Hurray! After a few turbulent corona years, we are once again organising a big party around AB on Car Free Sunday. On 18 September you will discover the enchanting grooves and sounds of chaabi music at Chaabi Trance Street Sounds. The afternoon is entirely dedicated to the women who bring this Moroccan music style to life.

Moroccan chaabi is cheerful music that you often hear at weddings and festivals. Chaabi music usually ends with the music tempo doubling and a lot of clapping and dancing. It mixes Arab influences with Western and African sounds, and revolves around harmonising and good vibes.

We join forces with the Flemish-Moroccan cultural house Darna to put together a fantastic musical afternoon. Between 2 pm and 5 pm, you can enjoy performances in the tradition of the guelssa: a musical encounter between women in a Moroccan living room atmosphere. Between the concerts, the Rue des Pierres will be buzzing with the popular rhythms of a women's dakka group.

Then it's time for a moment of collective trance, accompanied by a group of female singer-percussionists, two choirs, a brass band, and talented guest musicians. In short: a unique concert full of chaabi vibes.

Chaabi Trance Street Sounds is, of course, completely free and will transform both the Steenstraat and the Anspachlaan into an open-air party venue. Come on foot, by bike, or on a scooter and dance with us! Lubricate your vocal cords and fill your tummy at the Pois Chiche street food stand.

Curious about the full bill? These artists will be performing: Sultanats B’net Chaabi, Noujoum Al-Mâdi, Dakka Chaimae, Fatmas de Belgica, Marin’Elles, Anaconda, Kubika & Bakanaï, Michel Massot, Grégoire Tirtiaux, Toine Thys & Pauline Leblond, and many guest musicians under the direction of Adrien Lambinet & Laïla Amezian.

Chaabi Trance Street Sounds is organised in the context of Chaabi Habibi, under the direction of Halfmoon and in cooperation with Ancienne Belgique, Darna, Nakhla, VK & FJM, with the support of the Flemish Government for ‘Bovenlokale Cultuurprojecten’, VGC Erfgoed, Samenwerkingsakkoord Vlaamse Gemeenschap en Franse Gemeenschap, COCOF Dienst Cultuur-Muziek, Un Futur pour la Culture-Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles & Brussels 2030.