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.
The year 2000 was a busy one, with a Belgian tour, a new appearance in the last broadcast of the Levende Lijven radio show, and the first release on Zonk!Records: Bonk.
Meanwhile, Peter Vermeersch also composed the music for Minoes, a children's movie by Dutch film director Vincent Bal on a story by Annie M.G.
In 2002, the Flat Earth Society was the house band of the Brugge2002 festival, where they participated in the Benenwerk project, turning the centre of the city of Bruges into a large ballroom.
Meanwhile, Peter Vermeersch was also commissioned by Gerard Mortier to write a big band opera on the libretto Heliogabal by Thomas Jonigk, with stage directions by Roy Faudré.