Pop rock and variety concert halls Bruxelles - Brussel

In the past, Brel could be seen in this pop-rock temple of music. Today, we listen to stars who still want to perform in a place with a human dimension or young Belgian talents, French songs or World Music. With a capacity of 2,000 people standing, the hall is modular and can be adapted to different styles of music. During quieter concerts, you can sit on the bleachers. Go upstairs and you will discover the AB Box with its intimate atmosphere. Aimed at a young audience, the AB makes sure that the concerts end at 10.30 pm.

Housed in a 17th century baroque chapel, this contemporary art centre presents an eclectic programme in which dance, theatre and visual arts play the leading roles. The place has an irregular program, but it allows to have an idea of the new trends. The bar is open from 6pm onwards on the evenings of the shows and it is possible to eat (dish of the day or assortment of cheeses, cold cuts or vegans), preferably with a reservation. Not to be confused with the eponymous restaurant Les Brigittines, which has been open for years, just a few steps away.

Forest National is the second largest concert hall in the capital (after the Palais 12 du Heysel) with a capacity of approximately 8,400 seats. Every year, it welcomes the most popular French and international stars. The Stones, U2, Bob Marley, Queen, Sardou, Johnny Hallyday and Stromae have all performed at Forest National. Some artists even enjoy recording their live albums there. Since 1971, Forest has become a mythical venue with over 3,000 concerts and shows.

The former covered market Sainte-Marie, dating from the 19th century, has become an invitation to the interdisciplinarity of the arts, a commitment to a dialogue on the contemporary world, proposing an intergenerational exchange. Les Halles de Schaerbeek thus embodies the reallocation of an industrial site into a cultural structure. Located in a mixed neighbourhood, Les Halles wants to be an actor and co-author of a better social cohesion, that of their neighbourhood. Dance, circus, theatre, literature... the arts respond to each other, all with a view to the world.

Perched above the Botanical Gardens, the Bota is one of the city's great concert halls. In fact, there are 3 of them: the Orangery, which is the main hall, the Rotunda, which by its modest size brings the audience closer to the artists who perform there, and the Witloof Bar, in the cellar, which is suitable for intimate concerts. The Bota is known for the quality of its line-ups and for its Nuits Botaniques festival, every year in May, one of the big musical events of the year. Also quality exhibition spaces and a nice bar with view on the park.

Originally a Flemish theatre, the Beurs has gradually diversified its activities in a spirit of multicultural openness. It has become a key venue for contemporary creation in Brussels. Concerts, often by emerging artists, exhibitions and other artistic activities are often organised here. Music is omnipresent in the bar, with regular DJ sets and cutting-edge concerts. In the summer, the rooftop offers a nice alternative to the bar on the ground floor. The public is rather artistic and intellectual.

IN-CRE-VA-BLE and as rebellious as ever, Magasin 4 continues to raise the banner of alternative music: punk, ska, funk, hardcore, experimental... Since 1994, when they were housed at 4 rue du Magasin, they've been making noise. Both a club and a concert hall, the concept is currently housed in warehouses not far from the canal in Anderlecht, although they will have to move to a permanent location some time from now. Aka Moon, Babylon Circus and Lofofora have all survived its overheated atmosphere.