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The 0110 concerts, held on October 1, 2006 in Antwerp, Brussels, Charleroi and Ghent, were organised by dEUS frontman Tom Barman, Arno Hintjens and Frederik Sioen to promote tolerance in Belgian society, and "against Vlaams Belang, extremism and gratuitous violence".
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According to the organisation, more than 100,000 people attended the concerts (around 50,000 in Antwerp, 25,000 in Ghent and Brussels, and 5,000 in Charleroi). Over 140 Belgian artists and groups, often in unprecedented combinations (like Daan and Plastic Bertrand, Gorki and Isabelle A, and so on), volunteered for the event. Tom Barman stated that this would not be a one-time initiative.
The concerts were sponsored by the Belgian National Lottery. Summer rock festivals like Sfinks, Pukkelpop, Folk Dranouter, Lokerse Feesten, Gentse Feesten and Suikerrock urged their public to support the event.
0110 Controversy
The event preceded the 2006 municipal elections in Belgium by just one week, thus sending a political message as well.
The right wing opposition party Vlaams Belang wrote an open letter to famous Flemish artists, such as Clouseau, Helmut Lotti, Will Tura, Johan Verminnen and Laura Lynn, who were announced to participate, asking not to do so. The party requested the boycott because the event "only targets Vlaams Belang". One Vlaams Belang council member has called upon the readers of his web log to start a "mail bombardment" to the concerned artists. Critics speak of an intimidation campaign by the party. According to the Vlaams Belang however, the intimidation came from the organizers of the 0110 concerts and the complete Flemish Media against Vlaams Belang, because the Flemish Media were partizan of the concerts. According to the party, the media in Flanders is completely in the hands of the left-wing establishment. On the contrary, no Flemish artist would ever even think to participate in a festival organised by the Vlaams Belang, because this would be responded by the establishment by an ever-lasting boycott against the artist. On a party congress on 1 October, Filip Dewinter was quoted saying that "if it really were concerts against intolerance, the Vlaams Belang would have to be guest of honour", referring to the cordon sanitaire against the party.
Vlaams Belang sees this as a direct attack by the establishment, because the event is sponsored by the Belgian National Lottery. The National Lottery however decided upon the sponsoring contract before the political content was clear.
The Antwerp mayor Patrick Janssens (Different Socialist Party) disapproved of the concerts. The Vlaams Belang party also refers to the fact that the official website of the event specifically states that "Flanders deserves better than extreme right" and that Tom Barman, the main organizer, had already announced in 2005 that he was planning a concert "against Vlaams Belang" in October 2006.
Antwerp
Presentation: Bart Peeters
Location: Vlaamse en Waalse Kaai (Gedempte Zuiderdokken)
Brussels
Presentation: Annabelle Van Nieuwenhuyse and Sam Touzani
Location: Paleizenplein/place des Palais (in Dutch/French)
"De Laatste Showband" with guests:
Charleroi
Location: Spiroudome
Ghent
Presentation: Wim Oosterlinck
Location: NMBS parking (St. Pietersstation)
Book
In 2008 Belgian author Bart Van Lierde wrote the crime novel 0110: the premiss is a terrorist act during the 0110 concerts in Antwerp. The main question is which political party ordered the attack: Vlaams Belang, as this party is convinced that the concerts are held to influence the outcome of the municipal elections; or the other parties, as the outcome indeed may be influenced if Vlaams Belang will be found guilty.