A few weeks ago, I embarked on my first solo trip abroad just for a concert, hopping on the Brussels-bound Eurostar from London early in the morning. After a day of work in a coworking space in the city, I made my way to the Ancienne Belgique (the ‘AB’, a legendary Belgian concert venue in the heart of Brussels) to see K's Choice perform.
Why Brussels? Well, K's Choice has been a favourite of mine since they emerged in the mid-'90s; and they nowadays rarely tour outside of their native Belgium, the Netherlands and sometimes France or Germany, but seldom further. K’s Choice is one of those bands that I always wanted to see live. They’re a real part of my music journey, and when I saw that they were planning a new tour; I had to jump on the occasion. Brussels is only a 2-hour train journey from London, faster and cheaper than a trip from London to Manchester!
So off I went to Brussels, for a gig all by myself, and let me tell you, it was worth every moment, it was magical evening. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
K’s Choice
Better known on the continent than in the UK, this Belgian indie rock band from Antwerp, led by siblings Sam (formerly known as Sarah Bettens) and Gert Bettens, has a unique blend of pop, rock, and singer-songwriter styles. They gained international fame with their 1995 single Not an Addict (a very good song, but nowhere near their best!). Over the years, they've released seven studio albums, each showing an evolution in their songwriting, sound and style as the band and the Bettens matured with age.
Sam Bettens has one of those unmistakable and unique voices. Warm and husky, carrying a lot of emotions. Its raw, slightly raspy texture has a deeply intimate quality suited to softer songs while giving an edge to more rocky tracks.
Sam Bettens’ guitars are melodic and atmospheric. He can go from intricate picking melodies to more aggressive rock riffs, but also some more folky and sometimes almost country tones. His style is definitely not about great big solos, but creating layers to create emotions serving the songs and complementing Sam’s voice.
If I had to choose a personal favourite K’s Choice album, it would be Almost Happy. A more introspective, personal, and mellow album than some of their earlier melodic alt-rock sound. To me, Almost Happy is a very intimate and relatable album.
The Concert
The concert was part of their Back to the Essence tour, celebrating 30 years of their musical journey.
After queuing for about 45 minutes before the doors of the venue open – to make sure I could secure a good spot in front of the scene (hey, if I’m going to travel internationally for it, I’ll make sure that I make the most of it!) – I was very excited to see that K’s Choice had the scene set up as an intimate electro-acoustic setting, performing as a trio with multi-instrumentalist Tom Lodewyckx.
And what a treat this concert was. The band’s set went through songs from across their 30 years of career, all played with simple but beautiful acoustic setting. Songs after songs (to name just a few… Perfect Scar, Favourite Adventure, Almost Happy, Butterflies Instead, Shadowman (sang by Gert), Not And Addict, Believe, The Ballad of Lea and Paul…), Sam’s vocals supported by Gert and Tom’s harmonies, mixed with the stripped-down guitar/bass arrangements allowed K’s Choice music to come to life in a beautiful, personal and profound way.
The crowd was lovely, and there were moments when I found myself simply closing my eyes, being fully immersed in the moment and letting the beautiful harmonies and melodies of the Bettens siblings wash over me.
What an evening this was… K’s Choice were at the top of their game, delivering music that touched my soul, and created real emotion. Their connection with the audience was profound, making the evening one to remember.
Thank you, Brussels, for the warm welcome, and thank you, K's Choice, for a wonderful evening of soul-healing music. This was my first solo trip abroad for a concert, but it definitely won't be my last.
Editor: Thanks Vincent! And sorry it's taken me a while to publish this, the day hob gets in the way! I am listening to K's Choice as I type, a great new discovery. And I love a solo gig (but as a fan of Marillion and their former singer Fish, that's often been something of a necessity!).
Stay safe, and if you enjoyed this, please subscribe (see link below), x
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