Liege - Belgium

[Kofi]

Hi everyone,

Another long shot, but does anyone on here live near or have any knowledge of Liege in Belgium?

Perthshire Brass (Scottish 3rd Section) are on tour this summer. For 6 days we will be based in Allenbach, near Trier in Germany. I am looking to have a day trip to Liege, which is quite an easy journey from Allenbach, on Wednesday 20th July. I'd love for the band to do a wee performance somewhere in Liege in amongst doing some tourist activities. Can anyone suggest...

• Somewhere we could play? (Band of 45 players, mixed ages and ability but an entertaining programme complete with bagpipes).
• Someone we could contact for help?
• Places of interest for a party of 58 in total.

I've looked at a couple of breweries, and thought we could get a tour as well as giving a wee concert.

Any advice?

Cheers people,

George

[Kofi]

PS My email address is georgepb1@hotmail.com if any non members want to drop me a line.

[Jan H]

I'm not so familiar with Liege myself. I know they speak French there, and the city has a very nice new train station. That's about it The city didn't have a very good reputation (at least not in the Dutch-speaking part of the country!): unemployment, abandonned industrial sites, crime, ... - not unfamiliar to people from the northern parts of England, I assume... But in recent years, they have been cleaning up and rejuvenating the city centre.
remark: July 21st is the Belgian national holiday, so there may be some events going on in the city then?
I don't really have many contact in the French-speaking part of the country, but if you want I could try to contact someone from the Flemish band association, to see if they have connections over there?

As an alternative to Liege, I would suggest Maastricht in The Netherlands, just across the border from Liege. A very nice city, and the people in that region of the Netherlands are very much into amateur band music, so it may not be so diffcult to find a concert occasion.

[DannyCollin]

unemployment, abandonned industrial sites, crime, ... - not unfamiliar to people from the northern parts of England, I assume...

WTF?? did you get help with that?

How very dare you!!!

PS has Belgium and parts of Holland still got open sewers running at the side of roads? Very northern England, I assume.

PPS and if i'd have said that, however tongue in cheek, with the benefit of hiding behind a ''super moderator'' badge, i'd have been hauled over the coals (a northern England expression)...


by the way, Perthshire is in Scotland, not northern England.

[Jan H]

I wasn't not talking about Perthshire, just giving a general example that might be recognizeable to British people

I don't think I'm saying anything incorrect that in the 70s or 80s, "old industry" cities (like Liverpool, ...) used to have certain reputation? But just like Liege, they have been working really hard on improving that situation. Comparing itnto the current sitiation of Detroit could be another possibility.

[Kofi]

Thanks Jan,

We are really looking for a concert in Belgium as we are already playing in Holland, Germany, France and Luxembourg. I also need it to be an easy drive, and Liege was suggested to us by the Trier tourist office. I may have a lead for a concert in Chareloi which shouldn't be much more mileage. Still open to offers though

[tubafran]

Thanks Jan,

We are really looking for a concert in Belgium as we are already playing in Holland, Germany, France and Luxembourg. I also need it to be an easy drive, and Liege was suggested to us by the Trier tourist office. I may have a lead for a concert in Chareloi which shouldn't be much more mileage. Still open to offers though

I arranged a tour of Belgium in 2004 and we split half the week between the north (Flemish) and south (French speaking) - we are going again this year but only to the Flemish bit - we did play in Chareloi but that certainly matched Jan's description. Was very rough - though we did get sandwiches provided after we played in the local park to one man and his dog - think it was horse tartar.

This year we are playing in Bruges, Brussels, Leuvan, Ypres (Menin Gate service) and Maastricht in The Netherlands

[Jan H]

If you let me know when and where you'll be playing in Leuven of Maastricht, I might show up...

[tubafran]

If you let me know when and where you'll be playing in Leuven of Maastricht, I might show up...

Hi Jan

Leuven is Tuesday 22nd August playing 12 to 2pm outside the Stadhuis then we are sampling at the home of the Goddess Stella (Brewery trip)

Mastricht is Thursday 24th playing mid afternoon outside the Stadhuis too and then staying for the Preneuvement Festival

If you are around say hello

oh and bring your cornet

[Jan H]

It's during my holiday, so I may be out of the country - although I have no plans yet (I was actually thinking of going to your side of the North Sea )

The Stella brewery tour is enjoyable, especially since you get some free samples at the end We did it a couple of years ago with the the colleagues from work. Also check out the Old Markt (close to the Great Market, which is where you will be playing). It allegedly has the biggest collection of pubs in the country and in summertime, the entire square is filled with the pub terraces.


About the earlier topic of Liège: like I said, the city has been renewing itself quite a bit in recent years, so it shouldn be that bad. Certainly not like Charleroi!!!

[Kofi]

Thanks again Jan,

Can you tell me anything of Malmedy (apart from the history!)?

Also, can you suggest theme parks in that area (not up towards Brussels as the drive would be too far)?

[Jan H]

the only themepark in the region I can think of is PlopsaCoo, near the waterfalls of Coo:
http://www.plopsa.be/plopsacoo/en?lang=en-GB
I've never been there, but I think it is mainly directed towards smaller children. A lot of the attractions are themed after children's tv programmes that are probably only known over here.

In Germany there is Phantasialand, near Cologne: http://www.phantasialand.de/de/home


Malmedy is a small city in what we call the "Eastern cantons". The area is very popular with people who like nature walks, mountainbiking and that kind of things. According to their touristic website, several cultural festivities are organised throughout the year, and apparently there are also a number of band stands

http://www.malmedy.be/en/Tourisme/tourisme.html

[Kofi]

Hi again Jan,

Just to say thanks for your advice. We are playing in Malmedy on Thursday 21st July as part of their festival 'la vraie fete'... That's all 12 concerts confirmed, the players are really looking forward to the tour. 8 more sleeps!

Cheers again

[Jan H]

12 concerts in 6 days! quite a busy tour...

[Jan H]

How did the tour go?