Interview: Dansende Beren x Pilar w/ Niels Bruwier

"I did have some names in mind, but I didn’t want to go too big and instead focus on cool bands that hadn’t yet played in Belgium. That’s how I managed to book three bands from different regions that had never performed here before. Additionally, I wanted to try to include a name from each neighboring country, which led me to Johnny Mafia, who will be playing their only Belgian show this year. I found Foyer Red by browsing the line-up of Left of the Dial for cool names, and Floodlights is an amazing Australian band I’ve been following for a while, just like Droom Dit, who already impressed us this year at Best Kept Secret Festival."

"Of course! Pilar is a discovery venue, so all the bands that come here are ones you’ll hear more about or who are just at the beginning of their careers. Chances are you’ll be able to say later, “I saw them back when they played at Pilar.” Also, the connection with the university is really cool since it’s all young bands coming to play. We always try to pair them with a few fun Belgian acts alongside the international names, who are also on the verge of breaking through."

"Absolutely! Droom Dit could very well be on the lineup of every major festival in Belgium next year. Thanks to their dark new wave, sultry vocals, and beautiful lyrics, they already have an edge over other Nederpop artists. Their songs are intense, leave a mark, and linger in your mind. It’s only a matter of time before they break through, and their show at Pilar will be their first in Belgium. While they’ve already made a name for themselves in the Netherlands, their story in Belgium will start at Pilar."

"You’ll see bands performing in Belgium for the first time, so you can say: “I saw their first show in Belgium.”

You love discovering new music, and at an affordable price, you’ll get to discover at least two or three bands in one night.

You support new talent by attending, giving the bands a reason to keep going. For those coming from far away, it can be quite surprising to see dozens of people suddenly buying tickets for them."