Friday, late afternoon, Matias and me run as we were almost late for our concerts, after a beer at our place! We grab our press credentials, run to the bar just for a quick beer and we go each other our way. While he goes to Orangerie, I am heading into the most intimate of the rooms: Le Grand Salon de Concert, which is normally the Museum. At the door, the lady doesn’t let me get in with my beer, so I do a bottom’s up and I get in.

As Lubiana says goodbye to us to welcome Hydrogen Sea, I must admit that it was, without a doubt, the biggest revelation for me through #Nuits17.

For those who have never been to this room, there are red curtains all over the room, furnished seats and a second-floor area with seats on both sides. I guess Lubiana was in her second song when I entered. I have to admit that all of the artists that I knew that I was going to see, she was the one that I was less interested to hear – I guess the 30 seconds of each song that I heard didn’t make her justice. In fact, with each song passing, I saw myself more and more enchanted by her talent and her fresh jazz voice. It was a perfect balanced mix of jazz, folk and soul with more African-inspired references when playing the kora or approaching a more electro-modern style with some computer beats.

As the public sang with Lubiana and she gives us goodbye to welcome Hydrogen Sea, I must admit that it was, without a doubt, the biggest revelation for me through #Nuits17 – and that I will for sure go to her next concert in Brussels!

There is not a lot of movement in La Grand Salle de Concert – most people stay glued to their seats for Hydrogen Sea, however, we decided to still go for a beer, debate how the concert in Orangerie was and then I came back, to the same seat, to wait for Hydrogen Sea to begin.

I remember back in 2014, seeing them opening the stage for Samaris in “Big Next Festival” in Gent. IT was so intimate and so small – I guess we were around 10 people there as it was the first concert out of 5 or 6 in that room that day – and there were 2 other stages.

Seeing them now, almost 3 years after, it is indeed a big change. Hydrogen Sea are more polished, more pros, they have a full LP and a confidence on stage that seemed to lack in Birsen in 2014. The set starts with “Gentle Doubler”, with only Birsen on stage – and probably winning best dressed at #LesNuits because she was stunning – and then immediately the public knew that we were in for a great concert at #Nuits17. Sort after, her partner and other part of Hydrogen Sea, PJ Seaux, the duo, accompanied by a drummer in a sort of arena stage, kept on spanning songs from their debut LP: “In Dreams”, released in 2016 – however, the first high point of the night was their perfect rendition of “Wandering Star” for Portished. And then suddently, they were 6!

Three string players join the stage to make it even more aerial and dreamy. Songs kept on coming, including a new single that I honestly couldn’t retain the name – but sounded great – until finishing the set with the two other magic moments of the evening – “Walk Away Now” and “Wear Out”.

The group came out again to perform “The Fall” before definitively say bye and let people leave slowly the room. Overall, the concert was great and, what a great evolution from seeing them less than 3 years ago perform for 10 people at 3PM to this, I am surely expecting to see them playing at an even bigger stage in the next couple of years.

With a last beer at the bar, I say goodbye to this years’ edition of #LesNuits (at least for me). From crying, to having the sensation to be on a dancefloor at 7PM – I can for sure say that it was my favorite edition so far and, I really can’t wait for #LesNuits2018.

As a blog based in Brussels, we pay special attention to the acts coming from our country, as you can see it in our column “Belgitunes“. In our last playlist, “20 songs from artists based in Belgium, you can already find songs from Warhaus that will be playing at Cirque Royal on the 20th, Wuman that will be opening for Fishbach on the 14th and Robbing Millions that will be playing with BRNS at Cirque Royal on the 17th.

Brussels-based trio Pale Grey will be celebrating the release of their EP on the 15th and our favorite duo Rive will play their debut EP “Vermillon” on the 18th. Electronic acts Monolithe Noir and Le Motel will be playing on the 13th and the 15th, and Lubiana and Hydrogen Sea on the 19th at the Grand Salon De Concert. And to end our Belgian selection, the hip hop collaborators Caballero and JeanJass will be playing on the 19th at the Orangerie.

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Our French neighbors are also very represented on this edition with the concert of the French Björk called Camille that will be presentating, on the 12th, her new album “Ouï” set to be released in June. One of our favorite newcomers and selected in our promising list for this year, Agar Agar, will be opening for Magnus, on the 15th and Jacques, one of our favorite gigs of 2016, will be back on the 17th at the Cirque Royal.

French songstress Juliette Armanet will be presenting her perfect combination of piano and beautiful texts on the 18th and Frànçois & the Atlas Mountains their combination of indie with catchy pop on the 20th. One explosive night is preparing itself on the 20th with three of the most exciting pop acts that France has to offer: Bagarre, L’Impératrice and Her.

This year, the Nuits Bota 2017 will definitely not disappoint you with their innovative selection of the best artists.

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As party goers and people who like to dance, we couldn’t let the electronic genre on the side. With acts as Romare (13th), FKJ (13th), Hercules & Love Affair (14th) and Youngr (14th), we are ready to party! It’s not a big surprise that we are huge fans of Kelly Lee Owens, specially after the release of her debut self-titled album. With her pure techno release, she will for sure make travel into the unknown. The Nuits Bota are also preparing for you an afterparty on the 22th where artists such as Babyfather and Zebra Katz will be ready to burn down the house.

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As is it important for us to promote female acts, as you can see in our Homocore section, we also are going to pay a lot of attention to all of the rock and folk singers represented during the Nuits Bota. Artists such as Chantal Acda and Angel Olsen have been liked by many of our writers as they know how to show emotions thoughout their music.

Quartet The Big Moon will be opening for the incredible Jesca Hoop, on the 12th, being one of most expected nights of the entire festival. And last but not least, we couldn’t miss to mention the trio, that is comprised of two women, Cherry Glazerr that will be playing on the 17th.

As boys are not forgotten, we made a little selection of a few of them. Thomas Azier will be playing on the 18th with our friends of Rive, Ulrika Spacek will be playing on the 16th as an opening act for Communions and Asgeir on the same day at the Cirque Royal. And we finish our (very extensive) selection with Alex Cameron that will be playing on the 19th and Kele Okereke that will be playing on the last days of the Nuits on the 21th.

You can go check the entire program for the Nuits Bota by clicking here, check the playlist of our selection and the official trailer below.

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Back in 2014, Hydrogen Sea make a remarkable breakthrough on the Belgian scene with the release of this debut EP on Unday Records. They notably earned comparisons to some artists, and not the least ones: Little Dragon, Azure Ray, L’altra, Massive Attack and Portishead!

After a tour of more than 100 shows all over the world, supporting artists like Selah Sue, Gabriel Rios, Oscar and the Wolf, and Joan as a Policewoman, they are finally ready to share their first album “In Dreams” on September 16 and still via Unday Records.

As written in the press release:
[su_quote]Hydrogen Sea recorded “In Dreams” at Joris Caluwaerts’ (STUFF.) studios in Antwerp and finished it in Glasgow with Tony Doogan as additional producer and mixer. The Scottish maestro is best known for his work for the likes of Mogwai, Belle & Sebastian, David Byrne and, recently, em>Minor Victories.[/su_quote]

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“Beating Heart” is part of our Spotify’s playlist “Belgitunes“. You can also buy the track here.

Connect with the band on their official website, Facebook, and Twitter.