Grauzone festival 2021 goes online and reveals first names

The interdisciplinary Grauzone festival reveal first names Amenra (acoustic), Whispering Sons, Sylvie Kreusch, Zanias, Sons, Rumours

Grauzone Festival announce the first names: Amenra (BE), Whispering Sons (BE), Sylvie Kreusch (BE), Zanias (Aus), Sons (BE), Spill Gold (NL), Rumours (BE), 4B2M (NL), Siem Reap (BE), DJ Reka (ES), Kel Assouf (Niger), Global Charming (NL), Pablo Bozzi (FR), Bolis Pupul (BE), De Nooit Moede (BE). The 8th edition of Grauzone Festival takes place Friday 21 and Saturday 22 May 2021. This online edition will be freely accessible worldwide (or donation).

After the successful edition in 2020, Grauzone was one of the last physical music and art festivals, this year Grauzone festival will be an online edition due to the ongoing pandemic. Earlier, the festival weekend already moved from February to May. The first names of Grauzone 2022 will be announced during the online event and the early bird ticket sales will also start. Grauzone 2022 will take place again in February.

Within the program, Grauzone presents some of the best and newest acts from our southern neighbours under the title 'The Sound Of Belgium'. Several bands will present themselves here to the Dutch and international audience for the first time.

Amenra, who will play an acoustic set, is one of Belgium's most influential acts. Their shows are unique events with a strong ritualistic character. The band will play an exclusive show at a special location. Whispering Sons breathed new life into the post punk genre and played Grauzone multiple times before. The new, second album Several Others will be released in June and they will play some new songs for the first time. Sylvie Kreusch (ex-Warhaus), one of the most talented rising stars in Belgium, is reminiscent of Lana Del Rey, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin with her mysterious electronic voodoo doll and her sultry voice. Sons from Melsele play psychedelic garage-punk and high energy post punk and are, according to KEXP: ''one of the must-see live acts performing right now''.

Tuareg group Kel Assouf, with frontman Anana Ag Haroun originally from Niger but currently based in Brussels, play intoxicating North-African desert rock in the style of Mdou Moctar / Tinariwen with Jimi Hendrix influences. Dark hypnotic electro comes from Rumours, with Brutus' drummer and singer Stefanie Mannaerts on synths / beats and Hannah Vandenbussche with vocals that balance between Chelsea Wolfe and Fever Ray.

Siem Reap is the shoegaze solo project of Gilles Demolder (Oathbreaker / Wiegedood). De Nooit Moede takes inspiration from the ‘80’s new wave with Factory / 4AD influences. Their 2020 debut EP was mixed by David Morley (Depeche Mode, The Orb). Bolis Pupul is Boris Zeebroek (The Germans and the other half of Charlotte Adigery) with analog synths signed to the Soulwax label, for fans of Logic System, Telex and Kraftwerk.

Dutch representation comes from Global Charming, a mix of Talking Heads and Modern Lovers and the psychedelic kraut duo Spill Gold. In addition, there is space-synth-krautrock from the brand new supergroup 4B2M with members of, among others, De Staat and Go Back to the Zoo.

Berlin DJ’s Zanias (Linea Aspera), Reka and Pablo Bozzi (Imperial Black Unit) will let you dance the night away in your living room.

Friday 21 May 8PM - 1AM: Online, pay what you want

Saturday 22 May 8PM - 1AM: Online, pay what you want