©Serge
Before Vlasmarkt, Oude Beestenmarkt, Klein Turkije and Overpoort became entertainment centres, Kuiperskaai was the place to be!
Kuiperskaai, Ghent
It currently features a kind of Stalinist Playmobil construction, but in the 20th century Kuiperskaai was the city’s principal entertainment district. It initially targeted the upper classes, but by the 1980s – undeniably the golden age of Kuiperskaai – the neighbourhood had lost its bourgeois character and became the favourite haunt of night revellers.
“In one club we played hip-hop, reggae and salsa for a mostly black audience,” influential DJ duo Mo & Benoelie told the Belgian magazine Knack Focus in 2004, “and in another club we played new beat, new wave and acid house for a wider range of partygoers.”
The most famous clubs from that period were 55, Elpee, Fash and Barney’z.
Club 55 on Kuiperskaai in Ghent
Revisit Club 55
We have heard text and seen images, but what did it all sound like? An exclusive mix by Benoelie (The Glimmers), recorded live in Club 55 on Christmas Eve 1988, will take you back in time!
Listen to the mix here
Kuiperskaai playlist (1970 - 1990)
Going the full monty? With the Kuiperskaai playlist on Spotify, you will be taken to the heyday of the Kuiperskaai entertainment district. Even a boring drive will become an unforgettable experience.
Listen to the playlist on Spotify
