Ancienne Belgique

7:00 pm - SOUNDTRACK BY…Herbert 8:30 pm - Marble Sounds“Marble Sounds was recommended to us using the forceful terms 'stunningly beautiful' and 'Duyster'”  (Focus Knack). Reaso...

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7:00 pm - SOUNDTRACK BY…Herbert

8:30 pm - Marble Sounds
“Marble Sounds was recommended to us using the forceful terms 'stunningly beautiful' and 'Duyster'”  (Focus Knack). Reason enough for Focus Knack to include them in their ‘2010 Om Te Zien’ chart earlier this year. That is quite remarkable as, aside from an EP (‘A Painting And A Spill’) and an impressive opening track on the Kath Bloom tribute album ‘Loving Takes This Course: A Tribute to the Songs of Kath Bloom’, there weren't yet many feats to be mentioned. OK, so they were in the good company of the likes of Devendra Banhart, Bill Callahan, The Dodos and Josephine Foster, but it was the Isbells-link that particularly opened the eyes of the outside world to them. Their fully-fledged debut ‘Nice Is Good’ was released this spring via Zealrecords (again, see: Isbells). A heavenly album that made quite an impression and that strongly reminds us of the driven perfection of The Notwist and also Pinback, and much more fine music that we can't quite put our finger on at the moment. Stronger still? “A superb album. *****” wrote De Morgen.

9:45 pm - Isbells
De Morgen appropriately began their review of the untitled Isbells debut with “Is this Belgian?”. Then they also threw 4 stars on at the end in order to really put Gaëtan Vandewoude's project on the map. Those looking for points of reference quickly arrive at Nick Drake, Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes but – and De Morgen hit the nail on the head there too – it's as if Vandewoude discovered this warm melting-pot of styles himself. Half of Belgium was already hanging on Isbells' every word even before this album was released: “The Belgian Elliott Smith or Sam Beam (Iron&Wine) has stood up to be counted and will win hearts” (Eppo Janssen from Pukkelpop and Duyster). “New promising Belgian talent, enchanting folk with dreamy and mesmerizing acoustic guitars” (HUMO). They were heartrending earlier this year at the sold-out Duyster-evening, now in the most perfect setting imaginable for Isbells: the Feeërieën.