Following the sixth edition of ABBota, a concert series organised by Botanique and AB, music journalist Stefaan Werbrouck went into the archives of the organizers, to look up the roots of all Belgian bands that made it to the ABBota-line up. We can identify the Brussels region as the region that houses the most upcoming bans of the recent years.
Though this is just a sample of 'Remarkable Belgian talent during six years of ABBota', it could be interesting to map all Belgian bands that have broken through these last years. Present absence on the map might be the city of Kortrijk, that slowly but surely profiles itself as the West-Flemish city of Rock'n Roll with top bands like SX, Goose and Balthazar. Maybe that status will keep musical talent from moving away to rocking Ghent?
Generaly speaking and not very suprising to all of us: it seems that our musicians are roaming rock-organisms, that prefer the creative
big city above their remote and incognito birth towns.
Among them remain a few hard liners that stay put, and don't take away good music from urban treasures like Ardooie or Sars La Buissière.
Finally let us exclaim Brussels as an interesting melting pot of national and international talent from everywhere. The formation of The Hoquets is quite the example for that 24 / 02 @ AB
ABBota has been organised since 2007 by Flemish concert hall AB and French concert venue Botanique. Initially, the two meant to program French-Belgian bands at AB and Flemish Bands at Botanique. Through the years, that intention faded towards an interesting mix of the two land parts on both stages.
