One of the city's great hidden treasures, the Brussels music scene hosts some of the biggest and best up-and-coming artists and bands in the international, European and Belgian scene.
Every month, Europe's capital has no shortage of thrilling concerts – and picking out the best gigs can be tough. This is why we have put together a monthly guide to discover the best live acts in the city, perfect for new and old Brusseleirs alike.
Carefully selected by music journalist Simon Taylor, here are The Brussels Times' choices for the concerts and gigs that you and your friends should not miss throughout January 2025. Oh, and happy New Year!
Best gigs this month:
10 January
Bram de Looze
Flagey
De Looze is one of the most interesting pianists in Belgium, combining jazz with contemporary classical and musical experimentation. He is artist in residence at the 2025 Jazz Festival where he will be playing with highly regarded US musicians including drummer Joey Baron. His jazz influences include the greats such as Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett and his compositions draw on those musicians’ lyricism.
Bram De Looze is a resident of the 2025 Brussels Jazz Festival
De Looze has also experimented with alternative tunings as a means to “renew from within” as he describes his approach to music. He is also giving two other shows as part of the festival: on 12 January, with acclaimed Korean musician, Doyeon Kim, a virtuoso on the gayageum; and, on 16 January, with his own trio, Vice Versa, with drummer Eric McPherson and bassist Felix Henkelhausen. In all three settings, you can expect to hear a contemporary master of improvisation.
16 January
Mari Kalkun
30CC, Leuven
Kalkun is an Estonian singer and musician whose compositions and voice evoke the wintry landscapes of her homeland with their spare arrangements and use of traditional instruments like the kannel. Kalkun, who also sings in the Võru language which only has 75,000 speakers, has released eight albums and, perhaps not surprisingly, has had great success in Japan where her minimalist music inspired the natural landscape is highly appreciated.
Mari Kalkun. Credit: Dmitri Kotju
Live, she accompanies herself on piano and the kannel, a traditional Estonian stringed instrument like a zither. Check out Maaimä (Mother Earth) from her 2023 album Stories of Stonia to get a flavour of her music. The track starts with Kalkun chanting in Estonian before adding layers of other instruments to build into a grand emotional symphony.
17 January
Irreversible Entanglements
Flagey
Irreversible Entanglements are a free jazz collective from the US. The main reason to go to see them is to check out spoken-word artist, musician and co-founder Moor Mother (real name Camae Ayewa). Moor Mother has become the go-to person for musical collaborations in the last few years, featuring on records such as American-Pakistani singer Arooj Aftab, UK jazz outfit Sons of Kemet, Chicago electronic musician Jlin, and Japanese ambient artist Masayoshi Fujita, to name just four.
Irreversible Entanglements
Ayewa founded the group with bass player Luke Stewart and their first two records on Chicago’s International Anthem Records were lauded as the best new jazz albums by publications as eminent as The Wire, Pitchfork and The Quietus. Their music is not easy listening but collectively they achieve an intensity that is matched by Ayewa’s poetry depicting black history and experience. The event is part of Flagey’s 2025 Jazz festival.
22 January
Farida Amadou
Botanique
Farida Amadou
Amadou, a bass player from Liège, has had a spectacular rise to become one of the most sought-after musicians on the avant-garde/experimental/improvisational scene. Recently she has played with some of the best-known and highly regarded artists from that world including saxophonist Peter Brötzmann and guitarist Fred Frith. She was part of the fantastically named Cocaine Piss and recently released her debut LP on Cologne’s Week-End Records.
23 January
Lebanon Hanover
Botanique
I assume Lebanon Hanover are nihilists (watch The Big Lebowski if you don’t know the term). Otherwise they’d be the perfect band to front an EU programme for cross-border cultural exchange. Vocalist and guitarist Larissa Iceglass (given name Georgiou) is from Switzerland, while bass player William Maybelline is from Sunderland. They met online (via last.fm rather than one of the other apps that bring strangers together) and put records on Greece’s Fabrika label.
From Sunderland to Switzerland via Greece, Lebanon Hanover are a synth-heavy band
Oh, and the band is named after two neighbouring towns in New Hampshire. They play what Belgians call dark or cold wave in the tradition of early (and the latest) Cure and Bauhaus. Younger readers may prefer references to more current synth bands like Nation of Language, Working Men’s Club or Automatic. The duo have, however, been around since 2010 and have released six albums. So, shake off those January blues and put on your brightest matt black gear and get yourselves down to Botanique.
28 January
JPEGMAFIA
Ancienne Belgique
Peggy, as he is affectionately called by his fanbase, is one of the most innovative rappers of the past decade, largely due to his noise-inspired industrial beats which he self-produces. JPEGMAFIA began making music at the age of 13 in Alabama before joining the military to fund his college education. He was ultimately discharged after refusing to comply with his superiors' abusive orders.
JPEGMAFIA at Coachella 2019
He’s been releasing music ever since before gaining widespread attention with his 2018 album Veteran, which critics immediately praised for its experimental nature. His rage-filled raps, reminiscent of Rage Against The Machine frontman Zack de la Rocha, with his live shows for their frenetic energy. With his upcoming studio album and world tour Lay Down My Life, Peggy continues to solidify his place as a unique and influential voice in contemporary music.
30 January
Uwase
AB Club, Ancienne Belgique
Brussels-based Uwase played her first gig at Beursschouwburg
Uwase is a young singer-songwriter from Brussels. Her music is a mixture of indie guitar pop with reflective lyrics that put you in mind of Arlo Parks as well as tunesmiths like Snail Mail and Alvvays. She works with Jasper Segers, a producer and sound engineer known for his collaborations with Balthazar and Sylvie Kreusch. Her gig at AB is to launcher new EP, Angelo.
31 January
Omar Souleyman
Ancienne Belgique
Souleyman is a Syrian singer who started out singing at weddings before leaving his country when war broke out in 2011. His latest album, Erbil, is a tribute to the Iraqi city in the Kurdish region which took him in after he left Syria. Souleyman’s music comes from the “dabke” tradition from the Levantine countries where communities dance together in a circle to celebrate special occasions.
Omar Souleyman
Thanks to his gifted keyboard player, Hasan Jamo Alo, Souleyman has added fast-paced electronic sounds to his music. His live shows are an ecstatic mix of his impassioned vocals and irresistible rhythms. Since leaving Syria, he has recorded albums with such prestigious producers as Four Tet and Modeselektor.
