Without Vooruit, Ghent’s nightlife would probably only be a shadow of what it is today.

Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 23, Ghent

This building, which is as iconic as it is imposing, was designed in 1913 by Ferdinand Dierkens as a ‘party hall’. Yet for a large part of the 20th century, it was in such a dilapidated state that very few spectacular, let alone legendary parties took place here.

That changed in a spectacular and legendary manner in the 1990s when the Concert Hall became the venue of Free the Funk and later I Love Techno. The line-up of the first edition of I Love Techno in 1995? Pierre, Trish, Jeff Mills, Richie Hawtin and the then still unknown French duo Daft Punk (without helmets). Nowadays, such a line-up would sell out the Ghelamco Arena but back then it only drew seven hundred people.

Poster for I Love Techno in 1995, then taking place in Vooruit, Ghent

I Love Techno would eventually become slightly more popular and moved to Flanders Expo. But in the meantime, Vooruit had made a name for itself as a party location and the list of memorable parties that have been held there since then is almost endless.