Ghent's 'Pierke' De Bruyker marks 50 years at Gentse Feesten: 'He only gets better with age'

Luk De Bruyker, a beloved Ghent-based puppeteer and cabaret artist, is marking a remarkable milestone: 50 years of performing at the Gentse Feesten. At 73, De Bruyker is celebrating this golden anniversary with a special show titled "Luk zingt Mee Moate" at the historic Minardschouwburg, performing alongside close friends.

"It's a joy to be on stage with my 'moate' (friends)," De Bruyker shared. "On one hand, I want to thank my audience who have followed me faithfully. On the other hand, it's about bringing a piece of my career to life on stage with real friends. That is pure bliss."

His performance was attended by Ghent's "feast mayor" Joris Vandenbroucke, who came on stage after the show to congratulate De Bruyker. The artist appreciated the gesture, calling it "unexpected, but nice. This has the spirit."

Looking back, De Bruyker recalled daring stunts from his past, such as "stealing the key to the city hall" and driving a "condom mobile instead of a Pope mobile." He described these as "witty stunts, full of adventure," where the unpredictable outcomes were etched into the memories of many Ghent residents.

De Bruyker also spoke about his evolving stage presence. "Where you used to go on stage with a certain unease, that has completely disappeared now; it's my job," he said. "And besides, the older you get, the better you want to prepare your act. For fear that you wouldn't be alert enough. But that also means that I still work on my texts every day or dare to shift things. And yes, that means that every performance I give actually gets a little bit better."

Audience members echoed his sentiment, with one commenting, "May he keep going until he reaches his 75th year." Another described the show as "brilliant, truly pure Ghent, and so relaxing," while a third added, "50 years is just the beginning. He's in good shape now, he gets better every year."