Flat Earth Society

FES

Flat Earth Society (AUT)

The Flat Earth Society (FES) is a Belgian big band ensemble founded and led by Peter Vermeersch. They mix the rich Belgian brass band tradition with characteristic topsy-turvy creativity. Their earliest gig took place in 1997, when they performed a composition by Peter Vermeersch to accompany a circus act by De Circusplaneet during the Oorsmeer festival.

Flat Earth Society was the house band of the Brugge 2002 festival, where they participated in the Benenwerk project, turning the centre of the city of Bruges into a large ballroom, and in August the Flat Earth Society premiered their Louis Armstrong project The Armstrong Mutations at the last night of the free Brussels festival Boterhammen in de Stad. Meanwhile Peter Vermeersch was also commissioned by Gerard Mortier to write a big band opera on the libretto Heliogabal by Thomas Jonigk. The opera premiered on May 8 2003 in Duisburg during the Ruhr Triennale festival. In 2003 Peter had met with jazz composer and pianist Uri Caine, and the two decided to work together. Old compositions were reorchestrated and new pieces were written. FES toured with Uri Caine in 2004. International success was now assured, and FES was able to sign distribution deals with Ipecac, who released the compilation FESisms and later with Crammed Discs who released “Psychoscout” in 2006. In 2009 they released “Cheer Me, Perverts” and focused on touring.