Brussels club Fuse celebrates 29th anniversary with potential new permanent venue test parties

Brussels club Fuse celebrated its 29th anniversary last weekend by testing out a new potential permanent location.

Back in January, the techno club - one of Belgium’s best-known - revealed that it had been forced to close its doors as a result of complaints from a single neighbour who bought a house in the area "some years ago". A petition was then launched by The Brussels by Night Federation that drew around 65,000 signatures.

Now, two months on from announcing it would remain open for a maximum of two years "under very strict conditions”, the club - which opened back in 1994 - has tested out a new space for a two-day party marking their 29th birthday at the weekend. Belgian broadcaster VRT has reported that the potential new venue, known as Quadrilatères and operating under Brussels’ south railway line, could become a permanent space for Fuse in future.

"This space naturally makes us dream," said Fuse's booker and artistic director, Steven Van Belle to VRT, following the birthday event, which featured the likes of Karenn, Darwin and SPFDJ. Check out clips from the party below. 

"The location appeals to the imagination of many Brussels residents," Van Belle continued. "The parties were a good test to show the neighbourhood and the politicians that we can do something nice here. We have called in a sound engineer who will study what is needed to make the hall fully compliant and to limit any noise pollution."

Spanning 22,000 square metres, Quadrilatères has been vacant for 20 years and has a capacity of up to 2000 people. A downside is that it has no in-built electricity or running water, and would need a complete overhaul and renovation to make it suitable as a permanent club.

Touching on the Fuse’s current home on Blaesstraat, Van Belle added: “The intervention in our environmental permit has been declared illegal. We live in uncertainty, although there are currently no restrictions for us."