Amsterdam Directions

by Martin Dunford

  Bevrijdingsdag (Liberation Day)

  May 5. The country celebrates the 1945 liberation from Nazi occupation with bands, speeches and impromptu markets around the city.

  Oosterparkfestival

  First week. Held in the large park near the Tropenmuseum, this free festival celebrates the mix of cultures living in the area, with live music and numerous food stands.

  World Wide Video Festival

  Mid-May to end May; tel 020/420 7729, www.wwvf.nl.

  Celebrating small-screen culture with seminars on media art, screenings, exhibitions and meet-the-artist programmes. Held at the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA) situated on the River IJ, with smaller presentations at the Melkweg and the Dutch Institute for Media Art.

  National Windmill Day

  Second Saturday; tel 020/623 8703.

  Over half the country’s remaining windmills and watermills are opened to the public. Contact Vereniging De Hollandsche.

  Drum Rhythm Festival

  Second or third week www.drumrhythm.com.

  Amsterdam’s first real summer event previously held over a weekend at the Westergasfabriek and very popular with locals. Famous musicians from all over the world take part, from Moby to Salif Keita. Sponsorship problems mean that they have yet to reschedule more dates, but check the website for the latest information.

  KunstRAI

  Third week; tel 020/549 1212, www.kunstrai.nl.

  The annual mainstream contemporary arts fair, held in the RAI conference centre, south of the centre. A less commercial alternative is the Kunstvlaai at the Westergasfabriek, always held the week before or after KunstRAI.

  June

  Holland Festival

  Throughout June; tel 020/530 7111, www.hollandfestival.nl.

  The largest music, dance and drama event in the Netherlands, aimed at making the dramatic arts more accessible. Showcasing around thirty productions, it features a mix of established and new talent.

  July

  Beachbop

  Throughout July and August www.beachbop.nl.

  Live percussion, dance acts and plenty of beach parties at the Bloemendaal beach (close to Zandvoort). Friendly, low-key atmosphere; weekends only.

  Over het IJ Festival

  First one or two weeks; tel 020/771 3000, www.overhetij.nl.

  Modern theatre and dance festival held at the NDSM (tel 020/330 5480) in Amsterdam-Noord, across the river from the city centre. A festival boat runs there from behind Centraal Station.

  Kwakoe Festival

  Weekends only from second week of July to second week of August, www.kwakoe.nl.

  A Surinamese and Antillian festival held at a playground close to the Amsterdam ArenA in the southeastern suburbs, featuring lots of music, dance acts and stand-up comedy. There are also workshops, and even prayer services on Sunday morning. In the middle of the festival there’s a football competition between several "tropical" teams. Caribbean delicacies such as roti and the Surinamese bakabana, baked banana with peanut sauce, are widely available from stalls around the festival.

  August

  Amsterdam Pride

  First or second weekend www.amsterdampride.nl.

  The city’s gay community celebrates, with street parties and performances held along the Amstel, Warmoesstraat and Reguliersdwarsstraat, as well as a "Canal Pride" flotilla of boats cruising along the Prinsengracht.

  Dance Valley

  First week www.dancevalley.nl.

  Huge international dance event held over a weekend at the natural amphitheatre in the hills of Spaarnwoude, just north of Haarlem, with all the techno, drum-and-bass, house and ambient DJs you could possibly wish for. Check the website for further music events held here throughout the year.

  The Parade

  First two weeks; tel 033/465 4577, www.mobilearts.nl.

  An excellent travelling theatrical fair with various short theatre performances given in or in front of the artists’ tents (they all work independently). Held in the Martin Luther King Park, next to the River Amstel (from CS tram #25 to Hunzestraat), with a special kids’ parade in the afternoons.

  Uitmarkt

  Last week www.uitmarkt.nl.

  A weekend where every cultural organization in the city advertises itself with free preview performances either on Museumplein or by the Amstel.

  Grachtenfestival

  Last week www.grachtenfestival.nl.

  International musicians perform classical music at twenty historical locations around the three main canals. Includes the Prinsengracht Concert, one of the world’s most prestigious free open-air concerts, held opposite the Pulitzer Hotel.

  September

  Bloemencorso (Flower Parade)

  First week www.bloemencorsoaalsmeer.nl.

  The Aalsmeer–Amsterdam flower pageant in the city centre, celebrating every kind of flower except tulips, which are out of season. Each year has a different theme. Vijzelstraat is the best place to see things, since the events in Dam square are normally packed solid.

  Chinatown Festival

  Second weekend. Tong and Soeng musicians, acrobatics, kung-fu and tai-chi demonstrations at the Nieuwmarkt.

  The Jordaan Festival

  Second or third week; tel 020/626 5587, www.jordaanfestival.nl.

  A street festival in the Jordaan, a friendly and fairly central neighbourhood. There’s a commercial fair on Palmgracht, talent contests on Elandsgracht, a few street parties and a culinary fair on the Sunday afternoon at the Noordermarkt.

  October

  Amsterdam City Marathon

  Late October, usually the third weekend www.amsterdammarathon.nl.

  A 42-kilometre course around Amsterdam starting at and finishing inside the Olympic Stadium, passing through the old city centre along the way.

  November

  Crossing Border

  Usually first week; tel 020/346 2355, www.crossingborder.nl.

  Festival centred around the Leidseplein area that explores and crosses artistic boundaries, with performances by over a hundred international acts presenting the spoken word in various forms, from rap to poetry.

  Parade of Saint Nicolaas

  Second or third week. The traditional parade of Sinterklaas (Santa Claus) through the city on his white horse, starting from behind Centraal Station where he arrives by steam boat, before parading down the Damrak towards Rembrandtplein accompanied by his helpers the Zwarte Pieten ("Black Peters") – so called because of their blackened faces – who hand out sweets and little presents. It all finishes in Leidseplein on the balcony of the Stadsschouwburg.

  Cannabis Cup

  Late November www.hightimes.com.

  Five-day harvest festival organized by High Times magazine at the Melkweg (tel 020/531 8181), with speeches, music and a competition to find the best cultivated seed. Judging is open to the general public, but the entrance fee is pricey.

  December

  Pakjesavond (Present Evening)

  Dec 5. Though it tends to be a private affair, Pakjesavond, rather than Christmas Day, is when Dutch kids receive their Christmas presents. If you’re here on that day and have Dutch friends, it’s worth knowing that it’s traditional to give a present together with an amusing poem you have written caricaturing the recipient.

  The Winter Parade

  Last two weeks; tel 033/465 4577, www.mobilearts.nl.

  Winter version of the August Parade, except this one is held at the Westergasfabriek.

  New Year’s Eve

  Dec 31. New Year’s Eve is big in Amsterdam, with fireworks and celebrations everywhere. Most bars and discos stay open until morning – make sure you get tickets in advance. This might just qualify as the wildest and most reckless street partying in Europe, but a word of warning: Amsterdammers seem to love the idea of throwing lit fireworks around and won’t hesitate to chuck one at you.

  Entertainment and nightlife

  Although Amsterdam is not generally considered one of the world’s major cultural centres, the
quality and quantity of music, dance and film on offer are high – largely thanks to the government’s long-term subsidy to the arts. For information about what’s on, try the Amsterdam Uitburo, or AUB, the cultural office of the city council, which is housed in a corner of the Stadsschouwburg theatre on Leidseplein (daily 10am–6pm, Thurs until 9pm; tel 0900/0191). You can get advice here on anything remotely cultural, as well as tickets and copies of what listings magazines there are. A funkier outlet, however, is the Luckystrike shop in the Leidsestraat. Tickets for most performances can be bought at the Uitburo (for a €2 fee) and VVV offices, or reserved by phone through the AUB Uitlijn (tel 0900/0191 at €0.40p/m) for a one-percent booking fee, but the cheapest way to obtain tickets is to turn up at the venue itself.

  Classical music and opera

  There’s no shortage of classical music concerts in Amsterdam, with two major orchestras based in the city, plus regular visits by other Dutch orchestras. The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra remains one of the most dynamic in the world, and occupies one of the finest concert halls to boot. The other resident orchestra is the Netherlands Philharmonic, based at the Beurs van Berlage concert hall, which has a wide symphonic repertoire and also performs with the Netherlands Opera at the Muziektheater.

  * * *

  Live music venues.

  Major rock, folk and world music venues include Melkweg and Paradiso, while for jazz and Latin music head for Akhnaton or Bimhuis.

  * * *

  The most prestigious venue for opera is the Muziektheater (otherwise known as the Stopera) on Waterlooplein, which is home to the Netherlands Opera company – going from strength to strength under the guidance of Pierre Audi – as well as the National Ballet. Visiting companies sometimes perform here, but more often at the Stadsschouwburg and the Carré Theatre.

  The most diverting multi-venue Dutch festival is the annual Holland Festival every June. Otherwise, one of the more interesting music-oriented events is the piano recital held towards the end of August on a floating stage outside the Pulitzer Hotel on the Prinsengracht – with the whole area floodlit and filled with small boats, and every available spot on the banks and bridges taken up, this can be a wonderfully atmospheric evening.

  Beurs van Berlage

  Damrak 213; tel 020/627 0466, www.beursvanberlage.nl.

  The splendid interior of the former stock exchange has been put to use as a venue for theatre and music. The resident Netherlands Philharmonic and Netherlands Chamber Orchestra perform in the huge but comfortable Yakult Zaal and the AGA Zaal, the latter a very strange, glassed-in room-within-a-room.

  Carré Theatre Amstel

  115–125; tel 020/622 5225, www.theatercarre.nl.

  A splendid hundred-year-old structure (originally built for a circus) which represents the ultimate venue for Dutch folk artists, and hosts all kinds of top international acts, notably touring orchestras and opera companies.

  Concertgebouw

  Concertgebouwplein 2–6; tel 020/671 8345, www.concertgebouw.nl.

  After a recent facelift, the Concertgebouw is now looking – and sounding – better than ever. There are two halls here and both boast a star-studded international programme. Prices are very reasonable, rarely over €35, and €20 for Sunday-morning events.

  Ijsbreker

  Weesperzijde 23; tel 020/668 1805. www.ijsbreker.nl.

  Out of the town centre by the Amstel, with a delightful terrace on the water. Has a large, varied programme of international modern, chamber and experimental music, as well as featuring obscure, avant-garde local performers.

  Muziektheater

  Waterlooplein; tel 020/625 5455, www.muziektheater.nl.

  Part of the €150 million complex that includes the city hall. The theatre’s resident company, Netherlands Opera, offers the fullest, and most reasonably priced, programme of opera in Amsterdam. Tickets go very quickly.

  Theatre

  Surprisingly for a city that functions so much in English, there is next to no English-language theatre to be seen in Amsterdam. A handful of part-time companies put on two or three English productions during the summer and there are also occasional performances by touring groups, but pickings are thin. Try Boom Chicago for great improv comedy.

  De Balie

  Kleine Gartmanplantsoen 10; tel 020/623 2904, www.balie.nl.

  A multimedia centre for culture and the arts, located off the Leidseplein, which often plays host to drama, debates, international symposia and the like, sometimes in conjunction with the Paradiso next door.

  Dance

  Amongst the several dance companies based in Amsterdam, the largest and most prestigious is the Muziektheater’s National Ballet, under Wayne Eagling. Of the other major Dutch dance companies which frequently visit the city, the most innovative is The Hague’s Netherlands Dance Theatre, with a repertoire of ballet and modern dance featuring the inspired choreography of Jiri Kylian and Hans van Manen.

  On a smaller scale, Amsterdam is particularly receptive to the latest trends in modern dance, and has many experimental dance groups, often incorporating other media into their productions. Dance festivals are a little thin on the ground, with Julidans, held in the Stadsschouwburg every July, being the lead event.

  Cosmic Theater

  Nes 75; tel 020/622 8858, www.cosmictheater.nl.

  A modern dance and theatre company featuring young professionals with a multicultural background.

  Melkweg Theaterzaal

  Lijnbaansgracht 234a; tel 020/531 8181, www.melkweg.nl.

  Upstairs in this pop and world music venue there’s a little theatre with modern and funky productions.

  Het Muziektheater

  Waterlooplein; tel 020/625 5455, www.muziektheater.nl.

  Home of the National Ballet, but with a third of its dance schedule given over to international productions.

  Film

  Most of Amsterdam’s commercial cinemas are huge, multiplex picture palaces showing a selection of general releases. There’s also a scattering of film houses (filmhuizen) showing revival and art films and occasional retrospectives. All foreign movies playing in Amsterdam (almost no Dutch movies turn up anyway) are shown in their original language and subtitled in Dutch.

  As a guide, tickets can cost around €7 for an evening show Friday to Sunday, though it’s not hard to find a ticket for €5 during the week. Amsterdam’s only regular film event is the fascinating International Documentary Film Festival in November/December (info tel 020/620 1826, www.idfa.nl), during which 200 documentaries from all over the world are shown in ten days.

  Cinecenter

  Lijnbaansgracht 236; tel 020/623 6615, www.cinecenter.nl.

  Opposite the Melkweg, this shows independent and quality commercial films, the majority originating from non-English-speaking countries. Shown with an interval.

  Filmmuseum

  Vondelpark 3; tel 020/589 1400, www.filmmuseum.nl.

  The Filmmuseum holds literally tens of thousands of prints. Dutch films show regularly, along with all kinds of movies from all corners of the world. Silent movies often have live piano accompaniment, and on summer weekend evenings there are free open-air screenings on the terrace.

  Kriterion

  Roeterstraat 170; tel 020/623 1708, www.kriterion.nl.

  Stylish duplex cinema close to Weesperplein metro. Shows arthouse and quality commercial films, with late-night cult favourites. Friendly bar attached. Tram #6, #7, #10.

  Melkweg

  Lijnbaansgracht 234a; tel 020/531 8181 after 1pm, www.melkweg.nl.

  As well as music, art and dance, the Melkweg manages to maintain a consistently good monthly film and video programme, ranging from mainstream fodder through to obscure imports.

  The Movies

  Haarlemmerdijk 161; tel 020/624 5790, www.themovies.nl.

  A beautiful Art Deco cinema, and a charming setting for independent films. Worth visiting for the bar and restaurant alone. Late shows at the weekend.

  Clubs

  Clu
bbing in Amsterdam is not the exclusive, style-conscious business it is in many other cities. There is no one really extravagant night spot and most Amsterdam clubs – even the hip ones – aren’t very expensive or difficult to get into. As for the music itself, Amsterdam is not at the cutting edge, with house still definitely the thing.

  Although all the places listed in the guide open at either 10pm or 11pm, there’s not much point turning up anywhere before midnight; unless stated otherwise, everywhere stays open until 5am on Friday and Saturday nights, 4am on other nights. For reviews of individual venues, see the end of each guide chapter.

  For news and flyers about clubs, upcoming parties and raves, drop in to places like Clubwear House, at Herengracht 265 (tel 020/622 8766), and the Hair Police and Conscious Dreams, next door to each other at Kerkstraat 115 and 117.

  Drugs

  Thousands of visitors come to Amsterdam just to get stoned; in fact what most people don’t realize is that all soft drugs – as well as hard – are technically illegal, it’s just that possession and consumption have been partly decriminalized. Since 1976, the possession of small amounts of cannabis (up to 30g/1oz) has been ignored by the police, and sales have been tolerated to a selection of coffeeshops, where over-the-counter sales of cannabis are technically limited to 5g (under one-fifth of an ounce) per purchase. Outside of the coffeeshops, it’s acceptable to smoke in some bars, but many are strongly against it so don’t make any automatic assumptions. "Space cakes" (cakes baked with hashish and sold by the slice), although widely available, count as hard drugs and are illegal. And a word of warning: since all kinds of cannabis are so widely available in coffeeshops, there’s no need to buy any on the street – if you do, you’re asking for trouble. Needless to say, the one thing you shouldn’t attempt to do is take cannabis out of the country – a surprising number of people think (or claim to think) that if it’s bought in Amsterdam it can be taken back home legally. Customs officials and drug enforcement officers never believe this story.

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