Botanique Pulls 35,000

Les Nuits Botanique Festival in Belgium lived up to expectations by pulling 35,000 people across 39 concerts, with 16 of them selling out.

Opening with a Sufjan Stevens show that sold out the 2,000-capacity La Cirque Royal May 10, it followed up with Agnes Obel (May 17), Black Lips (May 18) and Low (May 21) all filling the 700-capacity Orangerie.

The other acts to sell out their respective venues included Black Box Revelation, Laurent Garnier, The Dodos, Thomas Dybdahl, Miles Kane, An Pierlé, Akron, Bill Callahan, Wild Beasts, and Caribou.

Les Nuits Botanique takes place in five venues and the surrounding gardens at Rue Royale, which offers a panoramic view of the city and was once one of the coolest places for Belgian society to be seen.

The gardens were a social magnet for Brussels’ high society in the days of King Leopold II, and the festival has become a magnet for upcoming talent from Belgium and throughout Europe.

The Belgian acts on show this year included Deus, which sold out the 1,000-capacity on the final night, Great Fire Mountain, Black Box Revelation, Montevideo, Vismets, and An Pierlé.

Next year’s Les Nuits Botaniques is May 11-20.