Guus Meeuwis plays in almost empty Sportpaleis: ‘warming up’

“Of course I have done legendary halls, London, Paris and New York, and the next one is a little closer to home,” says Guus Meeuwis (53) when he steps in the room of the Sportpaleis, or AFAS Dome.

“The Sportpaleis is legendary for me, because I drove past this from childhood. I recognize it from cycling, tennis and the iconic world artists who have stood here. The room comes from 1933. You feel the history dripping and I think that’s wonderful.”

Intimate in Mega Hall
Where normal is room for 20,000 visitors, Guus Meeuwis and his twelve -member band now entertain two hundred fans. An intimate concert in a mega room. The strings and blazers in the band provide a special atmosphere. Guus Meeuwis does not drown in the empty music temple, in fact: it seems as if he is acting in an intimate theater.

No beer festival and hopping, such as with grand, but shoulder on shoulder and gently singing along. “We will never experience this again, it is fantastic,” says Charlot (37) from Izegem, Belgium. “I’ve been following him for a while, but this is the first time I see him live. He is really fantastic and seems really sympathetic.”

Now time for Flanders
It is thirty years since Guus Meeuwis broke through with ‘it’s a night’. “That number and by rail went well here in Belgium,” the singer knows. “They were number one here even longer than in the Netherlands.” But Guus Meeuwis ignored Belgium. “We got it too busy in the Netherlands, we just didn’t have time.” And Flanders was also a nice refuge for the singer to relax ‘anonymously’.

But this year everything is different. Not grand in Eindhoven, but concerts in Antwerp. And that is due to participation in love for music, the Flemish version of best singers. “The Belgians got to know me again. When I came back from love for music I drove home and of course I was stuck on the ring of Antwerp. I looked to the right, see the Sportpaleis and then the idea came here for a concert.”

It feels like a renewed introduction to the Zuiderburen for the Brabant singer. “They mainly know me here from my early years and now I want to show them what has been improved or not in the last thirty years.” Thanks in part to a duet with the Flemish Maksim Stojanac, the Belgians embrace Guus Meeuwis.

“Da Witte anyway”
For the 65-year-old Willy (65) from Hemiksem it is the first time he sees Guus Meeuwis live. “I think he is an honest singer with a lot of charm.” He is happy that the singer focuses his attention on Belgium. “We know Guus Meeuwis, but I mainly know” it’s a night. “

“I am happy that he now has time for Belgium,” says Lien (40) from Stekene. “So beautiful that it is here, super. It is really overwhelming. We are not used to an empty sports palace. It’s really cool.”

So Meeuwis is in Antwerp twice in December. Saturday is sold out, a lot of seats are still available on Friday. “We have investigated it and the distribution is 50/50 when it comes to Dutch and Belgians who come,” says Guus. “The big difference is that the Belgians keep their mouths shut during a concert and we do not Brabanders. But people from Brabant never have to keep their mouths shut, Da Witte anyway.”