Bent van Looy, who in recent years has released a handful of beautiful solo albums in collaboration with Jason Falkner, is often perceived as a dandy—an intellectually vain figure—and rightly so. Much like Jarvis Cocker, he embraces this persona with flair, and in both cases, it’s a joy to witness and to listen to. That was certainly true last Wednesday, when Van Looy led the long-awaited return of his band Das Pop after a 14-year hiatus.

In the late ‘90s and early 2000s, following the decline of grunge, Belgian indie pop experienced a golden era. Bands like K’s Choice, dEUS, Soulwax, and Das Pop released unique and compelling music that reached far beyond Belgium’s borders.

Now, with just one new song in hand, Das Pop is staging a reunion, and their performance at De Roma in Antwerp felt like a triumphant homecoming. Van Looy called the stage—set in a venue with the grandeur of an opera house and the acoustics of a premier pop temple—his home.

Van Looy clearly understands the unwritten rules of pop band reunions: it’s not just about playing the hits. Of course, the hits are there—sung loudly, danced to, embraced in moments of shared nostalgia—but it’s during the deeper cuts that the bond between band and audience grows strongest. The hall fills with a sense of intimacy and devotion. This is no place for critics; this is a gathering of true fans. A celebration of recognition, of recent nostalgia, and of the vibrant legacy of Belgian pop music.

The Guess Who, the legendary Canadian rock band known for hits like “American Woman” and “These Eyes,” is back together! Original members Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings have announced that they will go on tour in 2026 under the name The Guess Who. This reunion follows a years-long legal battle over the use of the band name, which was settled in September 2024 in favor of Bachman and Cummings.

What’s strange, though, is that in recent years there was a really solid version of the band recording new music and playing live extensively. Plein D’Amour from 2023 is a refreshingly strong album, with a sound that blends the playful ’90s power pop of Jellyfish with the early ’80s AOR of bands like Dakota, Donnie Iris, and Franke and the Knockouts—all delivered by Derek Sharp, a fantastic vocalist.

After Bachman and Cummings reclaimed the band name, the recent history was wiped from social media, and suddenly everything is about American Woman again. But Plein D’Amour is too good to be forgotten, and has now been re-released as the debut of Derek Sharp and the Champagne Jam. Go listen to it!