We honestly could not have found a better answer for our questioning title, as the one of a play that was on top of our must see list at Theater Aan Zee this year. 👁
Please check out these two artists and founding fathers of a newborn collective called dinsdag.org
Written and performed by Jeff Aendenboom and Bas Vanderschoot, “The Memeing of Life” is the talk of the town in Ostend these days.
If you get the chance elsewhere, by all means go check it out yourself. You are in for a treat full of surprises. Although the play is in Dutch, it looks and feels extremely universal. Get ready for an extraordinary view on cyberculture and prepare for a journey through time and space, different artforms, covered in dadaïsm. And memes, by all means 🙃
How about learning one of Belgium’s three languages 😉 through theater and memes? It’s just a wild idea.
Anyway, it’s the sum of wild ideas that often leads to genius TAZ-productions like: “The Memeing of Life” 👩🏻🏫▶️🖼👁 Another well deserved “ArtistCongratz”👏 to these youngsters.
With the makers’ consent ArtistCongratz would like to grant you some sneak peeks▶️⤵️
Warning: Not a scene for all too sensitive viewers 👁“Mona”Jeff Aendenboom demonstrating « The Memeing of Life »❓A Turning Point 👏🙌Jpeg Picture with a Merchmom, if That’s no meme;-)
ArtistCongratz are in order for the founders of an extraordinary festival by the sea. Ostend turns silver for her most cherished theater and -literature-highlight-of-the -summer called Theater Aan Zee.
About a decade in 25 years of TAZ, your editor has had the privilege to witness and assist lots of creative talents, performing in one of the most inclusive and diverse line ups in the country.
National and international talent is able to thrive here in many ways.
Starring in this beachperformance: two bulldozers and a drone The campagne image of this years festival and many others were designed by Kaat Flamey
If you’re from abroad and traveling along our Belgian coastline don’t miss out on “The Nomads” this year.
The itinerary along well hidden gems of Ostends fisherman’wharf area happens to program two English spoken performances.
Please check the jubilee’s website and socials for more options.
With TAZ halfway through we gladly present our so far photogallery, full of talent, performing at this years festival. Shiny happy birthday Theater Aan Zee!🎂 🌊 ⚓️🎪🎭🥂
Part of the outdoor expo “De Zin.” as “the phrase or sentence” but also “the meaning” by Alexia Leysen⤵️Alicja Gescinska, a remarkable Belgian philosopher and writera voodooprincess in the deepest trance possible #mambo by Princess Isatu Hassan Bangura Circling Site Performance “Dog”Emma Buysse in “Crybaby”: “A quest for authentic tears”And last but not least; a fan of spoken and written words, ready for “Nomadland”
Summertime! Calls for a special travel tip for all of you, 🇧🇪🌏🌞
If you’re exploring Belgium this Summer, ArtistCongratz recommends a special experience for classical music lovers, combining passion for nature, nostalgia and history.
In for a Tsjaikovski, Vivaldi, Rachmaninov, Bizet and Orff-revival amidst historic buildings of our cutest open air museum? Get flashed back into the golden age of these epic composers➡️the 17th and the 18th century.
Space to be is our most famous open air museum: Bokrijk, every sunday, starting July 3rd till August 7th, where this instrument’s🎹craftsmanship will be demonstrated.
Your musical guide is Daniel Verstappen, a young pianist featuring previous posts. He is on the rise and on our watch, almost since he started making his way. Highlights along that way include concerts with Anastacia, Andrea Bocelli, John Miles and of course his recent selection for the European Music Export Program, which lead him to Dubai, playing for our Belgian king and queen 👑 A new young Belgian “Richard Clayderman” is among us indeed.
Daniël is determined to make each detail count. In sound as well as performance. Touching and inspiring the listener are his main goals.
Daniel playing along Jos Essers, the author of a novel in which he reminisces towards his childhood at a Castle 🏰 hidden in the woods of Overijse. Dreamed top spot for this concert and the reading 📖🎹
So by all means, get swept away in Bokrijk by his adaptation of masterpieces like Four Seasons and Swan Lake🦢🎼
ArtistCongratz also attended the castle concert in Overijse. Now this is what we call: A Tune With A View⬇️
TUNES with a VIEW
More castle concerts are coming up. Check itinerary here and abroad on Daniel’s renewed website.
Details, speaking of which, this is Daniel’s lucky luxury charm, a golden pianobrooch (actually it’s a tie pin) with eleven brilliants (worth 6000 💶) he started wearing at his latest concerts following a joint-venture with UDT diamonds 💎 The owner of the company being a great admirer of Daniel’s work Not an easy process this design, it all starts with a 3 D drawing ✍️
Notice Daniel is wearing state of the art costumes, also matching his tunes like a charm. A special ArtistCongratzcall to rising designers out there; 🤵🏻♀️feel free to get in touch with Daniel 👔for brandnew fashionable joint (ad) ventures Presenting: a never ending piano story 🎼🎹
🎼”Floating”I-Partitions This track is called “Soulmate”, and that’s actually what the piano is to Daniel according to the young composer himselfBach in BokrijkDaniel presents 🎼Tsjaikovski’s Swan lake🦢, One of our absolute favourites
A strawberry moon to go with Belgian Måneskinrays, it doesn’t get much sweeter 🍓
Slightly before the most “Abbalike” victory in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest, ArtistCongratZ might have had a liiittle hunch that this band was about to be become really biiig. Zitti e buoni? Be good and stay quiet? Nah..
Hear hear the voice of teasing our senses with some good old new glamrock🎼 Måneskin is shining on top of the world with brighter beams then ever before 🌙✨ If you attend Jimmy Fallons seats, you’re in for the all inclusive treats 😉
And now these newfound fab four find themselves on ways becoming even bigger then musiclife itself. Since their very own tribute to The King🎸🎼 himself.
Baz Luhrmann’s new Elvismovie starring Austin Butler and Tom Hanks partly floats on Måneskins soundtrack and is premiering June 23rd in cinema’s across Europe 🍿🎞▶️
But first things first, some time today, or tonight, Måneskin is playing an exclusive showcase for our very own radiostation Studio Brussels at a top secret location. So only the happy few will experience the shining. For now.
Vic de Angelis, posting her first Instastory since she set foot on Belgian soil 🇧🇪
No worries if you can’t attend, the band will be back soon for the mother of all Belgian musicfestivals 🇧🇪
Be there or be square;-) or anywhere this quirky quartet will be performing of course🙌 Rock Werchter presents the One and Only Damiano David & his Capital Cie early July.
MainStage awaits Måneskin on the 2nd, at 15:40 pm sharp.
Welcome to Belgium Måneskin!
🇮🇹Benvenuti in Belgió al vostro nuovo “Forum Romanum” 🏛🧨🎸🏟🙌
Glam 🎸rock rules 🙌 For live🎤and love fools💚🤍❤️ In need of 🆒 Thanks to four new Super(role)models 🎶🍀from la bella Italia: Damiano David 🎤🎸, Victoria de Angelis 🇩🇰🎸👅, Thomas Raggi 🎸and Ethan Torchio 🥁🫶
“Siamo fuori di testa 🙃 NO diversa da Loro ;-)” (small AC- lyrics adaptation of this phrase from “Zitti e buoni” ▶️ meaning “we’re mad but no different from them”)
Just as we thought we couldn’t go any more crescendo, there it was: Queen Elisabeth’s platinum jubilee!🇬🇧💂♂️👑
BBC image on our “Telly” of the Platinum Party last night at Buckingham Palace, London.
Priceless it was. Not just “common wealth”🙃no. The Queen is going where no sovereign has gone before!
«Such an extraordinary achievement deserves an equal tribute” as Sir Andrew Loyd Webber 🎶aptly described it.
For the people gathered at the iconic festival in front of Buckingham Palace last night, it must have been an unforgettable experience🙌.
No stiff upper lips what so ever detected by BBC-camera’s.
Some circle of life and a lifetime achievement captured in time like never before.
The Duke of Cambridge congratulated our youngsters in quest for the sake of our -as the Queen herself put it- fragile planet 🌎
The Queen herself unfortunately could not attend in person but the cheers of the crowd must have reached her home office at Windsor Castle.🏰 And of course her son and grandson spoke on her behalf.
Beautiful to see generations meet. And history, present, art, environment and future blend so well in a musical and visual tribute without a precedent. As The Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, mentioned in his impressive speech; turning Buckingham Palace into a massive IMAX-screen.
A whole new “Thanksgiving British style” deserves iconic Congratz, a Platinum Anthem like Sir Rod Stewart’s “Sweet Caroline” and world wide gratitude On Her Majesty’s Public Service from 0️⃣0️⃣7️⃣ disguised as Daniël Craig, Sirs Paddington 🐻 and Paul MC Cartney, Michelle Obama, Dame Julie Andrews, Sir Mo Farah, tennis player Emma Raducanu, Dame Judi Dench, David Beckham, Ellie Simards and many more.
Cuteness Overload 🐻👑 (Repost ItsRoyalGram)
From Diana Ross’s, Queen’s and Elton John’s special tributes🎶 to Jax Jones, Sir Andrew Loyd Webber, Sigala, mister TikTok-Eurovision Sam Ryder, Sir Rod Stewart, Craig David, Lee Mack and Diversity to Andrea Bocelli and Duran Duran🫶⬇️
Notorious idols from your editors teen-times paved ways for a true girl-on-film-and-on-fire 🔥Alicja Keys. Loving London🎡 like New York🗽, concrete jungle where dreams are made and may come true.
Duran Duran on film 🎞 or rather tv 📺 and boomerang 🪃A writers crown jewel 🫶✍️👑
Highlights of seven decades in pophistory across the Commonwealth were told through poetryslam and rap.
Simultaneously paying tribute to the country’s poppioneers like The Beatles (She loves you, Abbey Road…), The Bee Gees (Saturday Night Fever…) David Bowie (Let’s Dance), The Spice Girls (Spice up your life), One Direction etc. Lot’s of stories yet to tell…
“Where popmusic goes from here” We are also excited to see…
“We are all Elizabethans”
Stephen Fry
Hear hear Stephen Fry! 🇬🇧Writer, actor, comedian and presenter. We from Belgium cannot stay behind. ArtistCongratz would like to pay tribute to Her Majesty with no less then A Royal Poem👑🇬🇧 written by yours truly🫶
WAUW. ArtistCongratz comes CLOSE to crescendo this week(end). From our own seaside to Le Stade de France and the Rivieracarpet. Belgium is 🔛the map of lalaland!🎬🎶🏆
While Saving-Sant-Thibaut-Tarantula 🇧🇪🥅 is now without a doubt the best keeper🇪🇸💃 in the whole wide world, we can honestly say he won’t have to search very far in need of the best director for his future biopic. A soccer AND a filmcountry. BELGIUM IS ALL THAT AND MORE🎶
« Historic and truly exceptional this Belgian coloured Cannes Scenario”, according to two iconic siblings. They should know. Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne add another award to their impressive collection🎞
Three times Congratz-en-stéréo to our Belgian fine fleur or should we say filme fleur 🌹 🎞:
1. 🎬👯Lukas Dhont (Grand Prix for Close) in ex æquo with French Director Claire Denis (Stars at Noon)
Close, story about an intense friendship, inspired upon the directors own childhood, definitely touched the hearts of the jury in Cannes. Next are audiences all over the world.
Never change a winning team they say. Once again Lukas collaborated with Angelo Thijssens. Repeating the triumph of their “Girl-scenario”.
Also Congratz to The exceptional Close-cast: Eden Dambrine, Igor Van Dessel, Émilie Duquenne, Kevin Janssens, Léa Drucker etc.Pic shares in story from the director’s instapage
2. 🎬🏔Felix Van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch (Prix du Jury for «Le Otto Montagne») in ex aequo with Jerzi Skolimowski (EO)
Charlotte and Felix, surrounded by the cast of «Le Otto Montagne » Their first « joint venture » as a directing duo calls for a sequel ✌️
3. 🎬Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne 🙌 They received a special prize for their film «Tori & Lokita» on the occasion of the Festival’s 75th birthday🎂
Their ninth feature film presented in competition, tells the story of two young exiles with an unbreakable bond, who have come to settle in Belgium.
🙌✌️🎬
Top of the Bill; « le Palme d’Or » goes to the Swedish director Ruben Ostlünd, for the second time. His satire “Triangle of Sadness”, starring Woody Harrelson, succeeds «The Square»(Palme d’Or 2017)
Palme d’Or 2022: «Triangle of Sadness» starring Woody Harrelson. A satire in which a pair of models find themselves at a crossroads in their careers. Fashion model couple Carl and Yaya are invited on a luxury cruise. When the yacht sinks they become stranded on a desert island with a group of billionaires and a cleaning lady.
🎬🏆
A little twist we discovered as a small addition to our ArtistCongratz-Trivia: The Winner of the Palme d’Or and your editor seem to have a certain date of birth in common🍾April 13th 🎂🥳🎬
While our finest filmfruit is being presented in Cannes as we blog;-), these music icons 🇧🇪 are shining along our own sunny seaside.
The particular Hall of Fame (Eregalerij) we are referring to may be local but the songs within AND their creators reach WAY beyond Belgian borders.
ArtistCongratz gladly adds some more international spotlight to our radionetworks tribute this week at Kursaal Ostend. A scintillating music gala, long overdue because of obvious reasons, finally could celebrate 🎶legends as our soul and popsensation Soulsister and soundwizard Wouter Van Belle.
On top of that two iconic songs are being included in the hall of fame.
Enjoy a zoom with a view, quite the sound and one or two backgroundstories…
Happy to reconnect with one of our finest writers🎶📚🇧🇪. Jan Leyers, One half 🎸of Soulsister, the showstopper of the evening with a sparkling performance of their signature song🎼 “The Way to Your Heart” Soulsister in jumping boomerang modeYes, this is him, the other Soulsister-showstopper. But actually they’re just “starting”. With a brandnew single called “I Need Your Love”, produced by youngster Jasper Maekelberg, Music Industry Awardwinner as in: best producerAlways a pleasure to talk to a sound wizard. Without Wouter Van Belle no legendary piano intro of “Mia”, a song that is like a true anthem in Belgium. He has also worked his magic🎶 for Axelle Red, Novastar, Noordkaap, Milk The Bishop, Jo Lemaire, Stash and many more…“Soldiers of Love”, Eurovisionsong written by singer Liliane Saint Pierre herself, thirty five years ago, while she was watching the news. Sadly history keeps repeating itself but her song remains a timeless beaken of hope. And an inspiration to a whole new generation for that matter. Our junior channel formation Like Me covers their very own version. Wouldn’t it be awesome to make it a duet between the two?Young talent 🇧🇪 Pommelien Thys, paying tribute to Stefaan Fernande, a true songwriting legend who sadly and way too early passed away recently. Tons of evergreens came from his creative and imaginative mind. Scars (Stan Van Samang), Porselein (Porcelain) Yasmine, and Vuurwerk (Fireworks) by Camille to name just a few. Next tribute came from one of our most cherished bands 🇧🇪🎶⬇️Clouseau aka brothers Koen and Kris Wauters singing for Stefaan. Nobelprijs (Nobelprize) is a classic written by this maker of so many unforgettable songs✍️🎼Only one voice can pay tribute to the beloved Icon Arno this way. Hear hear Stijn Meuris 🎤Oh la la! Magnifique! Rock ‘n roll never dies idd 🤟🌖No comment, just ArtistCongratz!!!🎉🔛check our TikTokpage for more amazing footage 🎶🎥🤳
This week we “fly” from euroglitter towards a golden gala at the French Riviera.
Figure of speech that is, although yours truly has worked red and blue carpets in Cannes before and might return, this year we write remotely from the homecountry of some remarkable filmmakers, shining behind AND in front of lenses, as we speak.
Given no less then five stars ⭐️ by The Guardian🇬🇧, first in line is 📽”Le Otto Montagne”🇮🇹🇫🇷🇧🇪 (The Eight Mountains) AND in the running for the very wanted “Palme d’Or” (Official Competition)
Our fellow nationals Charlotte Vandermeersch and Felix Van Groeningen, golden couple in more ways then one, are living a very exciting week as we speak. The winner will be revealed on Saturday.🤞
Interview near La Croisette by Cinevox (repost, shared in Story)
Felix, Ghent based, already holds a dazzling director’s curriculum; The Broken Circle Breakdown and Beautiful Boy are just a few of his gems that conquered silver screens everywhere. Felix’ work truly embodies the meaning of the word MOVIE. The most moving scenes being key, almost like a trade mark.
This time he joins forces with Charlotte Vandermeersch, his partner in “climbing” 📖🎞 The Eight Mountains, “translating” Paolo Cognetti’s eponymous novel to the big screen.
Palme 🤞 or no Palme ▶️ We can’t wait to go see “Le Otto Montagne”.
Or read it first for that matter⬇️ because in Belgium we will have to wait until the fall to watch this baby.
The book tells the story about a lonely city boy named Pietro. He lives in Milan with his strict father, a chemist, and his sweet mother, a social worker. The family has one passion: the mountains.
In the village of Grana, at the foot of Monte Rosa, the father buys a country house, where the family spends their summer vacations. Pietro meets a local boy there, Bruno. Their friendship is the thread that runs through the novel. Young Pietro is initiated by his father into exploring the mountains. The mountains gradually become a way of thinking for Pietro.
Once an adult, he makes several trips to Nepal, but he always returns to Grana and Bruno. In the second part of the novel, he goes into the mountains in search of himself.
With regret, he observes how the mountains are losing their beauty as they increasingly fall into the hands of tourism. The title of the novel refers to a Nepali story, which depicts the world as a wheel with eight mountains.
In the center is the highest mountain, Sumeru.
This beautiful Coming-of-age-novel deservedly won the Premio Strega in 2017. 🗻🏔
More Belgian cinema coming up in Cannes this week! Next in line are Lukas Dhont with “Close”🎞 and our flashing filmduo Adil El Arbi and Bilal Fallah with “Rebel”.🎥
вітаю! Congratz to Ukraina! The invaded country manages to conquer the heart of Europe, in more ways than one. Eighteen years after Ruslana and her Wild Dances prevailed in Istanbul, and six years after Jamala won in Stockholm, Malush Orchestra repeats the victory in “Torino”🎶
Did the best song win last night? Maybe not. But something greater seems to have occurred across Europe that will for ever mark this 66th Eurovision contest in history.
Overwhelming support beyond an entire continent 🇪🇺for a country in dire straits because of the most lame invasion.
💙🏆 💛
“Wicked” Runner up United Kingdom 🇬🇧 said it all when interviewed by leading Lady Laura Pausini.
Here’s what Eurovision is all about:
« Unity, peace, love, togetherness! »
and let’s not forget “The Muse”: The Sound of Beauty indeed:
Here’s your blog’s personal Top 5, besides Ukraine 🇺🇦and Belgium 🇧🇪 of course;-). Well done Jérémie and Cie!
1. 🇳🇱The Netherlands “De Diepte” by a fine fairy from the North called S10 – Oooh, aaah; her song and her lived voice went deeep🎵👸- Stien appeared in a stylish black designersuit by Viktor & Rolf.
2. 🇮🇹Italia “Brividi” by Alessandro Mahmood and Blanco- « Grazie ancora per il 7 per Belgió e il 12 per questa profonda espressione olandese 🇳🇱 » Your own song really gave us « shivers » Or rather «Brividi»🎶📳
3. 🇪🇸Spain – The fastest «Slo Mo» ever by Chanel also wins “cutest bling costume” 🏟🐂👯♀️, What’s in a name?
4. 🇲🇹Malta – «I am what I am» True that, Emma Muscat sure knows how to put her Piano on Top🎹
5. 🇳🇴Norway – « Give that Wolf A Banana » Congratz Subwoolfer, Dances-With-Wolves🎬-is-now-officially-revisited🐺🍌🙃
Some more impressions of a swirling evening into a night full of suspense🔃
A Tik Tok star⏳ was in for a “wicked win”, almost…✌️🇬🇧 Congratz 🏃♂️ 🆙Sam -Space Man- Ryder! 🥈A very special mention for Laura Pausini, her stunning intro medley, dazzling x times changing wardrobe, and her a cappella performance accompanied by the entire audience in Turin. “Nel blu di pinto di blu…Volare.”💓 Also CONGRATULAZIONI on a magnificent presentation by Laura, Mika (flanking Laura in the boomerang♻️🔼) and Italian tv host Alessandro Cattelan🙌👌, by her side in the Volare moment.⬇️All time classic “Nel blú di pinto di blú is like a true Italian anthem worldwide🎶💙
Hope you didn’t miss out on the stunning performances by last years winner/revelation Måneskin and the one in 1964(!) Gigliola Cinquetti. They highlighted the evening while points were gathered from all 41 countries including Australia🇦🇺
« Supermodel », 🆕song by Måneskin🤌 the band’s badass bassplayer (also a millenniumbaby like our Jérémie), Victoria de Angelis rocks and embodies just that 🎸👯♀️ As well as lead singer Damiano David of course. A new virtual? statue of “The David” is in order. Michelangelo just might inspire a next Måneskinsong💭 🎵 🎑🌚
Gigliola, still a vision, and only 16 when she won in 1964🥇Did you know she participated twice? In 1974, coming in 2nd after ABBA (Waterloo) with only 6 points less then the Swedish fabulous four 🎶
Germany 🇩🇪turned out to be the ultimate underdog of the evening but Malik Harris took it like A RockStar, gracefully. « Your song, your win ❤️🩹 »
And last but certainly not least a thank you 🤗note to Serbia🇷🇸 to remind us of our basic Covidproof duties 🧺💦🧽🧴🚻 in order to be and stay healthy. “Biti zdrava, biti zdrava” means just that! Health IS our most precious gift 🎁 😷🩺⚕️ Music helps us to cherish it, an ultimate key to our well being 🎼
Ciao Torino, alla prossima! Belgium for host!🇧🇪❤️🩹🇺🇦❓
And please do so in favour of a small country with a smooth seaside up north, ancient cities to discover and a great voice coming from the middle.
Is there a chance that Jérémie Makiese, our charming contestant this year follows in Måneskins footsteps?
Here are five reasons why you should vote for Belgium🇧🇪
Welcome to Belgium 🇧🇪🎶📺 (Atomium (c) Sofam)
1. It’s been a while since our last and one and only victory #1986 #j’aimelavie #sandrakim
2. Belgians are the biggest Måneskinfans worldwide 🇮🇹😋 “ Rock’n roll never dies!”
3. Millenniumbaby Jérémie Makiése is a born winner. He’s one of the most talented artists of “The Voice Belgique”, following stars like Loic Nottet and Blanche🇧🇪(remember her scoring many points in Kyiv (2017) with her innovative popsong City Lights🎵)
4. Not only does Jeremie perform his summerhit-in-the-making like a pro. He also wrote “Miss You” himself, along with co-composers Silvio Lisbonne and Manon Romiti.
5. Brussels is a fine Capital with capital C to host the contest in 2023🎶 📺🎵👍
It’s all in your hands dear Eurovisioners!🙌
Jeremie in full Eurovisionmode during the second final just last Thursday
ArtistCongratz 