Maybe you've already heard about it (or even seen it on TV): AB has a living room! It goes through life as ‘Huis 23’. Number 23 refers to the location in the Steenstraat 23 where the old ticket shop was situated above the AB Café. Huis 23 is a cosy place where we can receive guests in a relaxed atmosphere.

Huis 23 has 3 living-room-partners - AB, Poppunt and Muziekcentrum Vlaanderen - and all three will regularly organise activities. Amongst other things, there will be readings, debates, film screenings, workshops and acoustic sessions taking place. But the space is also available to others in the music sector for press-days with artists, presentation of gold albums, music-DVD launches and much more. Music is the common theme but the possibilities are endless.

Geike, School Is Cool, Ashley Kahn (with a ready on 50 years of Impulse records), De Mens and De Nieuwe Snaar have already dropped by to “warm up” Huis 23, so to speak, and during Poppunt’s Muzikantendag there were interviews with the likes of Raymond, Admiral Freebee and Channel Zero. Muziekcentrum Vlaanderen then organised the launch of the “Plan of Action for Music in Flanders”. And last Sunday there was the very first 33 1/3 Classic Album Listening Session (Prince - Sign o' the Times).
All were test-cases that went exceptionally well and so today, 23 January 2012, we can officially declare Huis 23 open. None less than Flemish Minister for Culture Joke Schauvliege came to inaugurate this new musical meeting-place:

What is actually going on in Huis 23? Check the AB website regularly for planned activities but we can already mention the following items:

Wednesday 25 January: In conversation with David Bottrill, Wallace Vanborn and Floris De Decker
Wednesday 21 March: 33 1/3 Classic Album Listening Session: Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
Thursday 12 April: 33 1/3 Classic Album Listening Session: Kraftwerk - Trans-Europe Express
Wednesday 25 April: 33 1/3 Classic Album Listening Session: Bob Marley - Exodus