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Wouter Vanhaelemeesch © Thierry Van Dort

In conversation with music programmer Wouter Vanhaelemeesch

The music programme of VIERNULVIER is constantly evolving and makes room for innovation and authenticity, for artists who create a stir, with some delightful thumping here and there. The (temporary) end of the restoration of De Vooruit also brings new opportunities for music. We talked to music programmer Wouter Vanhaelemeesch to find out what the upcoming season at VIERNULVIER will sound like.

The reopening of the Balzaal means a fresh start for the music program. How does this venue open up new perspectives?

The Balzaal has always been somewhat of the heart of our music programming. Now that Club Wintercircus has also joined, I dare to go a bit sharper in the Balzaal. We are going to make the venue smaller and more intimate. It will be a place for an eclectic program across many different genres, featuring both electronic music and bands, but always with a strong live reputation.

I especially hope that people will find it easier to discover new things. Our Balzaal should be an accessible living room, a place where everyone can step in without knowing exactly what awaits them. That’s why I also want to focus on relatively low ticket prices. Concerts can sometimes be so expensive that you can no longer or do not want to pay for tickets even for artists you are a fan of. So let’s do the opposite and put artists in that 'living room' of De Vooruit that you should become a fan of, at affordable prices. Horse Lords, in May, is one such band. Instrumental, with two guitarists, bass, and two percussionists. Live, one of the strongest, most exhilarating bands I have ever seen. I hope to set the standard with this kind of program, where you can take friends without worries because you know it will be very strong live.

I am also very happy that we can do some things in the Balzaal that you don’t often or easily see elsewhere. Like Nyron Higor on March 5, a Brazilian who makes very jazzy, funky Tropicalia. I really find him one of the most interesting, exciting names in that revival.

I also enjoy collaborating with local, more underground and alternative partners in the Balzaal, such as Lise, who will present an evening with Alpha Maid on February 18, a London artist who makes a kind of arty shoegaze. Or Stroom, who will curate an entire evening in April featuring Sergeant, among others.

In addition to the Balzaal as a living room for music lovers, RUISKAMER remains an important pillar of the offering, with space for innovation within 'classical' music. Which artists are bringing this series to life this season?

RUISKAMER will continue in the MIRY Concert Hall and will focus on electro-acoustic music, straddling the line between avant-garde and contemporary experimental. The first event we are doing in 2026 features two newcomers from the VIERNULVIER Records collection, live on February 11. The first is Klinck Trio, with Elisabeth Klinck, Maya Dhondt, and Adia Vanheerentals. Their album 'My Hair is Everywhere' was released on November 7. They create a blend of contemporary classical music with a lot of improvisation. It has something very sweet, but with teeth.

The second is dudal & de Roover, featuring Pieter Dudal and Adriaan de Roover. During the pandemic, they had a residency at VIERNULVIER and began making music with tape loops. A kind of William Basinski-like, misty, hazy compositions that are very hypnotic and full of melancholy. You could call it ambient, but it rubs against that too much. They are a good example of how two people come together and create something that is not just a predictable sum of who they are separately. Their album 'pivot rotations' will be released on November 21 by the label.

On March 25, it will be the turn of TLF Trio. This is a relatively unknown ensemble, featuring piano, cello, and guitar. They create very unique, contemporary chamber music, exploring the acoustic dynamics of their instruments while also playing post-techno, post-ambient music. Very inspiring as a contemporary ensemble. The previously mysterious ambient producer Dylan Henner will be an unexpectedly exciting opener for this event.

"That kind of programme, where you can take your friends along without any worries because you know it will be really powerful live, is what I hope to set the standard with."
muziekprogrammator Wouter Vanhaelemeesch

In October 2025, the 360° projection screen of Club Wintercircus premiered, and in 2026 there will still be room to further explore the boundaries of this circular music club with concerts and nightlife that visually enrich the immersive sound system. Which events are we putting in our agenda?

I would say… schntzl on March 26. They are coming to present their new album, which we will release in February with VIERNULVIER Records, and will mainly focus on the immersive sound system. It’s a powerful album where they blend their jazzy improvisation with trance and ‘Johnny and Marina fairground music’ from the 90s. The music that has come out of it is something very unique. Far removed from the more acoustic, still recognizable jazz sound of their previous albums. It has a retro-futuristic and extremely Belgian vibe; it’s surrealistic, Dadaist music and very exuberant. It’s a duo with an exciting and dynamic live show, and they will curate the rest of the evening with acts that lean more towards electronics. A new step for them.

On April 30, we are hosting an exclusive all-nighter A/V show by Nosedrip and Victor Verhelst. In ‘Gossamer’, Nosedrip’s characteristic eclectic style is enriched with a visual spectacle by Victor Verhelst. It’s an immersive show specially created for the unique 360° video system of Club Wintercircus. It will be something between a visual spectacle, digital mystery, and total apocalypse (laughs).

The next season is also a new year. In which direction is the music programming at VIERNULVIER moving towards 2026?

We are doing justice to the ‘in and out of De Vooruit’ with collaborations with de Koer, MIRY Concertzaal, Palmarium in the botanical garden of GUM, various projects in Club Wintercircus… But the Balzaal will once again take a prominent place as the heart of the building; as an open, accessible space where you can see non-mainstream, but very good music, for a very reasonable price. And I hope it simply becomes a nice place to be, for both artists and the audience.

© Athos Burez

Defrost your heart with our spring programme

We’re serving some  'Fresh juice' a brand-new spring programme packed with zest, spirit and creative bite. 

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