Psytrance scene in Belgium

Parties start at:
Usually around 11pm to midnight

Most clubs will close at:
Standard is around 6-7am

Average entry for a party:
Small 7 EUR, mid-sized 11-15 EUR, big 25 EUR

Average price for a beer at a party:
2 EUR

Average price for a water at a party:
1 EUR

Police controls:
Quite a lot of police controls, sometimes even before festivals.

Drug screening:
Minimum of traffic controls. In Belgium the police is using the sweat tests for drugs and the traditional device measuring alcohol from breath. According to law you can refuse the test but this might get you arrested.  Possession of up to 3 grams of cannabis is legal in Belgium.

Some well-known party promoters:
Dacru Records – psytrance record label, event organizing and promotion dacru.be
Tribes Gathering – multicultural festival with a psychedelic stage too tribesgathering.org
Back to Basics – managing the psychedelic stage at the famous Tomorrowland Festival
Smiley Tribe – organizing Progressive parties

Some important Trance labels:
Dacru Records mostly FullOn – dacru.be
Suntrip Records old-school since 2004 suntriprecords.com
Naturall Productions – FullOn, it for sure exists, but the website is temporally down atm
GanjaTree Records – FullOn

Important producers and DJs:
Producers: Ephedrix, Bitkit, Digicult, Whicked Hayo, LANI
DJ´s: Phasid, Bitkit, ME (female DJ), Foose, Leech, Apnea (resident DJ in Baan Sabai bar, Koh Phangan and Experience Festival, Koh Tao), Electric Lord, D-Ther

Points of interest for Trancers:
The legendary Ultra Violet shop which sells alternative clothing, psychedelic – cyber – clubwear (including well-know brands such as Space Tribe, High, Public Beta etc.) for more than 20 years, located in Antwerp.
Goddess Shop – another legendary shop which sells clothes designed by designer Lies De Peuter and produced in Bali, the shop is located in Leuven in medieval cellars. goddessclothes.be
CandyDreamSpiral shop located in Hasselt sells the most amazing psychedelic hand-made unique clothes made by Belgian artist Evaatje Leenders, plus various psychedelic art, accessories and jewelry.

Other fun activities:
Visit one of the famous Belgian Trappist monastery breweries and to try the beer. Many of Belgium‘s finest brews can not be bought outside the region in which they are made, so one should try the beer on the spot. Pairi Daiza is a zoo-entertaining park focused on preservation of nature and history, with attractions such as The mysterious cabinet, Path of Healing to Raptors Village: pairidaiza.eu

How to travel Belgium:
All info about trains, busses and other public transport in Belgium plus a possibility to plan/calculate your route can be found at: delijn.be
Hitch-hiking is pretty safe and quite easy, but it is not that popular as it used to be in the past.

Did you know that…?
Saxophone is actually an Belgian invention, invented by Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax.

Text:
Katarina Bartovicova
Ephedrix
Did you know that Belgium has more than 1000 different original beers, making it an interesting country for beer-lovers like me. Every beer has also it‘s own glassware for the perfect taste and drinking experience.
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