Pelter Skelter: Noordkaap + The Romans

NOORDKAAP The live reputation of Noordkaap has stood like a house for decades — and even today it still cuts just as sharply. Under the leadership of Stijn Meuris, they bring a set that effortlessly connects generations, with classics like ‘Panamarenko’, ‘Een Heel Klein Beetje Oorlog’, ‘Wat Is Kunst’, ‘Satelliet Suzy’, ‘Het Zou Niet Mogen Zijn’, and of course ‘Ik Hou Van U’. Songs that not only linger but hit right in the gut every single time. Dat Noordkaap has not yet lost its power, they have already proven more than convincingly in recent times. With sold-out club shows, a strong festival summer, and the successful WINTERTHUR tour of 2024 and 2025 — good for more than 12,000 visitors — the band continues to run at full speed. In 2026, they will also continue to play - albeit more selectively - with a series of exclusive festival performances. And that is precisely why this one is one to mark with an asterisk. No festival meadow this time, but a pure club show — more intimate, more direct, and for the real fans always just that little bit more magical. THE ROMANS After their rock-solid passage in the AB, where they warmed up the audience for The Sheila Divine, The Romans have got the taste firmly back. The appetite is to-tally back, and the band is ready for a new chapter. In the coming months, their entire back catalog will also be released — album by album — finally (hallelujah!) on all streaming platforms. The Romans grew into one of the most beloved Belgian power pop bands of the 80s & 90s. At the end of the 80s, they saw the light of day, and not much later they already snatched the silver medal at Humo’s Rock Rally. It turned out to be the starting signal for a solid reputation, carried by melodic, guitar-driven power pop that seamlessly connected with names like The Replacements, The Posies, and Hüsker Dü. What followed was an impressive path: six albums, multiple radio hits, a loyal alternative fanbase, and buckets of rave reviews. The absolute highlight came in 1996, when “Someday Cindy” won the audience award at Studio Brussel and The Romans were allowed to open the Axion Beach Rock Festival. In 2000, they said goodbye with a bulging Laeyensplein during Marktrock Leuven — a farewell that still resonated, although it did not remain completely quiet afterward. With sporadic reunions and since 2016 their Roman Powerpop Roadshow, an energetic ode to their guitar heroes, they continued to appear regularly. The recent show in the AB therefore felt like a true rebirth: their first official return in years, and immediately on familiar ground where their music was always warmly welcomed. That evening rekindled the fire. With the reissue of their entire catalog, this is the moment to discover The Romans (again). A unique opportunity to see one of the most underrated — but oh so influential — Belgian power pop bands at work live again.