Capacity and history

Forest National, at Avenue Victor Rousseau 208 in Forest (Brussels), holds up to 8,400 visitors, up to 7,868 of them seated. It opened on October 8, 1970, with Maurice Béjart's Ballet of the 20th Century, and has been operated by be•at since October 1, 2013.

Capacity by setup

Setup	Capacity
Seated and standing	up to 8,400
Fully seated	up to 7,868
Standing floor	up to 3,000
Smallest concert setup	3,000
Boxes	12 boxes, 144 people in total

The history of Forest National

On October 8, 1970, the dancers of Maurice Béjart’s Ballet of the 20th Century took to the stage at Forest National for the very first time. Since then, an endless list of artists has followed in their footsteps. The Rolling Stones, Bee Gees, Jackson Five, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Bob Marley, Santana, Fleetwood Mac, Johnny Hallyday, Claude François, James Brown, Led Zeppelin, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Roxy Music, Queen, Toto, Deep Purple, Jerry Lee Lewis, Prince, Serge Gainsbourg, The Cure, Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2, and many others all made history in this Brussels venue.

As the largest venue in Brussels, Forest National fulfilled a major need. Venues such as Cirque Royal, Ancienne Belgique, Palais des Beaux-Arts, and smaller halls including Théâtre 140, Classic, and Beursschouwburg had become too small for the increasingly large-scale concerts of the time.

In 1995, Forest National underwent a major renovation. The front façade was redesigned, the entrance foyer was expanded, and the addition of a balcony significantly increased the venue’s capacity. Capacity grew from 5,500 to 8,400. Lighting and sound systems were upgraded, and a stage with adjustable height and width was installed.

On October 1, 2013, be•at took over the operation of this Brussels concert venue. Music Hall remained the owner of the building but entrusted the day-to-day management to be•at. During the summer of 2014, the new operator introduced major infrastructure changes by improving audience circulation, numbering all seats, and creating two new foyers: one on the first floor and one beneath the grandstand. The latter was built in the former backstage area, where roadies and artists had created their own “Wall of Fame” by leaving personal messages on the walls. Today, visitors can also enjoy this unique piece of graffiti art.

The strength of Forest National, which has built a strong reputation in Belgium and far beyond, lies in its ability to welcome 8,400 visitors while keeping the atmosphere of a much smaller venue. The smallest concert setup has 3,000 places. Its oval shape and amphitheater effect create a unique concert experience for both artists and audiences alike.Forest National is not only used for concerts. The venue also hosts operas, musicals, ballets, sporting events, and spectacular family shows.

Where you sit and how the venue is laid out is on the seating plan.