Punk 50, is AB’s celebration of fifty years of chaos, freedom and bold expression. We honour the rich past, the vibrant present and the future of punk with exhibitions, films, talks, a ‘zine market and a hard-hitting line-up of international icons, Belgian legends and the new generation of punk musicians.

It’s 1976: a few young guys from Antwerp get infected by the musical vibe in London. Their band name Crash changes to The Kids and Belgium’s first true punk band is born.
Ludo Mariman was at the helm and the bass player was barely 12, The Kids made tracks that are still cult classics to this day. Their debut album is a true collector’s item and the single There Will Be No Next Time has been a timeless classic for years.
In 2026, The Kids will have been around for 50 years. They celebrate that in the only appropriate way possible: at maximum volume. At AB, we’re organising a mini-festival around their milestone: a showcase of the Belgian punk scene from then, now and later.
The Kids themselves will give a fantastic concert. And these bands will also take to the stage as well:

Sunpower
We are very proud to present a unique and one-off reunion of the Brabant punk band Sunpower. Guitars that are thrown into the air, bass drums used as springboards, and the frontman disappearing into the audience for the entire set: in the 17 years that Sunpower was active, there was apparently only one certainty: you never knew what was going to happen. 
From squats in Ghent to basements in New Jersey, from behind the wire mesh of Dutch chicken coops to the uncomfortably large stages of Belgium’s top festivals: Sunpower played hundreds of shows with a fury comparable with Minor Threat, Dead Kennedys and Jay Reatard. The band called it quits in 2019, but they have the following to say about this special evening: “If we’re going to get together again, then preferably in our beloved BXHell where we had some of our wildest nights.”

HETZE
Dance and destroy! That’s the motto of Belgian hardcore punk-hurricane HETZE. Over the past five years, the band has established a reputation as one of the most relentless forces on the contemporary punk scene. Their madly furious, energetic show leaves none standing still. Short, fast and loud!
Kotskat
Kotskat is the superband of the Belgian underground that nobody expected. Ronny Rens’ (Ronny Rex) rants and declarations of love are accompanied musically by members of Brorlab and Peuk in the form of primitive punk and no wave. Their cult anti-hit Friends with a cop was released in 2024 as a 7” on Pang Pang Records. 
In September 2025, their first album Flowers was released on Pang Pang Records and Zwendel. The album contains punk influences and touches of ESG and Tom Tom Club. For fans of Bikini Kill, The Fall, ESG and Britney.

Colère
Colère is a fierce, D-beat-driven hardcore punk band that throws in elements of Powerviolence and crust. Expect fast, uncompromising and aggressive music. 
And there’s more to experience than just concerts!

Book Launch: Bloody Belgium. De punkexplosie in België 1976-1979.
Bloody Belgium is the ultimate overview of Belgian punk that uniquely documents the roots and wild years of punk culture in Belgium. Compiler Ronny Wynants and author Joeri Cardon travelled the country for many years to interview those involved in this turbulent period. The result is a fascinating book that sketches an image of a period that changed Belgium forever.
The first edition sold out in no time. On March 14, Ronny Wynants and Joeri Cadron will bring along the latest edition of this definitive guide to Belgian punk. They come to talk to us about Belgian punk and how they came to this wonderful end result during a Q&A. Expect other speakers too.

Punk micro-label market
Together with Brussels collective Stadskanker, we’re also organising a micro-label punk market that starts in the early afternoon.