The Atomium is set to vibrate to the global rhythms of Couleur Café festival this weekend as it returns for its 33rd edition at Osseghem Park in Brussels.
Over 70,000 festival-goers are expected to applaud the 80 or so artists of all kinds, including a host of DJs, who will be performing in the green spaces which surround the steel symbol of Belgium.
Couleur Café's line-up for this year's festival is as colourful and varied as ever. From hip-hop to amapiano, afrobeats, dancehall, electro and reggaeton – music lovers are in for a treat.
Headliners include Action Bronson, Masego, Biga*Ranx, Tems and Fatoumata Diawara. Tyla announced last week she was cancelling her performance due to "unforeseen circumstances". The Water star has already cancelled most of her debut album tour for medical reasons. She was replaced on the lineup by Dutch rap act Frenna & The Gang.
Couleur Café music festival in Brussels, Friday 23 June 2023. Credit: Belga / Hatim Kaghat
The Black Stage will be dedicated to DJ sets, featuring Ninette, Golden Zebora, Raql b2b Bo Meng, Moonshine, Jael and Skyla Tylaa. Fans of new sounds will be able to enjoy a selection of emerging artists and DJ collectives on the La Plancha and Tarmac stages.
Festival-goers can sway to the hip-hop jazz of South African artists Masego (Friday), the soul-funk sounds of Morgan (Saturday) or the smoky boom bap of UK rapper Lord Apex (Sunday).
UK music lovers will also be treated to the likes of grime legend Ghetts, the up-and-coming drill artist Cristale, reggae legends Steel Pulse and nu-jazz act Nubiyan Twist.
Couleur Café music festival in Brussels, 2023. Credit: Belga / Hatim Kaghat
The event will also feature world music with the Congolese rumba of Ferre Gola (Saturday), the reggae of Jah Lil and Sanga Mama (Sunday) and the US house RnB rhythms of Austin Millz, who will close the festival on Sunday evening.
Francophone music lovers will also not want to miss performances by the Belgian soulful singer and rapper Swing, veteran French rapper and actor Disiz and Martinique's Meryl. Belgian Dutch-speaking rap legends STIKSTOF and Dikke will doubtless be favourites among locals.
Brussels public transport operator STIB will be deploying a special system throughout the weekend. Using the Event Pass code sent by e-mail, festival-goers will be able to use the STIB network free of charge to get to the concerts and then return home.
Couleur Café music festival in Brussels, Friday 24 June 2022. Credit: Belga / Hatim Kaghat
After the concerts, six special shuttle bus routes will be available between midnight and 3am, departing every 15 minutes. All combi tickets and Saturday tickets have sold out, but tickets for Friday and Sunday are still available.
