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Biography
Having drummed up support through their participation in local talent shows, after winning Humo’s Rock Rally KBC Audience in 2006, the band were able to release their debut self-titled EP later that year. With the EP done and dusted, Balthazar spent the rest of the year touring extensively around Europe before parting ways with Verfaillie and Quartier who were replaced by Simon Casier and Christophe Claeys. With the new line-up restructure, something clicked and Balthazar had discovered their new unique sound. In 2007 after performing at Belgium’s iconic Dour Festival, the band released their first single- the summer anthem “This Is a Flirt” which received significant support from BBC’s Radio One and Studio Brussel.
The following year came the band’s second single release “Bathroom Lovin” which featured top of the list in many local music publications. With the hype surrounding them in full force, Balthazar embarked on a mainland European tour playing in Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands and France before jetting off for their first set of club shows in South Africa. It was during this tour where the majority of their debut album took shape.
In 2010 Balthazar released their debut album “Applause” produced by Delvodere and Deprez. Peaking at number 13 in the Belgian album charts, it garnered critical acclaim with fans and critics praising their unique and fresh sound. Later that year the band received a Music Industry Award for ‘Best Album of 2010’. The album featured the popular singles “Hunger at the Door”, “I’ll Stay Here” and “The Boatman”. Touring the album live allowed Balthazar the full capability to create unforgettable live performances as they continued captivating audiences with their enchanting sounds. With the addition of Balthazar to the 2011 Eurosonic tour playing alongside The Joy Formidable and dEUS saw them catapulted into the spotlight as they became the talk of town with their incredible performances.
The following year came the band’s sophomore album “Rats” which shot to the top of the Belgian charts, clinching the number one spot. The album earned them another Music Industry Award with ‘Best Album of 2012’. In 2015 the band released their third album “Thin Walls” which peaked at number three in the charts.
In a short amount of time, Balthazar have risen in the ranks as a band to watch out for following their performances at some of the most iconic indie and alternative festivals across Europe such as: Rock Werchter, Pukkelpop and Lowlands.
Live reviews
Balthazar’s sound is fun yet edgy. Their songs are characterized by their hummable tunes, foot-tapping beats and hypnotic lyrics. Both of their albums were well received upon release, and earned accolades as Album of the Year in 2010 and 2012 respectively. The band has a wide following in their native Belgium, but their music is clearly no stranger to other mainland European countries due to the number of French, German and Dutch fans that pack in to see their gigs. A Balthazar concert always starts with a strong opening that is guaranteed to get the crowd on board. During their gig at Pukkelpop last month, their chosen opener was Lion's Mouth (Daniel), which was a perfect way to get the crowd amped. As the stage lights throbbed in the background, every member of Balthazar gave the song everything they had. And the show only got better from there. I was struck by how much Patricia Vanneste’s violin stylings really added to the atmosphere of the set. Her skills are obvious and contribute much to the band’s spunky sound. While you get a taste of this in their recorded material, you really feel it during their live performances. Of course, Balthazar’s collective sound is what really makes their work special and hearing the layers of their songs come together in a live setting is pretty special. Go check them out if you get the chance!
lauratunbridge
The first band (from London) who played before Balthazar was good and with a lot of energy.
Then Balthazar shown up and after 10 to 15 minutes we got the confirmation it was poor with low energy and basic compos.
Drummer could have been replaced by a machine easily.
The violin brings great atmosphere but beyond aligning a few chords and adopting a dandy attitude the band did not demonstrate much.
I was very disappointed and had to leave before the end.
Was expecting a band with more energy (energy WITH good compos, not just playing chords, sometimes the same one, again and again with a loud sound).
Un-impressed.
Just the week before I saw a real musician with oustanding sidemen (Eric Truffaz) and I would suggest Balthazar folks listen to them to understand what inspiration is about.
ConcertFanSXB
Muy buen concierto en una sala, la 2 de Apolo, que me gusta bastante. Me lo pasé en grande.
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toniyoo
Here to start??? Balthazar are amazing!!!! I think I'm a huge fan (I almost sang every song) but seeing these guys live blown my mind. It was a rainy day and me and my girlfriend were all wet and I could see in her eyes, she wasn't in the mood to be there (she said: "in here because of you"). And everything changed when the show started. She jumped, sang, danced, yelled, smiled, she sang the song in our way home and kept singing for three days...
In the end I think she was there because of Michiel hahaha (and Balthazar)
Great gig, guys! Great gig! Counting the days to see them live again.
Joao_Carvalheiras
These guys were wonderful, just as I was expecting and even beyond that! Their music kept me moving throughout the gig, the sound was clear, they played flawless and the venue couldn't have been better chosen, as it created somewhat of the "intimate" feeling which I love. Oh, the guys from Kagoule (one of the supporting acts) were such a great surprise to me, glad I've discovered their music.
oana-vlad
Excellent concert!!!! Great band and good location, light design was also cool. I enjoyed the whole experience: not too long queue (for food, toilet etc..), sound, availability of food and drinks, and lastly Balthazar are very talented live players!!!
xxxx
Federica
federica-servili
Amazing concert! Their live performance was great, they started off with some of their older songs to build up to their latest album Fever.
Both lead singers have voices that counterbalance each other...no primadonnas.
Look forward to seeing them again on stage
julruns
Amazing energy, very professional show and performance, a lot of new variations of great songs. Definitely the best concert in the last couple of years. The crowd was singing and cheering, everyone was completely happy and I am so glad we went there.
daniil-pavliuchkov
Super soirée, on a adoré ce concert au krakatoa de Merignac, le son était exceptionnel.
Voilà un groupe encore meilleur en live que sur leur album, je ressigerais sans hésitation pour leur prochain concert dans le coin.
vraiment au top !!!
philippe-coulont
