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The sun was present the whole day above the Spiroudôme and so it was quite warm inside; the 4500 people in the audience turned up the heat some more with their atmosphere so it was a pretty warm night. But it was also very clear everyone had enjoyed the sun: on, behind and in front of the stage everything went on very smoothly.

Il Novecento started like the fall shows of 2009 with Also Sprach Zarathustra followed by Nox Argentea with the rasping choir vocals (much appreciated by DIV4S) of Fine Fleur. After the introduction of Carl Huybrechts with his special shoes, Il Novecento played the allegro con spirit of the 88th symphony of Haydn; this sounded as powerful as during the German tour and formed and excellent visiting card for what the audience could expect during the first half of the evening: a lot of classical pieces. Fine Fleur made a statement that the evening would be colored by Italian voices: so Verdi, they sang the Slave’s Choir from Nabucco.



Everyone was already convinced of the virtuosity of Patrick Desmet, but still he gave the best of himself during Czardas of Monti during which he used his vibraphone to take over the whole violin score. The audience enjoyed it. An arrangement of Patrick that might make it to the fall shows.



And then we continued with the female covering fire of the evening. Liv, Hille and Marjolein brought a disco medley. Live started with the powerful sang I will survive, continued by Hille’s Relight my fire and concluded with Marjolein’s I’ve got the music in me. Wonderful performance; the audience didn’t quite knew how to react yet, but the die-hards of the fall will know what to do.

DIV4S venerunt, viderunt, vicerunt!



It was a beautiful waltz of Tsjaikovski who lead us to the first international performance of DIV4S. During a long introduction of their Opera Medley the audience got the extended chance to admire the beauty of the four young ladies and their dresses. And then they started to sing: the pimples and the silence fell over the arena. Many were captured by their voices: those technical difficult arias from Norma, the Magical Flute, Carmen and Traviata brought mixed solo and in group, sounded heavenly.

Robert Groslot let us catch our breath of that performance of DIV4S with the scherzo from the 9th Symphony of Beethoven, brought wonderful and full with accents by Il Novecento which was in a wonderful shape. Next, Laurent Voulzy entered the stage, in style and distinguished. His guitar slides where the start for a gentle set with songs sung along by the audience, for sure the famous Belle Ile en mer, the beautiful French song of the eighties. A true perfectionist and professional, Laurent; his fans were waiting for him at the Spiroudôme since the beginning of the afternoon; a nice Laurent gave himself fully to them. Too bad he didn’t bring a rock collection with some more rhythm, it would sharpen his performance for sure.

Charming Rockin’ Kim



After that, Laurent Voulzy started singing Mes nuits sans Kim Wilde, and everyone knew what was going to come: the call note of Laurent didn’t last a minute or Kim Wilde was on stage next to him. Oh Kim, she was to overwhelming for him, she excited him which he (of course) happily allowed to happen; hundreds of men wanted to be in Laurent’s shoes. They sang Oh Lori together and even Laurent sometimes forgot the lines, he was a wonderful resemblance of the eighties that the spark really hit the arena.



Next, Kim addressed the arena. Compared with Germany 2008, she lost weight and looked even better; with a smile and charm she walked across the stage and her Polish fan club went crazy during Cambodia. And then, there was the break.

For the beginning of the second part, Robert Groslot arranged a military march and other work of Chopin into Chopiniana. The audience recognized many parts. This piece was followed by Kim again with You Came and a splendid Kids in America; I heard it a few times before during the German NOTP tour in 2008 but this version was perfect into all details. Jan, please get Kim to Antwerp and The Netherlands!

Wonderful overwhelming DIV4S

Fine Fleur kept the mood going with Verdi’s Gypsy’s Choir, after which DIV4S returned on stage, in other beautiful longer dresses. Before the show, I feared Con te partiro followed by The Prayer would become too shallow, an easy reachable success; but I was proven wrong. Not only their voices, but also very good arrangements of Carlo Bernini, left me to conclude that this would be the most wonderful version after Bocelli’s. The Prayer made me speechless; such wonderful and controlled voices! The reader will understand by now that I fell for DIV4S in Charleroi. Jan, bring them to the fall shows, prego!



Next, some movie music from the movies from Harry Potter. Not very easy, that music: serious dramatic moments mixed with some playful moments with an highlight at the end. We saw and heard some nice work for the fall shows.

Particular strong Sharleen

And there she was; Texas’ Sharleen Spiteri started with Summer Son, just like in Antwerp, and the audience loved it. She wore a classy suit and brought a special stage act. Xanadu, from her latest CD, sounded very convincing. She continued at the same pace with All the times I cried. The complete audience really got up for Say what you want and Black Eyed Boy.

Sharleen performed for 200 % and as a real professional she provided the finishing touch to a convincing evening with some fine singers: Liv, Hille and Marjolein, DIV4S, Kim and Sharleen.

Let it be closed the night after the traditional Hope and Glory. Oh, how we enjoyed!

Some interesting amateur videos on YouTube:

Laurent Voulzy – Coeur Grenadine
Laurent Voulzy – Le pouvoir des fleurs
Laurent Voulzy – Belle île en mer
Laurent Voulzy & Kim Wilde – Belle île en mer / Les nuits sans Kim Wilde / Lori
Kim Wilde – You came
Kim Wilde – Kids in America
Sharleen Spiteri – Xanadu
Sharleen Spiteri – Summer son