This spring, discover Greek musical culture in Antwerp and Brussels. KÁLESMA celebrates the rich tradition of rebetiko, from past to present. The documentary “The Bouzouki of Dalaras” shows what the heritage project IN ΣKIPPERΣTREET has achieved. And the innovative music project Laotopia presents traditional Greek music in a modern, experimental form.

Sounds of the Cities

The New Sounds of Greek Traditions marks the kickoff of Sounds of the Cities, a project that, between 2026 and 2028, introduces you to the musical cultures of various migrant communities in Antwerp and Brussels. Across six concert series, you will discover musical influences from around the world that today form the beating heart of the city. Traditions that continue to evolve, reinvent themselves and connect people across borders and genres.

Greek Musical Culture

Between the 1950s and 1980s, Greek music made its way to Antwerp via the port, carried by sailors. In the Schipperskwartier, it grew into a vibrant nightlife culture. Live Greek music could be heard in all the cafés, often performed by musicians and dancers brought over directly from Greece.

On the initiative of Poli Roumeliotis and Kris Kaerts, the heritage project IN ΣKIPPERΣTREET documented this Greek musical heritage. In May 2026, Sounds of the Cities celebrates the achievements of this project with music and storytelling.

The New Sounds of Greek Traditions – Concert + Documentary

For this special occasion, KÁLESMA was formed. With a repertoire that brings rebetiko music of past and present to life, KÁLESMA weaves the story of migration in Antwerp and Brussels with a contemporary perspective. The ensemble shows how younger generations of musicians in Belgium carry forward this Greek heritage and give it new meaning across cultural boundaries.

• Nikos Prosilias: bouzouki & vocals
• Dimitris Rossidis: guitar & vocals
• Clémence Devaux: clarinet & vocals
• Alina Sapranidou: accordion & vocals
• Nicolas Hauzeur: violin
• Jenny Pillet: double bass
• Robbe Kieckens: percussion

Before this concert, we will screen the documentary “The Bouzouki of Dalaras.” On May 20, 2023, the Muziekmuseum Vleeshuis officially added Giorgos Dalaras’ bouzouki to its collection. The string instrument was donated by the Greek star and transported from Brussels to Antwerp aboard the riverboat Ark of Brussels. With this gesture, Dalaras honors his own father, who lived and worked as a musician in Belgium for many years. Poli Roumeliotis and Kris Kaerts (IN ΣKIPPERΣTREET) documented the musical journey of Dalaras’ bouzouki.

Laoptopia –Concert 

Laotopia is the evolution of the Dystopian Rebetiko project by the Greek Pericles Makris and the Belgian Nicolas van Belle. Originally, this project aimed to showcase a modern, darker, and more realistic side of the urban Greek rebetiko tradition.

In this new project, Laotopia crosses city boundaries to explore more traditional musical styles—from the islands and mountains to the north and south of Greece. Together with two new members—both emerging talents from the experimental music scene—they transform old melodies into an atmosphere of wonder, where improvisation and connection take center stage.

With Koen Boeijinga on wind instruments, Manos Barkatsas on lute, Nicolas van Belle on string guitar and effects, and Pericles Makris on bouzouki and vocals, they take you on a journey through Greece’s diverse landscapes with a fresh, avant-garde touch. Pure emotion, wild landscapes, and mystical soundscapes create a wondrous performance that is always new while lovingly carrying forward the heritage of this centuries-old country.

This concert is part of the Living Room Music Festival 2026.

• Koen Boeijinga: wind instruments
• Manos Barkatsas: lute
• Pericles Makris: bouzouki, vocals
• Nicolas van Belle: string guitar, effects

Sounds of the Cities is a collaboration between Muziekpublique, MIM, Muziekmuseum Vleeshuis, and vzw Wesp / Merodefestival, with the support of the Flemish Government.