BRUSSELS ELECTRONIC MARATHON 2016

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Brussels Electronic Marathon (BEM) is a three-day festival of electronic music in the center of Brussels. Its first edition will take place from October 14 till 16, 2016, in several key locations in Europe’s capital.

Brussels Electronic Marathon is an initiative of FTRSND – an electronic music collective – to promote the local scene in different unusual or special venues in the capital. Inspired by, among others, Great Escape (Brighton), Iceland Airwaves (Reykjavik) or, closer by, the Brussels Jazz Marathon, this festival is for both electronic music lovers and curious people, for children and adults. BEM intends to show the richness and diversity of Brussels‘ electronic music scene.

BEM is organized by FTRSND in collaboration with the following actors of the local scene: Bedroom Beats, Bepotel Records, Blue Cheese, Bulex, BuzzOn Your Lips, Cosmic Pop Records, Deep Heat, Deep In House, Early Late, Eating Records, Electronical Reeds, Fondation Sonore, Fragments, High Needs Low, Holger, Just Chillin‘, KickBack, Leftorium, Los Niños, MacSwell, Moonlight, Non peut-être, Play Label Records, Re:Fresh, Trahace, Under My Garage, Vlek, Wired Electronics, …

Programming

BEM is not limited to concerts and events that take place in various special locations in Brussels. There will be two main events on Friday and Saturday. In addition, Brussels Electronic Marathon will bring audiovisual installations to the Brussels Beer Project, a musical brunch to the MIMA museum, workshops (and also introductory workshops for children) at SAE, … In the Beursschouwburg, BEM organizes a meeting about modular synths.

A more detailed program will be announced end of August 2016. Follow their Facebook page and RSVP for the event to stay tuned.

The idea

The story of Brussels Electronic Marathon began with the call for proposals „Make Brussels“, launched by the government of Brussels to support local projects that can make life in Brussels better. FTRSND submitted an electronic music project and received almost 900 public votes. Unfortunately, BEM didn’t win the race, but, the idea was born and FTRSND decided to continue the project without the financial support of „Make Brussels“.

Of course, this means that the project must find funds somewhere else. To exist, BEM needs the support of the public. Also, FTRSND had to revise the original production and organization plans for this first edition in order to reduce the costs. The BEM team decided to cancel the outdoor activities for this first edition and to limit the marathon to locations with a sound installation. Of course, they hope that, in the next few years, the project will grow and expand, so that Brussels Electronic Marathon becomes an established element of the musical landscape of our European capital!

Goals

For this first edition, the main objective of FTRSND is to show the size and wealth of electronic music in Brussels. During a whole weekend, BEM will initiate the public to the world of electronic music. Three days in which everyone has the opportunity to approach, understand, and study this music, and play with sounds.

The various activities will bear witness of the cultural wealth of Brussels‘ scene. Not only will BEM enliven the city with electronic sounds, it will also illustrate what authentic electronic music in Brussels is today.

For a first edition, it is always difficult to estimate how many people to expect, but FTRSND is hoping to receive between 15,000 and 20,000 visitors during the three-day Brussels Electronic Marathon.

Venue Partners

Already confirmed: Ancienne Belgique, Fuse, Brussels Beer Project, MIMA, Walvis, Cafe Bravo, Doctor Vinyl, Beursschouwburg, Belga, L’Amour Fou, SAE, Taille 33, Cinema Galleries, 4041 Space.

To be continued …