.00 - €10 - free for members Pretty sure you know all about Mathilde Fernandez by now. If not, circle back to last month's magazine and discover the universe of this peculiar artist who makes DIY electronic pop like a washed-out hybrid between Kate Bush and Nina Hagen. Along-side Mathilde this month, you'll get to discover the enchanting voice of Amalyah.

Moneytalks 11 Mar - Riot, Ghent 20.00 - free for all 18 Mar - De Studio, Antwerp 20.00 - free for all 25 Mar - Beursschouwburg, Brussels 20.00 - free for all Once upon a time, AC/DC was screaming the lyrics, ‘Come on, come on, listen to the money talk.’ This month, we’re organising a series of Q&As screaming the same to you. But don’t let the attention-seeking name fool you:

these events are serious business. We’re glad to share insights about the different ways to get paid as an artist with our community and everybody else who’s interested. The evenings will start with a case study, but we’d like to spend most of the time responding to your specific questions. Bundle all that and come sit frontrow. Knowledge is key. These events will be co-organised with our partners Artists United and Paypro Services.

Salon #4 with Girl Unit 14 Mar - Amigo, Ghent 23.00 - €7 - free for members until 1 AM The fourth Salon edition welcomes Phil Gamble, aka Girl Unit. He’s a major player in the London post-dubstep scene and released his debut album, Song Feel on Night Slugs, last year. It’s recorded mostly in LA and features longtime collaborator Kelela, plus Rush Davis, Brook Baili and many others. Residents SALON FM will play until the early hours.

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Sweaty Palms with D.K. & Le Curateur 14 Mar - Onderstroom, Antwerp 23.00 - €10 - free for members until 1 AM The Sweaty Palms team invites Parisian producer D.K., aka Dang Khoa Chau, probably best known for his ambient electronics on labels like Antinote or Melody As Truth, and Le Curateur, record lover and resident DJ at Kurabu and Slave To The Rhythm. Sweaty residents Konna and DJ Peugeot complete the line-up.

Lauren Auder 17 Mar - Botanique, Brussels 19.30 - €18 - free for members London-based 21-year-old Lauren Auder’s orchestral pop suggests as much baroque influence as shoegaze and ambient. Layers of strings, horns and harmonies weave a rich and dreamy canvas interspersed with moments of crescendo, while Auder’s haunting vocals and lyrics dripping with Christian symbolism take centre stage.

PITCHO WOMBA KONGA / KVS

27, 28 & 31.03.2020 01, 02 & 03.04.2020

Biche + Pierres

OKO DJ 21 Mar - KulturA (Les Flâneurs), Liège 23.00 - €5 - free for members

19 Mar - Volta, Brussels 20.00 - €7 - free for members

FIRE WILL BECOME ASHES, BUT NOT NOW

French band Biche released their debut album, La Nuit des Perséides, last year, where French psychedelia meets sensual extravagant pop. The kind of album you want to listen to while stargazing with your lover. Pierres, the solo project of AZERTY’s Pierre Leroy, will be opening to add a touch of intimate pop.

Shht

Overlast

23 Mar - Het Depot, Leuven 20.00 - €18 - free for members

21 Mar - De Studio, Antwerp 20.00 - €10 - free for members Overlast is back at De Studio in Antwerp for its sixth instalment. At the time of writing, no line-up has been announced, but you can expect a festival night filled with Belgian talents. Spreading across two floors and three rooms with no less than nine live acts and three DJs, it’s ‘all you can hear’, all night long.

All ev ents

BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW

WWW.KVS.BE

Liège-based collective Les Flâneurs invites OKO DJ for a set you won’t forget. Signed to Brothers From Different Mothers, host of radio show Pu$$y Nightmare and co-founder of party collective Bruits De La Passion, the ever-busy selector is committed to her art and is guaranteed to unearth vinyl gems to keep you dancing all night long.

After remarked-upon appearances last summer at Best Kept Secret and Pukkelpop, the Ghent space-rock quintet are coming to Het Depot to present their acid-infused live show. Bass-heavy and chaotic, bringing together psychedelic rock and autotune, Shht makes for an absolutely absurd and unique experience – traditional surrealism à la Belge. You have been warned!

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ALL CONCERTS - BOTANIQUE.BE

Ryan Power + Raphaël s’améliore + Foreveroverhead 24 Mar - Le Brass, Brussels 20.00 - €10 - free for members A night of enigmatic, genre-bending indie regalia guaranteed. Foreveroverheard are a Swiss sibling duo shrouded in mystery – a dip into their YouTube channel will reveal that much. They will perform with VOLTA resident Raphaël s’améliore (Brussels) and Zappa-esque multi-instrumentalist Ryan Power (New York).

James Ferraro + Franck Vigroux + Kurt d’Haeseleer 25 Mar - STUK, Leuven 20.30 - €14 - free for members Both the audiovisual experiences presented on this night look at dystopia and the demise of

humanity in the near future, and offer an implicit critique of blind faith in development and progress on westernised, neoliberal terms. Vaporwave forefather James Ferraro imagines a technological dark age in which a computer virus saves humanity, and Vigroux and d’Haeseleer present their intense, trippy immersive experience ‘The Island’.

Jerusalem In My Heart + Lucrecia Dalt 25 Mar - Het Bos, Antwerp 20.00 - €16.50 - free for members Het Bos presents a double bill of both visceral and high-concept musical experiences. Godspeed You! Black Emperor-related project Jerusalem In My Heart combines avant-garde filmmaking and Arabic traditional music in an immersive forward-thinking audiovisual show. Building on her latest album Anticlines for RVNG Intl., Berlin-based Colombian artist Lucrecia Dalt investigates the poetics of geology in a performance blending cutting-edge electronic production with spoken word and singing.

All events are free for

members.

Nooit Meer Naar Huis

Listen! ∞ Le Bureau Électronique

ft. Algorave, lichen adress, lil sneakyvape, Oarman, Kris Catteau aka KNECHTJONG

ft. Tomoko Sauvage, Pak Yan Lau & Giulia Vismara

25 Mar - In De Ruimte, Ghent 20.00 - €7 - free for members until 22.00

27 Mar - Les Brigittines, Brussels 19.00 - €12 - free for members

For this edition, the boys from Nooit Meer Naar Huis are organising a two-day interdisciplinary event at In De Ruimte. Day 1 (free for members) is an introduction of Auditory Catharsis: a platform for in-depth reflections on electronic music and rave culture featuring a melting pot of exhibitions, debates, film, audiovisual art and performance, complemented by an afterparty.

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Le Bureau Électronique teams up with Listen! festival for a night of adventurous sounds in the baroque Brigittines chapel. Using custom-made water bowls, waterproof mics and feedback, Tomoko Sauvage weaves meditative sound tapestries. Eclectic sound explorer Pak Yan Lau will present a brand new site-specific piece using bows and bells. Finally, Giulia Vismara will present one of her pieces exploring the relationship between sound and space.

26 Mar - Bar Broos, Ghent 20.00 - €6 - free for members

Huna presents Cornelius Doctor & Tushen Raï

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Hailing from Limburg, with only one EP and a single out both on cassette and vinyl on Brussels-based record label sentimental, Fornet sets out to reconfigure post-punk into a deeply personal sound, incorporating minimalist rhythms reminiscent of Krautrock. Come experience their show in the comfy space of Bar Broos.

27 Mar - Amigo, Ghent 23.00 - €10 - free for members until 1 AM

CULTUURCENTRUM SCHARPOORD

Gentse DJ collective HUNA and radio collective Tweede Asem join forces to curate a HARD FIST label club night at Amigo. Founded by Cornelius Doctor and Tushen Raï (who will play b2b), HARD FIST is a French collective exploring global party sounds. This crazy night will take you on a cosmic trip around the globe, a journey through dance music of all continents, from the Middle East to Asia through Africa and Europe.

OLTClub: MC Yallah & Debmaster + Bombataz

6 + 7 Mar - Beursschouwburg, Brussels 20.30 - €14 - free for members In Black Privilege, Cape Town born dancer, choreographer and activist Mamela Nyamza asks the question: ‘Is there actually such a thing as black privilege?’ and tells us about the struggle she faces in her own life; as an artist on the one hand, she feels blessed but on the other it seems as if doors remain shut.

WoWmen!: Escape Act

29 Mar - OLTCLUB, Rivierenhof, Antwerp 19.00 - €15 - free for members

7 Mar - Kaaitheater, Brussels 21.00 - €18 - free for members

Kenya-born Uganda-based rapper MC Yallah teams up with French producer Debmaster on their European tour, delivering the intense, infectious blend of intimidatory rap and dark, chaotic beats seen on their latest album, Kubali, that is bound to get the room jumping. rs. embe for m e e r f are ents All ev

Can we perceive bodies without judging gender, race, age or class? Choreographer Alexandra Bachzetsis explores the mechanics of longing together with philosopher, activist and dramatist Paul B. Preciado, using vogue, drag, striptease, YouTube tutorials and ballet. Gender identities are hyper-stereotyped only to be dismantled afterwards.

FOTOFESTIVAL.BE

performance Black Privilege

MARTIN KOHLSTEDT –

FOCUSKNACK

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9 Mar - NTGent, Ghent 20.00 - €24 - free for members Dancer, choreographer and director Faustin Linyekula examines key moments in the history of theatre together with three members of the Congolese National Ballet and actors Papy Maurice Mbwiti and Oscar van Rompay. Histoire(s) du Théâtre II should have premiered last season but had to be postponed due to visa problems. The production is part of a series that was launched by Milo Rau’s lauded La Reprise. Members need to make a reservation for this event. Please mail us at memberships@ subbacultcha.be for more info.

1080/1000 SESSIONS: #2 – Permanent

Woensdag → 20:15

10 Mar - Argos, Brussels 19.00 - €2 - free for members

APRIL

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Histoire(s) du Théâtre II

Cultuur centrum Kerk € 17

� Muziek

As the conception and gentrification of Brussels continues, 1080/1000 Sessions invites

All events are free for members.

Tijdens zijn meest lyrische stukken liet hij de noten dwarrelen als sneeuwvlokken, op andere momenten goochelde hij met spacy geluiden, alsof Erik Satie een alliantie aanging met Tangerine Dream.

artists and activists who are from the 1080 and 1000 districts of Brussels to create a think tank to maintain affordable structures for artists. Think of it as an alternative solidarity network between two different spaces in the most creative side of Brussels.

Moving Ballads 11 Mar - STUK, Leuven 20.30 - €14 - free for members As a way to better understand the relationship between pop music and contemporary dance, Femke Gyselinck got inspired by the Canadian artist Joni Mitchell. Using her lyricism and sounds as a starting point, four performers explore the link between words and movement, creating a special place for imaginative improvisation. The music was composed by Hendrik Lasure, who embodies the rich oeuvre of Joni Mitchell.

On Thin Ice 20 + 21 Mar - Beursschouwburg, Brussels 20.30 - €12 - free for members As a way to challenge his own diasporic experience, Quinsy Gario reads excerpts of Ogutu

Muraya’s intense diary. Painful and fascinating, the DutchCaribbean artist tries to understand better his own experience while reading Muraya’s account of moving from Nairobi to Amsterdam. A mirror of our global modern society where Gario and Muraya explore the shared struggle.

1080/1000 SESSIONS: #3 – Cinemaximiliaan 24 Mar - Argos, Brussels 19.00 - €2 - free for members As a way to create communication between different backgrounds, the 1080/Sessions invites newcomer artists to perform at a platform where film screenings, music, debates, lectures and workshops meet. The expected result should be a melting pot of art, curated by the Brussels scene of tomorrow.

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salt. 27 + 28 Mar - Beursschouwburg, Brussels 20.30 - €14 - free for members salt. is a one-woman show performed by Selina Thompson about the existence of colonial history in the everyday and what happens inside Selina's head every time someone asks, ‘Where are you from?’ Developed during a threemonth trip following the transatlantic slave route, this theatre piece explores the black identity and the remembrance and grief that are inherent in it.

Every Body Electric 31 Mar - STUK, Leuven 20.30 - €16 - free for members Every Body Electric explores every body’s potential to articulate its dynamics and physical joy through the dance medium. It discovers new possibilities when apparatus such as wheelchairs, prostheses and crutches are being discerned as extensions of our bodies instead of obstacles. An explosive power and tender poetry emanate from the way the bodies experience themselves and how they are perceived.

film Cléo de 5 à 7 6 Mar - Cinematek, Brussels 21.00 - €4 - free for members Varda’s 1962 masterpiece Cléo de 5 à 7 brings us two hours of the life of Cléo Victoire, a hypochondriac singer, and her profound fear of death. CINEMATEK will also be screening three other remarkable musicals: Orfeu Negro by Marcel Camus, Lights in the Dusk by Aki Kaurismäki and 20 Centimetros by Ramon Salazar. The screenings will be preceded by a conference about songs in contemporary films at 7 pm.

System Crasher 13 Mar - De Cinema, Antwerp 20.30 - €7 - free for members Benni is a tempestuous nine-yearold caught in a foster care system that doesn’t know how to deal with her in Nora Fingschiedt’s compassionate and courageous study of childhood trauma and the impossible situations often faced by child protection services. Breathtaking performances from its protagonists and a soundtrack lauded with the 2019 European Film Award for Best Composer make this film unmissable.

Srbenka 19 Mar - KASKcinema, Ghent 20.30 - €5 - free for members SRBENKA examines how the generation born after the Yugoslavian wars copes with the dark shadows of history. Because of the wars, the word ‘Serb’ is still a synonym of ‘enemy’ and many thousands of children of Serbian origin hide their nationality, afraid of the reaction of their Croatian peers. This documentary tells their story through the eyes of 12-year-old Nina.

expo Textile As Resistance 21 Mar-19 April - Extra City (MoMu), Antwerp For this exposition, journalist Bendadi and photographer Mohadjerin created a series of stories and images of clothing and textiles by focusing on the lives of Belgian immigrants and their fight for their family, leading to different parts of the world and transcending religious, cultural and national borders.

music

MC Yallah Digging for music can be hard sometimes. Drowning in the drab of copycat music, gradually losing hope that you’ll find a gem. Eyes are itchy, you’re about to call it a day. But all of a sudden you stutter, you wonder if the bluelight has gotten to your brain. There, right in front of you, a pearl shining amongst the trash: you’ve found Nyege Nyege Tapes. Since its inception in 2013, the label and collective has been recognised as the mouthpiece of the African underground. Their catalogue ranges from more traditional African music rehabilitated through cheap software and secondhand drum machines, to genre-shredding tracks stirred-up in the bedroom of some African kid. This is the environment MC Yallah & Debmaster fit into. Yallah was a local hip-hop legend in Kampala, Uganda, before doing a 180 and working with Nyege Nyege. Her tracks, produced by Frenchman Debmaster, are heavy-hitting pieces, leaving you beaten up, gasping for breath. We talked with MC Yallah over a crackling WhatsApp call, discussing her inspirations, Nyege Nyege and the scene in Africa.

Interview by Wannes Dewit Photos by Obi Blanche assisted by Giulia Acquati, shot in Berlin

Yallah, you’d been MC-ing for quite some time before working with Nyege Nyege. How did you get in touch? I met Derek, one of the founders of Nyege Nyege, in 2014. We were working together for a TV show where I used to rap the news. Derek and his friend Arlen came up with the concept of Nyege Nyege Tapes in 2015 and they wanted to work with me as an MC. Working with Derek, Arlen and the other artists on Nyege Nyege was very interesting for me, because I come from a more conventional hip-hop background. Nyege Nyege has really changed my style in that way, because they gave me the opportunity to work with different producers from all over the world. Where do you get inspiration for your lyrics? Well, I get inspiration from a lot of different things. First of all, I do conscious rap music, so I get inspired by life, people I meet, female empowerment, calling for peace… In South Africa there is a lot of xenophobia, people from other countries were killed there last year. My music can be a call for peace, to love rather than fight one another, against bloodshed. I don’t want to rap about politics too much, though. I also rap about myself, praising myself. The hip-hop attitude, you know.

How has Nyege Nyege impacted the scene in Uganda and Eastern Africa? One of the most important things they did was discover all the talent that people had ignored before, in Uganda and beyond. The talents that they discovered are really unique, voices that weren’t heard before. If it wasn’t for Nyege Nyege some of us wouldn’t be known at this level. I’m very grateful for the exposure I got through them and for the opportunities to meet a lot of interesting people. What do you appreciate most in a crowd? I appreciate it when I feel a connection with the people. I appreciate it when they put in some effort for this, when they’re loving me. This also gives me more energy to give back. That is actually one thing that I’ve seen more in Europe than in Africa. Europeans love and support their artists. This is also the case in Africa, but a lot of people are still lagging behind in understanding the kind of music that I’m doing: electronic hip hop. They don’t really understand it. The number one reason for this is that this kind of music is still very new in Africa. In time they’ll get to understand it and I know that they’ll love it.

I’ve read that you rarely listen to music other than your own. It’s true that I don’t listen to other people’s music that much, but for the most part that’s because I’m always busy with other things. But I do believe that I have a different style, a different kind of flow that is unique to me; I want to harness this. When you listen to music by other people you end up getting lazy as an artist and you find yourself emulating their flow, their style. You lose your own identity. I see that a lot in Uganda, where I live. All the people on the scene sound like Nicki Minaj or some other artist. Do you look up to any MCs? Actually, I got interested in rap when I was about seven to ten years old. I used to listen to The Fugees, Jay Z, Nas, Tupac Shakur, Biggie, Lauryn Hill… They inspired me and I respect them. They made me fall in love with rap, they are the reason why I do this. But right now I don’t have inspirations, the inspiration that I have is MC Yallah, it is me, myself. What artists do our readers have to check out? Two DJs on Nyege Nyege that I really like are Hibotep and Catu Diosis. People also need to watch out for Ecko Bazz and Swordman Kitala, they’re dope.

MC Yallah & Debmaster 29 Mar - OLTCLUB, Rivierenhof, Antwerp Free for members

music

Fornet With rising attention, sprawling performance invitations from across the country and a new album about to be released, Fornet is embarking on a memorable journey that will not leave its members unchanged. Each of these individuals act as the building pieces (voice, rhythm, melodyâ&#x20AC;Ś) of the larger body that is Fornet. Each of these boys have become their own luggage, and by collaborating and joining together as a whole they will thrive on their journey. As you listen to their music you can in turn make their work a part of your own luggage as well.

ne i onli Panell n e i r Had iew by interv e h t d Rea

Photos by Naser Kianersi & ZoĂŤ Boogaerts, shot in Leuven

Fornet 26 Mar - Bar Broos, Ghent Free for members

music

Merely Stockholm-based Merely has been described as a dream-pop artist, but in our eyes her music is best left for the listener to form their own opinion. A lover of solitude, spirituality and self-discovery, Merelyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s works are meant to create space around the chaotic nature of daily life. Merely, real name Kristina Florall, is the antidote to dark, drugged-out nightclubs, and is here to spread life, love and unity. Practicing music from the age of seven, her compositions are based on immense talent. Breaking free as a contemporary artist, she prefers her work to be fairly unstructured. This doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean it lacks purpose; in fact, her main intention is quite the opposite. Merely is here to bring us back to our roots and remind us that all we really have is each other.

Interview by Jacob McPherson Photos by Fredrik Andersson Andersson, shot in Stockholm

Have any trips abroad impacted you? M: I performed at SXSW last year and found it to be confronting. I prefer to spend time alone, and I was around a lot of people the whole time I was there. However, sometimes discomfort is a great way to be inspired. When I’m in that place, I can take my feelings and express myself through music – which is what I did. Which travels have inspired your current music? M: I recently went to the north of Sweden where I grew up and spent time at my family’s cottage. I was there in December to spend a week by myself and discover new music in complete solitude. This inspired the music I’m working on now, and it was a great experience for me finding deeper connections. Any favourite travel moments / experiences? M: Recently I did a show I was planning for a while, in November last year at the Stockholm Kulturhuset. I performed with a friend who plays the guitar, and it was in a theatre which created a special atmosphere for me. I could feel the audience was really quiet and attentive, which is in contrast to doing a show in a club-oriented venue where people are more into

partying. The silent and calming energy helped me feel a deep connection with the crowd. Are there other journeys you’d like to discuss? M: When preparing for this interview, and thinking of the theme, I thought of spiritual journeys (rather than physical trips). I experienced this sort of transition last year when working around acceptance. This mostly has to do with me having no expectations around how my music is received after it’s released. I’ve been on this path for a while, and it’s helpful to know there’s people who like what I do and feel strongly (positive) about it. I always struggle with whether or not to continue, especially at my level. More specifically, regarding how to turn what I’m doing into a financially stable career. I’m also confronted with getting older as a woman, which isn’t exactly well supported in music. Finding acceptance around what I’m doing has helped a lot. What’s your spiritual practice around acceptance? M: For me, believing is a big part of my spiritual journey. I need to believe in something bigger than myself. What I mean is that hyper-individualism seems to

be the norm right now, and I try not to conform to that ideal. This approach comes across (to me) as a bit self-indulgent. Of course, everyone has an individual responsibility to life, including how to create an equal society, but I think that’s different. In response to this mindset, I’d rather put my faith into something ‘larger than myself’, creating fewer individual expectations. In doing so, I’ve been able to understand that no matter what, I need to be proud of what I do, as it wasn’t completely up to me. As a result, I’ve been able to be more loving through my work. Remembering to breathe is also important. It’ll all work out. Has this process helped you find balance? M: One thing I’ve been surprised about in the music industry is how it’s not as progressive as I would’ve thought, especially around topics like sustainability. However, I’ve been able to find friends who make music in a more open-minded way towards a balanced life – both emotionally and practical. In that sense, I believe it has as I’ve been attracting a different energy. The best thing to do is change and find new forms of expression, which I believe I’m doing.

Do you channel what you’re doing in your music? M: I hope what I’m doing inspires people to feel a positive influence and become more open through my work. I always bring spirituality into what I’m creating but try not to be too literal about it. This sentiment is similar to what I said earlier about being indirectly influenced. However, what I’m recording now is even more connected to the path I’m on. When it’s done, I hope people clearly feel the spiritual essence of my practice. What’s most important for me is that my music allows people to believe in themselves while letting go of individual independence. Let’s reconnect with nature and take a bigger interest in the communities around us.

Merely PILAR ASAP: Slagwerk presents Rezzett & Varg2™ 5 Mar - Pilar, Brussels Free for members

Pleasure Island artist

Since 31 July 2019 musicians, artists and graphic designers have joined forces in an old butcherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shop located in Ostend. Together they bring their wildest fantasies and ideas to life. According to Victor Van Wassenhove, initiator and founding member of Pleasure Island, everything you can imagine is possible in this place.

Interview by Herlinde Raeman, text by CĂŠline Van de Rostyne Photos by Tiny Geeroms, shot in Ostend

What is Pleasure Island about? : Next to concerts, performances and exhibitions, you can even swing by for yoga practices with a serious twist. We are a group of people from Ostend, Jabbeke, Grammene, Antwerp, Frankfurt-Am-Main, Sint-Joost ten Node, Elsene and Wondelgem. We support each other’s ideas and concepts for this mutual project and achieve them better and faster by working together. You were born and raised in Ghent. What made you leave your hometown? : Gentrification has hit Ghent so there was no more fertile soil left for me. I missed some roughness and found it in Ostend. I revived. I could even stretch my arms without bumping into anything [Laughs]. Pleasure Island is located between the belle epoque district and the less privileged area of Westerkwartier. This contrast is very interesting. It suited me because I wanted to create a place where different people could work and come together. Of course, it’s also cheaper for artists to live here. What’s the origin of the name? : I was immediately triggered by the name when I heard it while watching a 30-hour course on Pinocchio by Jordan Peterson, titled ‘Maps

Arts Ghent (now LUCA School of arts). During our studies we were given the opportunity by others to use their venues, allowing us to let our creativity flow. We wanted to return the favour by inviting a number of master’s students and master’s promoters for a short residency. The outcome will be exhibited on 6 and 7 March. On 4 April we’re transforming Pleasure Island to create a placebo sauna experience. Under the name New Rituals, four artists will take you through five chapters representing the five Chinese elements: Earth, Water, Metal, Wood and Fire, ranging from sculptures to ASMR experiences. Where do you hope Pleasure Island will take you? : We’re hoping it will take us to a better world, where the shore does not have to be flattened by bulldozers to keep it ‘beautiful and soft’ for tourism. of Meaning’. Pleasure Island is a mythical land where bread grows on trees, fish jump out of the river into your mouth and white wine flows from the taps. Pleasure Island is a place where anything can happen. The world is one’s oyster. What’s next? : Most of our members studied at Sint-Lucas Visual

Voor Rachel – Kiki Abels, Eline Adriaensen, Nico Couwels, Roel Kerkhofs, Zoé Lejour, Jelle Martens, Ingrid Raymaekers & Pauline Vandersypt 6 - 7 Mar

New Rituals – Egon Van Herreweghe, Marthe Coolens, Thomas Min & Sophie Whetton 4 - 19 Apr pleasure-island.org

Typeface by Leroy Meyer.

Anything can happen on Pleasure Island

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Yoel Pytowski: One-Way Street Until 28 Mar - Espace Moss, Brussels espacemoss.com

In the heart of the Marolles neighbourhood in Brussels, an architectural intervention by Yoel Pytowski at Espace Moss revisits urban life and reflects upon what architecture can teach us about the spirit of a space and the passage of time. Somewhat fluid, yet ambiguous, the space’s porous perspective offers a doubt, a question: ‘Where am I now? What is it now? What can it become?’ The different stages of construction, deconstruction and reconstruction overlap, mirroring the ever-changing characteristics of a city street and the dynamic human interactions that inhabit it. Confined at the back between two arches, hairstylist Moussa Cheniguel operates as a street artisan where the visitor is offered 40 minutes to see the exhibition while they get a haircut. Streaming live, the experiment makes Pytowski’s in situ art installation public at all times, and features performances and street food each first Saturday of the month.

Jumbo by Zoé Wittock

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HANDELSBEURS DE CENTRALE CHARLATAN DE CENTRALE CHARLATAN

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by Isabel Elwood

Jumbo explores the raw reality of a love story, built in secret and intimidated by intolerance, as its heroine falls in love with a rollercoaster ride. A sensual, nocturnal, coming-of-age ballade humming magical realism, the idea came to Wittock as she read about a young woman who married the Eiffel Tower. Moved by the unexpected humanity behind the story, the Belgian director crafted the romantic dance between the movie’s loner character Jeanne, portrayed by Noémie Merlant, and Jumbo. Both film d’auteur and fantastic cinema, the movie is foremost about a mother-daughter relationship having to face an uncommon coming out. Jumbo premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and will be released in Belgium on 18 March.

film IN PERSON TRIBUTE: JEFF LIEBERMAN

Offscreen Film Festival 2020 4-22 Mar - Brussels offscreen.be

The 13th edition of the Offscreen Film Festival, the annual celebration of cinema at its most exotic, outrageous and audacious, takes place in Brussels from 4 to 22 March. This year the festival is thrilled to welcome Jeff Lieberman, who deserves to be cited alongside the likes of George A. Romero, Wes Craven and Tobe Hooper as one of the filmmakers who, amid the extraordinary flourishing of American horror in the ’70s, mastered the art of underpinning low-budget genre shocks and scares with subversive narrative and sociopolitical subtext. Born in Brooklyn, Lieberman attended New York City’s School of Visual Arts before making his writing-directing debut with Squirm (1976), in which earthworms run amok with results both repulsive and hilarious. Just Before Dawn (1981) reworks elements from Deliverance into one of the classiest slasher movies of the ’80s, while in Remote Control (1988), aliens conspire to conquer the Earth via VHS rental tapes. Above all, there is Blue Sunshine (1977) in which, ten years after taking a rogue strain of LSD, Californians lose their hair and turn into homicidal maniacs. Lieberman’s masterpiece skewers the legacy of the ’60s, takes a poke at ’70s politics, and was among the first horror films to locate violent set pieces in two of the decade’s most emblematic locations: the shopping mall and the disco. As Offscreen’s Guest of Honour, the filmmaker will be present to introduce his films, so get a taste of Lieberman-style horror at this year’s festival.

by Dirk v an Exte rgem

we visit you

n y l l a W Lisa

Age 28 Zodiac sign Leo Website www.subbacultcha.be Instagram @lswllyn Subbacultcha member since November 2014

Tell us, what do you do in life?

I’ve coordinated all membership-related things at Subbacultcha for the past few years. Now I’m moving on to get a taste of the digital agency life. Wish me luck!

What do you like best about your place?

At the moment it’s still kind of empty because I only just moved in a couple of months ago, so right now my favourit e thing is that it’s actually 100% mine. No landlords. No roommate s.

What kind of music are you listening to at the moment? Part Time and John Maus, always and forever. But I also find myself going back to Good Morning a lot.

What’s the first record you bought? I think it was Songs About Jane by Maroon 5. Say what you want about them now, but good Lord do you remember the hype around ‘This Love’?

What’s your favourite pastime?

I throw a barbell around almost every day at my local CrossFit box. If I’m not doing that I’m probably reading or starting another playlist that I’ll never finish.

Any guilty pleasures?

Wasting (too many) hours reading YA novels.

What great adventures are awaiting you in your post-Subbacultcha era? Reading ‘post-Subbacultcha era’ makes me feel kind of blue… next question!

Have you experienced any regrets recently?

I don’t think you should dwell on regrets.

Which future Subbacultcha show are you looking forward to?

I’m going to plug Different Class already. I’m sure the lineup will be great as usual. Shout out to Kasper-Jan and Herlinde for always going the extra mile to make the festival happen year after year!

Bon voyage, Lisa <3 !

Photo by Bibi Euse shot in Ghent

FRONT COVER Merely shot by Fredrik Andersson Andersson EDITORS IN CHIEF Herlinde Raeman & Kasper-Jan Raeman MAGAZINE EDITORS Julien Van de Casteele & Isaline Raes COMMUNITY MANAGER Mats Van Eccelpoel COPY EDITOR Megan Roberts ONLINE EDITOR Milena Maenhaut DESIGN Chloé D’hauwe ADVERTISING & PARTNERSHIPS kasper-jan@subbacultcha.be PRINTER Drukkerij GEWADRUPO, Arendonk, Belgium CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Gabriela González, Isaline Raes, Julien Van de Casteele, Maarten Audenaert, Jacob McPherson, Anaïs Violet Van Eldere, Simon Baetens, Hannes Rooms, Isabel Elwood, Wannes Dewit, Anna Lancry, Matias Calderon, Daniel Zimmer, Hadrien Panelli, Dirk van Extergem & Celine Van de Rostyne

PARTNERS Fotoshop Gent, Artists United, GEWADRUPO, Het Depot, Super Fourchette, GoWithTheFlow, JauneOrange, Slagwerk, Pilar, PopKatari, Magasin 4, Unrhythmic, Club Capital, Ancienne Belgique, Riot, Democrazy, Salon, Sweaty Palms, Onderstroom, Botanique, Volta, Overlast, De Studio, Les Flâneurs, Le Brass, Het Bos, Nooit Meer Naar Huis, Bar Broos, Listen!, Huna, OLT Rivierenhof, Beursschouwburg, Kaaitheater, NTGent, Argos, STUK, Cinematek, De Cinema, KASKcinema, Extra City, MoMu, Be-Part, deSingel, M Museum, CC Mechelen, KVS, O'Brother Film Distribution, The Searchers, Offscreen Festival, 013 Tilburg, HISK, CC Knokke-Heist, Arenberg & Paypro Services

8 NIGHTS LIMITED SEATS TENT ON STAGE

A heartfelt thank you to all our distributors, interns & volunteers. OFFICE Subbacultcha Belgium, Dendermondsesteenweg 80A, 9000 Ghent, Belgium EDITORIAL magazine@subbacultcha.be MEMBERSHIPS memberships@subbacultcha.be

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Fredrik Andersson Andersson, Tiny Geeroms, Miguel Soll, Obi Blanche assisted by Isotta Giulia Acquati, Bibi Euse & Naser Kianersi CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS Pleasure Island

At the heart of Subbacultcha you’ll find our membership. Members get access to the best concerts and events for just €9 a month. With our community we’re supporting emerging music and art in Belgium and beyond. Subbacultcha.be

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JUMBO A film by zoĂŠ

wittock

18/03/2020