Our group of young percussionists is celebrating its 25th anniversary at the AB! On 25 October, the Fanfakids and the teenagers from Strak-X are inviting six other youth music groups from Brussels to come and set the concert hall alight. As a warm-up, some members of these groups will take part in an AB Talk on 23 October. They will discuss the importance of music, dance and other artistic disciplines for their work with young people.

Brussels is brimming with young talent. But how can we give them the best tools and support so that they can flourish? In collaboration with AB, MetX brings together several groups of young people from Brussels who, each in their own way and according to their own background and motivation, play percussion instruments: in the street, in schools, in concert halls or at traditional festivals.

At an AB Talk conference to be held on Thursday 23 October, we will give the floor to some of these young people and their mentors. Through a debate and interactive sessions, we will examine their different approaches, the common challenges of working artistically with young people, and opportunities for collaboration.

On Saturday 25 October, around a hundred young musicians will welcome you to the AB's concert hall for a real Fanfafiesta. Six youth groups will first present their own repertoire: a glimpse of what drives Brussels' percussion and dance groups. They will be followed by a collective performance (with a guest drummer to be confirmed) inspired by the Fanfakids' 25-year repertoire. The artistic direction is provided by Jo Zanders, founder of the percussion group DROM and also one of the creators of the Fanfakids during the first Zinneke Parade in 2000.

Fanfafiesta 25/10 - LINE-UP

- Drum Ensemble Hoofdstedelijke Kunstacademie (jazz/impro)

- Afro Fanfare (percussion & wind instruments)

- Inyangé (traditional dance & rhythms from Rwanda)

- Brussels Young Philharmonic (neo-classic)

- Karkaba (traditional gnawa rhythms, dance & songs from Morocco)

- Kids Percu (Brazilian grooves)

- Fanfakids + Strak-X + Fanfabreakers + Tarmacadam from Antwerp (urban percussion, wind instruments & dance)