The Dour festival is back in 2022, after two editions cancelled by the pandemic. PAM spoke with the festival organizers to introduce the newest features to this Belgian festival known for its wild parties and eclectic lineup.
Belgium’s Dour festival gets a makeover for summer 2022 after lockdown. Renowned for its alternative scene, the festival is getting ready to launch its 2022 edition. From July 13 to 17, more than 200 artists (220 to be exact) will perform on eight different stages. The varied and unifying program of the Dour festival have been the hallmark of its success. This 2022 edition is no exception. Electronic music at the Balzaal, hip-hop at the Boombox, dubstep at the Dub Corner, indie music at the Petite Maison dans la Prairie… All festival-goers can find something to suit their taste, especially those interested in a more pan-African repertoire.
The Star Feminine Band, a Beninese group made up entirely of women, will perform at the Petite Maison dans la Praire on Wednesday April 13 to open the festival. A “favorite” according to Alex, one of the two main programmers of the festival: “Just listen to the album you’ll see we didn’t take any risks here.” Flohio, the London rapper born in Lagos, will also be present on Sunday, July 17 at the Boombox. The 17th will also be the occasion to discover the new album of Avalanche Kaito, Dabalomuni at the Labo. The Ivorian artist KT Gorique, meanwhile, will perform at The Last Arena on Thursday 14. Many other artists from the continent will also be present throughout the event including Albi X, Nia Archives, Mad Professor and Benjamin Epps among others.
This year is also the occasion for the festival to introduce some novelties like the inauguration of the CampFest on July 11th, a little appetiser before the official opening of the festival: “a festival before the festival“, says Alex. A new stage will also make its debut: the Chaufferie. “As opposed to the Balzaal, which is open air – and a big hit – we decided to open a new stage to return to a darker clubbing atmosphere with lasers and a different program“, explains Alex. Each day of the festival the stage will be dedicated to a specific theme.
The Ugandan collective Nyege Nyege was left in charge of the Extravaganza program on Wednesday July 13. “We were amazed by the incredible line up of artists that Derek (Nyege Nyege co-founder) had put together during a concert in a café in Brussels in November 2019,” says Alex, “I then met him in Reunion Island and, as he knows the sounds that are emanating from African continent at the moment, I let myself be convinced to give him carte blanche for the next edition of the Dour festival.” Indeed, Alex was initially reluctant to this idea. The pandemic, having postponed the 2020 and 2021 editions of the festival, he feared he’d be overwhelmed by the rescheduling of cancelled concerts. However, the uncontrollable sounds of Nyege Nyege and the inauguration of the new stage was a match made in heaven.
This Extravaganza will be the occasion to see the electro maloya of Jako Maron from Reunion (whose album Kabar Jako should be released very soon), the afro-futurism of Mimi, the Brussels DJ of Zambian and Angolan origin, SINGELI MOVEMENT, a collective of artists from the Mburahati Singeli community (Jay Mitta, Anti Vairas and Kadilida, accompanied by the Sisters of Twerkistan), the South Sudanese DJ Turkana, the Hague-based producer De Schuurman and the American quest?onmarq.
Reserve your place for Dour 2022 here.
