JANE BIRKIN
MUSIC RADIO SOULWAX PRESENTS: SOULWAX THE REMIXES
1 February
VERSCH
3 January
Paradiso Grote Zaal
12 January
Featuring the Trust Dance Company from Korea.
FUNK BROTHERS
MOODELEVATOR
15 January
11
ETNISCH HYTERISCH
Paradiso Grote Zaal
18 January
Although the repeated cancellation of Babyshambles shows have become a running gag among the town’s audiences by now, there’s apparently still enough daring bookers and trustful fans for a sold-out show of the band. And new album Shotter’s Nation sounds like it might actually be worth the risk. Paradiso Grote Zaal
BRAZZAVILLE
Finest indie pop of the mellow, summery sort by this Barcelona-based quintet. De Nieuwe Anita
VOICST
Unfairly, she’s still most famous for shagging Serge Gainsbourg both on vinyl and in real life, but Birkin can now look back on a considerable career in music and film. Paradiso Grote Zaal
GABRIEL RIOS 18 January
2 February
On his second album Angelhead, the Belgian and Puerto-Rican singer for the most part discards the Latin elements that dominated his first release, resulting in a more straightforward pop record. Melkweg The Max
19 January
Three years and some big-time international touring lay between Amsterdam’s great big indie hopes Voicst’s debut album and their follow-up, The Tale of Two Devils. Tonight’s the record release party.
18 January
The fact that it’s their third anniversary will probably lift the temper to even higher levels. With DJs Brent Roosendaal, Jackmate and more.
Tonight, some true Motown legends. As a studio band for the likes of Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, Four Tops and more, the Funk Brothers have scored more Number 1 hits than The Beatles and Elvis put together.
BABYSHAMBLES
5 January
Sugar Factory
Bimhuis
SHANTEL & 7 February BUCOVINA CLUB ORKESTAR
18 January
Second edition of Sugar’s travels across the world, presenting electronic dance music from all corners of it. There’ll be Arabic, African and Brazilian tunes—and, we daresay, probably a few of those Balkan beats as well—for you to swing your hips to.
19 January
With the Mountain People DJs, Mark Bunind of Stadtkind and live visuals by Dadalights. 11
KLINCH: CRACKHOUSE 25 January Melkweg
OI!
26 January
KORENDAGEN
OKKERVIL RIVER
Paradiso
HENRY ROLLINS
23 January
Hardcore punk shouter-cum-storyteller: an unlikely yet, in Rollins’ case, successful transformation. His so-called spoken-word shows are much more than just that, varying between stand-up comedy and political commentary.
THE VON BONDIES
Melkweg Oude Zaal
MEGADETH
14 February
How would you like to go to a romantic heavy metal concert? This might be it. Hell yeah!
Paradiso Grote Zaal
Paradiso Grote Zaal
HEAVY TRASH
NIGHT OF THE GYPSIES
23 January
13 February
Mainly famous for their hit ‘C’mon C’mon’, and for the fact that their lead singer got himself beaten up by Jack White.
GIRLESQUE
8 February
Wild, glamorous and colourful burlesque party for gals ’n’ gays, jam-packed with shows, visuals and, of course, tunes—of the dirrrty house kind. Sugar Factory
STAGE PARELS
THE GUTTER TWINS 23 February (MARK LANEGAN AND GREG DULLI)
Residue left by the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Better said, Jon Spencer has teamed up with Matt Verta-Ray of Madder Rose to form Heavy Trash. For this tour they’ve packed in Canadian alt-country darlings The Sadies as both support and backing band. Paradiso Kleine Zaal
YINKA & DJ
25 January
Mix of afro beat, Yoruba and spacey funk with vocalist Yinka Adesinal and local major players Jozien van Dorst, Zou Diarra, Taco Gorter, Alex Oele and Jos de Haas. Badcuyp
IRON AND WINE
27 January
Folky Americana from this singer-songwriter who knows how to cut to the bone. Paradiso Grote Zaal
PHARAOH SANDERS
27-28 January
Legendary jazz saxophonist and Coltrane buddy comes to town to show he can still balance passion with grace. Bimhuis
LUCKY FONZ III
29 January
This Amsterdam-based singer-songwriter can look back on a successful year, which saw him win several awards and make the transfer from Paradiso’s small room to the large one. He’s written his university graduation thesis about Bob Dylan and this is quite noticeable in his music. Paradiso Grote Zaal
A best-of programme by choreographer Conny Janssen, on occasion of the 15th anniversary of her company.
Melkweg Oude Zaal
AMJAD 26 February
It’s been a while since they were Popular all over the world, but Nada Surf have never given up. Their new album is called Lucky and features guest appearances by Ed Harcourt, Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard and more. Melkweg The Max
BLACK FRANCIS
27 February
Frank Black AKA Black Francis AKA Charles Thompson IV—he’s back all by himself after the Pixies reunion, and by the sound of it he likes it. New album Bluefinger is said to be his best since Teenager of the Year and is inspired by no less than Herman Brood. Melkweg The Max
THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN
Stadsschouwburg
4-6 January
A mix of dance, music and film, using elements of Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty, adjusted to new technologies. By Canadian cult company La La La Human Steps. Muziektheater
WINTERVERBLIJF
16 February
One of Handel’s most accomplished operas, in a production by De Nederlandse Opera, directed by Karl-Ernst and Ursel Herrmann.
28 February
Another fascinating spectacle by Cirque du Soleil, set in the magical woods where anything can happen... Grand Chapiteau (by the Amsterdam Arena)
ART VERBORGEN AFGHANISTAN
until 20 April
Tropenmuseum
ALLORA & CALZADILLA
8 February-4 May
Retrospective in honour of the 60th anniversary of the influential press photo agency. Stedelijk Museum
Nieuwe Kerk
Van Gogh Museum
10-31January
Tying in with the Eurosonic/Noorderslag Festival is an exhibition of the newest talent in the field of pop music photography. Introducing the Lex van Rossen Award. In February, the exhibition will be on show at Melkweg Galerie.
JOOST 17 January-27 February VANDEBRUG: NEW FACES
Extensive retrospective of one of the most important artists of the Pre-Raphaelites, showing the development of Millais’ art from his ‘primitive’ early works up to his later society portraits. Ophelia, one of his most famous paintings, is on show.
TOBIAS REHBERGER
Rehberger’s works dangle somewhere between design, architecture and contemporary art. For this exhibition he has made a special installation, where light projections, sculptures, arranged shadows and wall paintings transform a 70 metre-long wall. Stedelijk Museum
GERRIT RIETVELD ACADEMY EXHIBITION
February
Those funky art students show off what they’ve learned. Oude Kerk
EVENTS
Foam
Alongside a glamorous supporting programme featuring wine, oysters, jazz and funk, Het Parool presents the yearly elections of this town’s favourite inhabitant. Submit your suggestions and votes at avhj@parool.nl.
AMSTERDAMMER VAN HET JAAR
6 January
Stadsschouwburg
AMSTERDAM INTERNATIONAL FASHION WEEK
19 January27 February
O la la dahling, we’re in fashion again! Alongside catwalks, many, many fancy and cool clothes and pretty people in the shape of cigarettes, the Fashion Week also offers an inspired side programme as well as ‘Laundry Days’, the popular public route along galleries and boutiques. Various locations
FESTIVALS
HET 21January-26 April BEHOUDEN HUYS
Some things never change, or die. Jungle parties are among them, and this one’s as classic as you can get.
Psychedelic Canadian in search of the perfect pop song.
The third edition of the ‘Zeeuwse Nachten’ by the Volksoperahuis. Holland has drowned, and Queen Amalia and a bunch of historical Dutch heroes drift across the Schelde on the last remaining ice floe. Their songs are levensliederen about the sadness over the loss of their country and their identity, about a journey into the unknown, and about the dream of a new land.
‘...But I said no, no, no...’ An exhibition about the aggressive media coverage of the fears and loathing of our favourite drugged celebrities, using a poster project and textile objects to soften down the headlines about Amy, Pete and Britney.
Every January, Groningen becomes the focus of the European music scene as hundreds of bands and acts occupy the whole town for the three days of this festival, which has become an important platform for artists and professionals alike. Focus country this year is Sweden.
Melkweg Oude Zaal
Frascati
SMBA
Various locations, Groningen
CARIBOU
29 February
INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ROTTERDAM
23 January - 3 February
The most important film event of the year. Among the large number of world premieres is No Country for Old Men by Joel and Ethan Cohen, who are also this year’s focus of the directors’ programme ‘Meet the Maestros’. Various locations, Rotterdam
NIGHTWATCHING
24 January
Peter Greenaway’s newest, about conspiracies, love, murder and deceit in the Golden Age—and how Rembrandt (allegedly) placed coded messages in his Nightwatch.
LUST, CAUTION
24 January
Ang Lee’s follow-up to Brokeback Mountain: a period spy drama set in Japanese-occupied Shanghai and in Hong Kong.
SWEENEY TODD
24 January
Tim Burton’s take on the grisly tale of a throatcutting Victorian barber, after the Stephen Sondheim musical. Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter cut and sing.
IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH 31January
28 February
Melkweg The Max
Nearly a month’s worth of Mr Bond, with screenings of 13 Bond films from the Connery/Moore period. As extra, two French Bond-spoofs by Claude Chabrol: Tigre aime le Chair Fraiche and Tigre se Parfume a la Dynamite.
22 February-25 May
Tying in with Amsterdam Fashion Week, Vandebrug portrays five boys—between 13 and 17 years old—who have just been scouted by a modelling agency. The photos are taken in the hometowns of the future models, emphasising their personal history and direct environment.
BEN LALOUA/ 20 January-10 March DIDIER PASCAL: REHAB!
3-23 January
Melkweg Cinema
Installations and videos by the Cuban/American duo. Based in Puerto Rico, the artists explore current political issues with criticism, but often with a sense of humour as well. The exhibition focuses on the social and political functions of music and the human voice.
JOHN EVERETT 15 February-18 May MILLAIS
17-19 January
Frascati
A portrait of the Asmat people in Papua, with historical and contemporary photographs.
The area of today’s Afghanistan has always been a strategically important location for trade as well as war, and many cultures have left their traces there. This exhibition offers an overview of archaeological findings from the Bronze Age, the times of Alexander the Great, and Indian and Chinese treasures.
16-20 January
Melkweg Oude Zaal
JAMES BOND IN TECHNICOLOR
MAGNUM— 8 February-12 May 60 YEARS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
New choreography by Leine & Roebana, with a performance by the harpist Lavinia Meijer.
Math rockers. Support by Poison the Well.
FILM
Stedelijk Museum
12 January
Veenfabriek goes Space Age with a musical absurdist theatre performance.
RONI SIZE REPRAZENT
GIULIO CESARE
Stadsschouwburg
RAKET
5-9 February
Cutting-edge and experimental performances by young fresh ’n’ new dancers and choreographers. Frascati, Brakke Grond
Stadsschouwburg
Theater Bellevue
27 February
SOMETHING RAW
7 February
Premiere of the first big production of Belgium’s new theatre talent Lotte van den Berg. The play is inspired by her travels through Siberia and Mongolia.
THERIAK
25-31January
De Balie, Theater Bellevue, Melkweg, Paradiso, Stadsschouwburg
A bold production by the Lithuanian company Meno Fortas, in which the director uses film elements projected onto large objects on the stage.
Melkweg Galerie
Both of these guys have practised a lot in other bands—Dulli in Afghan Whigs and The Twilight Singers, Lanegan in Queens of the Stone Age and Screaming Trees—so they should know their stuff by now. The first album of this, their new band, is called Saturnalia and will come out in March.
NADA SURF
FAUST
Portraits of musicians, actors, dancers, painters and other artists by the Polish-German photographer.
Meervaart
WEERWOORD
13 January
De Kleine Komedie
KATJA 10 January-3 February SONNEWEND: WENN ICH EINMAL GROß BIN
Yearly spectacle presenting the best of European gypsy music. Presented by Taraf de Haidouks.
LA NUIT ZIGANE
Amsterdam’s biggest literary festival with over a 100 writers, an extensive programme of music and parties and more. During the Gedichtenbal the new city poet will be announced.
After having presented slightly abridged versions of World Literature, the Bible and the history of America, the Reduced Shakespeare Company now makes its way to Tinseltown, with a Greatest Hits programme featuring Casablanca, Dirty Dancing, Rocky and many, many more.
Oosterpoort, Groningen
15 February
1 February-1June
COMPLETELY 6-9 February HOLLYWOOD (ABRIDGED)
POPVIEW 3 January
ASMAT
25-31January
Stadsschouwburg
Melkweg’s night of electric dancing music, with an especially interestingly-named edition.
Paradiso Kleine Zaal
Paradiso, Kleine Zaal
Paradiso
4 and 5 February
A world full of court intrigues, love, jealousy and power in this choreography by Krisztina de Chatel, with music from the operas by Henry Purcell.
TELESKOPE
Melkweg The Max
Folky indie rock from Austin, Texas.
Chiellerie
IMPERIUM
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: VAREKAI
Melkweg Oude Zaal
19-20 January
Mini festival including jamsessions, workshops and more. The project started last year in Slovakia and aims to criticise the segregation of Roma in Europe.
Stadsschouwburg
The finest dubstep and grime presented by Oi Pirate Radio. Special guest is Tes-La-Rok, coming all the way from Finland to bring his beats.
The 22nd edition of this large-scale, highly popular two day choir festival, with 140 choirs coming to Paradiso to sing together in (hopefully) perfect harmony.
Artist of the week: Miss Blackbirdy, who designs clothes and draws illustrations around the pictures that show her wearing them, thereby creating her own beautiful, slightly sinister world.
Sugar Factory
There’s no stopping the Balkan Beats craze, and here’s one of the guys that started it all. Get ready for raging dance floor madness.
9 February
MISS BLACKBIRDY
A music theatre performance by Orkater about the theatrical elements of daily life. Stadsschouwburg
Sugar Factory throws on a truly fresh programme, with the first part of the night occupied by a media art show featuring the ‘Lightbox Sequencer’: Six interactive, life-sized sequencer tracks are offered to the audience to play around with, plus there’s a video show, a performance and more VJing. As it’s getting later, Versch presents a show by teenage techno bedroom-producer talent Applescal as well as DJ sets by Flip & Tou, Commu and Versch resident Steijn.
The Dewaele brothers present their famous remixes and mash-ups live, appearing both in their function as Soulwax band members and as the infamous 2manyDJs. Includes live guests. And tomorrow they’ll play Melkweg!
MELT, MAGPIE
CLUBS
BLOEDBAND 30 January-2 February
EUROSONIC/ 10-12 January NOORDERSLAG WEEKEND
Paul Haggis follows up his Oscar-winning Crash with this searing drama that uses the police procedural to explore the moral and psychological devastation of the Iraq war for US soldiers (and, incidentally, for Iraqi citizens). Starring Susan Sarandon, Tommy Lee Jones and Charlize Theron.
AUF DER ANDEREN SEITE
7 February
The German contestant for ‘Best foreign-language film’ at this year’s Oscars, this episodic film tells a German-Turkish family story. By German director Fatih Akin, whose 2004 release Gegen die Wand was awarded the Golden Bear at that year’s Berlinale.
JUNO
7 February
Directed by Jason Reitman (Thank You For Smoking), this story of a young girl getting pregnant was one of the biggest hits of last year’s Toronto International Film Festival.
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
14 February
New Coen brothers movie, based on the Cormac McCarthy novel. An accomplished thriller starring Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin and Woody Harrelson.
THE DARJEELING LIMITED
28 February
Wes Anderson’s newest, about three estranged brothers travelling to India to find themselves, and each other. With Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Anjelica Huston and Bill Murray. Compiled by Sarah Gehrke Illustration by Elza Jo van Reenen, www.elzajo.com