Having moved to Brussels about seven years ago, I have grown more and more apart from from my hometown Roeselare and its surrounding cities. The places we’d used to go grab our beers, eat our fries and go back to grab some more beers and enjoy good music played by friends behind the decks.

Now I’m not from Kortrijk – although officialy speaking, it is my birthplace according to my pasport, still need to ask my parents about the story behind that… Anyway, the city of Kortrijk has always been close to my heart.

As of lately however, the city is up in a stur, more specifically because the city plans to destroy one of its most lively areas: De Vlasmarkt, home to the Vlas Vegas festival. The city plans to make the little square more ‘shopping-friendly’ and there are plans to build appartment blocks, which might entirely take the place of the bars.

This might sound weird to a lot of you, but let me break it down for you: all Kortrijk really needs now and in the very near future, is bars, concert venues, and basically anything in between, places for the young and creative to gather. Choose shops and luxury apartments over bars and you’re pulling the wrong card, mister mayor.

Download: Vlastune (ft. Baadasssss, Xspans, Shimmy Timmy en Gesman)

Last month, local artists gathered at De Vlasmarkt, with over 30 bands they showed the need of the square as a part of the city’s creative chemistry. Part of the concept was the Vlastune, a collective effort featuring Gèsman, Chillow, Baadasssss, Xpans, Shimmy Timmy, RuUm, Mr. Brown, Koen Derieuw.

(You know Baadasssss from the first track on JtotheC’s ‘A Man And His Funk‘ demo ep, Chillow has been recording JtotheC in the studio – as seen in the video – and Shimmy Timmy and Mr. Brown are hitting stages with JtotheC as of tonight.)

Join the cause and get your fingers crossed for the Vlasmarkt to stay.