The 0110 concerts, held on October 1, 2006, in Antwerp, Brussels, Charleroi and Ghent, were organised by dEUS frontman Tom Barman, Arno Hintjens and Frederik Sioen to promote tolerance in Belgian society, and "against Vlaams Belang, extremism and gratuitous violence".[1]

Gorki's frontman Luc De Vos and Isabelle A [nl] at the 0110 concert in Ghent
Helmut Lotti, Sioen and Roland on the stage, also in Ghent

According to the organisation, more than 100,000 people attended the concerts[2] (around 50,000 in Antwerp, 25,000 in Ghent and Brussels, and 5,000 in Charleroi).[3] Over 140 Belgian artists and groups, often in unprecedented combinations (like Daan and Plastic Bertrand, Gorki and Isabelle A, and so on),[2] volunteered for the event. Tom Barman stated that this would not be a one-time initiative.[3]

The concerts were sponsored by the Belgian National Lottery.[4] Summer rock festivals like Sfinks, Pukkelpop, Folk Dranouter, Lokerse Feesten, Gentse Feesten and Suikerrock urged their public to support the event.[5]

0110 controversy

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The event preceded the 2006 municipal elections in Belgium by just one week, thus sending a political message as well.

The right wing opposition party Vlaams Belang wrote an open letter to famous Flemish artists, such as Clouseau, Helmut Lotti, Will Tura, Johan Verminnen and Laura Lynn, who were announced to participate, asking not to do so.[6] The party requested the boycott because the event "only targets Vlaams Belang".[7] One Vlaams Belang council member has called upon the readers of his web log to start a "mail bombardment" to the concerned artists.[8] Critics speak of an intimidation campaign by the party.[9] According to the Vlaams Belang however, the intimidation came from the organizers of the 0110 concerts and the complete Flemish media against Vlaams Belang, because the Flemish media were partizan of the concerts. According to the party, the media in Flanders is completely in the hands of the left-wing establishment. On the contrary, no Flemish artist would ever even think to participate in a festival organised by the Vlaams Belang, because this would be responded by the establishment by an ever-lasting boycott against the artist. On a party congress on 1 October, Filip Dewinter was quoted saying that "if it really were concerts against intolerance, the Vlaams Belang would have to be guest of honour", referring to the cordon sanitaire against the party.[10]

Vlaams Belang sees this as a direct attack by the establishment,[11] because the event is sponsored by the Belgian National Lottery. The National Lottery however decided upon the sponsoring contract before the political content was clear.[12]

The Antwerp mayor Patrick Janssens (Different Socialist Party) disapproved of the concerts.[13] The Vlaams Belang party also refers[14] to the fact that the official website of the event specifically states that "Flanders deserves better than extreme right"[15] and that Tom Barman, the main organizer, had already announced in 2005 that he was planning a concert "against Vlaams Belang" in October 2006.[16]

The concerts

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Antwerp

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Presentation: Bart Peeters
Location: Vlaamse en Waalse Kaai (Gedempte Zuiderdokken)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140513011523/https://www.proximusgoformusic.be/nl/item.php?text_id=145438

Brussels

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Presentation: Annabelle Van Nieuwenhuyse and Sam Touzani
Location: Paleizenplein/place des Palais (in Dutch/French)

"De Laatste Showband" with guests:

Charleroi

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Location: Spiroudome

  • Super carolo Band
    • Prïba 2000
    • Jeff Bodart
    • William Dunker/Aldo Granato
    • Marka
  • Abou Mehdi (1 slam)
  • Hollywood Porn Star
    • Malibu Stacy (Dave)
    • My Little cheap Dictaphone
  • Messbass 1 slam et 1 rap
  • Vincent Venet
    • Miam Monster Miam
    • Sophie galet
    • Marie Warnant
  • KLM 1 slam et 1 rap
  • Ete 67
    • Jeronimo
    • Montevideo
  • front stage: Inox 1 slam 1 rap
  • Machiavel
  • front stage: Abou Mehdi 1 slam et 1 rap
  • collectif dub reggae Ashanti 3000, Omar Perry, Mika
  • KLM 1 slam et Messbass 1 rap
  • Les pleureurs
  • Abou Mehdi 1 slam et Inox 1 rap
  • Super carolo
    • Band Marka, Priba 2000
    • William Dunker, Prïba 2000
    • Sttellla (Jlfonck)+ Prïba 2000
    • Super Carolo band full/FINAL
    • DJ Globul/ Fabrice Lig

Ghent

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Wouter Deprez at the 0110 concert in Ghent.

Presentation: Wim Oosterlinck
Location: NMBS parking (St. Pietersstation)

Book

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In 2008 Belgian author Bart Van Lierde wrote the crime novel 0110: the premiss is a terrorist act during the 0110 concerts in Antwerp. The main question is which political party ordered the attack: Vlaams Belang, as this party is convinced that the concerts are held to influence the outcome of the municipal elections; or the other parties, as the outcome indeed may be influenced if Vlaams Belang will be found guilty.

Footnotes

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  1. ^ Homepage of the organisation. Retrieved October 8, 2006. Archived August 1, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ a b "0110: meer dan 100.000 mensen feesten voor verdraagzaamheid" (in Dutch). De Standaard. 2006-10-01. Retrieved 2014-05-03.
  3. ^ a b "Barman: "0110 is geen eenmalig initiatief"" (in Dutch). VRT. 2006-10-02. Retrieved 2006-10-07. [dead link]
  4. ^ "De Nationale Loterij sponsort 0110-festival" (in Dutch). VRT. 2006-07-10. Retrieved 2006-10-07. [dead link]
  5. ^ "Charleroi organiseert ook 0110-concert" (in Dutch). VRT. 2006-07-27. Retrieved 2006-10-07. [dead link]
  6. ^ "Dewinter schrijft open brief naar artiesten ("Dewinter Writes Open Letter to Artists")". Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2007-11-11.
  7. ^ "Vlaamse artiesten blijven achter 0110 staan" (in Dutch). VRT. 2006-07-05. Archived from the original on 2006-07-17. Retrieved 2006-10-07.
  8. ^ (in Dutch) Tom Cochez, Vlaams Belang voert strijd tegen concert voor verdraagzaamheid op ("Vlaams Belang Intensifies Battle against Concert for Tolerance"), De Morgen, 8 July 2006.
  9. ^ (in Dutch) Jeroen Verelst, Muzikanten zwichten niet voor intimidatie Vlaams Belang ("Musicians Don't Give In to Intimidation by Vlaams Belang"), De Morgen, 5 July 2006.
  10. ^ (in Dutch) "If it really consists of concerts against intolerance, Vlaams Belang should be the honorary guest.", said the Flemish journal Gazet van Antwerpen of the home base of Vlaams Belang, Antwerp, VB: "0110-concerten tegen Vlaams Belang" Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine "VB: '0110 concerts against Vlaams Belang'"), 1 October "Gazet van Antwerpen". Archived from the original on February 19, 2005. Retrieved 2006-10-08.
  11. ^ Nationale loterij ... Archived 2006-10-22 at the Wayback Machine, Vlaams Belang
  12. ^ (in Dutch) Banken schuwen controverse rond 0110, De Tijd, 30 September 2006.
  13. ^ "Politieke steun voor Concert van Verdraagzaamheid, ("Political Support for Tolerance Concert")". Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2007-11-11.
  14. ^ Barman en vrienden Archived 2006-10-22 at the Wayback Machine, Vlaams Belang
  15. ^ "01/10 Antwerpen, Brussel, Gent" (0110.be/Charter/ link inactive as of 2008-05-07)
  16. ^ Knack, April 6, 2005
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