Lost Frequencies concert moved at last minute due to environmental complaints

A sold-out performance by famous Brussels DJ Lost Frequencies has had to be moved at the last minute from the site of the former Royale Belge building in Watermael-Boitsfort to UR Square, the new event space in the former police station in Etterbeek.

Lost Frequencies - real name Felix De Laet - has racked up a billion streams on streaming platforms and 4,000 people bought tickets to his show on Saturday (18 April) at the venue in Watermael-Boitsfort, situated at the foot of a heritage landmark on the edge of a Natura 2000 conservation site.

But a mix-up in permits and backlash from environmental organisations has resulted in organiser the Hangar collective changing venues at short notice to avoid cancellation.

“There was absolutely no consultation,” said Elisabeth Cohen, who lives in one of the 160 luxury flats in the neighbouring complex. From her terrace, she can see a pond and greenery opposite her, and to her right, the Royale Belge building just a few dozen metres away.

When she learned a few days ago that such an event was to be held in the protected environment, she immediately protested.

“This is an area on the edge of the Sonian Forest,” Cohen said.

“It’s a decision taken without considering the consequences for nature. There is a very fragile biotope - birds nest on the pond. Not to mention the noise, from 14.00 to midnight, and electronic music makes a lot of noise.”

The Hangar collective is Belgium’s largest organiser of electronic music events and has a track record of creating unique venues for performances. It recently transformed the Cinquantenaire tunnel into a gigantic dance floor, two years after inviting revellers to the Place des Palais.

The latest idea was a concert on the esplanade of the former headquarters of the insurer Axa, along Boulevard du Souverain in Watermael-Boitsfort, and it abstained approval from the local authorities via mayor David Leisterh (MR), as well as the building’s owner, the insurer Baloise.

The organiser also sought the opinion of Brussels Environment, the regional watchdog responsible for ensuring compliance with the strict regulatory framework governing any event involving amplified sound outdoors.

When contacted by RTBF, Brussels Environment acknowledged "informal contacts" but stated that it had received "no official request for authorisation" for the concert.

In an email exchange from early February seen by RTBF, Brussels Environment does not rule out the event taking place, provided certain conditions are met, including a ban on directing sound and light towards the Natura 2000 area.

Only after Hangar put tickets up for sale and quickly sold out the concert did the organisers realise that such a music gathering would not comply with the environmental permit governing activities at the Royale Belge site.

Two conditions were being flouted - the site cannot accommodate more than 300 people and no amplified sound is permitted.

There remained the theoretical possibility of waiving the environmental permit, but legislation does not allow for this in practice. These potential breaches were not mentioned in the prior email exchange.

“This was not an official and comprehensive position from Brussels Environment,” the administration’s spokesperson argued.

On Friday 3 April, the Watermael-Boitsfort municipal council also backtracked and so did the building’s owner, which withdrew his invitation to Lost Frequencies.

On Tuesday this week, the Hangar collective announced that the concert would instead take place at the site of the former gendarmerie barracks in Etterbeek.