With no fewer than 45 acts on its programme, the 8th edition of BRDCST promises to be an absolute musical blast. From Friday 4 to Sunday 6 April 2025, BRDCST will welcome you to AB, beursschouwburg, the Church of Notre Dame aux Riches Claires, and Palace. Three guest curators will put their own spin on each unique night. This year, BRDCST will also shine a special spotlight on DJ Rashad, John Coltrane and International Anthem.
3 BRDCST curators reveal their programmes
Anna von Hausswolff will present three artists close to her heart on the opening night. AvH’s musical talent has its roots in her childhood thanks to her father CM von Hausswolff. Swedish musician/composer Filip Leyman is a long-time AvH collaborator who appears on almost all her releases as producer, synth wizard or percussionist. A surprise addition is the Senegalese kora/percussion duo Lansana Sane x Malick Diebate who are resident in AvH’s birth city of Gothenburg.
The BRDCST weekend’s most explosive line-up is the brainchild of Zambian-Canadian rapper Backxwash. In her own words: “I’m incredibly excited about the lineup curated for BRDCST. The selection is challenging, disruptive, at times chaotic - but absolutely unforgettable. From the neoclassical hauntings of Morgan-Paige, who happens to be one of my favourite musicians and performers right now, to the digital hardcore brilliance of LustSickPuppy, one of my favourite acts of this generation. Just add to that the energetic chaos of Violent Magic Orchestra and the visionary artistry of Blackhaine!”
Saxophonist Colin Stetson is a familiar face at AB after six visits, but this is his first stint as curator. Interestingly, aside from his own set, Stetson will also appear as a guest or full-fledged musician on the other sets. The British Keeley Forsyth will demonstrate her soul-rending voice. 10¹⁷ is a brand-new project from Stetson, Norwegian guitarist Stian Westerhus and drummer/percussionist Erland Dahlen.
BRDCST BY NGHT in beursschouwburg
BRDCST recently embraced the night under the moniker BRDCST BY NIGHT. This year, we’re letting our colleagues at beursschouwburg take care of the entertainment for two consecutive nights of partying: On Friday 4 April, New York-based trio Kassie Krut will perform, followed by the producer El Kontessa from Cairo. On Saturday 5 April, Crop Top Core’s tribute to DJ Rashad will be the evening’s highlight. Also taking their place behind the turntables in tribute to DJ Rashad will be iced lattina from Brussels, and The Hague’s Guillermo Schuurman a.k.a. De Schuurman.
BRDCST in the Church of Notre Dame aux Riches Claires
For the second year in a row, BRDCST will take over the Church of Notre Dame aux Riches Claires. Lukas De Clerck, formerly known as Bloedneus & de Snuitkever, will kick things off. Fans of Hildur Guðnadóttir or Jóhann Jóhannsson will no doubt enjoy the work of Iranian composer/pianist Ava Rasti. She operates in the no man’s land between ambient, modern classical and drone. Organ builder Patrick Collon’s classical organ will this year be played by Irish experimental artist Áine O’Dwyer.
The next day, the Belgians take over the show. Kabas will celebrate its tenth anniversary with a brand-new album bathed in transcendental minimalistic improvisation. Abel Ghekiere will once again demonstrate the art of serene beauty with his latest album In de verte, dit uitzicht. Rounding things off is none other than Milan W., whose Leave Another Day was the pre-eminent Belgian album of 2024.
Sunday will highlight two exceptional Polish artists. Martyna Basta’s label Stroom introduced her as “Hints of Caroline Polachek and Eartheater’s gothy pop surround the experimental core reminiscent of HTRK and Arca.” Guitarist Raphael Rogiński has his album Plays John Coltrane to thank for his newfound cult following. The closing day’s most remarkable project will without a doubt be the performance of Hockets for Two Voices by the LA-based composer Meara O’Reilly. The evening is brought to a close in style with the Egyptian/Belgian The Handover.
BRDCST in Palace
Following previous successes, BRDCST will present no fewer than two film concerts this year in collaboration with Palace. Dutch composer, lutenist, and guitarist Jozef van Wissem will furnish the 1928 French silent horror film The Fall of House Usher with a new soundtrack. Belgian saxophonist Mattias De Craene (MDCIII and Nordmann) will, in turn, create a soundtrack for the surreal film The Holy Mountain, which was financed by Beatles manager Allen Klein.
BRDCST honours DJ Rashad, John Coltrane and the jazz label International Anthem
BRDCST honours the classics! That’s why previous editions featured the influential krautrock legend CAN, and this year footwork pioneer DJ Rashad and jazz legend John Coltrane will be in the spotlight. DJ Rashad’s influence is unsurpassed. His heritage will be borne by Crop Top Core, which consists of members of SCHNTZL, Vieze Meisje, Brorlab and Fievel is Glacque. Guitarist Raphael Rogiński will present an esoteric tribute to John Coltrane.
The most impressive jazz label in recent years is, without a shadow of the doubt, the Chicago-based International Anthem. BRDCST will celebrate this label with a mini-exhibition of their artwork and a handful of artists who epitomise the label’s soul. Cornet player Ben LaMar Gay released three albums under his own name via IA and was also present on Makaya McCraven’s Highly Rare and Jaimie Branch’s Fly or Die. SML is IA’s newest flagship, made up of key figures from the thriving LA jazz/improv/indie scene. Prominent SML member Jeremiah Chiu has a healthy obsession with (analogue and digital) synthesisers, and SML’s other members – percussionist Booker Stardrum and guitarist Gregory Uhlmann – will play an improv set that evening.
