Brussels NightLife

Brussels NightLife information

Music

Opened in 1829, Brussels's French cultural centre, Le Botanique, is a stunning, palatial building set in six hectares of attractive grounds. The venue hosts a range of entertainment including classical concerts, dance and theatre performances and rock bands. Rue Royale 236. Tel: +32 (0)2-218-3732. A stunning music venue, both visually and acoustically, the Palais Des Beaux-Arts was designed by Belgian architect Victor Horta. The hall is in fairly constant use for symphony and chamber music concerts. Rue Ravenstein 23. Tel: +32 (0)2-507-8200. Situated on the southern edge of the city, the Forest National stadium is the cavernous choice for rock concerts, ice-skating spectaculars and large-scale dance events. Av du Globe 36. Tel: +32 (0)2-340-2111. Jazz has a long, proud history in Brussels, and venues throughout the city swing to the sound of saxophones, pianos and trumpets well into the night. Music Village Jazz Club opened in September 2000, and has earned a good reputation among the city's discerning jazz fans. Live music from across the jazz spectrum can be heard Wednesday to Saturday, with Belgium's finest jazz musicians occasionally being joined by international stars. Admission: EUR10-EUR20. Rue des Pierres 50. Tel: +32 (0)2-513-1345.

Theatre

Presenting modern and established classics such as Waiting For Godot and Twelfth Night, the Theatre National is Brussels's foremost theatrical venue. The greater proportion of performances are held at Salle Le Palace (Boulevard Anspach 85), but some are held at Halles de Schaerbeek (Rue Royale Ste Marie 22). Tel: +32 (0)2-203-4155. The Theatre Royal du Parc is a good alternative, showing mainly classics by playwrights such as Moliere or George Bernard Shaw. Rue de la Loi 3. Tel: +32 (0)2-505-3030.

Opera

A temple to the classics, La Monnaie presents a varied bill of opera, music and dance. Tickets for classical performances such as Othello and Parsifal start at EUR8. La Monnaie is also home to the Brussels Philharmonic Society, whose recent repertoire includes Bach, Handel and Debussy, as well as the works of lesser-known masters of Classical music. Place de la Monnaie. Tel: +32 (0)70-233-939.

Cinema

For big-budget Hollywood movies Kinepolis is hard to beat. Europe's largest cinema complex boasts 25 screens plus an IMAX theatre. Films may be screened in several different European languages. Bld du Centenaire 20. Tel: +32 (0)2-474-2600. The Actor's Studio has a diverse bill of art house cinema. Petite Rue des Bouchers 16. Tel: +32 (0)2-512-1696. There are a number of UGC cinemas around the city showing mainly Hollywood fare. Place de Brouckere is one of the most centrally located, just opposite the Metropole Hotel.

Nightclubs

Brussels is one of those cities where clubs aren't immediately apparent should you go a-hunting at random. The locals seem to evaporate from the bars at around ten or eleven o'clock and if you're not watching closely you can easily get left behind as the city moves into the clubs until the small hours of the morning. The best thing to do is to get some advice from a local on the day before your planned night out. Brussels's clubs have different nights on offer from day to day and there should always be something that suits you going on somewhere in the city. Otherwise try these places to catch some late night entertainment: The Fuse Rue Blaesstraat 208 Tel: +32 (0)2-511-9789 Brussels's best club? Many would say so. Fuse has been the top night out for Brussels's party people for the last half a decade. Techno and dance dominate the decks and the dance floor is always packed. Having a good time is more important than looking good - although a bit of both is naturally preferable. Mirano Continental Chaussée de Louvain 38 Tel: +32 (0)2-227-3972 This old cinema converted into a club is one of the most stylish venues in Brussels and one of the places to be seen, if that's important to you. It really gets going on a Saturday night when the city's more outrageous clubbers come out for a night of dance and house music. La Démence Rue Blaesstraat 208 Tel: +32 (0)2-503-5918 Held in the same venue as The Fuse, La Demence is Brussels's premier gay club event. Approximately monthly from 23h00 the club is home to the city's most outrageously dressed denizens, as well as the more mundane of Brussels's gay citizens in a huge dance event. Milk Rue de Livourne 40 Tel: +32 (0)2-534-2667 A relative newcomer to the Brussels club scene, Milk is a smallish venue just off Avenue Louise attracting a laid back, hip crowd. Fridays see DJs playing funk and electro; on Saturdays it's garage. Los Romanticos - El Palacio Latino Quai aux Bois à Bruler 5-7 Tel: n/a An energetic salsa club just off Place Ste Catherine open most nights and playing salsa, merengue and other Latin rythms. The stylish décor adds to the highly-charged atmosphere. Fun for watching too - there are some great dancers here.

Special Events

February From mid-late February each year, Brussels plays host to Belgium's Antiques Fair. The fair, which is almost half a century old, attracts over 50 art dealers who display their wares in Ravenstein Hall and Palais des Beaux Arts. Works range from Oriental, African and South American to jewellery, paintings and engravings. A must for all enthusiasts. March Two weeks of supernatural madness return to Brussels each March, for the International Festival of Fantasy Film. Over 60,000 fans of fantasy, thriller and sci-fi descend on the city to enjoy over 100 screenings of new films, unusual processions, body-painting competitions, fashion shows and the renowned Vampires' Ball. April/ May During two weeks in April and May, The Royal Greenhouses of Laeken, built for Leopold II in the 1800s, are open to the public. You don't have to be a botanist to appreciate the banana trees, palms, monkey puzzles, tree ferns and exotic flowers that grow in this fantastic glasshouse. Evening visits provide a particularly impressive view. May For one weekend each May, Brussels taps its feet to the sound of jazz during the Jazz Marathon. Both national and international artists will fill the clubs, squares, streets and bars, performing over 100 concerts to suit jazz fans of every taste from traditional combos to the most outrageous acid and performance jazz. June/ July The last day of June heralds the start of summer and sparks three days and nights of world music and food during The Couleur Café Festival. Performances from over 500 artists are set to transport an audience of over 50,000 right across the globe, from Africa and South America to Ireland and Spain. Performances are held in the Tour et Taxis complex. July On the first Tuesday of every July, spectators gather in the Grand'Place, to watch the annual Ommegang (Walk About). The procession, which dates back to the 1200s, is composed of Aristocrats and Masters of local trade and crafts, paying homage to the sovereign and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Processionaries wear replicas of traditional dress, made according to paintings and engravings of the period. Space in the Grand'Place is limited to 3,000 spectators, so you must book tickets well in advance. July/ August Throughout July and August each year, the city's public places are transformed into concert halls, to stage The City's Summer Festival. Music of all kinds, from classical to pop and jazz can be heard throughout the streets and each evening over 40 concerts are staged. Head for the Grand'Place, Palais des Beaux Arts, Parc Léopald and Hotel de Ville. August For one week in August every two years the entire Grand'Place is turned into a "Flower Carpet" with hundreds of thousands of blooms carefully arranged to form a fabulous decoration - literally carpeting the square. The buildings that overlook it are similarly festooned with flowers. The next Flower Carpet is scheduled for 2004. December Set within the Grand'Place, the European Market of Christmas Traditions makes an ideal venue for a pre-Christmas shopping spree. As well as traditional crafts from Belgium and across Europe, you can sample traditional food, wine and delicacies. The Christmas music and lights are sure to get you in the festive spirit. Contact the tourist office for further details.