NOCTIS.COM BELGIAN NIGHT WIRE NEWS

fresh news:
If there's some news, it's immediately published.
If there's nothing to say, the last written remain.

15th April 2003: Felix is not coming in Brussels
According to a mail of his agencies in Belgium and UK, Felix Da Housecat won't come next week-end (19 April) at Halles of Schaerbeek in Brussels for Beats & Peace. The problem appears to be administrative related. As far as we can verify, the agencies claim since four weeks that he won't come ... weird situation since the management kept on promoting his name (and they still do at this very moment). All other artists of this event on 19 April are confirmed anyway: Llorca, Stacey Pullen, Edmundo Carneiro, etc...
http://www.jazztronaut.be/

14th April 2003: first names for 10 Days Off in Gent
Dillinja & Lemon D, Marky & XRS, Richie Hawtin, Derrick May, Metro Area, Jack De Marseille, Tiefschwartz, Hakan Libdo, Steve Bug, Radioactive Man. More to confirm soon. [thanks Protesta@FWF] This year the 10 Days Off will take place from 18 to 28 July in Vooruit hall for the Gentsefeesten, and also from 16 to 20 July in Melkweg Amsterdam. Presales are available since 15 April in all Fnac. www.10daysoff.be

13 April 2003: 6:00 in the morning? Go to party!!
It seems the limitation-law has been refused by the Senate. I'll get more precise news soon, because many different opinions come to me. Some say it has been totally refused, some others say it has only been delayed till the next government. Anyhow, since the originators of that suggested law are from the Ecolo party, we now know that the supposed "supporters of the youth" they always pretended to be actually are dangerous conservative politicians. They closed MadeInBrussels, grew an artificial pressure on many night venues in Belgium, and now they tried to limit our nights! What is that new game they play since two years??
Why am I that angry? Because I personnally voted for them sometimes in the past ... and that law they tried to validate deeply changes my mind about them and their goals.
With faith and passion in the night...
[Nicolas Noctis]

30th March 2003: 6:00 in the morning? Go to bed!!
                   Once again Ecolo & VLD attack our freedom to party!

Sample of the Senate discussions, 5 december 2002 :
Vraag om uitleg van de heer Michel Guilbert aan de minister van Binnenlandse Zaken en aan de minister van Overheidsbedrijven [...] over «de problematiek van de megadancings» Demande d'explications de M. Michel Guilbert au ministre de l'Intérieur et au ministre des Entreprises [...] sur «la problématique des mégadancings»

Réponse / Antwoord:
Rik Daems [minister van Telecommunicatie en Overheidsbedrijven, VLD]:
"[...] Ik ben bereid een wijziging van de wet van 1973 te overwegen om op het hele grondgebied eenzelfde sluitingsuur in te voeren. Ik stel evenwel vast dat sommigen zich in een geest van opbod tussen de megadancings op een onverantwoorde manier gedragen en de onveiligheid in de hand werken, hoewel ze tegelijkertijd aandringen op meer veiligheid. Het verwondert me dat de federale regering wordt gevraagd een probleem op te lossen dat op basis van de bestaande wetgeving al kon zijn opgelost. Ik wil mijn verantwoordelijkheid geenszins uit de weg gaan. De wet staat me niet toe in te grijpen, maar ik heb met de heer D'hondt afgesproken dat we de toestand ter plaatse zullen opnemen en een verslag zullen opstellen.
U zegt dat het sluitingsuur in Frankrijk vijf uur 's morgens is. Het uur is niet zozeer van belang, maar het moet in elk geval overal hetzelfde zijn. Ik zal de toestand ter plaatse bestuderen en me daarbij baseren op de statistieken die ter zake bestaan. Anderzijds zal ik informeren naar de plannen van de besturen van de betrokken gemeenten. Ik zal ze overigens op hun verantwoordelijkheid wijzen.
In overleg met de buurlanden, namelijk Frankrijk, Nederland en Duitsland zullen we proberen de wet te wijzigen als dat het enige middel is om dit ernstige probleem op te lossen."
De heer Michel Guilbert [Ecolo]:
"[...] Dit probleem moet dringend worden opgelost."
Source: www.poldoc.be		 Rik Daems [ministre des Communications et des Entreprises, VLD]:
"[...] Je suis prêt à envisager une modification de la loi de 1973 pour instaurer une heure de fermeture identique sur tout le territoire, mais je constate cependant un manque de responsabilité dans le chef de certains qui, dans un esprit de compétition entre les mégadancings, contribuent à l'insécurité alors qu'ils réclament, par ailleurs, un renforcement de la sécurité. Je suis étonné que l'on demande au fédéral de prendre des mesures afin de régler un problème qui aurait déjà pu être résolu sur la base d'une loi existante. Cela dit, je ne veux pas échapper à ma responsabilité. La loi ne me permet pas d'intervenir, mais je me suis accordé avec M. D'hondt afin d'organiser une visite in situ et de rédiger ensuite un rapport tout à fait concret sur la situation actuelle. Vous dites qu'en France, l'heure de fermeture est fixée à 5 heures du matin. Peu importe l'heure qui sera éventuellement retenue, mais il faut en tout cas qu'elle soit identique partout. Je compte donc, d'une part, vérifier la situation in situ, en m'appuyant sur les statistiques existantes, et, d'autre part, m'informer des intentions des responsables des communes confrontées à ce problème. Je les mettrai d'ailleurs face à leurs responsabilités.
En harmonie avec les pays limitrophes, à savoir la France, les Pays-Bas et l'Allemagne, nous essaierons de modifier la loi, s'il s'agit du seul moyen dont nous disposons pour régler ce problème qui est réel et grave".
M. Michel Guilbert [Ecolo]:
"[...] Le problème est grave et réclame une solution urgente. Je me réjouis en tout cas de votre prochaine visite sur place, monsieur le ministre."
Source: www.poldoc.be

The problem with this? It was several months ago... Since then the minister Duquesne clearly stated that it was not under his responsability to limit the horeca status. But Rik Daems made it, and now they voted it at the Chamber of representatives! They still have to vote it at the Senate, but WE HAVE TO STOP THEM BEFORE! Make a move, and save that small freedom to party. USA bombs Irak? Does that mean we have to accept everything until Bush wins?? Does that mean that our usual freedoms have to be shorten that way, just because we have to be happy not to be bombed?? Oh no... that's not the way it works, Mr Gilbert and Daems. 6am is not the problem... but the problem is that a party has a spontaneous end... they can't decide of that. They say it's to stop the Afterclubs... and they really think it will stop the troubles related to some violent people coming around? Anyhow that decision is constitutionally illegal but you have to say it around unless they'll vote it anyway. How? Keep on coming here, we'll provide you some links very soon.

28th March 2003: Administrative controls at Cube and Circus
During the night of Friday to Saturday, the police forces of Charleroi accompanied by some other services invested two clubs in the Charleroi area: the Cube and the Circus. A hundred of their men were spread in and around the danceclubs. Several infringements to the 'Tobback'  law  have been officially reported. The controls mostly pointed at the way the clubs security and contracts were managed.

13 of March 2003: New Social status for Belgian artists
Het Nieuwe Sociaal Statuut voor kunstenaars
Op 1 juli 2003 komt er eindelijk, na ruim 30 jaar rechtsonzekerheid, een volwaardig sociaal statuut voor de kunstenaars. De federale regering heeft een statuut goedgekeurd dat precies is afgestemd op de specificiteit van het kunstenaarsberoep en dat ook rekening houdt met de verschillen binnen de artistieke wereld. In Vlaanderen werden vijf infoavonden georganiseerd. De Brusselse kunstenaars voelen zich in deze ook erg betrokken partij. Daarom nodigt Robert Delathouwer, Collegevoorzitter van de Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie, alle kunstenaars uit op een informatiematinee over het nieuwe statuut voor kunstenaars. Deze zal doorgaan op woensdag 19 maart e.k. om 15.00u in het Kaaitheater, Sainctelettesquare 20, te 1000 Brussel. Minister Frank Vandenbroucke, minister van Sociale Zaken en Pensioenen, zal er de grote lijnen van het kunstenaarsstatuut toelichten. Het spreekt voor zich dat dit veel vragen oproept. Een panel van deskundigen zal graag bereid zijn om op al uw vragen een antwoord te geven.
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Nouveau Statut Social pour les artistes
Après 30 ans d’insécurité juridique, un vrai statut social des artistes entrera en vigueur le 1er juillet 2003.
Le Gouvernement fédéral vient d’approuver un statut qui tient compte des spécificités du métier d’artiste ainsi que des différences dans le monde artistique. Cinq soirées d’info ont déjà été organisées en Flandre. Les artistes Bruxellois se sentent également très concernés en la matière. C’est pourquoi, Robert Delathouwer, Président du Collège de la Commission communautaire flamande, invite les artistes à une matinée d’info avec pour thème le nouveau statut des artistes. Cette réunion d’info aura lieu le mercredi 19 mars prochain à 15h au Kaaitheater, square Sainctelette 20, à 1000 Bruxelles. Frank Vandenbroucke, Ministre des Affaires sociales et des pensions, exposera les grandes lignes du statut des artistes. Il va de soi que cette nouveauté soulève beaucoup de questions. Vous aurez l’occasion de poser toutes vos questions auxquelles répondront un panel d’experts.
[Thanks to Geert Cochez and Marc Jacobs for this topic]

5th of March 2003:
Techno Nation moved location by pressure of the Mayor of Zaventem, so they go to Groenendael Hippodrome where youth and music are far more welcome. All Line-Up remains as it was, with DJ Rush, Marco Bailey, Steve Rachmad (Nl), Claude Young (Detroit), Terrence Fixmer, Marco Remus, Zzino, Redhead, Deetron, Tom Hades, Tomaz, TC Brain, David Pereira. Hippodrome of Groenendael stands on the Brussels ring, between Uccle/Ukkel and Waterloo.

5th of March 2003: Alka at Adrienne!
Alka Selzer was a party concept back in the 80's. It has re-emerged timidly since last year. Every first friday of the month at the Bodega. Since a few weeks, the Alka has moved in the Adrienne restaurant. This restaurant has been closed for years now due to the controversial Heron City project in spite of the will of the Toison d'Or neighbourhood. Great opportunity for the Alka to seize as this won't last long : the building will definitely be destroyed within 6 months. I'm deeply advising you to go there as soon as possible as the audience isn't completely jet set yet (remember we are in the Toison D'or/Guldenvlies). The music is quite commercial (kind of Jeux d'Hiver) but very acceptable (great dj, I don't know his name, the one who rides motorbikes and has excellent mixing skills).
It's the place to be but not for very long so pick up your boogie shoes and get your ass in there ;-).
Alka Selzer, every thursday, friday and saturday at Adrienne (Toison d'Or area, 1A rue Capitaine Crespel - 1050 Brussels). Entrance: 2,5 Eur. Opens for a few months only.
[by Nicolas Marcus]

3rd of March 2003:  no House-Torhout & Leaf 2003???
Indeed, Sandra from Kozzmozz recently announced in the Limburgse press that there would be no House-Torhout Festival this year because of too much competition. Well, it's true that I Love Techno *open air version* will take place in Lommel on 19th of July, and that's to count with all the other electronic Festivals such as Dance Valley (Amsterdam, 1st saturday of August), Alive (St Vith, August too), probably Leaf (Liège), and of course all the bigger festival that have many electronic artists in their line-up, such as Dour, Werchter, Beach Rock, Pukkelpop, etc etc But is it deeply the only reason to drop down that festival? Shouldn't they try a smaller version some years, with local deejays and refined artists? Or a more specialized different style every year? That way could save one of the greatest festival concepts in our country. Well... it's just an idea. I myself hope that they'll will do it anyway.
[thanks Nightboy for the source... hbvl.be]
More: Gery just informed me that there would be no Leaf festival this year since the debt for 2002 was really huge... so, it means two electronic festivals less in the picture!

2nd March 2003: Dali's open again!
As you now all know, there was a burnout at Dali's... and it destroyed everything on the groundfloor, including furnitures (chairs, artworks, bar, ...) and a whole record box of one of the resident deejays. It happened in the day, so there has been no physical victims, but the damage was huge. Now good news: Dali's is back since this week-end with his basement floor. So, now if you go to the 35 Petite rue des Bouchers (1000 Brussels), you'll have fun AND it helps them to recover their rank as soon as possible. Go go go Steph X!

2nd March 2003: 4 Days: 30th edition of Rock Werchter
Yeah, it's rock with Metallica R.E.M., Queens of the Stone Age or Radiohead, but there will be Bjork, Underworld, Massive Attack, Moby, Coldplay, Timo Maas the friday, het Noorse Röyksopp and also David Gahan from Depeche Mode the Saturday, and the Dutch-Brazilian Zuco 103 on Sunday. Camping will be allowed from thursday afternoon. Lots of Police controls are already to expect on the local roads during these four days.

25th February 2003: Noctis new version is coming soon!
It's years that I promised it to you, but I never found the budget or the time to set it up... now it's about to come! Four webwizards are hardly working with me on that completely new version since 5 months now. I really hope you'll like it. There was too many black color and it was too dark? Ok, there will be lots of colors. There was not enough ways to participate? Ok, you'll be free to add your news. That was not easy to browse? We fixed that with a new surf comfort. But the spirit and the passion remain the same. I'll keep it updated as I always did, but many users will update it too... and that's the plus. A date of publishing? The spring! I don't know yet if it will be exactly the 21st of March, but then a few days after. So, that's the word to spread: it's coming!

10 February 2003: Nachtburgemeester in Amsterdam
This is what happens when the city councils don't care enough about nightlife: there's the first election of the Night Mayor of Amsterdam! Now will there be some candidates for Gent, Antwerp, Brussels or Liège? Guess the score! Now comes the night politics... where respect, freedom and fun have something to do with votes.
Verkiezing Nachtburgemeester - Amsterdam
Op woensdag 19 februari 2003, wordt in Paradiso de Nachtburgemeester van Amsterdam gekozen. De verkiezing is een initiatief van GroenLinks Amsterdam-Centrum om het nachtleven van Amsterdam een nieuwe impuls te geven.
Dreigt Amsterdam zijn positie als internationaal uitgaanscentrum te verliezen nu er steeds meer aandacht is voor handhaving en controle? Handhaving en controle blijven belangrijk, maar het zijn middelen die een prettig en veilig uitgaansleven mogelijk maken en geen doelen op zich.  De Nachtburgemeester moet een brug slaan tussen de verschillende cultuuruitingen in de Amsterdamse Binnenstad en is de schakel tussen al die groepen en mensen die bezighouden met cultuur. De Nachtburgemeester wordt een stem voor al die inspirerende initiatieven die het centrum van Amsterdam een bruisend en cultureel hart geven. Iemand die Amsterdam wederom op de kaart kan zetten als internationaal uitgaanscentrum waar ‘het’ gebeurt. Wilt u meer weten over de kandidaten of wilt u uw stem uitbrengen via de Nachtburgemeester poll? Ga dan naar: www.nachtburgemeestervanamsterdam.nl

6 February 2003: Dali's goes to Pablo: Reggae night
Once every 15 days on Thursday, Nyabinghi Reggae Soundsystem organises a party at Dali's bar since moreless 6 months ... and it does really good! Public follows them so well that they also recently did a free reggae party at Tavernier... full again. Now the next Thursday was planned at Dali's ... but Dali's is just cleaning the place out of all the burned stuff... so... where? Well, Brussels night solidarity is working quickly... and the party will run at Pablo Discobar for just one night. So, this Thursday 6 February, Nyabinghi Soundsystem ina tribute to Dali's bar at Pablo Discobar... also celebrating Anthony before he leaves to China for a month!
Check it out at 50 rue du Marché aux Charbons - 1000 Brussels
www.dalisbar.com and info@dalisbar.com

6 February 2003: Party organisers: more taxes to pay
All the reasons stand on their website, and they claim about the rights for artists. Large discussion, ok. But globally it makes party organisers pay more. www.requit.be
From 50 Euros for a small event without party and no bar, to 350 Euros for a 50m² dance-bar opened only 1 night a week ... even to 11.500 Euros for a 1000m2 place where to dance and drink every night.
What to pay? For Dutch: tarieven-nl.htm and for French: tarifs-fr.htm For all other info, check their website.
One of the only ways to avoid that tax is to organise events in a place that already payed for the entire year, or also to play only live created and music that is free of rights.

5 February 2003: 2003 - Gent is online
The new website for City Parade 2003 is already online. The biggest Belgian free event is coming back! Caution: flash plugin enabled only. www.cityparade.be - The parade will overwhelm the city of Gent on Saturday 21 June 2003. List of floats (trucks) is still opened, but go fast if you intent to take one... the limit is 30 trucks. Be sure we'll relay all needed information about City Parade here in the news and the agenda of Noctis.com. 150.000 people is something not to miss.
The pictures of 2001 and 2002 editions are available here and here and the realvideo for 2001 stands here

5 February 2003: partly burned out !
The floor level of the Dali's bar accidentally burned out around 11am this wednesday morning. The basement and the up floors are safe, but all the great wood Dali's influenced decoration room (actually the main bar room) has been really crushed by the fire. BUT it's only a matter of a couple of days before it reopens in the other rooms... the Dali's is not closing the doors for more than a small week! The first statements showed an electric shortcut that *could* be the starter of the burnout... but nothing has yet been officially declared about it. 35 Petite rue des Bouchers - 1000 Brussels ... and keep yourselves updated on www.dalisbar.com

11 January 2003: Hot: new resident at Fuse: Psychogene
After the forced closure of MadeInBrussels club four months ago, some were searching for new opportunities to meet the music of deejay Psychogene. Indeed, the MadeInBrussels parties are rare since then... but now there's something crunchy for you mates: Psychogene becomes one of the official residents at Fuse club on saturdays. All starts this month with the special Fuse/MadeInBrussels night (check Noctis Agenda), but the former founder of Neuroleptic and of the band Sharpside will remain resident on that dancefloor for the coming weeks, besides Pierre, Deg, T-Quest and the other residents. No doubt it's a good choice legitimated by 10 years of passion for the Techno scene. Go go go!

10 January 2003: Who's been out for New Year?
This has probably been the biggest surprise of this New Years Eve 2002-3: it has been extremely quiet! Even if some friends were globally saying that they were planning to stay at home with their close friends or family, most of the party organisers were well confident about the score they could do on that special night and most of the night scene remained insured of their coming success. But the score has not been that big, and we've all been forced to state that many usual party people ACTUALLY stayed at home on 31st of December. Does that mean that people ar not clubbing anymore? Nooooooo... it is simply evident that people are not searching for fake or 'forced' parties anymore.
1) They want real fun, and many of them just came out the next week-end at Café d'Anvers (it was full on 4th of January) or in their own local club. So, all this means that these times are good for local deejays and passionated people, since the public is asking for quality and honesty.
2) the Belgian Police announced a big control campain on the roads, then many people choose to get stoned at home or in private locations. So, was the Police the only people on the roads that night? Let's bet they mostly controlled themselves.
Final statement: if some new-years-eve parties announced a good amount of people (at Groenendael Hippodrom, at De Nacht, Pop Life, etc...), most of the clubs had a 'normal night' with a very quiet public.

30 December 2002: Night Bus for New Year! (some are free)
DeLijn Vlaanderen - TEC Wallonie - STIB Brussels
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Speciale De Lijn nachtbussen tussen 21 u. en 7 u. Ticket: 2,5 euro. Abonnementen rijden gratis.
Dienstregeling van speciale nachtbussen:
Regio Leuven :
1: Leuven – Kessel-Lo – Linden – Lubbeek – Binkom – Attenrode – Glabbeek
2: Tervuren – Bertem – Leuven
3: Leuven – Wilsele – Rotselaar – Werchter – Wezemaal – Aarschot
4: Leuven – Heverlee, Brabanthal
5: Tienen – Kumtich – Boutersem – Lovenjoel – Heverlee, Brabanthal
6: Wijgmaal – Wilsele – Leuven – Kessel-Lo – Pellenberg – Lubbeek
7: Leuven – Heverlee – Oud-Heverlee, Zoete Waters – Vaalbeek – Blanden – Haasrode, Zottekot – Bierbeek, Hof van Bierbeek – Heverlee, Brabanthal – Leuven
8: Leuven – Winksele – Veltem-Beisem – Erps-Kwerps – Kortenberg
9: Leuven – Heverlee, Egenhoven – Korbeek-Dijle – Neerijse – Loonbeek – Huldenberg – Overijse – Hoeilaart
25: Leuven – Herent, Room – Tildonk – Wespelaar – Haacht – Boortmeerbeek – Kampenhout – Steenokkerzeel
28: Leuven – Holsbeek – Kortrijk-Dutsel – Nieuwrode – Aarschot
Frequenties: elk uur, behalve bus 4 naar de Brabanthal: om de 15 minuten en bus 7 om de 30 minuten.
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Regio Aarschot – Diest :
10: Diest – Bekkevoort – Tielt – Rillaar – Tielt – St-Joris-Winge – Lubbeek
11: Aarschot – Rillaar – Schoonderbuken – Scherpenheuvel – Kaggevinne – Diest
26: Diest – Halen – Herk-de-Stad – Hasselt
27: Aarschot – Betekom – Baal – Werchter – Tremelo – Keerbergen – Haacht
Frequenties: elk uur
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Regio Tienen :
12: Tienen – Oplinter – Drieslinter – Melkwezer – Wommersom – Hakendover – Grimde – Tienen
13: Tienen – Kumtich – Vertrijk – Bierbeek, Hof van Bierbeek – Honsem – Melder – Hoegaarden – Tienen
14: Tienen – Glabbeek – Wever – Kumtich – Vissenaken – Kumtich – Tienen
Frequenties: elk uur (behalve 14: elk 30 minuten).
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Juiste uren, reiswegen en haltes vind je op www.delijn.be, www.vlaamsbrabant.be/eindejaarscampagne
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Le Noctambus revient: sur le réseau TEC, la nuit du 31 décembre 2002 sera gratuite, dès 19h00 jusqu’au lendemain 1er janvier 2003 à 7h00.
Mons-Borinage. Trois circuits. Quiévrain-Dour-Mons ; Saint-Ghislain-Frameries-Mons ; Maurage-Mons-Havay.
Centre. Quatre circuits : Maurage-La Louvière-Manage-Seneffe ; Binche-Péronnes-La Louvière ; Binche-Anderlues-La Louvière ; La Louvière-Soignies-Enghien.
Hainaut occidental. Cinq circuits: Tournai-Mouscron ; Tournai-La Glanerie ; Tournai-Gaurain ; Tournai-Blandain-Templeuve et Tournai-Kain. Infoline: 065/388.815 (Mons-Borinage), 064/239.511 (Centre) ou 069/891.666 (Hainaut occidental) et www.noctambus.be.
Charleroi. 4 circuits. Charleroi-Sud -> Gosselies (le Circus, le Cub's, le Buffalo Grill et le Bowling One). Deuxième circuit route de Philippeville --> route de Beaumont (Oxy à Gozée, Bavarois à Montigny, Lindbergh à Couvin via place de Chimay). Troisième circuit Fontaine - Anderlues - Monceau. Dernier tracé Châtelet-Chatelineau.
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STIB Brussels: 17 lines of bus and 2 lines of tram. The schedules were established in order to ensure a bus every 30 minutes in most of the districts. As for the subway, the last metro has been delayed to allow the return after the fireworks at the Mont des Arts. A last passage to Arts-Loi / Kunst-Wet is planned at 1 hour in the morning, in all the directions.
To know all the precise details of the device imagined by the STIB, just consult the www site. www.STIB.be Or phone 02/515 20 00

21 December 2002: Once again RTBf looses a concept
After the deletion of Radio Cité in the 80's, RTBf does it again and tries to drop Bruxelles-Capitale to the trash. It seems that every time they start a new project, they track it down withing the 6 to 8 next years. No doubt that if they launch something new, they'll also abandon it after a few time... it's their destiny to fail in everything they do since the early 80's. And for those who are passionated with radio, the reason why the RTBf leaders try to badly break that jewel is a real mystery. So now who's the real Public Service? No doubt that RTL, even if commercial or too mainstream, is quietly seen as doing a way better job for that duty.
Why should we keep Bruxelles-Capitale radio? 1. because they talk about local artists, places, shows, concerts, structures that are NEVER mentionned on any other National Network radios (Radio 21 mostly talks about those who make their promotion, and the main Radio Une tries so much to stand for everyone that they stand for barely no one anymore since it doesn't have any identity). 2. because it is a very young project of the RTBf and should not be dropped that fast, maybe adapted but not closed down. 3. because that's not Bruxelles-Capitale which is the problem, but the entire structure. Who pay for those changes? You, us, everyone ... Do you want them to spend more money to change nothing? But it's still time to show that you don't agree by joining the petitions and/or sending a mail to the Brussels City Authorities or to RTBf.be. Now let's see what they'll do with that.

reedit 17 December 2002: Out Soon... 10 Years of Nights
   Last minute: new location @ La Rocca.   All tickets are still OK.
That's the last minute changes: the "Out Soon 10 Years" move to La Rocca. The artists will be the same, the tickets are all OK, and there will be no dresscode at la Rocca for that night (so you can go there with your sportshoes and your prefered t-shirt). We strongly advise you to buy tickets in presale @ Fnac (10 euro) because of the limited capacity of La Rocca (1.500 ppl).
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Out Soon, if you don't know it yet, is the biggest clubbing magazine in Belgium, and it is totally free. Distributed in hundreds of bars and record-shops, each and every issue is a collection of informations about the clubs and parties of Antwerp, Gent, Brussels, Liège, etc but also many interviews of international artists, reviews about games, movies, fun stuff, music, cd's, etc... 35.000 of those magazines are given out every month to promote the electronic nightlife.
At the start it was mostly the magazine for Hardcore Trance-Techno lovers and there was absolutely nothing about House or House deejays in its pages, even very few about Techno. It was fun, it was a start, but it was not really based on any musical progression or diversity... basically only talking about ID&T events, Bonzai parties or nights at Extreme and Illusion. Sure, the public loved that style for years, ok... but it wasn't the only music at night back in 1994. Fortunately came the change a few years ago (round '97), and suddenly Out Soon grew up. With more pages and more colours, House and Techno took place in the interviews and the party agenda, as well as Drum'n Bass and ProgTrance and very recently Electro. Now Out Soon is the unavoidable institution of the Belgian clubbing society, and is slowly becoming an icon of the strength and the persistance of electronic music in our country... we wish them good luck for 10 years more. Tribute to the founder: Eric Rozen, the chief redactor: Bart Van Dormael, the nightwatcher: Florence Atlas, and the production squad. They'll celebrate that anniversary on Saturday 21 December, with you and 7 of the most representative Techno deejays: Silicone Soul (Glasgow), Carl Craig (Detroit), Mr C (London), Kevin Saunderson (Detroit), Psychogene (MadeInBrussels) and Ed&Kim. Door: 10 Eur. @ La Rocca, 384 Antwerpsesteenweg - Lier (NOT at Waagnatie Antwerpen anymore!)
http://www.outsoon.be

17 December 2002: Alcohol Controls Results for last Week-end
We announced it one day before on this page, and it was true ... at least for 28 districts of the Antwerp area, and many roads in Brussels and Wallonia. Some witnesses told us about several controls on the roads of Wallonian Brabant, but the only results we have are for the Antwerp district. Thus, the local and federal Police controled 3595 cars, and 1612 drivers did pass the breath test. 97 of them were positive (so, 6%) and 32 driver licenses have been immediately retrieved. By the way, they checked the speed of 6034 cars. 300 of them were riding way faster than the legal limitations. Also reported for the same area and same time: 7 car crashes causing 14 injuried victims. Ow what a week-end mates... what a week-end it was.

17 December 2002: Bouncers Controls Results for last Week-end
It was a large operation concerning the security crews of the nightclubs and leaded by Minister Antoine Duquesne to verify the compliance of those crews with the recent laws about guardians groups. After Tournai and the Luxembourg area, it was the time to check in Brussels (except Etterbeek and Woluwe). 47 nightclubs of a list of 80 have been controlled. 17 fines have been reported and only 3 cases of illegal weapon carrying. Seems things are getting better... but what a week-end it was!

13 December 2002: Mirano New Year confirmed
Yes the Mirano stopped its saturday, but don't confuse: the New Year party remains in the schedule of the club. So, YES there will be a New-Years Eve at Mirano Continental with DiscoNouveau and House deejays. Good news, because New Year at Mirano has always been amazing and crowdy! @ 38 chée de Louvain - 1210 Brussels (Madou)

13 December 2002: Charleroi awakening?
Indeed, since the closing down of the Coliseum and more recently of the Palladium in Baisy-Thy, there was about nothing to party next to Charleroi. But soon comes the opening or the New Colisee in Gosselies, between Charleroi and Genappe. Consisting in a similar concapt as the Millenium near Liège, the club may accept almost 3000 customers and will launch in the first weeks of 2003 ... but the music style is still a mistery. New Colisée : road N5, former road Charleroi-Brussels, next to Caterpillar area. [thanks to Pilou]

13 December 2002: Famous changes in Heers
Nothing long to say about it because we need more informations: the club known for years as Katsu has been totally changed. Now it's called the Fame and opened in November, but we don't know the music style yet... probably very Disco & hits.
@ 49 Steenweg - 3840 Heers --- Check their website: www.discofame.be

12 December 2002: Alcohol Controls this Week-End
Several non official sources seem to confirm that this week-end there will be plenty of alcohol controls all over Belgian roads and permanently (48h/48) Friday 13 Dec. and Saturday 14 Dec. Of course you all know that drink and drive is the most stupid thing to do and that it could turn the driver into a killer. Now you also know that there is something even more stupid: to drink and drive this week-end, because EVEN if you succeed to kill nobody, it could cost you a lot of cash and your driving license.
Once again, find a non-drinking driver ... for your and others safety.

11 December 2002: Opening of the Q Bar
A new House bar is opening in Brussels: the Q disco bar. Dedicated to the trendy-fashion-jet-set public of Brussels, it will feature ClubHouse deejays from Paris, such as deejay Kulte from the V.I.P, but also Belgian deejays. Open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the atmosphere is extremely close to a long cosy living-room but overwhelmed by NewYorican club sounds. Managed by Delphine (photographer and dancer at Fuse, Bal, Mirano, ...), no doubt that it will be a new good kick in the House nights of Brussels. Located next to Louizalaan / av. Louise, the address is 28 rue Defacqz (nearby Monkey Business) at 1050 Brussels.

11 December 2002: Destelbergen back on the track!
Let's make it short: In the early 70's there was a club next to Gent and its name was Boccaccio. In the 80's, the managers of that club get to England and came back with a new concept based on new lights and new sounds... in 1987 the Boccaccio then became the legendary place where New Beat and House mostly started in Belgium. 1992 was the year that Boccaccio has been forced by the authorities to close its doors, and the name "Boccaccio Life" has been sold in 1995 to a club in Halen/Diest. So... what's new? Well, not that much, because we know that the former Boccaccio club in Destelbergen recently took the name of Mega-Temple and already opened for a few parties on sundays in 2000 and 2001... but now it's opened every Saturday!
Of course the music is not the same as in 1988 with Eric Beysens or 1992 with PhiPhi, but the place is still the same... with the tall mirrors, the cosy 1st floor, the large stairs, the UFO lightshow, etc... everything! Now you have the choice: you can go and enjoy their new choice of deejays (mostly Progressive-Trance), or you can go with your minidisc and play some New-Beat in your headphones in the middle of the crowd! Maybe it is not our good old Bocca ... but still the place is magic. Check it out!
@ Mega-Temple, Solariumdreef - Destelbergen (Gent)  ::: www.mega-temple.be

5 December 2002: unexpected: Mirano stops its saturdays !
Now it's official, after a few weeks with a very limited public, the Mirano Continental club stops its legendary saturdays for the first time since 1981. Actually it's about 8 years that the Mirano has troubles to recover the level it had in the 80's, but a new artistic staff was experiencing a new Electro-House style and it seems that the management did not follow that choice enough to promote it seriously. And what happens when a club changes its style without promotion? Simple: the previous public leaves, and the new public doesn't know... so the club remains almost empty for weeks. That's pure logic.
Who's responsible for this? Probably mostly the production managers who never really worked the promotion of the club since 8 years and never really supported the work of their artistic directors and deejays. No radio ads, almost no flyers, no communication in the press (or only ads in some strip-tease bars magazines) ... the result was obvious, so they got it: it's closed now.
For memory, we saw as resident deejays:  Alex Klimow and Olivier Tjon until 1994 (fet. Danny V in 90-91), Olivier Gosseries and Jos, Michel Traxx and Murvin Jay, Isabel, Cosy Mozzy, ...
Last saturday: 7 December at 38 chée de Louvain / Leuvensesteenweg - 1210 Brussels. But the location is still available to rent for events. Phone: 02. 227 39 47

30 November 2002: Electro Era
As you can see around, the different musics under the name Electro are overwhelming the nightlife in belgium. Electro-Disco (or DiscoNouveau), Electro-House, Electro-Industrial-New-Wave, Electrofunk, all those boomclatch winds of frequencies which remind us the early 80's are now on top of the medias. Of course we could talk about the definitive influence of DJ Hell (Munich, Germany) and his record company: Gigolo ... sure he did something big when he played only Electro at the Love Parade 2001. But the effects are so wide that the cause can't be unique. Who could forget the career of Drexciya or Juan Atkins in Detroit USA, or the long way of Belgian organisations like Surreal, Funky Green Aliens, etc..? Now that Electro is in Mixmag, in Le Soir, in Out Soon, in Move-X, on Studio Brussel, and even on national French or Dutch radios, maybe is it the time to target the main names and places of that style in Belgium. D-Jack has been a pioneer not only for Techno but also for Electro coming from the East coast of USA, but the biggest attention goes to the two Beneluxian godfathers of Electro: Spacid and Joost De Lyser. Next to them in that scene are talents such as Raphaël, Uriel, Lysergic, Stel-R, Shaman, and more recently Dr Lectroluv (aka T-Quest), Mi-Yu, Microwave, Muffin, Noax, Zoopsie, Dublo, Daryl, Hertz, Kim, Lady Jane, ... Follow them in the parties "Digital Monsters" (aka "Criminals Zat"), "Body to Body" (at CultureClub with Spacid), "BlackLight" (also at Culture Club), "Klangforschung Ost", "Enjoy Apocalypse", "Wave Excursion", or the "I'm Not a Number" at La Chapelle in Liège on Saturday 18 January 2003.
Now, where to find the records?? Could be at Urban Groove (rue des Riches-Claires - 1000 Brussels), at BCM (Plattesteen - 1000 Brussels), at MusicMan/Dance Solution (Steendam - 9000 Gent), at Clone (one of the best for that style, Mauritsweg - 3012 Rotterdam ; www.clone.nl also online shop), or at the Formic online shop (www.formic.de). Many other recordshops offer some Electro, so check out to find more... but these are obvious.
Some live radio sounds? Surely on Radio Panic with the Stel-R and the D-Jack shows (105.4 fm in Brussels), and sometimes in Switch on Studio Brussel (100.6 and 100.9 fm), but mostly on the netradio Boups.com which was mainly Drum'n Bass but now really turns on Electro (www.boups.com).

28 November 2002: SonyMusic website Hacked!
At midnight, in the evening of the Wednesday 28th of Nov., this is what you could read on the first page of www.sonymusic.com:
"you have been defaced by FBH , federal bureau of hackers hello there people , we are FBH , and we have defaced this site.dont worry no data was harmed, we did it becos , 1st - we hate sum artists on here [...] but we really deface this site becos we want freedom in our nations of kashmir and palestine. we dont want George Bush to bomb iraq for oil and pretend that its for terror. He should be doing his best to catch binladen . he dont care if binladen is alive or not. ..."
The Sony crew fixed it quickly, but then it was www.sonyclassical.com that was hacked with "for fucks sake sony ur security is shit , get OpenBsD it fukin roks, btw FBH own u".
This episod probably is illegal, ok, but after all the things that Sony did with cold blood (such as the cover of Underground Resistance Rolando's 'Knights of the Jaguar'), who think they did not deserve it?

7 November 2002: Strictly Banqueroute
Strictly Rythm, the House label from New York, just announced the end of its long party story, supposedly for banqueroute. Founded in 1989, two men were at the start of it: Mark Finkelstein bringing its economic knowledge and Gladys Pizzaro which brought its musical sensitivity. Celebrating its tenth anniversary in 1999, Strictly Rythm marked of its print the world of House during a whole decade and reached the year 2000 while remaining one of the most active labels. Most of the Strictly Rythm records were great hits in the charts and the clubs. Strictly Rythmn knew how to recover the Deep-House played in Red Zone and Zanzibar clubs of New York in the early 90's and so became one of the main names in the world. In 1990, it launched its first success: "The warning". Followed then a succession of tracks gaining great recognition in the clubs. Among them, "I believe" by Scram, and "Strings" by Rah Power. The same year Roger Sanchez created his "Luv Dancin" and opened new ways in the House style. In 1991, one of the inventors of Chicago Acid-House, DJ Pierre, joined the label and created "Generate Power" which had been one of the biggest hits of the Strictly Rythm discography. The first compilation bringing together the hits of the year is also edited in 91. In 1992, the label carried on its way as main supplier for the English clubs. DJ Pierre then composed "Follow me", the most sold album in the history of the label. Two young producers producing and working under the nickname of 'Masters At Work' created "Hardrive and plate fusion" which was the first of a long serie of legendary records resulting from their union. A new Producer joined the label in 1993, his name was Armand Van Helden, the coming superstar of House. In 1994, Strictly Rythmn was everywhere on the world medias with the hit "I like to move it" by Real 2 Real which remains one of the most sold dance titles ever. David Morales also joined the company and started with "The Boss". Etc, etc ... what happened then? How could such a big and important label fall off like this? Sadly, we don't know yet. So many historical years, so many music and so many feelings have been brought to us by Strictly Rythm... but time is running and things keep on going further. Now that we know Strictly Rythm is closed, we all figure the enormous pages it fills in our past clubbing history and the enormous blank pages it lets in our future. This is a tribute... these are some thankfull words for what they did. [thanks Michel Traxx & Raphaël Thijs for their contribution to this article]

6 November 2002: Felix Da Housecat Cancelled
There's a new club some wednesday at Lounge in Brussels (same location as Food on saturday), a club named Elektra. Consisting in an Electroclash oriented blend of music, men can hear there Lady Jane and many famous guests that Youri (the Elektra former manager) brings you from Chicago or globally from USA and UK. This wednesday, Felix Da Housecat was supposed to come in this club ... but the party has been entirely delayed to a date in the future... so the party won't happen at Lounge this wednesday 6 November but probably in early 2003.

6 November 2002: I Love Techno is Sold Out
We just received this mail from ILT crew: "We are proud to announce that "I Love Techno" is once again completely sold out!! 35.000 tickets were sold at record speed!! Be aware that there will be no sales at the doors, so don't come without a ticket!". Now you know. http://www.ilovetechno.be

5 November 2002: 4 Massive Events not to miss this month:
* 1. Savage Riddim Reggae Party - 9 Nov. - with some of the greatest Reggae artists and deejays from the Guadelupean and French scenes. 6 deejays and 2 lives! With Daddy Morry, Tiwony, Typical Fefe, Loo Ranks, Supa John, Levyan B, Original Uman, and of course the Bass Culture Soundsystem. 10 Euros only, Security Tight
@ Recyclart, 25 rue des Ursulines / Ursulinenstr. - 1000 Brussels
http://www.noctis.com/bassculture
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*2. I Love Techno - 9 Nov. - SOLD OUT - the annual meeting, with DJ Rush, Rino Cerrone, Carl Cox, Trevor Rockcliffe, C1, Oxia, Bryan Zentz live, Marco Bailey, Tomaz, Sven Väth, Jacek Sienkiewicz live, Justin Berkovi live, Marco Carola, Stanny Franssen, Pascal Feos, Timo Maas, The Youngsters live, Filterheadz live, Remy, Anthony Pappa, Peter Novak, Underworld live, Darren Price, Deetron, Mistress Barbara, T-Quest, Spacid, Dr Lektroluv, Golden Boy live, Tonic, Ed & Kim. For 33 Eur (presale) or 40 Eur (at the door), it's on Saturday 9 November at Flanders Expo - Gent.
http://www.ilovetechno.be
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*3. Retro House - 15 Nov. - Always the true deejays from the true former clubs of the electronic scene. Authenticity and fun. The traditional House Classics reunion by Claude 'CityParade' El Divino... always a top night. With deejays: Frank zolex, Phiphi (La Villa), Yves-E-Zone (Vaudeville, La Rocca), Zzino (Montini), Tofke (Carat, Globe) at Fuse, 208 rue Blaes str. - Brussels
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*3. Groove City - 23 Nov. - the revolutionary night, with Electro, Techno, Drum'n Bass and House with DJ Hell, Miss Kittin, Slam, Felix Da Housecat, Brandy, Cosy Mozzy, Isabel, Marcus Intalex, Brekbit, System-D, Peshay, Cassius, Thomas Bangalter, Dj Falcon, David Guetta, Etienne De Crécy, Tomaz, Jan Van Biesen... For 15 Euros only (in presale)!! At Brussels Kart Expo (Grand Bigard) - Brussels.
http://www.paygogroovecity.be

4 November 2002: New Robot Deejay ... Deejays in Danger?
As seen in the New Scientist of November, Dave Cliff from the Hewlett Packard laboratories of Bristol has just presented a new version of the "HPDJ", the numeric disc jockey developed by the company. In addition to select, mix and blend the music, the HPDJ will measure the reactions of the dancers and will adjust the selected music. Each nightclubber will carry a small electronic bracelet which will record its behavior and will transmit information to the machine via a wireless connection like "Bluetooth". This device will check the movements of the people in the room (and thus will deduct how many of them are really on the dancefloor), and will measure their heartbeat, their blood tension and the intensity of their breath. Each musical piece consisting in an addition of various tracks (a rhythm, a bassline, a keyboard loop or song samples), the HPDJ then will save these elements in a database and will arrange the music by using the data received from the dancers, and this following a genetic algorithm. It is also planned to burn a CD at the end of each night with the music that has been played there, and to offer to the participants what they actually contributed to compose.
That news is frightening the passionated people who made the clubbing scene how it is now. Well... not really, since Carl Cox or Victor Simonelli have nothing to fear of a software... a software will never bring any people for itself like a Laurent Garnier or a DJ Rush. But the problem is that many small local clubs will use it because it's cheaper than paying a deejay every night... and then where will go the younger deejays to start their career?? Where will the future big names work their recognition if the club managers use those softwares? By the way it is evident that a machine alone cannot produce a party music, it needs a human soul to control it anyway, unless it will be flat as a sea made of oil ... not even mentionning the strange blends it will give if it randomly blends the bassline of a Drum'n Bass with the vocals of Shakedown. It will perfectly fit with the clubs where the music has no importance, or with the bars where they only play hits ... but it is a hope that none of our club managers won't make the mistake to try it.

30 Oct. 2002: Ecolo Party against nightlife? Who helps it?
Since a few months (let's say a year), some Ecolo representatives of several Belgian districts use tiny aspects of the law to force many nightclubs and bars to close. Since the beginning of the plural majority, official elected members of Ecolo took often charges of the files and the responsibilities related to town-planning. It would not be a bad idea if some of them would not have start a hunt for clubs and parties based on the most constraining Articles of the town-planning laws. Figure that if a nightclub has troubles with ONE neighbour, the advantage will actually always be given to the neighbour. That's not fair considering the thousands of young souls who need those places to wash out the stress of the week. In 10 years, we saw that (globally) the VLD/PRL always wants more repression and controls targetting the youth and the clubs... we saw that FDF and PRL also had good ideas: FDF Didier Gosuin launched a common security and comfort agreement between all biggest Brussels clubs ... and PRL Minister Antoine Duquesne forced the door-bouncers to have an official training and to respect the customers ... we saw that PS sponsored the "Nuit Blanche" in Brussels and did support the City Parade in Luik ... also VLD Minister Marc Verwilghen increased the drug repression and at the same time refused to allow the drug-testing in large festivals and events ... and some Ecolo personalities influenced the closure of several clubs (such as Henri Simons for the MadeInBrussels which accepted to make the necessary audio-isolation work, but the Ecolo alderman only said "No, you close the club").
The many styles that Belgium had in its nights made our amazing creativity possible since the beginning of the century... if that eclectic panel is reduced in any way then nothing relevant will grow anymore from the night scene. All basic pop music came from the night: Jazz from Jazzclubs, Rock from college balls and small venues, Reggae from bars in Trenchtown, Salsa from the Southamerican party scene, even singers like Sinatra or Brel started at night in some cabarets.
So ok, this is not a trial... and Noctis.com has no political influence ... ok ... but LOOK WHO IS FIGHTING FOR YOUR FREEDOMS OR AGAINST YOUR FREEDOMS ... freedoms to party and to access the musics you want. Just mind your next vote.

22 October 2002: After Drexcyia, John Redmond ... House in pain
"It is with the greatest sorrow that I have to let you all know of the death of John Redmond on Sunday 20 Oct. For those of you who are unfamiliar with his work, he was one of the most talented vocalists in this scene of ours we call "house". He was the voice on Braxton Holmes "People Everyday" on Cajual rec., "Rise" with Kenny Carvajal on Music 101, DJ V's "Darker Side Of Melody" on Love Slap, Common Factor's "World Is Mine" and "Fascination" on Planet E, and many more, inluding his own especially touching "Tears Dry Up" on Cyclo.
He passed away yesterday at Loyola Hospital in Chicago of a heart attack. I think it would mean a great deal to John's parents to have an idea of how many people were touched by John and his music. If you would like to send a message to his family, please address it to John and Dorothy Redmond. Feel free to post these on the board page below, and I will pass them later on to the family. Please spread this around as there are a lot of people who would want to know, but we haven't been able to get in touch with. I would also like to ask you all to pray for John and his family. These are hard times, and a ray of light is now missing from all our lives.
Peace."
[Nick 'Common Factor' Calingaert] Message Board - Tribute to John Redmond

21 October 2002: MadeInBrussels strikes back!
The Psychogene's club is back at La Raffinerie this friday, featuring a rising star from Croatia: Carla Blank. Also in the line-up, Terence Fixmer (from Gigolo records, the label of DJ Hell) who will perform a live, as well as the MadeInBrussels regular T Carpenter and Billoved. Psychogene and Tim will complete the night. Caution: the party happens well at 'La Raffinerie' (check picture) but it is not the new permanent location of the MIB club. A new place will come soon, but it has NOT been chosen yet. They are still searching.
25 October at 21 rue de Manchester straat - 1080 Brussels (next to Ninoofsesteenweg) - 5 Euros before 23:00, or 10 Euros after.
www.madeinbrussels.be and www.gigolo-records.de

16 October 2002: Joints in the target again
Forget about the past years and forget about some ministers saying that cannabis was almost legal... it is not and has never been. During a few years, a sort of passive blur remained on that subject... so, many teenagers were thinking that it was legal or at least tolerated. The new legal directive published by the Minister of Justice Marc Verwilghen (VLD) is extremely clear: cannabis is a drug and the Belgian users will be punished as well as the dealers. No matter of what happens in Netherlands, Spain, U.K. or Germany, the directive of the Minister of Justice forces to recognize that the detention and thus the use of cannabis are still illegal. "Cannabis. - To hold or cultivate cannabis remains illegal, even if this detention is only for personal use and if no aggravating circumstance is noted" says the directive. "By personal consumption, it is necessary to understand a quantity of cannabis which can be consumed all at once, or in a maximum of 24 hours. By culture of cannabis flowers for personal use, it is necessary to understand a quantity of female cannabis flowers which cannot lead to a production which exceeds the needs of a personal use."
This means that using cannabis will be punished by heavy bills (1250 to 5000 Euros), and if it happens again within the two years it could lead to prison for some weeks. Still the text has to be voted... but there's almost no doubt that it will be.
My opinion? They're all right when they say it's dangerous to drive a car under the influences of drugs... of any drugs. But I'm not sure this type of global repression will solve any of the problems concerning cannabis use by the youth (more than 40% of the public in some summer festivals). And that's not even talking about the victims of the cancer who supplicate to be allowed to use it as painkiller, and they ask it since maybe 10 years. By the way, law is the law, and we're all supposed to know it... that's why I choose to write this report.

15 October 2002: Controversy? Information!
There has always been drugs troubles in human history. Noctis.com is not here to find any answer or solution (I'm no doctor or anything like that). But since Ecstasy seems to have a large popularity even in the mainstream events in Europe (including rock, jazz or any music festivals), I think responsible to inform the visitors about the chemical weapons that are currently available in our cities. www.EcstasyData.org collects lab testing results from a variety of organizations, but also commissions its own tests which are conducted by Drug Detection Lab (DDL) in Sacramento, California, USA. Now please check the crap that stands in most of the tablets, and if you intent to buy it anyway... think of your kidneys coz it screws it down in no time. Most of all: it's illegal, but I suppose you already know that. Another way to figure the danger is the home test kits to order at: www.ingredient45.com
Also, read the news on these News page about killing pills coming from Asia. Not exactly 'love'... isn't it?
Care your health, mates! We want you all nice and easy to continue the party! :-)

06 October 2002: 30.000 bracelets for Nuit Blanche Brussels
Yes it worked well! Even with the rain who almost never stopped falling on our night, a little less than 30.000 people did buy the magic 'all-in-one Nuit Blanche bracelet' for 10 Euros, including all entrances for more than 100 events in the city, but also the free bus & metro (tube) the whole night, a bath in the public pool (Bains du Centre) at 5:00 in the morning, and a free breakfast at Halles de Schaerbeek a little later. Parties everywhere and a heavy car traffic until the sunrise, it was so nice! Congratulations to the organisers.
Only two shady points: the map and programme were really hard to read and to understand, and that leaded to the second point: some events were sold-out and full when some others were a little quiet. But the bad weather did not take it down, and globally it was a great idea, inspired by Barcelona and Paris. www.nuitblanche.org

05 October 2002: Noctis.com webmaster with Brussels Mayor on TV
Goodies for night transports and night workers (bars, clubs)
Big talk about Brussels Nightlife on Télé-Bruxelles last saturday, featuring Freddy Thielemans (Brussels Mayor), Dominique Speeckaert (Bulex organisation), a representative of Public Transports authorities, of the bars lobbies, politics (Mrs Lemaire), etc... and Nicolas Deckmyn (Noctis.com). All was mainly about the Nuit Blanche, which was supported by Brussels City authorities. Shortly: the STIB / MIVB (Public Transports) will soon keep on the main lines until 2:00 in the morning. They say they work on it for 2003. Good! Well, it was a little more controversy when all talked about the relations neighbours/bar-clubs and about the difficult relations between some party organisers and the city council, but all that was very constructive and pointful. Click here for some screeners from the show.

19 September 2002: Sunday morning, cars are stopped!
Did you hear about the Sunday without cars in whole Belgium? Yes? Good, because it also means that if you come back from a party after 9:00 in the morning, you'll be forced to let your car in one of the parkings at the entrance of the city you live in. So, remind this: come back before 8:45 on sunday morning... or you'll have some problems to go back home. Fortunately the trains, trams, bus & metros are running, as well as the cabs.

17 September 2002: End of MadeInBrussels... not an end?
No it's not really the end of the MadeInBrussels club... it's only the end of it's location: the Caves de la Chapelle. It means the MadeInBrussels (or MIB) is looking for a new venue for their weekly meeting. But as long as they don't find one, there will be occasional parties here and there with Psychogene, Trish and Tim... the remaining residents of the MIB which is probably the second most important Techno club in Belgium.
www.madeinbrussels.be

17 September 2002: Fascist Techno from Spain? Fnac refusal!
There is a new style of electronic music originating from Spain. More precisely from South Catalonia, but also coming from France. This radical, hard techno sound has been infiltrated by racist groups. A number of lyrics have messages, for example, "we are facists and we are not ashamed of it. We don't want any more of this rot around us. It is necessary to exterminate those who don't have pure roots. We are for the Final Solution!". Fnac have therefore made the decision to withdraw CD compilations of Makina Techno from the sale. What is frightening is that, seeing the success of this music genre, several record labels have made CD compilations featuring the 'Makina Techno' hits. However this type of music attracts an audience not inherently racist, and which does not really listen to the lyrics. Neither do they comprehend the true goal of this music. A true danger which could dirty the global image of the electronic music, if nothing's done about it.
Source: Independant de Perpignan & Le Monde - Aug. 2002.

17 September 2002: Pure gets Sub and bigger
You certainly know the Pure club which has become a reference in quality House music since a year under the artistic direction of Brandy and also the talents of Da Silva, Climaxx and some guest deejays. Located in Barry, between Tournai & Mons, there was the club for a 500 ppl crowd + a gigantic empty hall they used only a few time for special parties with big guests. From 28th of September that room will be open every Saturdays under the name Sub Club! Opening is with Murvin Jay (Mirano), Isabel (Strong, Café d'Anvers and she remains as monthly resident there), Brandy and Stephen... for a capacity of more than 1000 people in a great atmosphere. Noctis wishes you to be there.
www.pureclub.be

18 August 2002: Teknival screenshots
The man on the right is the leader of the Teknival organisation.
Just to mention: there has been rain and even snow, but nothing really wrong happened.
Just a party! That's ONLY what it was all about. What a fuzz!
   

18 August 2002: Fuse in Paris and Warm-Up in Marseille
This will be short but it's true: if you're searching for a nice club in Marseille, then go straight to the Warm-Up. 83 Bd de la Pointe Rouge - 13008 Marseille. There's a sunny terrace and a simple bar/restaurant, but also a club with House deejays (nice style) from thursday to sunday. www.warmup-marseille.fr
And if you stand in Paris, the good old Gibus now offers Techno and Psytrance "ravestyle" parties every Friday. The Saturday is usually more funky-House, but on Saturday 21 Sept. the Fuse will come there on tour with its resident deejays Pierre, Deg, T-Quest and St Dic. It's gonna be huge! And more: you probably know that Gibus is not exactly a recent club... it has a loooong night story behind. It was the absolute Punk club in the very early 80's, and even 'Yeye' Twist in the 60's... and now still surfing on the night wave. Gibus - Paris 11ème 18, Rue du Faubourg du Temple 75011 Paris. www.gibus.fr

17 August 2002: 15.000 ravers at Teknival in Italy (French border)
Announced since a year, because it's a yearly summer festival, the Teknival is one of the biggest free events in continental Europe. Of course there are big raves in Lithuania, and in East Europe in connections with West Coast American hippie families... but Teknival is one of the oldest events of that type. It puts mainly hard techno, UK gabber and psytrance up together for 4 days and nights in a natural site. Obviously: there's always some small village "terrified" by the "horrible freaky ravers" who "overwhelmed the city and made the citizens stay at home"... and that's the reason why the French government tries to shut that movement down in order to keep the French nights clean and quiet. They recently voted a special law to prevent any "free party" organisation, and everytime a rave is planned, the police comes and takes the soundsystem. This year especially, the French government announced the Teknival 2002 to be cancelled because all the agreements were not already given... but the organisers decided to make it anyway IN ITALY, in the mountains, at 950 meters from France! Ironic, isn't?
1) the French government decided to stop it... but it happens anyway, with more than 15.000 ravers. The police tried to block the roads and to stop the people, but they quickly surrended and get back to their trucks (after having broken the glass of many cars of ravers). That is just weird. When will politicians understand that they cannot work against the youth anymore?
2) the French TV news try to kill the reputation of Teknival only talking about the security problems and the jammed roads... but there's MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières) on the site, giving information to the youth and giving the first helps for common medical problems, and there is a whole bunch of helicopters permanently in the sky... so what is the problem??
3) all the trash will be collected in bags, which will (very probably) be dropped on the French side of the frontier... so the French authorities will have to take their responsabilities. The organisers think that Italians don't have to pay for the French fun... nice one bro'... Noctis agrees.
4) all that looks very fun and very friendly atmosphere at 2000 meters altitude in the moutains... we wish them a BIG FUN until sunday, and yes there is a small Belgian community there on location, including Analog B.!
Video samples about Teknival (french television, read with realplayer), pictures and comments by the police.
France2 - 17 Aug. 2002 -- France2 - 16 Aug. 2002 -- France2 - 15 Aug. 2002 -- all frenchspk., but pictures say all.

16 August 2002: Le Gazon moves location!
Le Gazon is an open air dj bar that opens every sunny Friday & Saturday during the summer. This year, for four weeks of crazy crowds and great success, it took place at Le Jardin du Mont des Arts in Brussels, just next to Royal Library. Some nights even shown more than 1000 people in front of the deejay desk, with House, Drum'n Bass, Electro, Reggae, etc... But some far neighbours complained (which is really weird because they're really far from the soundsystem)... so now, for the tranquility of the citizens, the location has changed and it takes place - as last year - at Jardins de La Cité Administrative (behind the Finance Tower), boulevard Pacheco [access by bankstraat / rue de la banque] - Free entrance, as it always been. Check www.legazon.be for deejay line-ups.

 

 

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