Leuven, early 70's, the substance of the student revolt has settled. The city gained a great reputation and was considered the hotbed of critical votes against activists of all sorts. Students are not only politically, but also culturally engaged; they are making music, organizing concerts and open bars. A new wave of Anglo-Saxon bands reached the mainland: the new folkies, protest song writers and rockers inspiring the spirits. A new type of bar appears; the pubs, music cafes where old jukeboxes have given way to record players and new LP's are imported from London and listened to together. Music fanatics discuss new material under the blue smokescreens: musical philosophy, drunkenness and musicianship. Leuven was not as clean as it is today, and there was a mild and cheerful anarchy. The Leuven night life with its bars and pleasant atmosphere received a reputation she would be carrying for decades to come. Through its unique atmosphere the city became a true magnet for musicians, adventurers and creative entrepreneurs.

 

The documentary film The Leuven Scene portrays the city as it was in the early 70's and 80's and reconstructs those memorable years on the basis of testimonies of musicians, producers, pub owners, managers and organizers. Those years prove to have been of great significance, for it was the time in which the foundations were laid for the next generations of Flemish pop and rock.