Necessary Evil, with poet Jan Ducheyne and Jef Mercelis in its ranks, will present their first album in Wilrijk on Sunday afternoon — © RR
In the De Kern theater in Wilrijk, Antwerp record labels introduce themselves on a Sunday afternoon during the appropriately named Sund. Aft. Now it’s the turn of the eclectic Rotkat Records. The label owes its name to Pickles, a quite assertive cat.
Benny Boogers was previously active in record store Wally’s Groove World and the now defunct record company Lowlands. In 2016 he founded his own label Rotkat Records. They mainly release work by Antwerp artists, although colleagues from Brussels and Ghent are also featured. A first release from an international artist – from Greenland that is – will follow later this year.
Rotkat’s offering is very diverse. “If musicians tell a story that touches me, I want to release it. The genre itself doesn’t really matter.”
For example, on Sunday Neozakelijk Kwaad – a project in which poet and founder of De Sprekende Ezels Jan Ducheyne competes against musicians Jef Mercelis, Frank P and Teuk Henri – their first album ‘Spill with people’ for.
Shy Dog / Noah Melis — © RR
Shy Dog, the solo project of Noah Melis, will also be on stage in Wilrijk. “Rotkat released his record exactly one day before the first Covid lockdown. After that, no one talked about music anymore; he could not perform and his record could not be bought anywhere. But it is so beautiful that I wanted to revive and promote it for this occasion. A kind of post-pandemic re-release, so to speak.”
Then there is BOI, an Antwerp all girl queer band. “They released their first single earlier this year and were the promise of the month at Radio Willy in April. A first EP will follow after the summer.”
BOI — © RR
Furthermore, veterans Borokov Borokov and various DJs will also be on stage at De Kern. There is also a record market for those who want to purchase new (or old) equipment from Rotkat Records.
Seniors Borokov Borokov will also perform on Sunday — © RR
From bad cat to bad cat
About the name of the record label: “It refers to my own cat Pickles. She comes from a shelter and is super sweet to myself, my love and our son, but otherwise no one is allowed near her. She will attack immediately. All artists who come here know perfectly where the name Rotkat comes from.”
Sund. Aft. with Rotkat Records in De Kern theater on Sunday, May 12 from 2 p.m. www.schouwburgdekern.be, www.rotkat.be
Pickles, the bad cat in question — © RR
Tags: Artists Rotkat Records perform Kern Sunday publish story touches Antwerp
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