What’s it like to be a musician in Antwerp?

It’s fun! There are so many ways to put yourself out there in this city. Antwerp has a lot of venues and there are a lot of festivals where we get the opportunity to play, like where we rehears and which happens to be the biggest venue in town. Another great thing about this city is the welcoming crowd, there’s definitely no better place to play music than Antwerp.

What’s your best experience in this city?

A few weeks ago we got to play at “Out Of The Basement”, a concept by TRIX to give young bands a platform. We were treated like VIP’s; a nice backstage, food and drinks, great PA and lightshow... We kind of felt like rock stars that day. We also chilled for a while and got to hang out with and , so that was pretty awesome! I wouldn’t complain about a life like that (laughs). Thanks to this show, we were also able to perform at and that’s exactly what I love about Antwerp: all venues and music fans are connected in some way so people so word about your band gets around pretty fast.

Is there a difference in other cities?

We haven’t performed that much in other cities. All I can say is that there’s a great community feel here in Antwerp. Everyone’s welcoming and if you’re any good, people will come to see you at other places.

The Hickey Underworld

has been around for a pretty long time. Younes Faltakh (singer, guitar) & Jonas Govaerts (guitar) have been playing together for almost 20 years. In 2006 the band won Humo’s Rock Rally and have since released 2 full albums. You might know them from their single ‘Future Words’, ‘Blonde Fire’ or ‘The Frog’. We talked to Younes (33) about his life as a musician in Antwerp.

You've lived in Antwerp your whole life. What’s it like for a musician in this city?

Antwerp’s pretty small and there’s not really a live circuit, so you tend to see the whole of Flanders as your hometown. But I’ve been in bands since I was thirteen and getting gigs in Antwerp is not easy. Either way, when you’re starting out, the most fun shows are those you put on yourself or those at a friend’s party or something. So a strong DIY ethic is highly recommended!

Would you (the band) ever consider moving ?

Yeah, we’ve discussed it jokingly. But we’re writing our third album right now, and we have our set up here, so we’re not in a headspace of planning out logistical strategies or anything.

What's the most memorable gig you played in Antwerp?

On December 21st of last year we did an ‘end of the world’ themed gig at . We had a lot of guest musicians and friends playing covers and their own stuff. That ran pretty smoothly, almost zero casualties…

When you go out, you usually hang out at the bars around the Mechelseplein. Are there any other bars or restaurants you would recommend?

After I go to the movies I might have a drink at , cause it’s close by. Besides that, I’m really starting to enjoy the perks of getting drunk at home by myself. Restaurant wise, I like Indian food, I think , and are pretty good! If you’re a vegetarian, check out .

Tell us a personal anecdote

Last year I played a fundraiser with a cover band for national radio station Studio Brussel, we had a fun night. A few weeks later I got called up by police for questioning. At the police station I was shown pictures of security footage from that night and was asked if I knew the person in the pictures. Even though I did not know the suspect, I would never rat out a homey, that’s street code. I asked what this was about, but they could not lawfully disclose it. I heard other people from other bands got called in for questioning too. Police then asked me to come in a second time, it was then revealed to me that it concerned a theft. The theft of a frying pan. Not kidding. The case is still under investigation, Antwerp’s finest are working on it. Funny thing is, we took a very large painting of a horse in a field off the backstage wall that night, strapped it to the roof of our car and took it home, never heard anything about that.

Younes’ Antwerp Hotspots

Kassa4: Ossenmarkt 21, 2000 Antwerp. A bar where a lot of students hang out but you’ll also find a lot of musicians here.

Yeti House: Van Arteveldestraat 45, 2060 Antwerp. An Indian and Nepalese restaurant, close to Central Station.

Taj Mahal:  Statiestraat 15, 2018 Antwerp. An Indian restaurant near UGC, the biggest cinema in the city. Try the Chicken Tikka Masala !

Strings & Things: Bresstraat 12, 2000 Antwerp. One of my favorite music shops in Antwerp. They also have a bass shop down the street.

Miles Tones: Turnhoutsebaan 329, 2140 Borgerhout. If you’re going to TRIX, pass by this music shop. They have a wide variety of guitars!

Robin’s Antwerp hotspots

TRIX: Noordersingel 28-30, 2140 Borgerhout. Without a doubt the best music venue of the city.

The Kids:Grote Markt 50, 2000 Antwerp. This is a rhythm & blues café in the city center

Bar Déco: Torfbrug 2, 2000 Antwerp. They have lots of beers!

Vibes: Grote Pieterpotstraat 14, 2000 Antwerp. A bar where I enjoyed some free funk, soul and jazz shows. It has a small basement where everyone dances like there’s no tomorrow.

Buster (now CABRON): Kaasrui 1, 2000 Antwerp. People consider Buster as a cultural platform where lots of events take place.

Scheld’apen: ‘d Herbouvillekaai 36, 2020 Antwerp. A small venue (former railway personnel canteen) next to the river Scheldt, where you can see a show or go to a party.