4AD still small, independent and stubborn after 35 years

Volunteers will keep the café open for 35 hours non-stop. The party is an ode to them. Patrick Smagghe: “If you consider that you can run a quality music café for 35 years, then I would just say: a big thank you to all the volunteers who are ready day and night to ensure that there is a fantastic atmosphere and that we also generate income. can generate.”

4 AD has always sailed a separate course. “If we were pretentious, we would say small, independent and stubborn. We do believe in that. That’s how the label started in England. The credo takes precedence over the business.”

Music club with hotel

It is the only music club in Flanders with a hotel where artists can reside. Two weeks ago Canadian band Godspeed You! Black Emperor still here. “The artists who arrive are taken care of by technicians and receive guidance in the house. The volunteers are immediately available. A snack, a drink and a very pleasant chat. We have noticed that foreign bands also like to reside in our hotel for a few days. We are pleased that we have been able to grow from the small cave that we started in Weststraat in 1988 into a complete center with all the necessary facilities.”