DEN HAAG MUSIC CITY?

The Dutch city of The Hague boasts a diverse population. Numerous nationalities are represented and migrants from countries such as Morocco, Turkey, Surinam, Indonesia and China have come to settle in The Hague.

The combination of a variety of cultures makes The Hague a colourful and fascinating city. At the end of the 50’s, two Indonesian brothers founded the first rock & roll band, The Tielman Brothers. Living in The Hague in the 1960’s, The Tielman Brothers found inspiration in the city and at the nearby beach. This eventually led them to their first hit song, and consequently, they became one of the first ever popular rock & roll bands. Since the 1960’s, The Hague has had a reputation as “Beat City”, with The Golden Earring and Shocking Blue as it’s most important exports.

Today, The Hague still has a reputation of being a pop and rock city. However, multicultural influences have not been sufficiently incorporated into the pop and rock culture in The Hague, and vice versa. Relatively new generations still rely on traditional cultural influences, often mixed with commercial music. Specifically R&B and simple dance music are thought to be the most accessible. WEX Festival aims to change this outlook and broaden the The Hague music scene.