Amsterdam Weekly: Vol 4 Issue 6, 8-14 February 2007 by Amsterdam Weekly

Volume 4, Issue 6

FREE EVERY WEDNESDAY

WEEKOF 8 FEBRUARY TO 14 FEBRUARY 2007 Inside: Music, Film, Art and Events

TAXI CABS IS THE WAR OVER? PAGE 6

QUEENS CONVENE PAGE 4 A PRESS OF FREE PAPERS PAGE 4 GIVE TANK A CHANCE PAGE 5

LARD BUURMAN

CAN DISCO HELP? PAGE 8 HOW ABOUT BEER? PAGE 8

8-14 February 2007

Amsterdam Weekly

ATTACHMENTS Contents: On the cover Hit and walk. Then run. Photo by Lard Buurman

Features Queens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 De Pers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Pink tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Taxi truce. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Disco taxi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Beer taxi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Going out Short List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Leo Smit Foundation . . . . 11 Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Clubs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Gay & Lesbian . . . . . . . . . . 14 Stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Film. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 The Prestige. . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Film Times. . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Plus The Glutton . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Eefje Wentelteefje . . . . . . 23

Amsterdam Weekly is a free cultural paper distributed every Wednesday in Amsterdam. Paid subscriptions are available on request. For details, write to info@amsterdamweekly.nl. Contents of Amsterdam Weekly are copyright 2007 Amsterdam Weekly BV. All rights reserved. Winner of 3 European Newspaper Awards Amsterdam Weekly BV De Ruyterkade 106, 1011 AB Amsterdam Tel: 020 522 5200 Fax: 020 620 1666 www.amsterdamweekly.nl General info: info@amsterdamweekly.nl Agenda listings: agenda@amsterdamweekly.nl Advertising: sales@amsterdamweekly.nl PUBLISHER Todd Savage EDITOR Steve Korver ASSISTANT EDITOR Kim Renfrew AGENDA EDITOR Steven McCarron FILM EDITOR Julie Phillips PROOFREADER Karina Hof EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Sarah Gehrke ART DIRECTOR Bas Morsch PRODUCTION MANAGER Vela Arbutina PRODUCTION DESIGNERS Mattijs Arts, Rogier Charles SALES ASSOCIATES Haitske van Asten, Alexander Gan, Simone Klomp, Simon Poole, Carolina Salazar OPERATIONS MANAGER Monique Gruter OPERATIONS ASSISTANT Desislava Pentcheva DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Patrick van der Klugt FINANCIAL ADVISER Kurt Schmidt, Veresis Consulting PRINTER Het Volk Printing ISSN 1872-3268 THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTORS Willem de Blaauw, Suzanne Blanchard, Anuschka Blommers, Lard Buurman, Dara Colwell, Floris Dogterom, Sarah Gehrke, Stefanie Grätz, Arnoud Holleman, Elizabeth Kleinveld, Steve Korver, David Lee, Jeroen de Leijer, Nick Leslie, Kim Renfrew, Steve Schneider, Bregtje Schudel, Niels Schumm, Shain Shapiro, Simon Wald-Lasowski and Mark Wedin.

15 APOLOGIES by Arnoud Holleman

Amsterdam Weekly

8-14 February 2007

AROUND TOWN

Off with their hats! Begijntjes get busy with royalty. By Mark Wedin Monday. Queen Elizabeth II came to Amsterdam for a one-day visit in honour of the 400th birthday of the English Reformed Church in the Begijnhof. She was joined by her husband, Prince Phillip, and our own Queen Beatrix, making it the first time the church was ever visited by two queens at the same time. The event was closed to the general public; few were let in beyond a list of royal ‘friends’, a pack of wild reporters, and of course, the begijntjes—the allfemale community who reside there in relative solitude and silence. If you weren’t invited, here’s what you missed: 09.53 a.m. Minister John Cowie practises stepping out of the church and greeting the queens. TV crews quietly search the courtyard for good camera placement. A dozen Dutch flags—and one British—which were hung earlier around the hof, gently flutter in the wind. 10.47 a.m. An elderly begijntje walks out to her picket fence for a final scrubbing. Her neighbour sees this and does the same—slightly more thoroughly. The entire courtyard is immaculate. The trees

have been trimmed, the brick walkways were steam-cleaned last week, and a side door on the church is particularly shiny. (It was repainted three times—always the same dark green.) 12.13 p.m. Tourists continue to amble around the hof, despite the planned noontime lockdown. Some tourists wonder out loud if Prince Phillip will wear his kilt. 12.37 p.m. A Dutch police officer strides into the courtyard in ceremonial dress, including golden braids on his jacket and pristine white gloves. Two ladies ask him to pose for a picture. He consents. Shortly after, no more commoners are allowed onto the premises. 12.58 p.m. An extremely happy bombsniffing dog runs around the courtyard. He smells every crack and crevice, leaps over fences, wags his tail furiously. The dog has the time of his life. The trainer is ultra-serious. No bombs are found. 1.46 p.m. Invited guests, after passing a security check, slowly filter in wearing a variety of outfits. One of them, though not a royal consort, wears a kilt. Many begijntjes stand behind the windows of their homes, providing commentary on the entering guests. Comments include, but are not limited to: ‘Not much colour on these people,’ ‘Check out the one in the funky shoes... work it, girl,’ ‘Is that lady’s pink coat filthy? Unbelievable!’ ‘Look at that hair—looks like someone that would be on the Titanic,’ ‘It’s a cute outfit, but she shouldn’t show so much leg, not at her age.’ 3.47 p.m. A pack of press hounds hustle in to their pre-designated spot. A local

cat sits nearby, cleaning itself in a lewd area. The press agree to ignore this. 4.22 p.m. A helicopter is heard circling overhead. Minister Cowie steps out of the church in full robes. Mayor Job Cohen arrives. It is believed that the two talk about the grey sky and the light, intermittent rainfall. It is then assumed that, given each man’s connections with higher positions of power, the clouds will part and the entire courtyard will be swathed in warm sunlight by 4.35 p.m. 4.35 p.m. The clouds part and the entire courtyard is swathed in warm sunlight. Outside, officials roll out a red carpet. 4.49 p.m. Both queens arrive. Prince Phillip is wearing trousers. Elizabeth looks weak and feeble next to the sturdy Beatrix. It is generally agreed that, if it came down to it, Beatrix would win in a bare-knuckle fistfight. 4.52 p.m. After three minutes of outside air, the queens and their entourage enter the church. Service begins. 5.17 p.m. Singing can be heard in the otherwise quiet courtyard. The congregation then turns to page seven in their pre-printed service booklets. One man near a window visibly yawns. 5.38 p.m. Service is concluded. The queens exit the church past a battery of press photographers. Before leaving the Begijnhof, they accept flowers from four ecstatic begijntjes standing by the door. 6.02 p.m. Municipal workers take down the flags. Iron barricades are loaded onto a truck outside. Some begijntjes begin to relax. Others, to recover. All is calm.

Hot off De Pers New free paper goes for the content. By Elizabeth Kleinveld As of 23 January, competition among the free dailies has intensified, since De Pers was added to a pile which already includes Metro and Spits. And according to the newcomer’s editors, paid-for papers like De Volkskrant and NRC Handelsblad should also look to their laurels, since De Pers is setting its sights high. De Pers is the brainchild of publisher Cornelis van den Berg, who worked for Metro’s parent company, Metro International, in the 1990s. Van den Berg believes he’ll be able to hit the heights because his formula of quality journalism plus good distribution—which will attract global advertising—isn’t found in extant freesheets. Their failing, he claims, is to spend too much focus on distribution and not enough on content, something he baldly deems ‘silly’. Frank Poorthuis is acting editor-inchief of De Pers, a job he shares with Jan-Jaap Heij. (This unusual way of working is a temporary measure, the result of contractual wrangling around appointed editor-in-chief Ben Rogmans, who has been

Another pressing day at De Office with publisher Van den Berg.

STEFANIE GRÄTZ

SUZANNE BLANCHARD

Beattie and Betty get busy.

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forced to wait until 1 October to fill the editor’s chair.) Poorthuis spent 10 years at De Volkskrant and had been working at Vrij Nederland for a while when the invitation to jump aboard De Pers came along. ‘The offer to start up a daily newspaper from the bottom up was just too tempting. But I must say, it’s a huge amount of work getting it off the ground.’ An established newspaper like De Volkskrant has over 200 staff; De Pers has just 45. While some staff hail from the likes of Trouw and Het Parool, many previously worked at weekly or monthly magazines. Another point is that, with such a small staff, journalists have to be ‘self-organising. Our organisation is very flat. We don’t have heads of each section of the paper like traditional newspapers,’ Poorthuis says. Each week, the journalists in each department— home news, international news, economy, science, and sport and culture—get together and coordinate what will be in their sections in the coming days. Unlike traditional papers, De Pers focuses on the news of tomorrow, says Poorthuis. So, instead of examining what has happened in the past and what went wrong, the paper looks to the future— reporting the consequences of what’s happening now on what will occur later. So how does all of this fit in with the current press landscape? Poorthuis has a very clear vision of De Pers’ place in the market: ‘We don’t see Metro and Spits as competition. They’re just not in our league.’ As for the traditional dailies, he says: ‘Although we don’t see them as competition, they certainly see us that way.’ According to Poorthuis, perhaps the reason the competition is so hard to define is that De Pers has entered into what he calls a new market segment—a free paper, but one with such strong journalism and so much attention to their readers’ interests that people want, in theory anyway, to read it from front to back in its entirety. ‘Our readers are relieved to have such a high-quality free paper,’ Poorthuis says, and he believes he’s got the proof: while the other free papers are re-circulated (i.e. left behind for other people to read again), so far De Pers has not been. People put it in their bags to take home and read later, he says. De Pers’ audience and distribution channels are also different. While Spits and Metro aim at a younger audience who pick up papers in the vicinity of public transport hubs, De Pers plans to distribute the paper at the places in cities where readers are actually located—big office buildings, cultural centres, bookshops and newsagents. At the moment they are printing 250,000 copies a day, but the goal for the end of the year is to increase this at least threefold. So how will the problem of decreasing readership that has plagued traditional newspapers affect this new venture? Being free is already a good start. Metro and Spits have garnered almost 20% of all circulation in the Netherlands. Combine that with quality news that your public wants to read and you might have a winning combination. As Van den Berg says: ‘When you offer younger readers a paper that is journalistically exciting and distribute it in the right places, like The Village Voice does, it can become part of the city’s landscape.’

Political pink tank Peace project to be blown to bits. By Dara Colwell For those who believe art is inherently political, pink tanks like the one looming over Looiersgracht 43 certainly fit the bill. ‘Art has to take a stand these days,’ says Daniel Rozenberg AKA Dadara, the artist who built the bulky bubble-gum coloured device over Christmas. ‘It’s 2007—to get the message across, you have to use a bit of terror.’ Dadara’s Love, Peace and Terror Tank, an 8 x 8 x 3-metre salmon-coloured mass secured to a rooftop, lies a few minutes’ walk from Leidseplein. The tank sports four barrels facing opposite directions, making it a powerful-looking but awkward machine, something resembling a well-executed practical joke. But typically of Dadara, who first became famous on the music scene with his flyers, record and CD sleeves and whose work has appeared in magazines ranging from Playboy to the now-defunct Weiner, it’s of course highly symbolic. ‘Because it’s visual it’s difficult to put into words,’ he says, noting that he put a lot of text on his project’s website to avoid being misinterpreted. ‘People might think I’m an aggressive artist who needs to get rid of some testosterone, but I see this as very hippy, very 1960s. It’s about using peace to solve the problems of violence.’ According to Dadara, the tank comments foremost on the colossal paradoxes of war—the most glaring:

fighting for peace—and the increasing hostility people are experiencing worldwide. ‘Most governments think that if someone treats you with violence, you should hit them back with double the force,’ he says. Hence the reason for the tank’s four barrels. ‘The tank might look like it has four times the power, but if you look closely, it’s actually helpless. It can’t move anywhere.’ Still, strategically placing the tank where it can survey the street gives the object—despite its being pink—an aura of control. ‘It’s like Big Brother up there. You can’t reach it, but you know you’re being watched,’ he says, adding how it parallels the global crackdown on terrorism, in which governments are seizing control over the public’s every move. ‘There’s no less terrorism today. In fact, there’s a hundred more reasons to become a terrorist! Like Gandhi said: “An eye for an eye and the world goes blind.” We’re stuck in a vicious circle.’ As pink tanks go, Dadara’s isn’t actually the first. While his was originally meant to be black, it got a friendly dye job and unwittingly joined the international, candy floss-coated ranks. There is definitely something about pink, with its associations of femininity, gayness, love and tenderness, that drives artists to dip military metal in vats of the stuff. In Prague in 1991, David Cerny painted a Soviet tank memorial pink to comment on the symbol of Russian dictatorship; also in the early-’90s, AIDS task force GMFA were regularly seen rolling alongside London’s Pride marches in their rose-tinted armoured vehicle. More recently, Danish artist Marianne Jørgensen knitted a pink tank cosy as a criticism of Danish involvement in Iraq, and in Ireland Abigail O’Brien made a sixmetre-long inflatable pink tank, something akin to a Dr Seuss-mobile.

I always feel that somebody’s watchin’ me.

In this way, Dadara sees going pink as a hippy expression. Although people are no longer parading naked with flowers in their hair, ‘the message of non-violence is still relevant. Non-violent opposition can be a hundred times stronger than violence, but somehow that idea has got totally lost,’ he says, adding: ‘I believe in the power of love and good things.’ To deliver the message with a 2007 twist requires a harsher take: ‘Nowadays the language of war itself might be better for delivering a message of peace,’ he says. That’s why Dadara plans to blow the tank up with explosives near Ruigoord’s industrial outskirts on 8 February—the ultimate ending to an act of aesthetic terrorism. His impetus for destroying the tank stems from a previous project, the Fool’s Ark, a 15-metre-long wooden boat Dadara shipped to Nevada’s Black Rock Desert to scorch at Burning Man, the outrageous arts festival, in 2003. ‘If I hadn’t done that, I would never have thought of this project,’ he says, laughing. ‘As an artist you become attached to your work and the material aspect of it, but that only means more storage. Art is a means to make something beautiful, but it’s temporary.’ The same goes for life, history and political manoeuvering—it’s all temporary. But Dadara still hopes his project will make an impact. ‘I don’t want to preach, but if it makes people think about what’s going on, my project will be successful,’ he says. ‘This is a small action, but if one million people do something small, it can eventually become something big.’ Love, Peace and Terror Tank explosion, 8 February, 13.00, Ruigoord (for directions see www.lovepeaceterror.com)

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8-14 February 2007

Rush hour? Take a hike!

Amsterdammers and visitors alike complain about the city’s taxis: way overpriced, with socially inadequate drivers who don’t speak their language and who won’t take you on a short ride. True, says the taxi world, while pointing the finger at the government. BY FLORIS DOGTEROM PHOTOS BY LARD BUURMAN

he years 1999 and 2000 should have been the turning point for you, the taxi passenger. The laws that were introduced then—the Taxiwet, 1999’s taxi law, and 2000’s transportation of passengers law, the Wet personenvervoer—were aimed at liberalising the taxi market. More competition, after decades of the Taxi Centrale Amsterdam (TCA) monopoly, was supposed to give the consumer more choice at a better (read: lower) price. How different things turned out to be. The legislation marked the start of the socalled ‘taxi war’, which saw TCA drivers trying to push the newcomer, TaxiDirekt, out of the market. It went too far. Taxis were forced off the road, drivers were physically abused, vehicles were set ablaze. TaxiDirekt called it quits in 2003. Four years later, the situation has calmed down considerably, with around 10 companies running a taxi control cen-

tre and 1,376 companies in total, most of them one-man affairs. That is, according to figures on the latest Fact sheet—taxi’s in Amsterdam, published by the statistics department of the city of Amsterdam, dated May 2006. Taxi law will never work ‘Those figures don’t mean a thing,’ says Hans Buurman, director of Tulip Taxi. ‘When taxi drivers from out of town— from Volendam or Amstelveen or wherever—have nothing to do, they go here to find some business. It’s legal. If you have a licence you can work anywhere in the Netherlands. So, in reality, there are many more taxis driving around in Amsterdam.’ Buurman’s company runs a taxicentrale and has, more or less, 23 drivers, most of who run their own businesses. Sitting in his office in a big shed in an industrial area in Noord, Buurman says:

‘The Taxiwet has never worked out, and will never do, either. In the old system, the taxi licence was protected, which enabled a capacity policy. Now everybody can get a licence, which means heaps of empty taxis, and drivers who are going broke. Also, there is no twenty-four-hours obligation anymore. As a result, during the profitable hours, there are many more taxis than usual driving down the streets, resulting in a very competitive situation. As a driver, you need to work a lot of hours extra to make a eurobuck.’ Still, as mentioned before, the situation on the taxi market is relatively quiet. That has much, if not all, to do with the fact that the old management of TCA has been released of its duties. Their case is still in—high—court, but the evidence for their mismanagement seems to be overwhelming. It resulted in outrageous incidents such as beating up the competitors’ drivers, but also in the management

plundering the drivers’ pension fund, which brought the company to the brink of bankruptcy. Buurman states that ‘the TCA drivers were misinformed on a massive scale by their former management, which explains a good deal of their behaviour. They gave the taxi trade a bad name. But now that [Bas] Vos and [Erwin] Van der Heiden have taken over the TCA management, things have improved considerably. These guys are perfect.’ Doctor-cum-cabbie-cum-crisis manager At 67, perfect guy Bas Vos is not the type of person to even think of retirement. Sitting in the TCA headquarters in Zuid-Oost, Vos smiles and says: ‘My father stopped working at eighty, my mother at seventy-three. My calendar age is completely irrelevant to me.’ When reading Vos’ CV, one gets the feeling he indeed is the ideal man for the job of straightening TCA’s business. TCA drivers—230 of them—had the same feel-

8-14 February 2007

Amsterdam Weekly

Bas Vos of TCA is cleaning up the paper trail.

ing, and in autumn last year, they put him forward as the one who would solve their trouble. Vos, a former family doctor, came to Amsterdam in the 1970s to specialise as a gynaecologist, but university put him in the waiting room for a year. Looking for means to support himself, he started a locum service for family doctors. He didn’t make much money, however. Vos explains: ‘So I started a taxi business. That was much more profitable. I never finished that gynaecologist education.’ Then things really started happening for Vos. Apart from doing night shifts in his taxi for eight years, he had a bar, a photo shop and all kinds of different businesses, of which he says: ‘I only stick around until the point that a business is running well. It’s a bit like being a family doctor, really. It’s an interesting job as long as the patient is sick.’ Later, Vos developed into a kind of crisis manager, never staying any longer than six years in one place. As such, he has reorganised interests as diverse as a department store (HEMA) and an environmental pressure group (Milieudefensie). Again, Vos is not expected to stay more than a year at TCA, after which he will give the baton to his deputy director, Erwin van der Heiden. Vos started by sorting out the books. ‘They were a total mess,’ he says. ‘There were skeletons hiding in every closet. The management was pocketing the money, which had its effect on the drivers, in that they didn’t pay their contribution anymore. But now the drivers have trust in

Hans Buurman of Tulip Taxi sees more weeds than flowers.

me, and at the moment, we are hardly faced with arrears of payment anymore. Furthermore, I took care that the control centre is staffed well enough. We’re making profit again.’ The New Zealand model Residents and tourists complain about the prices, the rude drivers with inadequate linguistic skills and the fact that you can never get a taxi for rides of short distances. Vos says he ‘recognises that image somewhat. But it’s all due to the liberalisation of the taxi market. In all cities in the world where the taxi market has been liberalised, the quality of the service has gone down and prices have gone up. The only place where that isn’t the case is New Zealand. Like over here, anybody can drive a taxi, but the difference is that in New Zealand, every driver has to be associated with a centrale. That’s what we need here. It is essential that you can impose sanctions.’ Vos is quite pleased with the present behaviour of his drivers. ‘On average, every day I get three complaints in writing. Two of them are not related to this company. The third one is. We call this driver up. If he doesn’t respond, we call him up again. If he still doesn’t respond, he can’t get any work via the centrale anymore.’ When asked if Amsterdam taxi fares are high, Vos has to admit that they are. ‘The free market system doesn’t work. We and the customer only experience the disadvantages of it.’

Taxi across the street, please! Bouchaib Belmamoun is patiently waiting in his taxi in the queue in front of Centraal Station. He works for a taxi company whose name he doesn’t want to reveal. ‘I have been doing this job for three years,’ he says. ‘And that whole period was bad for taxi business. There are far too many taxi drivers around. They have no knowledge of the streets, and no knowledge in general, for that matter. They lack in social skills. I get many complaints. You have to treat your passengers with respect. We got a bad name and, as a result, we receive bad treatment from the police. It’s the local government who is partly to blame for it. You know, there are four thousand taxis driving around in this city. At this taxi rank there’s only room for fifteen. It’s much too small.’ And things will only get worse, for taxi drivers and passengers alike. Come July, the waiting fare will be abolished. This means that when a taxi is standing still in a traffic jam or in front of an open bridge, the metre stops running. Obviously, taxi drivers will be less than enthusiastic about picking up passengers anymore during rush hour. Everybody loses. ‘The current situation in the taxi world needs to be solved as soon as possible,’ says Belmamoun. ‘First of all, we need bigger ranks. Secondly, there have to be shelters at the taxi ranks; people waiting for a taxi just stand there, no matter if there’s rain, snow or wind.

Furthermore, the waiting fare must stay. And the fines have to stop.’ The fines? ‘The other day there was a passenger, here at Centraal Station, who wanted a taxi to the Victoria Hotel. That’s on the other side of the road, so I refused. I told the man how close it was and that he would be better to walk. He thanked me for that, but still I got a fifty-euro fine from that supervisor over there. That’s ridiculous.’ Ring-around-the-rank? Stefan Rutte, spokesperson for Amsterdam’s traffic and transport wethouder Tjeerd Herrema, says that ‘the government is the driving force behind the liberalisation of the taxi market. We don’t approve of the enormous increase of taxis, which has a lot of negative side effects. That’s why we, together with taxi branch organisation BOTAM and the business community, are developing a taxi quality mark. A taxi that meets the quality mark’s conditions will have exclusive access to the rank at Centraal Station, to the effect that that particular taxi rank will leave a good impression on visitors. At present, that reputation is questionable.’ But what about the police harassing taxi drivers, including the ‘good guys’ amongst them? Rutte answers: ‘The inspection of taxis has intensified. I can’t imagine that drivers have anything against getting the bad taxis off the streets. If a driver’s papers are OK, he has nothing to fear.’

or eight years, Maroni Sonelli has been driving his own personally decked-out Disco Taxi. And, to the delight of partygoers all over town, he drives it all night long, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. ‘I never get tired in the Disco Taxi,’ he says in his deep, gravelly voice. ‘I’m always in the mood.’ But what exactly is a disco taxi? Good question. Sonelli says: ‘Yes, well the Disco Taxi is, you know, sometimes people don’t know they are calling an entertainment taxi, and then I pull up and say, “Hey, did you call the Disco Taxi?” and they are always surprised, yes.’ Physically, the Disco Taxi is a van—or ‘spacewagon’, as Sonelli refers to it—with lots of loudspeakers, a TV, DVD player, karaoke system, disco balls hanging from the ceiling and a dashboard full of multicoloured lights and doodads—many of which blink to the beat of the music. Emotionally however, it’s a damn good time. ‘When the clients step inside,’ he explains, ‘I say: “Welcome to the Disco Taxi.”’ He says this into a microphone, which then booms his voice around the vehicle with plenty of reverb added for effect. ‘I see how they like it and then I play a song, like this one.’ He presses play on a remote control and the stereo, about five centimetres away from his hand, begins to play Kool & The Gang’s disco classic ‘Celebration’. And it plays loud. ‘There are so many speakers inside,’ shouts Sonelli, ‘I don’t even know how many speakers there are. You don’t see them, but you can feel it.’ Even deaf people could have a good time in this car. His clientele varies, and he’s typically quite busy. ‘People from around the world come here and call me to drive them— every class of people, young and old. You would never know it, but I have lawyers who call me every weekend. Sometimes I have thirty calls in an hour, yes.’ And Sonelli will take you anywhere. ‘If you want to go to Paris or Belgium, it does-

t is a well-known fact that at a good party all the drink will have gone too early, no matter how much you bought in the first place. And that when you go out, strict closing times make it hard to pull off a proper all-nighter. But salvation is at hand for those nights when you don’t wanna go home: an alcohol delivery service. It’s called the Biertaxi. Sounds like a good idea. To find out just how good, I join them for an evening’s graft. The taxi picks me up at 1 a.m. on a Saturday night. It’s a dark green Ford Escort with a boot packed with booze. Inside are Daan and Kabier, two born-and-bred Amsterdammers in their mid-twenties. Friends for 13 years, they’ve been running the taxi for over a year now, and so far it’s been going really well. ‘It’s a nice job,’ Daan says. ‘You get to see lots of interesting places and meet so many different people. Also, our customers are usually extremely thankful for the service we provide.’ The first order of the night takes us to Oud-Zuid, to the home of a stylish Scot and his flatmate, a smooth Italian. They’ve rented a few art-house movies and decided to have a quiet night in, they tell us. Then they offer us a beer. Cool! Soon, though, Kabier’s phone rings, and we have to be off again. Our next errands include supplying a group of friends hanging out in De Baarsjes, a dried-up birthday gathering,

Amsterdam Weekly

Doin’ the Disco Taxi As wheels and balls spin, the beat goes on. BY MARK WEDIN. PHOTO BY SIMON WALD-LASOWSKI

8-14 February 2007

n’t matter. If I am not tired, I will go. I went to Paris many times, yes. It doesn’t matter. Sometimes people call me special for the music. They don’t want to go anywhere. We just drive in circles and they like the music, yes.’ But the best part is the price. ‘Some people think I’m more expensive, but I say: “No”. I’m normal taxi prices, just like all the other ones.’ Then he grabs his microphone and starts rapping over the music. Sonelli, originally from Suriname, began doing this as a result of his love of performing. ‘Every weekend I’m singing for married people in the taxi. I like it, so I do it with no extra charge. I’m singing for the people. But someday, I would like to be singing without the taxi. Ballads are my favourite style, but I like the disco, yes. What I’m doing here is to bring people in the mood.’ At this point, Sonelli notices that this reporter isn’t completely in the mood for disco. ‘What style of music do you like?’ he asks. ‘I have everything—over seven-and-ahalf thousand songs. That’s the difference with the Disco Taxi. I like all music. Do you like rock? This is one of my favourite groups from the Nineties.’ He presses play and it’s ‘Paradise City’ by Guns n’ Roses. The video for the song plays on a TV screen mounted on the dashboard, and the lyrics are displayed below it. ‘I find it so sad that you don’t hear nothing about this band no more. They were a very nice group, yes.’ Sonelli taps one of the little disco balls hanging near his rear view mirror. ‘This was given to me by a client seven years ago, and since that time it stays in the car. But I am always adding new things, doing maintenance. I have to pimp my ride. Yes, this is the Disco Taxi, yes.’ He’s very positive and has a never-ending smile. It’s difficult to imagine a more perfect host for a rambunctious night of frolicking around town. Disco Taxi: 06 discotaxi@europe.com

Last call for alcohol! Meet Amsterdam’s booze cruise cabbies. BY SARAH GEHRKE. PHOTO BY SIMON WALD-LASOWSKI and a guy in Noord who, Daan and Kabier tell me, is a regular. On the way, we stop at a snack bar to buy packs of cigarettes. Apart from beer and smokes, the taxi also delivers condoms. ‘But people only rarely order them,’ Daan says. ‘Though once, we had a lady phoning up demanding five condoms to be delivered as quickly as possible. Then, after ten minutes, she called again and cancelled the order.’ At about 3 a.m., when the first bars are starting to close, things begin to get busy. Someone orders beers for delivery on Leidseplein. When we pull up in front of the American Hotel, we see a sturdy man hobbling towards us really fast. ‘That’s the

things I love most about this city, man!’ he enthuses. ‘There’s guys that bring you drugs, and there’s guys that bring you beer!’ Ah, I see. So where do you plan to drink those beers? ‘I’ll just take them back into the bar. They’re not shut yet, they’ve only stopped serving.’ Right you are. Have fun then. By 5 a.m., we’ve been to De Pijp, Oost, De Bijlmer and the Rivierenbuurt, and supplied drink to everyone from students to rich kids and from poker rounds to squatters. The streets are still bustling with people, though it’s a slightly more chaotic sight now. Daan points at a boy standing up on the back of his friend’s bike. Calmly, they’re cruising down the

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street. ‘Look,’ he says. ‘That’s Amsterdam by night.’ He’s clearly loving it. Everywhere we go, we’re welcomed with big hurrahs. In Bos en Lommer, we’re invited in by another of the taxi’s regulars, an ex-rugby player. He’s having an afterparty with a few friends, and he’s enthusiastic about Kabier and Daan. ‘They’re such cool guys! Really friendly, too, and always punctual.’ As we leave, he asks us to do a favour: he’s still got his Christmas tree on the balcony. ‘If I throw it down, would you carry it to the side of the street?’ Sure thing: a tree sailing down from the sixth floor is just fine. The last party of the night is in the Red Light District. As we arrive, it’s 6.45 a.m. A boy wearing vintage sunglasses comes to meet us on the street. He’s got so much gel in his hair that I can only hope he’s being ironic. His order, however, surely isn’t: with two crates of beer, three bottles of wine and three packets of cigarettes, his night won’t be ending anytime soon. On our way back, we pass by the old Heineken brewery on Stadhouderskade. ‘We were here yesterday,’ Kabier says. ‘A few people have squatted part of the building, and they were having a big party.’ ‘What did they order?’ I ask. He smiles. ‘Thirteen crates. And it wasn’t Heineken.’ Biertaxi: 06 2231 0066, www.biertaxiamsterdam.nl

8-14 February 2007

Amsterdam Weekly

FRANCOIS HUGON

SHORT LIST

A Touch of Class at Dirty Disco, Thursday, Studio 80

THURSDAY 8 FEBRUARY Art: Che! It’s the iconic image of the 20th century: a bearded man blessed with matinee-idol looks sports a beret with a red star. Korda’s portrait of Che Guevara, taken in 1960 at a protest rally, first of all demonstrates that not only does the left-wing have the moral upper hand over the right, it’s also a darn sight cuter. Guevara was a complicated man. On the one hand, he was a sensitive, deeply intellectual asthmatic; on the other, he was a muscular, fearless freedom-fighter who may have lost the battle—and his life—but won the war. He is, then, perhaps the least appropriate choice imaginable for the scores of T-shirts, rucksacks, booze bottles and worthless gew-gaws that his image has adorned since the 1960s. This new exhibition examines by means of a couple of hundred of these items—including memorabilia from Cuba and the former USSR—how a political militiaman came to be used, in the West at least, as shorthand for teen rebellion and got diluted into a kind of Latin American Jimmy Dean. (Kim Renfrew) Tropenmuseum (Daily 10.00-17.00). Until 6 May.

Club: Dirty Disco In 2006, a monthly club called Streekmuziek made its debut at Studio 80. Led by local DJs Nick Verstand and Chris Julien—who call themselves Moderndancing—the night featured live bands as well as discs, and became a hot spot for students and hipsters alike to find shelter amid the hordes of tourists on Rembrandtplein. Now in 2007, the Streekmuziek model has been shelved for the time being, but Moderndancing have reemerged with Dirty Disco, a Thursday night affair that will focus on the malleability of electronic music and its influential fringes. The DJing duo draw from the underground disco, trance, rock and lounge communities of Paris and London, New York and Rome, crafting a uniquely experimental version of urban chic and dance. This can best be labelled ‘dirty’ and, well... ‘disco’. Tonight is the first of many planned ‘especial’ events, tonight dubbed A Touch of Class Still Sucks. NYC’s own ATOC hit the decks with their blend of—quote—‘drrrty DJing’. (Shain Shapiro) Studio 80, 22.00-late, €5.

Art Fair: Art Rotterdam 2007 ‘Peripheral Art’ is the theme of the eighth incarnation of this annual art fair—one that continues to blow away its equivalents in Amsterdam. Seventy-three galleries from 10 countries hang up the latest in cutting-edge eye candy at the appropriately still-gritty Cruise Terminal. This year, there’s an extra bonus: those Leonardos of American street art, Graffiti Research Lab, an open source think tank out to reinvent creative vandal-

ism for the 24th century, are doing their thing. Why just spray-paint when you can throw around cheap magnetic LED lights? At the opening tonight they will be taking control of the Renzo Piano KPN Telecom Building—basically a 37-by-72-metre screen—and turning the Kop Van Zuid into the ‘People’s Revolutionary Green Laser Light District’, display uncurated animations and graphics from around the world. In short: get on that geek graffiti bandwagon when you still can. See www.artrotterdam.com and http://graffitiresearchlab.com for the full scoop. (Steve Korver) Cruise Terminal Rotterdam, Thursday 8 February, Rotterdam. Until 12 February.

Art: A High Mind on Lowbrow ‘Otherworldly’, ‘creepy’ and ‘plain freaking freaky’ are some of the ways one can describe the worlds created by such luminary ‘lowbrow’ artists like Ray Caesar, Mark Ryden, Tim Biskup, Joe Sorren and Glenn Barr. These folks make folk art for freaks— those who like their hot rods ablaze, their punk rock snotty and their films directed in the grand Lynchian tradition. Canadian artist Ray Caesar, for example, who received a full exhibition in this same gallery last year, populates his prints with porcelain dolllike children who come appended with wise expressions, lizard tails and tendrils for fingers. His paintings reflect both the hours he spent as a child de- and re-constructing his sister’s dolls and the years he spent working at a children’s hospital in Toronto. There are few things more attractive than depicting innocence in fucked-up spaces: at this exhibition you’ll find some of the artists who do that best. Signs of the time, indeed. (Steve Korver) KochxBos Gallery, (Wed-Sat 13.00-18.00). Until 1 April.

FRIDAY 9 FEBRUARY Jazz: Human Feel Here’s the problem: I’ve only got 150 words, and I have to describe Human Feel. Four brilliant and protean musicians, these guys careen from high-flying fusion to free jazz to straight-ahead post-bop, to stuff that mostly sounds like contemporary classical music. As a result of this versatility, all the players—reedmen Chris Speed and Andrew D’Angelo, guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, drummer Jim Black—made names for themselves during the band’s New York-based heyday in the ’90s. They became seriously in-demand sidemen—working with the likes of Joshua Redman, John Zorn, Brad Mehldau and Tim Berne—and, perhaps inevitably, then decided to pursue other ventures. It’s 10 years since they’ve played together and, given their proclivity for permanent musical growth, tonight is bound to hold prodigious surprises. So, sure, this group seems beyond description, but now that my 150 words are almost spent, I realise that, in fact, I need only one: joyous. (Steve Schneider) Bimhuis, 21.00, €14.

Amsterdam Weekly

8-14 February 2007

SATURDAY10 FEBRUARY Rock: The Hold Steady When Craig Finn and Tad Kubler formed The Hold Steady in New York City at the turn of the century, they wanted to create a pop group that harked back to the days of The Band and their contemporaries, both in sound and storytelling. After three critically acclaimed albums, it seems Finn and Kubler have accomplished their task. Emerging in this particular incarnation after moving from Minnesota to Brooklyn, the songwriters hooked up with local musicians, producing a sound that has been lauded by Pitchfork, The Village Voice, Billboard and just about everyone else. They have amassed an army of MySpace fans and countless nods of approval, proving to the pretentious indie scene that the sounds of the ’60s and ’70s and the art of storytelling still belong in cool music. Their new record, Boys and Girls in America, is full of moments that conjure up Springsteen drinking with Levon Helm and Rick Danko, then jamming all night until they and their demons have sobered up. Finn sounds like he could have sung back-up on ‘Born To Run’ and, lyrically, songs like ‘Stuck Between Stations’ and ‘Chips Ahoy’ are disenfranchised, sexualised anthems that speak to a generation, much like ‘The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down’ did 40 years before. (Shain Shapiro) Paradiso, 20.30, sold out.

TUESDAY13 FEBRUARY Rock: Wolfmother It’s no news that hard rock is hip again. In fact, it’s been so hip for so long that purists have already given up complaining about teen pop stars wearing Motörhead T-shirts. The reasons for the hype are unclear. Is it part of the ’80s revival that for some reason doesn’t seem to stop? Is it that people got tired of whiny indie boys with elaborate haircuts? Is it nostalgia disguised as irony? Who cares? Wolfmother are good. If a sweaty gig which you spend with your hand up in the air, shouting ‘hell yeah!’ while enjoying some serious riffage and waking up with a sore neck the next morning from too much headbanging the night before sounds like good fun to you, then you shouldn’t miss them. You see, Aussies are known to be kinda talented at the hard rock thing. So for those about to rock, we salute you. And we also hope you’ve got yourself a ticket already ’cos—hell yeah!—they’re all sold out. (Sarah Gehrke) Paradiso, Grote Zaal, 20.30, sold out.

Jazz: Bill Evans/Randy Brecker I hereby nominate Bill Evans as President of Musiciens Sans Frontières (Groovemasters Without Borders). This coruscating tenor and soprano saxophonist—discovered by Miles, seasoned by Mahavishnu, Herbie Hancock and more—has been a fusion mainstay for 20 years. But he’s also infused fusion with new action potentials, spearheading bands that melded jazz with hiphop, and jazz with—gulp—bluegrass. All were successful, and now he’s hopping the fence between jazz and soul (with healthy doses of bristly funk thrown in for good measure). Soulbop is the name of the quintet he’s co-leading with masterly trumpeter Randy Brecker, a formation which has toured the world extensively, garnering high praise at every turn. Tonight they’ll be employing that same unbeatable formula, mixing original tunes with covers of compositions first essayed by the Brecker Brothers, the seminal fusoid ensemble headed by Randy and his brother, Michael (whose recent passing was a tragedy and a sadness for us all). With help from keyboard player Dave Kikoski, bassist Tom Barney and Rodney Holmes on drums, the evening should soar. Cross whatever boundaries you need to get there. (Steve Schneider) Melkweg, 21.00, €22 + membership.

WEDNESDAY14 FEBRUARY Gay & Lesbian: Homo in dienst van God Religion and homosexuality. It’s not a marriage made in heaven. Seriously, coming out as a gay man or woman is difficult enough. Imagine how much harder it is, if you grow up or work within a religious community. Just recently, a vicar in Friesland was sacked when he came out. And then there’s this Christian school that doesn’t mind their staff being gay—as long as they don’t have sex or a relationship. And over the water in the UK, a battle, complete with waving placards and enraged cardinals, is currently raging over whether the Catholic Church should be exempt from sexual orientation equality laws. Similarly, discrimination on the grounds of one’s sexuality is forbidden, but there’s also freedom of religion to be factored in. Should society confront this? If so, would this help religious gays and lesbians? Or will it just close doors? Dialoog, an initiative from the COC, the humanist group Humanistisch Verbond and the Islamic Stichting Yoesuf, have organised their next debate around this delicate topic. Guests include writer and sociologist Dick Pels and a number of Jewish, Islamic and Christian gays who will share their experiences. (Willem de Blaauw) De Rode Hoed, 18.45, free. Reservations: 638 5606.

Send details and images for listing consideration at least two weeks in advance to agenda@amsterdamweekly.nl.

8-14 February 2007

Amsterdam Weekly

Two lives, snuffed out too early: Leo Smit (L) and Vitezlava Kapralova (R).

Composer Leo Smit was the toast of Europe until the Holocaust abruptly ended his glittering career.

MUSIC, MEMORYAND MEMORIALS By David D Lee There is a very special group of people right here in Mokum who are dedicated to performing modern and historical classical compositions: the Leo Smit Foundation. Their mission is a story which mixes history and music in with tragedy and hope. In 1995, a concert organised to play music by Jewish Dutch composers resulted in the release of a CD of works by Rosy Wertheim, Ignace Lilien and one Leo Smit. The foundation named in honour of the latter was established the following year by flautist Eleonore Pameijer and pianist Frans van Ruth, who began a series of concerts at the Uilenburger Synagogue to promote not only Smit’s music, but that of his lesser-known contemporaries. Smit is considered to be one of the most gifted European composers of 1920s and 1930s. Three-quarters Ashkenazi, one

quarter Sephardic, Smit’s—already very musical—family had lived in Amsterdam for generations. Young Leo went to the Muziekschool for a year, before taking up piano and composition studies at the conservatory, then located in the Huis met de Hoofden on Keizersgracht. After earning a degree in piano in 1922, he became the first student to earn a cum laude in composition with his orchestral piece Silhouetten two years later. It was performed by the Concertgebouw Orchestra in 1925. Smit was developing a jazz sensibility which was welcomed—though not necessarily understood—by Dutch people. After graduation, Smit taught theory and composition at the conservatory. The music he was writing at this time, for example his 1926 Trio, has been compared to work by Debussy circa 1914. But in contrast to Debussy, Smit is much more 20th century, less buoyant, and more sober and intellectual.

In 1927, Smit moved to Paris, where until 1936 he lived alongside, and interacted with, great composers including Ravel, Roussel, Schmitt and Stravinsky. His music was performed both in his native city and across Europe by the leading musicians and conductors of the day. He developed a completely personal language in which lyricism and spirituality, impulsiveness and intellect fitted neatly together. His ‘Deux hommages’ for solo piano are delightful: the first, ‘À Sherlock Holmes’ (1928), is a Charleston; the second, ‘À Remington’ (1930), a typewriter-like toccata. After a year in Brussels, Smit moved back to Amsterdam in 1937, where he continued to teach piano, composition, theory and analysis. Many of his finest works, including his Trio for clarinet, viola and piano (1938), the Viola Concerto (1940) and his Divertimento for piano four hands (1940), were written in this period. On 14 May 1940—Smit’s fortieth birthday—the Luftwaffe bombed Rotterdam to oblivion, and the next day, the Dutch surrendered. Nazi racial law was put into effect, and the systematic exclusion of Jews from Dutch life included not only a ban on Jews performing, but also the performance of any music written by Jewish composers. Only the New Jewish Chamber Orchestra was allowed to perform works by Jews, Smit included. Despite the hopeless conditions of the Second World War, many composers, including Smit, continued to work creatively, writing in secret. On 25 March 1943, Smit was arrested, together with his wife. He was transported with 1,202 other Jewish Amsterdammers to Westerbork three days later, then finally deported, on 27 April, to the Nazi death camp Sobibor in Poland. He was murdered three days later. The musician and musicologist Wim de Fries has commented: ‘I really don’t like the fact that when you mention Leo Smit’s name people’s faces fall and they immediately say, “Sobibor”. This is how these horrific murderers virtually achieve their aim. I can’t stand that someone so vivid and bright should be linked with an absolute hell.’ As De Fries suggests, celebrating Smit’s life and work is as valuable than memorialising his death, and that life is celebrated both in Kamermuziek en Orkestwerken, a four-CD box of his chamber and orchestral works and a biography, Silhouetten—De componist Leo Smit by Jurjen Vis, published by Donemus. And then, of course, there are the Leo Smit Foundation concerts. Four more remain in this year’s series at the Uilenburger Synagogue: 12 February (see column), 12 March, 16 April and 14 May. In June, the Foundation will celebrate its first decade with a Leo Smit Festival which, in addition to musical performances, will include the launch of a new book and CD, Wat bleef was hun muziek [‘What remained was their music’]. The publication puts the Foundation’s aims in historical perspective and documents the life and work of 10 Jewish Dutch composers.

Some hot glass harmonica The fifth concert of this year’s Leo Smit Foundation series will be held on 12 February and promises an eclectic programme. Soprano Irene Maessen, accompanied by Eleonore Pameijer (flute), Marja Bon (piano) and Hans Dullaert (horn), will sing songs by the Czech composers Vitezlava Kapralova and Bohuslav Martinu. Born in Brno in 1915, Kapralova was a remarkable woman who died far too early (allegedly from miliary tuberculosis), in France at the age of 25. Martinu (1890-1959) was a composer and musician of considerable accomplishment who settled in the US in 1941. A heart-rending wind sonata by French flautist Philippe Gaubert will be performed alongside music by Alan Mills, Frank van Gompel and Francis Poulenc. Also on the agenda is Rubayiat, a new piece by Sylvia Maessen for voice and armonica. The armonica, also called the ‘glass harmonica’, was invented by Benjamin Franklin in 1761. Bowls of graduating sizes with holes and corks in the centre sit along a horizontal spindle and are rotated by fly wheel and foot pedal. Moistened fingers rub the edges of the bowls to produce beautiful sounds. Many composers, including Mozart, Beethoven, Donizetti, Richard Strauss and Saint-Saëns, have written music for it. The armonica’s eerie sound was said to drive performers mad and evoke the spirits of the dead. The instrument had a rebirth in 1982, through the efforts of the late master glass-blower Gerhard Finkenbeiner of Waltham, Massachusetts. The Leo Smit Foundation series is being held at the Uilenburger Synagogue, built in 1766 for Ashkenazi congregations. Plundered of its religious items during the War, the sjoel has been used by the Nationaal Restauratie Centrum for courses, lectures and recitals since 1988. Impressively restoring it to its former glory, the contractor who carried out the restoration of the synagogue won the Europa Nostra Award for the preservation of European cultural heritage. Leo Smit Ensemble, 12 February, 20.15, Uilenburger Synagogue, Nieuwe Uilenburgerstraat 91, 427 8347, €15, www.leosmit.nl

Amsterdam Weekly

8-14 February 2007

Ratatat, see Wednesday

MUSIC Send listing suggestions at least two weeks in advance to agenda@amsterdamweekly.nl.

Thursday 8 February Singer-songwriter: Amy Winehouse England’s great drunken hope—half worshipped, half ridiculed. Her marketing company now having decided that she’s Billie Holiday rather than a foul-mouthed Lahndan taxidriver’s daughter, we all need to waltz accordingly. Fans of music-to-wash-up-to will love this. Paradiso, Grote Zaal, 01.00, sold out Opera: Tannhäuser Wagner’s 19th-century opera based on medieval songs, sagas and romantic tales. Strap yourself in for a long haul performance—if you manage to find tickets. Het Muziektheater, 18.30, sold out Rock: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Last year the biggest buzz in the indie rock world; this year just another familiar name. CYHSY’s new album Some Loud Thunder has managed to casually sneak out in this quiet release period without too much hype, nor even the mass media willing them to flop—partly because everyone is looking at The Shins and reminiscing about Garden State. Paradiso, Grote Zaal, 19.30, €16 + membership Singer-songwriter: James Morrison Following hot on the uncommonly girlish hooves of James Blunt, this tepid English performer stormed to huge success in 2006, for reasons best left unexamined. Let’s just be grateful tickets are now scarce, so the greater numbers are spared. Heineken Music Hall, 20.00, sold out Classical: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Performing both Schubert’s and Bruckner’s Third Symphonies in D; conducted by Mariss Jansons. Concertgebouw, Grote Zaal, 20.15, €52.50 World: Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares Bulgarian vocal ensemble specialising in epic Balkan folk numbers. An entity since the mid-’70s enjoying worldwide success, tonight’s show will be immensely popular. Book ahead if possible. Muziekgebouw, 20.30, €28 World: Min Wu Xu A concert featuring pipa virtuoso Min Xiao Fen, zhen maestro Xu Fengxia and sheng master Wu Wei, performing ancient classical Chinese works, as well as modern compositions. KIT Tropentheater, 20.30, €16 World: Karnatic Lab Featuring sets by the Axyz Ensemble and the Spinifex Orchestra, exploring the improvised world versus the composed, with nonWestern influences. Special guest for this concert is the Austrian trombone player and composer Bertl Mutter. Bimhuis, 21.00, €10 Rock: King Me Understated yet somehow epic, this Utrecht post-rock outfit remain constantly fabulous. With new album Guide Down just released, tonight provides an excellent free sample of what to expect

from upcoming touring stints—and they’ll be back in Amsterdam for another two gigs later this month. Skek, 21.30, free Roots: Walter & The Blue Connection Finnish blues and roots outfit led by songwriter Walter Hopmans. Café Pakhuis Wilhelmina, 22.00, €5

Friday 9 February Classical: Lunch Concert Featuring students from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. Bethaniënklooster, 12.30, free Opera: Otello Verdi’s operatic reworking of the Shakespeare tale, as performed by The Opera Philharmonic and Viable Opera Koor; lead performers include Daniël Smid, Michael Hayes and Annemarie Kremer. RAI, 20.00, €45-€90 Classical: Het Brabants Orkest Joined by the Dutch diva of soprano, Charlotte Margiono, tonight’s performance is aimed at those seeking a romantic night out. Expect excerpts from Berlioz’s Roméo et Juliette, Wagner’s romantic opera Parsifal and Berg’s Sieben frühe Lieder. Concertgebouw, Grote Zaal, 20.15, €25

Schönberg Ensemble Contemporary: Schönberg Ensemble A night of premieres, with works by Robin de Raaff, Michael Smetanin and Oliver Knussen being unveiled for the first time; featuring soprano Claudia Barainsky, pianist Pauline Post and conducted by Reinbert de Leeuw. Muziekgebouw, 20.30, €20 Pop/Rock: Dox Family Night Another healthy dose of Dox, featuring jazzy crossovers, rocking hiphop, Lolita ballads, plus kitsch and catchy tales. Lined up tonight are Kofi Anonymous, Giovanca, the Andy Birnbaum Trio and the Easy Aloha’s DJ team. Sugar Factory, 21.00, €9 Jazz: Human Feel Joyous free jazz or straight-laced contemporary classical. See Short List. Bimhuis, 21.00, €14 Rock: Rose Hill Drive American groove rockers, who won’t let you go far without seeing the comparisons to Audioslave, Jet and the other modern riff rockers. They tell it straight, and if you still play air guitar at home to Sabbath and Zeppelin, you’ll be in heaven. Otherwise it’s 1970s guitar hell. Support from The Spades. Melkweg, 21.00, €9 + membership Heavy: Punkerherrie Crushing punk and hardcore sets from California Love (US), Reproach (BE) and Mary Bell. OCCII, 21.15, €5 Hiphop: Last Man Standing A monthly onstage battle, each edition of which sees local MCs showcase

8-14 February 2007 their wits and rhymes in 45-second bursts. OneFourOne, 21.30, €4 Country: DM Bob Acoustic swamp folk rock all the way from Hamburg. DM Bob is originally from Louisiana and is perfectly happy to inject his lyrics with more jokes than crocodile tears. Maloe Melo, 22.00, €5 Pop: Prof Nomad’s Roxy Music session Expect the Prof to get all suited up this week as his latest band of fools tackle the art rock and pop repertoire of Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music. Special guests dressing sharply include singer Mieke Giga of the Gigantjes and Wild Romance’s David Hollestelle and Otto Cooymans. Café Pakhuis Wilhelmina, 22.00, €7.50

Saturday 10 February Classical: Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra Performing Wagner’s Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde, Strauss’ Vier letzte Lieder and Mahler’s First Symphony in D; featuring soprano Amanda Mace and conducted by Peter Sánta. Concertgebouw, Grote Zaal, 20.15, €25 Jazz: Willem Breuker Kollektief Diverse jazz from the playful collective, led by saxophonist and clarinetist Breuker. Tonight they’re joined by singer Denise Jannah, and while the first half of the performance tackles Humor in Jazz, after the break comes Jannah’s The World Around. Concertgebouw, Kleine Zaal, 20.15, €20

Amsterdam Weekly Heavy: Amsterdam Underground Collective Loud rock and punk from Former Cell Mates (UK) and the Tenement Kids. Winston Kingdom, 17.00, €5 Pop/Rock: NightLiveXS Awards A celebration of the Dutch music scene, featuring short sets from the likes of A Balladeer, C-Mon & Kypski, Daan, The Family Stand, Green Hornet, Hitch, Mint, Silence is Sexy, Textures and Typhoon, plus acoustic sets by Believeisadoubt, Elstar, Gentlemen LTP, Griffin, Monokraft and Zomotta. Paradiso, Grote Zaal, 17.00, €10 + membership Classical: Abbie de Quant Renowned flautist De Quant introduces two young fluting talents this evening: Felicia van den End and Jacqueline van der Zwan. Performing as trios with piano accompaniment, the works are by Kuhlau, Jolivet, Liebermann, Beljon, Bon and Putte. Concertgebouw, Kleine Zaal, 20.15, €20 World: China Traditional Orchestra Zhejiang Chinese New Year is still a week away, but this grand orchestra are tearing across Europe, bringing colourful celebrations to every city they stop in. Expects lots of musical instruments rarely heard in the West, magnificent costumes and a vibrant mix of traditional Chinese songs with more contemporary works. Concertgebouw, Grote Zaal, 20.15, €40 Jazz: Amstel Big Band Jazzy big band grooves at the monastery. Bethaniënklooster, 20.30, €10 Rock: John Cale Simply regarding singer-songwriter Cale as a legend of the ’60s doesn’t do him justice. While many fans still cling to his work with The Velvet Underground, his more recent solo works show up his versatile, exploratory nature, searching out new ways to present ideas. His live shows have a solid reputation, too—just don’t ask for an autograph or hope to come away with a new chum, as he likes his personal space. Patronaat, Haarlem, 21.00, €17.50 Jazz: Kiss Me Kill Me Pop, funk and jazz from this dancefloor-friendly quintet. Sugar Factory, 21.00, €8.50

The Supersuckers Rock: 12th Savage Garage Trash Fest! Greasy rock ’n’ roll from the only trash festival that matters. Headlining are The Supersuckers, who’re good on record but great onstage. The idea of vacating one of their shows merely satisfied—rather than elated—just doesn’t seem plausible. With support from Groningen’s Green Hornet, Sonic Letter, and a raw country set from DM Bob (See Friday), this is surely the bargain of the weekend. Patronaat, Haarlem, 20.30, €10 Classical: Ferschtman & Baslawskaja An intimate chamber show by pianist Mila Baslawskaja and cellist Dmitri Ferschtma, performing works by Brahms and Schumann. Muziekgebouw, 20.30, €20 Rock: The Hold Steady Stuck in the past? Maybe. But everyone loves these NY rockers, so expect them back in the Grote Zaal before too long. See Short List. Paradiso, 20.30, sold out Jazz: Hod O’Brien Trio A master of bebop with a career stretching over 50 years, the pianist will be performing with bassist Hans Mantel and drummer John Engels. Bimhuis, 21.00, €14 Pop/Rock: To Beat or Not to Beat A ’60s-style garage soul party, featuring live sets from The Satelliters (DE) and The Gonks (BE), plus DJ sets running late into the night from Julia P & Anna Vodka, Múter and Marquee. Café Pakhuis Wilhelmina, 21.00, €8 Reggae: Bob Marley Bash Celebrating the music and life of the Jamaican star, who would have turned 62 this week. OneFourOne, 22.00, €5 Rock: Roadracers, Country Joe & The Majors Two Finnish rockabilly outfits. Cruise Inn, 22.00, €11 Rock: Skinner A Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band. Whether that means they’ll jam on ‘Freebird’ until the bar closes, or have a fuller repertoire to work with, is another question. Maloe Melo, 22.00, €5

Sunday 11 February Opera: Tannhäuser (See Thursday) Het Muziektheater, 13.30, sold out Classical: Amsterdam Brass A programme designed around the theme of fire, with brass renditions of Derek Bourgeois’ ‘Blitz’, Stravinsky’s The Firebird, and Philip Wilby’s ‘Northern Lights’; featuring guest soloist Hans Gansch, a trumpeter from the Wiener Philharmoniker. Muziekgebouw, 15.00, €15 World: Hüsnü Senlendirici Ensemble Clarinetist Hüsnü Senlendirici’s Turkish ensemble specialise in intense, undulating Balkan rhythms. Their music is rooted in gypsy traditions, but by adding contemporary elements, the end result is so much more. A Balkan Beats party follows the performance. KIT Tropentheater, 15.00, €20

Rock: Vernon Reid & Masque Exotic aural experiments from the frontman of Living Colour and his colourful bandmates. Providing a blend of eclectic grooves, the outfit are also prone to playing covers by the likes of Depeche Mode, Radiohead and Tony Williams. Bimhuis, 21.00, €16

Monday 12 February World: Los Papines Afro-Cuban troubadours. The quintet of vocalists and percussionists are led by the Abreu brothers, making their music a real family business. Concertgebouw, Kleine Zaal, 20.15, €27.50 Classical: The Sixteen & The Symphony of Harmony and Invention One of the world’s most renowned Baroque orchestras and one of the most successful vocal ensembles work hand in hand to authentically recreate the 16th-century works of Italian composer Claudio Monteverdi. Concertgebouw, Grote Zaal, 20.15 Contemporary: Basho Ensemble Entitled ‘A Tale of Two Continents’, this East-meets-West programme takes its inspiration from the musical cultures of Indonesia. Includes works by Colin McPhee, José Evangelista, Barbara Woof, Philemon Mukarno and Claude Vivier. Muziekgebouw, 20.30, €17.50 Folk: Yann Tiersen With commercial hits like the soundtrack to Amelie, the avant-garde composer has embodied the sound of France—no longer can the nation be mentioned, or merely hinted at, on TV without his familiar tunes chiming out. More recent works have been darker, allowing experimentation with the likes of Shannon Wright, Stuart Staples and Elizabeth Fraser. Paradiso, Grote Zaal, 20.30, sold out Singer-songwriter: Bruce Cockburn Eclectic Canadian songwriter who’s recently released his 29th album, Life Short Call Now. Melkweg, 21.00, €15 + membership Big band: Konrad Koselleck Big Band Bombastic contemporary big band jazz. In this outing, the boys are joined by Dutch vocalist Esmee Bor Stotijn. Sugar Factory, 21.00, €9 Experimental: DNK-Amsterdam Electro-acoustic live sets. Guests include Sister Syntax, Wiregriot and Karin Preslmayr & Henry Vega. OT301, 21.30, €4

Tuesday 13 February Singer-songwriter: My Brightest Diamond Dark brooding pop by Shara Worden, a trained opera singer bridging the gap between both worlds of music. Paradiso, Kleine Zaal, 20.00, €10 + membership Classical: Schönberg Kwartet & De Groep van Steen Performing Shostakovich’s String Quartet No.15—the composer’s final quartet, completed in 1974. Muziekgebouw, 20.30, €20

Amsterdam Weekly

14 Rock: Wolfmother Australia’s latest rock ’n’ roll heroes. See Short List. Paradiso, Grote Zaal, 20.30, €22 + membership

Friday 9 February

Zoetzaligheid Featuring DJs Benny Rodrigues, DRashid, Sidney Samson, Gregor Salto and Tony Cha Cha. The Powerzone, 23.00-05.00, €10

8-14 February 2007

The Zoo With DJs Frederik Abas & Raymundo and Sir Edward. The Zebra, 22.00-04.00, €10

GAY& LESBIAN

Classical: Lunch Concert Piano recital by Nata Tsvereli. Concertgebouw, Kleine Zaal, 12.30, free

Rauw Featuring sets from Joost van Bellen, Diskokaine, Christopher Just and Bunny Lake. 11, 22.30-04.00, €15

Thursday 8 February

Opera: Tannhäuser (See Thursday) Het Muziektheater, 18.30, sold out

Freakend! With D-Rashid, Skitzofrenix, E-Rhythm, Franky Rizardo and MC Roga. Panama, 23.00-04.00, €15

Heavy: Rip Your Heart Out A Valentine’s to remember with whining, complaining, screaming, mourning, lamenting, weeping, sorrowful tales from Penknifelovelife, As Their Eyes Were Bloodshot, Setting for Disaster, A Change of Plan and My City Burning. Winston Kingdom, 19.30, €6

Retro Deluxe Journey back in time to hear all your favourite tunes—a bit like comfort noise. Hotel Arena, 23.00-04.00, €10

Jazz: Bill Evans/Randy Brecker Musiciens Sans Frontières (Groovemasters Without Borders). See Short List. Melkweg, 21.00, €22 + membership

Wednesday 14 February

Classical: Talich Quartet Czech quartet performing works by Mozart, Shostakovich and Brahms. Concertgebouw, Kleine Zaal, 20.15, €32.50 Electronica: Ratatat Indietronica duo from New York. Paradiso, Kleine Zaal, 22.00, €8 + membership

CLUBS

Discocult A Trust in Wax special, with German duo Albert Ruppelt and Lars Güttler spinning a unique DJ set (four turntables and three mixers). Sugar Factory, 01.00-05.00, €9

Traffic Electro and techno from Oliver Ho, AKA Raudive (UK), Bart Skils, Lauhaus and a live set from Swedish producer Agaric. Melkweg, 23.00-late, €15

Saturday 10 February Plan West + Club Zonder Filter Anything goes, so expect the aurally unexpected. Club 8, 21.00-04.00, €6 Pret! New hits and older classics. Café Meander, 22.00-04.00, €4 Ratio? Featuring special guest Tobi Neumann (Berlin) and resident DJ Melon. 11, 22.00-04.00, €12

Thursday 8 February

Sneakerz With Gregor Salto, Madskillz, Ricky Rivaro, Georgio Schultz and Rishi Bass. Panama, 22.0004.00, €15

Poppourri Student Night Pop hits for students who can’t afford deodorant. Club 8, 22.00-03.00, €5

Parkroom Featuring Lupe, Eva Maria and special guest Konrad Black (DE). Flex Bar, 22.00-05.00, €7

Flex YourSpace Kid Goesting presents a live rock set from The Strutters, followed by Thursday night grooves from DJ Wannabeastar. Flex Bar, 22.0004.00, €5

Kelder Bashment A drum & bass party featuring special guests from the French and Belgian scenes. OT301, 22.00-late, €5

Drrrty Disco: A Touch Of Class Eclectic disco magic from ATOC, Moderndancing and VJ Napoleon. See Short List. Studio 80, 22.00-late, €5 Wildvreemd Outlandish electro and live performances, featuring German deep house specialist ND Baumecker. Sugar Factory, 23.00-05.00, €7.50

Paradise An electrifying mix of electro-punk, techhouse and minimal, inspired by the highly-regarded Sao Paolo club D-EDGE. Special guest is one of Brazil’s premium electro-house DJs and producers, Renato Raiter. Sugar Factory, 23.00-05.00, €12 Passion Electro, Latin house and clubhouse. Odeon, 23.00-05.00, €10

Future vs Rotzooi Welcome to the Future vs Rotzooii Featuring Bruno Pronsato (Berlin), Quazar (live), E-Contact (live), Kabale & Liebe (live), Julien Chaptal, Daniel Sanchez, Dorine Dorado, San Proper and Juan Sanchez. Studio 80, 23.00-late, €10 Dance Arena Alternative dance, pop and rock. Melkweg, 23.59-late, €7 + membership

Sunday 11 February De Kerk Mellow grooves from the Rednose Distrikt crew. Flex Bar, 22.00-04.00, €5 HushHush: The SuperHush With TomDamienLo and DJ Irwan. Jimmy Woo, 23.00-03.00, €8 WickedJazzsounds Jazz, hiphop, broken beats, nujazz, funk and Afro sounds, as classic vinyl collides with live musicians. Sugar Factory, 23.00-05.00, €8.50

Monday 12 February

Everyone Hosted by Nicholas Carther, formerly the Drag Queen Known As Nicky Nicole, and featuring Jodee, Brian S, Lin, Gene Farris, Natarscia, MC Nova and unexpected live acts. Everyone welcome, naturally. Exit, 23.00-04.00, €5

Friday 9 February Vrouwenavond Big, popular, ladycentric club night that’s jammed full of lesbians. They can bring their friends too, even boy ones. Tonight DJ Voytec plays ’70s, ’80s and chart hits. Café Sappho, 21.00-03.00, free Twisted Electro Tunes Tonight, ArtLaunch’s De Nachtzuster nurses you back to health between the hours of 10 p.m. and half-past the witching hour, then it’s over to DJ Dan. PRIK, 22.00-03.00, free

Saturday 10 February Twisted Classics & Electrics The naughtily named DJ Nookie mashes it up. PRIK, 22.00-03.00, free

Sunday 11 February

Cheeky Monday Jungle and drum & bass night. Winston Kingdom, 22.00-03.00, €6

Karaoke Avond Ruud Bos presents a singalong evening that’s guaranteed to be full of camp-as-Christmas Eurovision hits. Amstel Taveerne, free

Wednesday 14 February

S.O.S. Sex on Sundays: it’s definitely dirty, it’s very probably wrong, but what the heck? It’s only for four hours. The Eagle, 16.00-20.00

Valentine’s Day Dinner, dancing and dating experiment. Who’ll you share your dessert with? Odeon, 20.00-22.30, €60

Female Senusal on Sunday Women’s evening with a soundtrack by DJ Jasmine, who not only plays R&B,

Amsterdam Weekly

8-14 February 2007 jazz and hiphop, but also dances for the audience when the mood takes her. Café Sappho, 19.00-01.00, free

Tuesday 13 February Movie Night Tonight’s cinematic offering is David Moreton’s Edge of Seventeen, a comedy drama about a teenager coming out on his last day of school. PRIK, 22.00-03.00, free

Wednesday 14 February Homo in dienst van God A debate about God and gays. See Short List. De Rode Hoed, 18.45, free Bückstück - Brutale Musik The night of brutal music reveals its squishy inner core: only songs with ‘love’ in the title will be played tonight, and Valentine cocktails are €5. PRIK, 21.00-01.00, free F*cking Pop Queers Pop up the jam, pop it up while your feet are stompin’ and the jam is poppin’. Studio 80, 23.00-05.00, free before 00.00, €5 after

STAGE Opening Music/Theatre: 3 Bitches Bringing Broadway Back Three vocal divas, 16 Broadway musical hits. Crea Theater, (Sat 19.00, 21.30, Sun 14.00), €7 Dance: Balls Like watching others playing with their balls? In this virtuoso performance by ISH, street dance, BMX, skating, martial arts and music are all combined with manipulation of balls of all shapes and sizes. Meervaart, (Thur 20.15), €23 Dance: Dansdubbel #4 Mischa van Dullemen and Anat Geiger present Vals Vlees, inspired by sex, men and love. Isabel Schröder and Jochen Stechmann present Human Woman, about the transition from male to female. Melkweg Theater, (Thur-Sun 20.30), €9 Music/Theatre: Die Entführung aus dem Serail The Mozart opera, AKA The Abduction from the Seraglio, as performed by the Nationale Reisopera.

Stadsschouwburg, (Fri 20.15), €21-€41

video installation, Eikenaar with paintings. A new project combines both their disciplines: video-works are projected onto the back of a painting, which, in turn, becomes a landscape within the video, as the moving images are situated behind its horizon. Horse Move Project (Fri-Sun 14.00-20.00), opens Saturday, until 4 March

Theatre: De ideale ernst of het belang van een echtgenoot A fusion of the Wilde comedies An Ideal Husband and The Importance of Being Earnest, this production has won much critical acclaim since its premiere in 2003. It’s now back for two nights only. In Dutch. Frascati, (Fri, Sat 20.30), €14

34,5 m2 The works of photographic duo WassinkLundgren typically come from a sociological standpoint, with globalisation as central theme. This exhibition presents pictures taken in China, showing posters and advertising boards that seem to form an almost artificial reality. De Balie, opens Wednesday, until 11 March

Theatre: Lichaam Making use of the same cast that performed Fragmenten last season, Olivier Provily’s work again focuses on the human condition, depicting simple situations that analyse how people interact and react to each other. In Dutch. Stadsschouwburg, (Sun 20.15), €11.50-€22.50 Theatre: Fortuyn Helmert Woudenberg fronts this monologue performance, focusing on the clash between Pim Fortuyn’s lifestyle and politics. In Dutch. Meervaart, (Sat 20.30), €15

Foodology Bringing together arts and crafts and ‘high’ and ‘low’ art, this show by Toyoko Shimada focuses on eating habits and fashion codes. Hence, a Japanese dress bordered with macaroni, a necklace made from peanuts and other unusual creations. Platform 21 (Wed-Sun 12.00-18.00), opens Wednesday, until 4 March

Ongoing Theatre: 4.48 Psychose Sarah Kane’s play about a girl whose quest for unconditional love ultimately drives her insane. In Dutch. De Engelenbak, (Thur 20.30), €11

Zwerver, see Opening

Museums

Theatre: Er gaat iemand komen A critically acclaimed work by Norwegian author/playwright John Fosse about the love and pain average people must face. Performed by Toneelschuur Producties. In Dutch. Frascati, (Thur-Sat 21.00), €12

ART

Performance: Open Podium A performance space for all creative types. Crea Muziekzaal, (Thur 21.00), free

Opening

Performance: Operator An interactive performance, in which the audience determines the actions of the actor on stage. Inspired by the book The Tipping Point by The New Yorker magazine’s Malcolm Gladwell, about social epidemics and trends. One question asked is: why can the actions of one person start a chain reaction? In Dutch. Rozentheater, (Thur-Sat 20.00), €12.50 Dance: Pushing Air A new production by Anouk van Dijk. Through simple variations in movement, rhythm and dynamics, the dancers organise and reorganise the space they are in, constantly changing the overall impression. De Brakke Grond, (Thur-Sat 20.30), €14

De Engelse Kerk op het Begijnhof: 1607-2007 Exhibition marking the 400th anniversary of the English Reformed Church. Amsterdams Historisch Museum (Mon-Fri 10.00-17.00, Sat, Sun 11.00-17.00), opens Thursday, until 17 June

Paul Kooiker: Paradise Twenty-One Various photo sets from the last decade and new video-works by the Dutch photographer. In this exhibition Kooiker focuses on the female form produced in many different ways, reflecting his fascination with perception. Foam (SunWed 10.00-17.00, Thur, Fri 10.00-21.00), closing Sunday Tour de France 1646 Drawings by Rembrandt’s student Lambert Doomer and his friend Willem Schellinks, made during a trip along the River Loire. Rembrandthuis (Mon-Thur, Sat, Sun 10.00-17.00, Fri 10.00-21.00), closing Sunday

Zwerver The life of wanderers as seen through the eyes of five young artists. Presented are poetic, confronting images and sounds that deal with the invisible, harsh life of wanderers, while also revealing deeper underlying topics. Participating artists include Nico Bick, Corinne Kruger, Hans Kuiper, Rob van der Nol and Mariken Wessels. Chiellerie (Wed-Sun 14.0018.00), opens Friday, closing Wednesday

Facts, Fictions and Stories The first solo exhibition in the Netherlands by the South African photographers Adam Broomberg (1970) and Oliver Chanarin (1971), featuring their most recent work, Chicago . This collection shows various aspects of the war and propaganda in Israel, as well as the series Mr. Mkhize’s Portrait, which casts a glance at South Africa 10 years after the end of apartheid. Stedelijk Museum CS (Fri-Wed 10.00-18.00), until 25 February

Roos Houniet & Jelte Eikenaar Both artists graduated from the Rietveld Academy in 2005: Houniet with a

Anton Rooskens A tribute to Anton Rooskens (19061976), co-founder of the CoBrA movement and one of

16 the Netherlands’ leading post-war experimentalists. This extensive exhibition features painterly highlights from his body of work. CoBrA Museum (Tues-Sun 11.00-17.00), until 25 February Gregory Crewdson: Retrospective 1985-2005 Since the mid-’80s, New York photographer Crewdson has created six carefully staged photo series in which he presents the world as an obscure cinematographic dream. Against the background of suburban America, he explores the fears, neuroses and desires that are deeply rooted in everyday modern life. Fotomuseum (Tues-Sun 12.00-18.00), Den Haag, until 25 February Vincent van Gogh and Expressionism The first show to highlight the impact of Van Gogh on German and Austrian expressionists. Van Gogh Museum (MonThur, Sat, Sun 10.00-18.00, Fri 10.00-22.00), until 4 March Bare Hidden poverty in the Netherlands is the theme for this year’s annual ‘Document Nederland’ photography assignment organised by the Rijksmuseum and NRC Handelsblad. The works show those who literally live ‘below the minimum’. Photographer Geert van Kesteren leads the exhibition. Huis Marseille (TuesSun 11.00-18.00), until 4 March Bert Teunissen: Domestic Landscapes Taking more than 300 photos for this project over the last decade, Teunissen has been in search of the light that he remembers from his parental home, while also documenting an authentic way of life that is disappearing. Huis Marseille (Tues-Sun 11.00-18.00), until 4 March Capricious Inspired by the New York/Amsterdam based cutting-edge photography magazine of the same name, Capricious presents works by six young and experimental photographers. Stedelijk Museum Bureau Amsterdam (Tues-Sun 11.00-17.00), until 4 March Ringel Goslinga: Family Tree A black-and-white photo series showing portraits of people in the artist’s immediate surroundings. By presenting these in the form of a family tree, Goslinga illustrates the social structures that develop out of a personal network of friends, family and coincidental acquaintances. Foam (Sun-Wed 10.00-17.00, Thur, Fri 10.00-21.00), until 7 March The Girlfriend Experience Martin Butler presents four human avatars to play with. Log in at home to control your character of choice—direct the avatar, explore the space and challenge him or her. The four participants can also be observed live in Mediamatic three nights a week. Mediamatic (Wed-Fri 18.00-23.00), until 9 March

Amsterdam Weekly Affichetentoonstelling A chance to view impressive selections from the Filmmuseum’s mammoth collection of old film posters from across the decades. Filmmuseum (Mon-Fri 09.00-22.15, Sat, Sun one hour prior to show-22:15), until 14 March Bodies Something of a controversial exhibition, though undoubtedly also hugely popular as it tours the world, this is one anatomy lesson you won’t forget. Making use of dissected corpses in a range of poses, real foetuses and a large selection of human organs, the collection aims to educate and remind us how remarkable the human body is. Beurs van Berlage (Thur-Sat 10.00-22.00, Sun-Wed 10.00-18.00), until 15 March Geef mij maar Amsterdam A melodious tribute to Mokum as AHM ventures into the musical past and present. From classic Amsterdam liedjes that reverberated from pub doorways to the modern beats and urban rhymes born from some of the city’s poorest districts, this is a chance to re-hear some sonorant moments and enjoy a singalong, too. Amsterdams Historisch Museum (Mon-Fri 10.00-17.00, Sat, Sun 11.00-17.00), until 18 March

Behind the Curtains Fifteen innovative architectural designs by Willem Jan Neutelings and Michiel Riedijk, whose expressive buildings are icons within cities, appreciated equally by tenants and passers-by. Museum Hilversum (Tues-Sat 11.00-17.00, Sun 12.00-17.00), Hilversum, until 6 May

August Sander: People of the 20th Century A representative selection of vintage prints from the German photographer’s (1876-1964) world-famous project. Proposing to chart the entire structure of society of his day, the result was a sociological project, a historical document and a photographic masterpiece. Foam (Sun-Wed 10.00-17.00, Thur, Fri 10.00-21.00), until 21 March Groene Vingers A close look at Amsterdam’s ‘green fingers’— areas of the city pre-designed to pierce the urbanity. ARCAM (Tues-Sat 13.00-17.00), until 31 March Seeing is Knowing: Perspectives in Dutch Architecture An opportunity for locals to finally take in the Netherlands’ entry at the 10th International Architecture Biennale of Venice in 2006, which explores the nation’s cities as complete, inhabitable environments rather than simply collections of disconnected buildings. Zuiderkerk (Mon 11.00-16.00, Tues-Fri 09.00-16.00, Sat 12.00-16.00), until 31 March Eva’s Story Showing paintings of Erich and Heinz Gieringer made while they were in hiding from the Nazi prosecutors. Verzetsmuseum (Tues-Fri 10.0017.00), until 6 April Aanwinsten 2005-2006 A presentation of recent purchases, including pieces by Francis Alÿs, Mike Kelley, William Kentridge, Philip-Lorca deCorcia, Aernout Mik and Thomas Ruff. Stedelijk Museum CS (Fri-Wed 10.00-18.00), until 9 April

French Passion During the early 20th century, private collectors in the Netherlands acquired many masterpieces by painters including Monet, Daubigny, Cézanne and other famed French artists. This exhibition provides an overview of the pieces united at the time. Centraal Museum (Tues-Sun 11.00-17.00), Utrecht, until 11 March

Istanbul From Byzantium to the Ottomans, from Constantinople to Istanbul: the pieces from the Nieuwe Kerk’s winter exhibition are born of one of the richest and most diverse histories in the world. The exhibition focuses on Ottoman heritage, displaying nearly 300 treasures of the sultans—including exhibits from Topkapi Palace Museum. Nieuwe Kerk (Thur 10.00-22.00, Fri-Wed 10.00-18.00), until 15 April Jan van der Heyden The first monographic exhibition on Jan van der Heyden in the Netherlands since 1937. One of the leading 17th-century painters of Dutch cityscapes, he was also fascinated by firefighting and is still remembered to this day by many as the inventor of the fire hose. Rijksmuseum (Daily 09.00-18.00), until 30 April

Ready Media This exhibition deals with the interaction between media and art, and with the influence that ‘ready media’ has on our way of seeing. Montevideo/Time Based Arts (Tues-Sat 13.00-18.00), closing Saturday Investigations The works of Ziad Antar, Alain Declercq, Clarisse Hahn, Florence Lazar & Raphael Grisey, Bruno Serralongue and Olivier Zabat form an archive using five videos on monitors and a photographic series to investigate how contemporary artists share and document information. Maison Descartes (MonThur 10.00-18.00, Fri 10.00-17.00), closing Saturday Octagon/////Zonder Titel New installations by Bas Louter and Folkert Joore. P/////AKT (Thur-Sun 14.0018.00), closing Sunday Frank Hannon: Upside Down Rabbit Country Irish artist Frank Hannon presents musical installations and collages. Galerie Juliette Jongma (Wed-Sat 13.0018.00), until 17 February Jan van de Pavert Showing works by Dutch sculptor and painter Van de Pavert (1960). Galerie Paul Andriesse (Tues-Fri 11.00-18.00, Sat 14.00-18.00), until 17 February

Kees de Kort A tribute to 40 years of painting, illustrating and designing by the Dutch artist. His work shows biblical inspiration but also a great fascination with animals. Bijbels Museum (Mon-Sat 10.00-17.00, Sun 11.00-17.00), until 18 March

Collectors in St Petersburg A celebration of the cosmopolitan nature of early 20th-century St Petersburg, when the city was so prosperous that its art scene flourished and expansive collections were born. Hermitage Amsterdam (Daily 10.00-17.00), until 11 March

Just In Time The annual Municipal Art Acquisitions exhibitions allow for an overview of cultural activity in Amsterdam in the areas of visual art, photography, design and applied arts. Each year the show pivots on one discipline—or a combination of various disciplines—and works are acquired from it for the Stedelijk Museum collection. Stedelijk Museum CS (Fri-Wed 10.00-18.00), until 11 March

Architecture of the Night: Luminous Buildings A voyage into the dark night and the beautiful buildings and lighting designs that can transform the look and feel of cities. Packed with illuminated models, artworks and stunning night photography, there’s an environmental message, too, with focus on light pollution and energy efficiency. Nederlands Architectuurinstituut (Tues-Sat 10.00-17.00. Sun 11.0017.00), Rotterdam, until 6 May

8-14 February 2007

Baghdad Disco: Arno Coenen A shiny sardonic video by the virtual reality games artist. Carl Berg Gallery (Thur-Sat 13.00-18.00), until 17 February Paradise Love Bar A group exhibition featuring works by Aisling Hedgecock (Ireland), Alice Finbow (England) and Sangeeta Sandrasegar (Australia). Galerie Gabriel Rolt (Wed-Sun 12.00-18.00), until 24 February

Che! Che! Examining the life of a revolutionary as seen through one iconic image. See Short List. Tropenmuseum (Daily 10.00-17.00), until 6 May Moderniteit in de Tropen: Architectuur in Nederlands-Indië In the beginning of the 20th century, architects working in the Dutch East Indies created a unique style that combined their Dutch background with local traditions and influences from modern American architecture. This collection features photographs, drawings and maquettes from Indonesia between 1850 and 1950. Nederlands Architectuurinstituut (Tues-Sat 10.00-17.00, Sun 11.00-17.00), Rotterdam, until 3 June Lucebert. Drawings Gouaches, drawings in Indian ink and works on paper in mixed media, dating from 1948 to 1993. There’s also an accompanying publication with text (in Dutch and English) by the Dutch author Cyrille Offermans. CoBrA Museum (Tues-Sun 11.00-17.00), until 3 June Flowers Under the Magnifying Glass: A Homage to Linnaeus A celebration of the 300th anniversary of the Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1778), who studied and worked in the Netherlands from 1735 to 1738. In collaboration with the National Herbarium Nederland, this exhibition provides an overview of depictions of flowers, mainly by Dutch artists or artists who worked in the Netherlands. Teylers Museum (Tues-Sat 10.00-17.00, Sun 12.00-17.00), Haarlem, until 3 June

Galleries Winterlicht A group exhibition from artists of the gallery. AdK Actuele Kunst (Wed-Sat 12.30-17.30), closing Saturday

Kunst in Exodus 2007 Artists in exile. This collection features works from Persheng Warzandegan, Shafiq Soroush, Raouf Saleh and Zenon Abdalla. De Levante (Wed-Sun 13.00-17.30), until 24 February Between Dog and Wolf Chrystel Lebas’ new body of work, created between 2003 and 2006, comprises photographs taken in forests in England, France, Germany, Finland and Japan. By taking the pictures during twilight, the French photographer has tried to capture the almost mystical atmosphere that fascinates her. Gallery Vassie (Wed-Sat 13.00-18.00), until 24 February Helen Verhoeven In Verhoeven’s paintings, a sense of unrest often combines with a feeling of harmony as she blends everyday sceneries with unusual and sometimes disgusting images. Galerie Fons Welters (Tues-Sat 13.00-18.00), until 24 February Min Kim New drawings and paintings. Torch Gallery (Thur-Sat 14.00-18.00), until 24 February Rutger Emmelkamp Emmelkamp’s objects are often the result of a long and intensive labour process yielding a focus on the coherence of concept, work and meaning. Galerie Fons Welters (Tues-Sat 13.0018.00), until 24 February Thomas Hoepker: Muhammed Ali Photographs of the infamous charismatic boxer, in and out of the ring, by the renowned German photographer. Galerie Wouter van Leeuwen (Thur-Sat 12.00-18.00), until 24 February Althea Thauberger: Alone Again (In the Likeness of Life) The Canadian artist’s first solo show in Europe consists of five audio and video-works, the result of her collaborations with various groups and communities. bak (Wed-Sat 12.00-17.00, Sun 13.00-17.00), Utrecht, until 25 February W139 Coloured Reopening exhibition with works by Iris Kensmil, Paul Drissen, Peter Vos, Adriaan Rees and Rob Birza. W139 (Sun-Thur 11.00-20.00, Fri, Sat 11.0022.00), until 25 February

Amsterdam Weekly

8-14 February 2007 Abstract Accents Works by three European painters living and working in the Netherlands: Jack Allick, Pascale Bazille and Bernhard von Braun. ABC Treehouse (Thur-Sun 13.00-18.00), until 25 February The Art of Fashion Fashion-inspired works by young artists, including Merel Boers, Liselotte Schuppers, Monica Ragazzini and Cindy Jeurissen. ArtOlive (MonFri 11.00-17.00, Sun 12.00-17.00), until 25 February Docentenexpositie Featuring the works of two key Fotogram teachers: Peter Dammers and Malou van Breevoort. Fotogram (Mon-Thur 11.00-22.00, Fri, Sat 11.00-16.30), until 28 February Sven-Ole Frahm: Grace of Schwerkraft Paintings by the German artist, whose work is characterised by socalled ‘dual images’. The first stage of his process includes pouring paint and letting it run across the canvas, or onto long strips of fabric. Sections are then cut out according to a predetermined geometric shape, and as these patterns form, a new image with its own geometry is created. Aschenbach & Hofland Galleries (Wed-Sat 12.00-17.00), until 4 March Marie Cecile Thijs: Portretten Photographic portraits by Thijs, who makes use of symbolism to unravel stories about those portrayed, as well as the viewer. Melkweg Galerie (Wed-Sun 13.00-20.00), until 4 March

library, containing lists of items (books, films, articles and music) submitted by different artists, film-makers, writers and composers, whose works have been influenced by those objects. New artists will step into the frame every two weeks. From 10 to 18 February, the works featured are that of Canadian artist Michel de Broin. Public Space with a Roof (Daily 15.00-19.00), until 8 April Van Huis Uit... The results of a research project by the Meertens Instituut about immigrant families and interiors of their homes. The project focuses on the influence that class, ethnicity and tradition have on way of life, and the resulting exhibition presents a collage of photographs and stories about migration, material culture, identity and cultural exchange. Imagine IC (Tues, Wed, Fri, Sat 11.00-17.00, Thur 11.00-21.00), until 30 April

EVENTS

ADDRESSES 11 Oosterdokskade 3-5, 625 5999 ABC Treehouse Voetboogstraat 11, 423 0967 AdK Actuele Kunst Prinsengracht 534, 320 9242

Book presentation: Jakarta Megalopolis Book presentation by artist/architect Stani Michiels and artist Arjan van Helmond about the consequences of burgeoning cities in developing countries. In English. De Balie, 20.30, €5

Friday 9 February Art Fair: Art Rotterdam See Short List. Cruise Terminal Rotterdam, Rotterdam (Thur, Fri 13.00-18.00, Sat, Sun 11.00-19.00, Mon 11.00-17.00), €15

Sunday 11 February Art Fair: Art Rotterdam See Short List. Cruise Terminal Rotterdam, Rotterdam (Thur, Fri 13.00-18.00, Sat, Sun 11.00-19.00, Mon 11.00-17.00), €15

Monday 12 February Art Fair: Art Rotterdam See Short List. Cruise Terminal Rotterdam, Rotterdam (Thur, Fri 13.00-18.00, Sat, Sun 11.00-19.00, Mon 11.00-17.00), €15 Discussion: Women Inc Fenna Ulichki leads the debate on how female migrants have a special role in bringing about changes in their country of origin as well as their ‘new’ home country. In Dutch. Pakhuis de Zwijger, 20.00, free Discussion: Broeinest ‘Forced disappearances’ in El Salvador: Ojalá, together with Hijos and Amnesty International, organise an information evening about people who disappeared during the country’s civil war. Three guests from the country will talk about their experiences and their work in the organisation Pro Busqueda, established to help find missing family members. In English. Plantage Doklaan 8-12, 20.00, free

Saturday 10 February Art Fair: Art Rotterdam See Short List. Cruise Terminal Rotterdam, Rotterdam (Thur, Fri 13.00-18.00, Sat, Sun 11.00-19.00, Mon 11.00-17.00), €15 Symposium: A European Cultural Canon to Unify European Politics: The Inspiration In many European countries, the development of a national cultural canon is a topical subject of debate. But how does this fit into the larger context? And what is the role of culture in forming the political ideas of the member states of the European Union? With presentations by Leonidas Donskis (Lithuanian philosopher), Simon Mundy (British poet, festival director, broadcaster and advisor cultural policy) and Justine van Lawick (psychologist). In English. See www.dare2connect.nl. Felix Meritis, 10.00 17.00, free

Borderline Behaviour An exhibition regarding animation as a state of mind rather than a cinematic genre. With the pioneering animations of Emilie Cohl as the main point of reference, it becomes a meeting point for film projection, video beams, drawings, illustrations, sculpture, mural and photography. TENT (Tues-Sun 11.00-18.00, Daily during IFFR), Rotterdam, until 18 March

Beauty Unrealized A research project dedicated to the investigation of beauty and the status of objects. During this project, the gallery space will become a

Discussion: Waar is Al-Queda? While this evening focuses on the questioning the current whereabouts of al-Quaeda members (are they next door?), a closer look will also be taken at the history of the organisation, dismantling a few myths and possibly creating some new ones in the process. In Dutch. De Balie, 20.30, €6

Thursday 8 February

Minimalpop A travelling group exhibition curated by Petra Bungert, director of CCNOA (Center for Contemporary Non-Objective Art) in Brussels, and German artist Tilman, featuring the works of many international artists. Arti et Amicitiae (Tues-Sun 13.00-18.00), until 11 March

The High Mind of Lowbrow Pop surrealist Ray Caesar’s ‘Science Fiction Meets Victorian’ print series and works by other big names from the scene, like Mark Ryden, Tim Biskup, Joe Sorren, Glenn Barr and Naoto Hattori. See Short List. KochxBos Gallery (Wed-Sat 13.00-18.00), until 1 April

Poetry/Music: The Open Stanza A mishmash of poetry, spoken word, music and performance, which offers an international collection of literary guests. Hosted by Australian poet Prue Duggan. In English and Dutch. Sugar Factory, 19.00, €5

Tuesday 13 February Poetry: Poëziecafé The second edition of this poetry gathering, during which one poet may direct the whole evening according to whim, is hosted by Nachoem M Wijnberg. The Dutch writer and poet has invited a few colleagues to enact scenes from his novels on stage, and the second part of the programme sees poets presenting their translations of Wijnberg’s work. In Dutch. De Balie, 20.00, €9

Wednesday 14 February

Art Fair: Art Rotterdam It does what it says on the can: it’s art in Rotterdam. See Short List. Cruise Terminal Rotterdam, Rotterdam (Thur, Fri 13.00-18.00, Sat, Sun 11.00-19.00, Mon 11.00-17.00), €15

Discussion: Iranian Women’s Day A discussion, lecture and debate programme examining the women’s movement in Iran, and the growing opportunities for the nation’s women to express themselves through art, literature and film. International guests include Shahla Ezazi and Azadeh Kian. In English. KIT Tropentheater, 12.30, €15

Workshop: Radio-to-Go A two-day workshop intended for anyone interested in creating new radio experiences. With the developments in streaming online audio, podcasting, micro-transmitters and multi-user VoIP chatrooms, the idea of what radio is has thoroughly expanded. Participants will design radio experiences for listeners, consisting of home-grown ideas for a specific combination of various older and newer ‘radio’ practices and can even learn to solder their own radio micro-transmitter. Mediamatic, 10.0017.00, €100

Felix Meritis Keizersgracht 324, 626 2321

Het Muziektheater Amstel 3, 625 5455

De Rode Hoed Keizersgracht 102, 638 5606

Filmmuseum Vondelpark 3, 589 1400

Rozentheater Rozengracht 117, 620 7953

Flex Bar Pazzanistraat 1, 486 2123

Nederlands Architectuurinstituut Museumpark 25, Rotterdam, 010 440 1200

Foam Keizersgracht 609, 551 6546

Nieuwe Kerk entrance on the Dam, 638 6909

Stadsschouwburg Leidseplein 26, 624 2311

Fotogram Korte Prinsengracht 33, 624 9994

OCCII Amstelveenseweg 134, 671 7778 Odeon Singel 460, 624 9711

Stedelijk Museum Bureau Amsterdam Rozenstraat 59, 422 0471

Art Fair Art Rotterdam

Skek Zeedijk 4-8, 427 0551

Amstel Taveerne Amstel 54, 623 4254

Fotomuseum Stadhouderslaan 43, Den Haag, 070 338 1144

OneFourOne Overtoom 141, 670 3313

Stedelijk Museum CS Oosterdokskade 5, 573 2911

Amsterdams Historisch Museum Kalverstraat 92, 523 1822

Frascati Nes 63, 626 6866

OT301 Overtoom 301, 779 4913

Studio 80 Rembrandtplein 70, 521 8333

Galerie Fons Welters Bloemstraat 140, 423 3046

P/////AKT Zeeburgerpad 53, 06 5427 0879

Sugar Factory Lijnbaansgracht 238, 627 0008

Galerie Gabriel Rolt Elandsgracht 34, 785 5146

Pakhuis de Zwijger Piet Heinkade 179-181, 788 4444

TENT Witte de Withstraat 50, Rotterdam, 010 413 5498

Galerie Juliette Jongma Gerard Douplein 23, 463 6904

Panama Oostelijke Handelskade 4, 311 8680

Teylers Museum Spaarne 16, Haarlem, 023 516 0960

Galerie Paul Andriesse Withoedenveem 8, 623 6237

Paradiso Weteringschans 6-8, 626 4521

The Eagle Warmoesstraat 90, 627 8634

Galerie Wouter van Leeuwen Hazenstraat 27, 06 5203 1540

Patronaat Zijlsingel 2, Haarlem, 023 517 5858

Torch Gallery Lauriergracht 94, 626 0284

Plantage Doklaan 8-12 Plantage Doklaan

Tropenmuseum Linnaeusstraat 2, 568 8200

Gallery Vassie 1e Tuindwarsstraat 16, 489 4042

Platform 21 Prinses Irenestraat 19, 344 9449

Under the Grand Chapiteau Next to ArenA, 621 1288

Heineken Music Hall ArenA Boulevard 590, 0900 300 1250

The Powerzone Spaklerweg, 681 8866

Van Gogh Museum Paulus Potterstraat 7, 570 5200

PRIK Spuistraat 109, 06 4544 2321

Verzetsmuseum Plantage Kerklaan 61, 620 2535

Hermitage Amsterdam Nieuwe Herengracht 14, 530 8751

Public Space with a Roof Overtoom 301, 06 1117 4239

W139 Warmoesstraat 139, 622 9434

Horse Move Project Oosterdokskade 5 Post CS

RAI Europaplein 22, 549 1212

Winston Kingdom Warmoesstraat 129, 623 1380

Hotel Arena ’s-Gravesandestraat 51, 850 2400

Rembrandthuis Jodenbreestraat 4, 520 0400

The Zebra Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 14, 330 5266

Huis Marseille Keizersgracht 401, 531 8989

Rijksmuseum Jan Luykenstraat 1, 674 7000

Zuiderkerk Zuiderkerkhof 72, 552 7987

ARCAM Prins Hendrikkade 600, 620 4878 Arti et Amicitiae Rokin 112, 624 5134 ArtOlive Polonceaukade 17, 675 8504 Aschenbach & Hofland Galleries Bilderdijkstraat 165C, 412 1772 bak Lange Nieuwstraat 4, Utrecht, 030 231 6125 De Balie Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen 10, 553 5151 Bethaniënklooster Barndesteeg 6, 625 0078 Beurs van Berlage Damrak 277, 530 4141 Bijbels Museum Herengracht 366-368, 624 2436 Bimhuis Piet Heinkade 3, 788 2150 De Brakke Grond Nes 45, 626 6866 Café Meander Voetboogstraat 3, 625 8430 Café Pakhuis Wilhelmina Veemkade 576, 419 3368 Café Sappho Vijzelstraat 103, 423 1509 Carl Berg Gallery Wittenburgergracht 315, 489 7471 Centraal Museum Nicolaaskerkhof, Utrecht, 030 236 2362 Chiellerie Raamgracht 58, 320 9448 Club 8 Admiraal de Ruyterweg 56B, 685 1703 CoBrA Museum Sandbergplein 1-3, Amstelveen, 547 5050 Concertgebouw Concertgebouwplein 2-6, 671 8345 Consortium Veemkade 570, 06 2611 8950 Crea Muziekzaal Turfdraagsterpad 17, 525 1400 Crea Theater Turfdraagsterpad 17, 525 1400 Cruise Inn Zuiderzeeweg 29, 692 7188

Imagine IC Bijlmerplein 1006-1008, 489 4866 Jimmy Woo Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 18, 626 3150 KIT Tropentheater Mauritskade 63, 568 8711 KochxBos Gallery 1e Anjeliersdwarsstraat 3-5, 681 4567 De Levante Hobbemastraat 28, 671 5485 Lexion Avenue Overtoom 65, Westzaan, 0900-BelLexion Maison Descartes Vijzelgracht 2A, 531 9500 Maloe Melo Lijnbaansgracht 163, 420 4592 Mediamatic Post CS, Oosterdokskade 5, 638 9901 Meervaart Meer en Vaart 300, 410 7777 Melkweg Lijnbaansgracht 234A, 531 8181 Melkweg Galerie Marnixstraat 409, 531 8181

Cruise Terminal Rotterdam Wilhelminakade 699, Rotterdam, 010 202 5007

Melkweg Theater LIjnbaansgracht 234A, 531 8181

DanceStreet 1e Rozendwarsstraat 10, 489 7676

Montevideo/Time Based Arts Keizersgracht 264, 623 7101

De Engelenbak Nes 71, 626 3644

Museum Hilversum Kerkbrink 6, Hilversum, 035 629 2826

Exit Reguliersdwarsstraat 42, 625 8788

Muziekgebouw Piet Heinkade 1, 788 2010

Mix Café Amstel 50, 420 3388

Amsterdam Weekly

Blind

FILM Edited by Julie Phillips.This week’s films reviewed by Shyama Daryanani (SD),Angela Dress (AD), John Hartnett (JH),Luuk van Huët (LvH),JR Jones (JJ),Dave Kehr (DK),Terri J Kester (TJK), Steven McCarron (SM),Marie-Claire Melzer (MM),Vincent Moritz (VM),Mike Peek (MP),Julie Phillips (JP),Jonathan Rosenbaum (JR),Marinus de Ruiter (MdR) and Bregtje Schudel (BS).All films are screened in English with Dutch subtitles unless otherwise noted. Amsterdam Weekly recommends.

A Prairie Home Companion

so cute she seems on the verge of turning into a bunny and hopping off into the brush. Ewan McGregor is the eager young publisher Norman Warne, who took a chance on Potter’s stories in 1902 and pressed her snobbish parents for her hand; Emily Watson is Warne’s sister, who befriended Potter. The romance is twee, but the movie’s first half follows in fascinating detail the innovations Warne introduced to popularise illustrated picture books for children. Chris Noonan (Babe) directed. (JJ) 92 min. Cinecenter, Pathé ArenA, Pathé De Munt, Pathé Tuschinski The Prestige When you have such good actors at your disposal and such visual finesse, it’s a real shame to bet everything on one clever trick. See review on p. 19. 130 min. Pathé ArenA, Pathé De Munt, Pathé Tuschinski

Still playing 4 Elements Documentarist Jiska Rickels portrays

Festivals Cine en construcción Showcasing the works of young Spanish-language American film-makers, this small festival is organised by Instituto Cervantes, with films chosen to highlight cultural diversity in the South American film world. Offerings include La demolición (Argentina) and Alma Mater (Uruguay), both in Spanish with English subtitles, and Extraño and Ronda nocturna (both Argentina), in Spanish/Dutch. 8-13 February. Melkweg Cinema Himalaya Film Festival This year’s edition has as its theme ‘Mapping the Tibetan World’, with films related to the stunning vistas and unique culture of the Himalayas. It includes a retrospective of the documentary and feature films of Ritu Sarin en Tenzing Sonam (Dreaming Lhasa, The Shadow Circus: The CIA in Tibet) and a multimedia presentation on ‘Shangri-La: Himalaya in the Geographical Imagination’. All events and films are in English or have English subtitles. 1011 February. Filmhuis Griffioen Recent Romanian films Since 1989, Romanian cinema has undergone a small boom, producing several original directors and a lively cinema specialising in black comedy. Now the Filmmuseum and Rialto are devoting space to a mini-fest of new Romanian films. They include The Way I Spent the End of the World (Catalin Mitulescu), the story of a seven-year-old boy who saves the Romanian people from dictatorship, and 12:08, East of Bucharest (Corneliu Porumboiu), a comedy about a small-town television station attempting to celebrate the anniversary of the revolution. Filmmuseum, Rialto

New this week Bamako In a courtyard in a slum in Bamako, the

capital of Mali, the World Bank and IMF are subjected to a mock trial, accused of creating poverty in Africa. Meanwhile, Melé, a bar singer, and her husband Chaka break up; another couple get married; the residents of the courtyard work and play alongside the abstract discussion of Africa’s economic malaise. Intriguing in both content and structure, the film was directed by Abderrahmane Sissako. In French/Bambara with Dutch subtitles. 115 min. Rialto Blind While actress-turned-director Tamar van den Dop may have based her feature debut on a cheesy expression—‘love is blind’—the execution is dead serious. The physically and psychologically damaged Marie (Halina Reijn) finally finds love with a blind young man (Joren Seldeslachts). But when he regains his sight, will his love still be blind? Van den Dop takes full advantage of the serene snow-clad landscapes of Bulgaria (posing for Belgium) and Reijn’s perfectly restrained body language, but is more concerned with the dichotomy between seeing and being seen than with a bona fide storyline. In Dutch. (BS) 98 min. Het Ketelhuis, Pathé De Munt Miss Potter As the sheltered Londoner who created Peter Rabbit and struck gold with her illustrated children’s stories, Renée Zellweger gives a performance

8-14 February 2007

the four elements by linking each one to man’s efforts to use—or fight—them. Each element has its own landscape, atmosphere, language and protagonists, hard workers making a living in the face of adversity. Earth is represented by a coal mine, water by crab fishermen in the Bering Strait, fire by firefighters in Siberia and air by a crew of astronauts in training. Narration and dialogue are in Russian, English, German and Kazakh, with sparing use of subtitles; but in this beautiful, thought-provoking film, the challenge to the audience is amply repaid. (TJK) 100 min. Het Ketelhuis, Rialto After the Wedding Jacob Petersen has dedicated his life to helping street children in India. When the orphanage he heads is threatened by closure, he receives an unusual offer from Danish businessman Jørgen who offers him a donation of four million dollars. There are, however, certain conditions: not only must Jacob return to Denmark, he must also take

part in the wedding of Jørgen’s daughter. This proves to be a critical juncture between past and future and catapults Jacob into the most intense dilemma of his life. In Danish with Dutch subtitles. 120 min. De Uitkijk An Inconvenient Truth This souped-up slide show by former US VP and presidential candidate Al Gore is brought to you in full Lecture-Vision, as the man bashes you over the head with statistics, pictures, scientific facts and cute computer-animated polar bears to make you understand the importance of his mission. Gore is out to save the world from global warming and Uncle Al needs you! If you’re already in the know, it might be a sermon to the converted, but that doesn’t detract from the importance of this documentary and how it inspires people—maybe even you—to make a difference. (LvH) 100 min. Kriterion, Pathé ArenA, Pathé Tuschinski Flandres Shy Démester lives a dull life on a farm. His only pleasure is occasional sex with free-spirited Barbe. Disaster strikes when he and a few of his friends are called up to serve in a (nameless) war. They commit and undergo unspeakable crimes, leading to subtle but profound changes in the protagonist’s personality. French director Bruno Dumont’s films are hit or miss. His last, Twentynine Palms, was a definite miss, but Flandres, which won the Jury Prize at Cannes, is a hit. Its slow pacing and strong visuals allow us to get inside Démester’s head, even though he hardly speaks. However complex Dumont’s films may seem, his message is always simple: everyone, everywhere, wants to be loved. In Flandres, it takes the experience of evil to help the main character acknowledge this need. In French with Dutch subtitles. (MP) Rialto The Great Ecstasy of Robert Carmichael The ‘ultraviolence’ in A Clockwork Orange comes off rather tame when compared to the gruesome acts performed by the protagonists in this controversial

Five-Word Movie Review

BLIND LOVE: A BAD IDEA Blind Het Ketelhuis, Pathé De Munt

feature film by young British director Thomas Clay. The Great Ecstasy starts off calmly as a realistic, well filmed portrait of school kids drowning in boredom and drugs in a dreary English coastal town, but gradually veers off into the ridiculously apalling. For those who like their youth dramas over the top, go ahead and visit these rare screenings. Others are advised to stay home and watch The O.C. instead. (MdR) 96 min. Melkweg Cinema The Holiday Iris (Kate Winslet) lives in London and faces the same problem as Amanda (Cameron Diaz) in Los Angeles: men. In order to get away from it all they switch houses for two weeks, only to find out that love can’t be avoided. Iris runs into local film composer Miles (Jack Black) and Amanda hooks up with Graham (Jude Law), Iris’ brother. Director Nancy Meyers has Bridget Jones (Iris) meeting Posh Spice (Amanda) in a bittersweet Christmas fairy tale that works mainly thanks to its incredibly charismatic cast. Winslet once again shows her excellent range, Diaz outdoes herself and, for once, Jack Black truly seems a nice guy. Check your cynical self at the door and enjoy Hollywood at its cutest. (MP) 135 min. Pathé ArenA, Pathé De Munt

Special screenings Bil’in My Love The first shot of Bil'in My Love (Bil'in Habibti) couldn’t be more symbolic. An excavator is removing olive trees to make way for an Israeli fence. That the fence actually runs right through the Palestinian village of Bil’in doesn’t seem to bother the Israeli soldiers who are assigned to quash any form of protest. Israeli film-maker Shai Carmeli Pollak joins forces with the Palestinian villagers and other peaceful protesters from all over the world, whose auspicious stance gives a glimmer of hope for a better future. (BS) 85 mins. Kriterion Caché This brilliant if unpleasant puzzle-without-asolution about surveillance and denial finds director Michael Haneke near the top of his game, though it’s not a game everyone will want to play. The brittle host of a TV book-chat show (Daniel Auteuil) and his unhappy wife (Juliette Binoche) start receiving strange videos that track their comings and goings outside their Paris home. Once the husband traces the videos to an Algerian he abused when both were kids, things only get more tense, troubled and unresolved. Haneke is so punitive towards the couple and his audience that viewers may find themselves rebelling against— or even denying—the husband’s rage. In French with Dutch subtitles. (JR) 117 min. Filmmuseum Every Day God Kisses Us on the Mouth Dark tale from 2001 about a serial killer redeemed by love. Directed by Sinisa Dragin. In Romanian with Dutch subtitles. 93 min. Rialto Gosford Park This 2001 comedy drama, set in 1932 in an English country house, is probably Robert Altman’s most accomplished film since the ’70s. Among its virtues are a fine English cast, a good script that incorporates certain aspects of Agatha Christie-style whodunnit, and the interesting ground rule that no guest be shown unless a servant is present in the same scene. There are

more characters of interest here than in Nashville, and an almost constantly moving camera tends to objectify the relationships among them. With Eileen Atkins, Bob Balaban (a Hollywood producer), Alan Bates (a butler), Helen Mirren, Clive Owen, Derek Jacobi and Stephen Fry doing a M Hulot impersonation. (JR) 137 min. The Movies Harold and Maude Hal Ashby’s black comedy portrays a suicidal teenage boy (Bud Cort) who drives around in a second-hand hearse and goes to strangers’ funerals. Then he falls in love with the 79year-old Maude (Ruth Gordon) and learns to take life as seriously as death. This 1971 film, with its soundtrack by Cat Stevens, became a cult classic for obvious reasons and surely influenced Tim Burton in his portrayals of ghostly misfits. Also screening: Eaux d’artifice (1953, 13 mins) by experimental film-maker Kenneth Anger. 90 min. De Nieuwe Anita

Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media A first-rate Canadian documentary (1992) by Mark Achbar and Peter Wintonick about the brilliant linguist and radical political commentator Noam Chomsky, probably the best living critic of American foreign policy as viewed through the media. Chomsky is so articulate and intelligent that this extended look (167 minutes) remains compulsively watchable, and the film-makers pull off the unlikely feat of making the film genuinely humorous in spots. (JR) OT301

Memoirs of a Geisha In his first feature since Chicago, director Rob Marshall tackles Arthur Golden’s best-selling novel about a geisha girl in 1930s Japan. From being sold to a geisha house by her father when nine years old to retiring in her late twenties, Chiyo/Sayuri (Suzuka Ohgo, Ziyi Zhang) faces many heartbreaking struggles on her road to becoming the most celebrated geisha in Kyoto, most of all the perpetual bullying of head geisha Hatsumomo (Li Gong),

but at the heart of the story is her love for a handsome businessman (Ken Watanabe). Despite the celebrated Asian cast, beautiful imagery and alluring music, the script remains flat, lacking emotion and on-screen passion. (SM) 145 min. Pathé ArenA Munich Steven Spielberg made us feel exhilarated about killing Arabs with Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981); a quarter of a century later he’s decent enough to have second thoughts, but he can’t find much to do with them in this mediocre thriller. (JR) 162 min. Pathé Tuschinski October Also known as Ten Days That Shook the World, Sergei Eisenstein’s 1928 reconstruction of the Russian Revolution is a classic of visual style. The montage often plays better in analytical retrospect than it does on the screen, but much of this silent movie is genuinely stirring--when he wasn't theorising, the man really could cut film. (DK) 80 mins. Kriterion Santa Sangre This feature by Alejandro Jodorowsky, filmed in Mexico in English, is watchable and fun in a campy, sub-Fellini sort of way—if only because of its dogged devotion to surrealist excess. It’s about a crazed former magician whose religious fanatic of a mother has had her arms cut off. She compels her son to become her lost hands, forcing him, among other things, to murder lots of women. Screening in a special Valentine’s Day programme along with a performance by Slowakian dancer Dauphin Milan. (JR) iLLUSEUM To Die For A double bill by the uneven Gus Van Sant. To Die For (1995, 106 mins) is a staccato black comedy about the ambitions of a small-town bimbo telecaster, in a spot-on performance by Nicole Kidman, and is mostly good nasty fun. Also screening: the experimental Last Days (2005, 97 mins), about the death of a junkie rock star à la Cobain, filmed with a dreary mannerist doggedness. (JR) Rialto

Amsterdam Weekly

8-14 February 2007

19 Any rabbits in those hats?

Christopher Nolan’s new film is spectacular to watch, but ultimately there’s less here than meets the eye.

WHAT YOU SEE IS ALL YOU GET By Bregtje Schudel ‘Are you watching closely?’ is a line that keeps recurring in Christopher Nolan’s latest feature, and with reason. The Prestige is, after all, a movie about the world of magic, where nothing is as it seems— except if you know where to look for the

The Illusionist In 1900s Vienna, the magician Eisenheim (Edward Norton) appears capable of the greatest feats, from slowing the movement of an object in mid-air to making an orange tree grow instantaneously from a newly planted seed. His wizardry confounds both Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell) and Inspector Uhl (Paul Giamatti), who, despite growing admiration, is ordered to shut him down. Trapped in a corner, Eisenheim hires a group of Chinese assistants and begins to dabble in the spirit world. When an apparition of the late Duchess Sophie van Teschen (Jessica Biel), his childhood love as well as the Prince’s betrothed, manifests itself onstage, the problems begin to get out of hand. Suddenly, both the monarchy and the magician are in danger. A romantic love story and intriguing political thriller, directed by Neil Burger, with score by Philip Glass. (JH) 110 min. The Movies, Pathé ArenA, Pathé Tuschinski Indigènes French/Algerian director Rachid Bouchareb set his new film in 1943, when the cheerful young North Africans Saïd, Yassir, Messaoud and Abdelkader, enlist in the French army to fight for their country. Instead, they find themselves caught between the horrors of the battlefield and the prejudice of their fellow soldiers. The four leads, as a group, won last year’s Best Actor award at Cannes; after the film came out in France, President Chirac promised the surviving colonial veterans (who never received full benefits) compensation. In French and Arabic with Dutch subtitles. 128 min. Kriterion

trapdoor. Before the press screening, the distributors asked reviewers not to reveal the ending. And though the twist in the tail is hardly as earth-shattering as this request implies, it will be upheld here. Either way, the main story is quickly told: the film deals with the bitter rivalry

draws the naive young man deeper into his murderous regime, and by the time the doctor fully grasps the depth of Amin’s evil he’s complicit in it. (JJ) 123 min. The Movies, Pathé ArenA, Pathé De Munt Leef! Director Willem van de Sande Bakhuyzen (who died just after the film’s release) and screenwriter Maria Goos made this pedestrian drama sbout Anna (Monic Hendrickx), a woman in her forties facing crises in her work and marriage. It’s a lesser film than their earlier success Cloaca. In Dutch. (SM) 108 min. Filmhuis Griffioen Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man The trick of a true ladies’ man is that he knows how to act out the part of a sad and lonely one. No woman with a heart can resist that. Leonard Cohen knows the trick: he has written numerous sad songs and slept with numerous beautiful women. Just admit it, a line like ‘I said that I was curious, I never said that I was brave’ (from ‘So Long, Marianne’) is a very romantic way of saying: ‘Sorry babe, I found someone more interesting than you.’ And now, in his seventies, the Canadian bard has had a beautiful blonde, Lian Lunson, shoot a documentary about him. The film contains footage of a recent concert in Sydney, as well as old material and interviews, both with Cohen himself and artists such as Nick Cave, Beth Orton and Rufus and Martha Wainwright, who all talk about his influence on their music. (MM) 105 min. Het Ketelhuis Lights in the Dusk Aki Kaurismaki’s trilogy about Finnish despair (Drifting Clouds, The Man Without a Past) closes with this story of the lonely night watchman Koistinen (Janne Hyytiäinen), who gets caught up with a femme fatale. In Finnish with Dutch subtitles. 78 min. Filmmuseum

Little Miss Sunshine In this offbeat comedy, a fracThe Last King of Scotland

The Last King of Scotland This compelling UK dra-

ma features a titanic performance by Forest Whitaker as Idi Amin, the brutal dictator who terrorised Uganda throughout the ’70s. A fictional young Scottish doctor (James McAvoy) follows his taste for adventure to Africa and becomes personal physician to the general, who’s just seized power in a military coup. Alternately charming and sinister, vulnerable and vengeful, Amin

tious family of misfits piles into an ailing VW bus and sets off for California so the youngest (Abigail Breslin) can compete in a children’s beauty pageant. Suffering each other along the way are her irascible grandfather (Alan Arkin), suicidal uncle (Steve Carell), Nietzscheobsessed teenage brother (Paul Dano), beleaguered mom (Toni Collette), and abrasive dad (Greg Kinnear), a motivational speaker whose nine-step programme for success constantly aggravates the others’ sense of failure. As scripted by Michael Arndt, this isn’t much more than a glorified sitcom, but it deftly dramatises our con-

between two magicians, Rupert ‘The Great Danton’ Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred ‘The Professor’ Borden (Christian Bale). Both are looking for the ultimate trick, with fatal consequences. The plot sounds simple, and in many ways it is. But a keen observer will soon discover that it’s not about Angier and Borden at all, nor is it about the ‘surprising’ ending. There’s a third magician at play: none other than Christopher Nolan himself, The Great Illusionist. Like Georges Méliès more than a century before him, Nolan has discovered the one great common denominator between magic and cinema: suspension of disbelief, accompanied and aided by the art of misdirection. Just like a magician, Nolan diverts viewers’ attention from the obvious with his dazzling visual flair, clever montage

flicting desires for individuality and an audience to applaud it. Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris directed. (JJ) 102 min. Kriterion, Pathé Tuschinski Ober Absurdity reigns once again in Alex van Warmerdam’s latest feature, a hysterical tale about the many bizarre misfortunes of a waiter named Edgar (played by the director himself), who also happens to be the main character of a manuscript in the making. Reality and fiction coalesce even further when the badgered Edgar complains to his creator about all his mishaps and demands restitution. Van Warmerdam’s characteristic grim sense of humour and the many hilarious guest appearances by renowned Dutch thespians make this a film you’re not likely to forget. In Dutch. (BS) 97 min. Het Ketelhuis

Olivier etc. Director Sander Burger’s feature film debut concerns a young man with a heart condition that could kill him at any moment. As a result, he lives life to the fullest, never having to think about the future or make long-term commitments. But when his condition is cured, he suddenly has to take responsibility. Olivier, who in his illness always appeared so strong, now—in health—behaves like a victim. A marvellous performance by Dragan Bakema gives depth to this heartfelt story. In Dutch. (BS) 92 min. Het Ketelhuis

Our Daily Bread This may remind you of We Feed the World, the documentary by Erwin Wagenhofer that was released in the Netherlands last November. Like that film, it’s a behind-the-scenes look at how meat and produce make the transition from soil to supermarket. But Our Daily Bread is far more experimental, abstaining from dialogue and even music. Alternating shots from the work floor of a meat-packing plant with the same people silently eating their lunches, Austrian director Nikolaus Geyrhalter creates a mood of inevitability. He is not interested in opinions or politics, only in showing the bizarre, almost science-fictional way our food is produced in the 21st century. (MP) 92 min. Filmmuseum Paris, je t’aime Countless films have been devoted to this most romantic of cities, but this one is set apart by its portmanteau premise: 18 directors were asked to make a five- to six-minute movie that takes place in Paris and deals with love. The results can be funny, like the Coen Brothers’ ‘Tuileries’, or beautiful, like ‘Tour Eiffel’ from Sylvain Chomet. There are sur-

and intricate storylines. It’s the same ‘trick’ he used seven years and three features ago with his breakthrough film Memento. In that film, he ingeniously blindsided the audience with a narrative that retraced its steps; it was well thought out and worked like a charm— until you realised that the inverted storytelling masked a complete lack of plot. On the DVD release of Memento, it’s possible to watch the story in chronological order, proving what every entertainer knows: once you take away the gimmick, the fascination stops. The Prestige suffers from a similar ailment. Once you know where to look, once you’ve discovered the mechanism behind the magic, the film loses its mystery, its lustre. When you have such good actors at your disposal and such visual finesse, it’s a real shame to bet everything on one clever trick. It wouldn’t be so bad, though, if Nolan didn’t taunt us with his cunning. During the movie, he implies we’re missing the secret by repeatedly asking us if we are paying close attention, while at the same time telling us that it doesn’t really matter, that we don’t want to know, that we even want to be fooled—which, if correct, would make the twist ending kind of redundant. Nolan is like a conjurer who’s constantly telling us we’re being fooled. It’s a sad miscalculation in an otherwise well-crafted movie. The Prestige opens Thursday at Pathé ArenA, Pathé de Munt and Pathé Tuschinski.

prises (Wes Craven’s tender ‘Père-Lachaise’), disappointments (Alfonso Cuarón’s ‘Parc Monceau’), and original takes on romance (Alexander Payne’s celebration of self-love in ‘14th Arrondissement’). In all its visual and topical scope, it’s hard not to love Paris je t’aime. In French and English with Dutch subtitles. (MP) 120 min. Pathé Tuschinski Perfume: The Story of a Murderer One of the most expensive European films ever produced, Perfume, based on Patrick Süskind’s book, is a sinister fairy tale about Jean-Baptiste Grenouille (Ben Whishaw), who is born with an unusually sensitive nose and becomes obsessed to the point of murder with making the perfect scent. As long as you’re not allergic to Tom Tykwer’s mysticism, it’s an incredibly sensual film. With Dustin Hoffman as master perfumer Giuseppe Baldini and Alan Rickman as the father of endangered love interest Rachel Hurd-Wood. In English. 147 min. Kriterion, Pathé De Munt, De Uitkijk

A Prairie Home Companion Director Robert Alt-

man’s final film has turned a popular American radio show into an enormously entertaining backstage comedy with country and western music. The movie takes place during a fictional last performance of the show, which has been cancelled by a Texas media conglomerate; as the numbers play onstage, an angel of death (Virginia Madsen) wanders the wings searching for her prey. These hokey plot elements provide an adequate structure for some of the funniest and warmest character improvisations Altman generated in years. (JJ) 105 min. The Movies The Queen Helen Mirren’s flinty performance as Elizabeth II is getting all the attention, but equally impressive is Peter Morgan’s insightful script for this UK drama, which quietly teases out the social, political, and historical implications of the 1997 death of Diana, Princess of Wales. Shortly after the shocking news reaches Britain, Prime Minister Tony Blair (Michael Sheen) scores a PR coup by memorialising Diana as the ‘people’s princess’, while the royal family’s obstinate silence angers their grieving subjects. But Blair is more sympathetic to Elizabeth than many of his staffers, and he instinctively understands what she cannot: that in the tabloid age, celebrities are dangerously usurping the monarch’s hold on the public imagination. (JJ) 97 min. Cinecenter, Cinema Amstelveen, The Movies, Pathé Tuschinski

Amsterdam Weekly

Red Road If there were an Oscar available for Best

Film to Make You Glad You Weren’t Born in Glasgow, Andrea Arnold would walk away with it for her feature debut. Red Road presents us with Jackie (Kate Dickie), a woman who monitors CCTV cameras for signs of disorder. She begins tracking a man named Clyde; as the reasons for her actions are revealed, it’s in the sexual arena that she conspires to exact revenge. Her vulnerability and sadness are framed against the bleak buildings of a run-down sink estate to lend the film much of its power. (AD) 113 min. Het Ketelhuis, Kriterion Requiem Michaela grows up in a deeply religious family in southern Germany. When she leaves home for university and discovers a more secular world, she begins to question her faith. At the same time, her epileptic seizures grow worse. She consults a priest who confirms her worst fears: she is possessed by the devil. Her friends urge her to seek psychiatric help, but in the end can only watch as Michaela’s devout religious convictions lead to her doom. Based on a true story, Requiem is directed by Hans-Christian Schmid with great sensitivity for the claims of both Michaela’s worlds. In German with Dutch subtitles. 93 min. Filmhuis Griffioen Salaam E Ishq A husband (John Abraham) tries desperately to restore his wife’s (Vidya Balan) memory, an engaged bachelor (Akshaye Khanna) realises he does not want to get married, a middle-aged married man (Anil Kapoor) looks for excitement from his monotonously perfect life, a taxi driver (Govinda) waits every day at the airport for his dream girl to appear, an item girl (Priyanka Chopra) tries to change her image to land a role in a Karan Johar film and a newlywed couple are unable to consummate their marriage due to a series of blunders. A movie about six different couples, from London to Delhi, struggling with the dilemmas of love. Go prepared: the film lasts over three hours. In Hindi with Dutch subtitles. (SD) Pathé ArenA

FILM TIMES Thursday 8 February until Wednesday 14 February. Times are provided by cinemas and are subject to last-minute changes. Film times also at www.amsterdamweekly.nl De Balie Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen 10, 553 5151 Tehran Has No More Pomegranates Fri, Sat 20.30. Cavia Van Hallstraat 52-I, 681 1419 ShortCircuit: Op de rafelrand Fri 20.30. Cinecenter Lijnbaansgracht 236, 623 6615 Babel daily 15.45, 18.45, 21.45, Sun also 12.45 Little Children daily 16.00, 19.00, 21.45, Sun also 11.15 Miss Potter daily 16.30, 19.30, Sun also 11.15 The Queen daily 16.15, 19.30, 22.00, Sun also 11.00, 13.45 La Tourneuse de pages daily 21.45, Sun also 13.45. Cinema Amstelveen Plein 1960 2, Amstelveen, 547 5175 Casino Royale Thur-Sat 20.30, Sun 16.15 Charlotte's Web (NL) Sat 13.30, Sun 12.00 Ernst, Bobbie en de geslepen Onix Wed 13.30 Happy Feet (NL) Sat, Wed 15.30, Sun 14.00 The Queen Thur 15.00 La Tourneuse de pages Tues, Wed 20.30. Filmhuis Griffioen Uilenstede 106, Amstelveen, 444 5100 Eden Thur 21.30, Fri, Tues 19.00 Himalaya Filmfestival Sat, Sun Leef! Thur 19.00 Requiem Fri, Tues 21.00. Filmmuseum Vondelpark 3, 589 1400 12:08 East of Bucharest Sat 19.30, 21.45 Caché Thur, Sun-Wed 17.15 Exam Tues 19.30, Wed 21.45 Hommage aan Christian Nemescu Fri 19.30, Sun 21.45 Kuifje en het Haaienmeer Sun, Wed 14.00 Lights in the Dusk Thur, Sat, Sun, Tues, Wed 19.45, Fri 17.45 Lorange & Co Sun, Wed 13.45 Love Sick Thur 19.30, Fri 21.45 Occident Mon 19.30, Tues 21.45 Our Daily Bread Thur, Sat, Tues, Wed 17.45, 21.30, Sun 15.15, 21.30, Mon 17.45 The Paper Will Be Blue Thur 21.45 Ryna Sun 19.30, Mon 21.45 Stuff and Dough Wed 19.30 The Way I Spent the End of The World Mon, Tues 19.30. iLLUSEUM Witte de Withstraat 120, 770 5581 Santa Sangre Wed 20.30. Het Ketelhuis Haarlemmerweg 8-10, 684 0090 4 Elements Thur-Sat, Mon-Wed 18.30, Sat, Sun, Wed 15.00 De Avonturen van het Molletje Sat, Sun, Wed 13.30 Blind daily 19.30, Thur-Sat, Mon-Wed also 17.30 Kruistocht in Spijkerbroek (NL) Sat, Wed 15.00, Sun 13.00 Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man Sat, Sun, Wed 15.00 Ober Thur-Sat, Mon-Wed 17.15, Thur, Fri, Sat also 20.30 Olivier etc. daily 2015, 22.00 Red Road daily 19.15, 21.30, Sat, Sun also 13.45 Schoffies Thur, Sat, Mon-Wed 17.00, Sun 13.30 Zwartboek daily 21.15. KIT Tropentheater, Kleine Zaal Linnaeusstraat 2, 568 8500 Journey to the Sun Tues, Wed 20.30. Kriterion Roetersstraat 170, 623 1708 An Inconvenient Truth daily 17.15, Sun 12.30

8-14 February 2007

Schoffies Documentary by Marc van Fucht about the herons of Amsterdam. In Dutch. 60 min. Het Ketelhuis

Joe Carnahan; with Ben Affleck and Jeremy Piven. (LvH) Pathé ArenA, Pathé De Munt

The Science of Sleep Michael Gondry’s latest flick

Ten Canoes This indigenous morality drama, set in

is a bit more lightweight than his previous efforts, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. The Science of Sleep is a rumination on love and longing, in this case the love felt by the dopey Stéphane for his lanky neighbour Stéphanie, which he expresses by presenting all kinds of inventive doodads for her. While Stéphane is a cocksure and confident dude in his cardboard-riddled dreams, he turns into a clunky kid in real life. Gondry’s inventive low-fi aesthetic is always appealing, as are the two leads, Gael García Bernal and Charlotte Gainsbourg. In Spanish/English/French with Dutch subtitles. (LvH) 105 min. Kriterion

Smokin’Aces

Australia in the year 1000, begins with a young man who has taken a fancy to his older brother’s wife. To teach the youngster not to break the sacred tribal laws, the brother tells an ancestral story that directly relates to the delicate issue at hand. The story takes place in a mythical past and deals with forbidden love, kidnapping, sorcery and revenge gone deadly wrong. Films about indigenous people tend to meet with a solemn approach. Director Rolf De Heer (born in Holland in 1951, raised in Australia) ventured far from this beaten path, mixing epic storytelling with cheeky humour in this mythic swamp comedy—a thoroughly entertaining film that will teach you how to live the proper way. In English/Ganalbingu with Dutch subtitles. (VM) 90 min. The Movies, Rialto La Tourneuse de pages A young, working-class girl with a talent for the piano sees her chance at further education ruined by the thoughtless arrogance of a well-known concert pianist. Ten years later, she goes to work for a lawyer who turns out to be the husband of the woman who changed her life. A taut thriller with a strong performance from Déborah François as the embittered Mélanie. In French with Dutch subtitles. 85 min. Cinecenter, Cinema Amstelveen

Smokin’ Aces It’s very easy to classify this hyperactive pile-up of exploitation genres as a wannabe-Tarantino flick; but for connoisseurs of trashy cinema who have an open mind and low expectations, this grab bag, mixing up everything from Elmore Leonard and Mad Max to Foxy Brown and Hostel, is a hyperkinetic hoot-and-a-half. The two drawbacks in this drama about the attempt to kill a Las Vegas entertainer are a formulaic twist that anyone with half a brain can see coming and a forced climax in which the audience is asked to care about the one-note characters. But if you want an over-thetop movie experience, knock yourself out! Directed by

Zwartboek In the closing days of World War II, a Jewish cabaret artiste (Carice van Houten) is betrayed to the Nazis, escapes and joins a resistance group. When she is assigned to seduce a German officer (Sebastian Koch) she falls in love with him, one of the many plot twists (some more, some less credible) in Paul Verhoeven’s complex, violent, gripping and deeply cynical adventure story. With Halina Reijn as a good-time girl, Thom Hoffman as a resistance leader and Michiel Huisman as a red herring. In Dutch. (JP) 139 min. Het Ketelhuis, De Uitkijk

Bil’in My Love Wed 17.30 Buddha's Lost Children Sat, Sun 15.30 Indigènes Thur-Sat 19.30 Little Miss Sunshine Thur-Sun, Tues, Wed 22.00, Fri, Sat 0.00 Oktober Mon 22.00 Perfume:The Story of a Murderer Sun-Wed 19.15, Sat 14.30 Red Road daily 20.00 The Science of Sleep Thur-Mon, Wed 22.15, Fri, Sat also 0.15, Sun also 13.30 Sneak Preview Tues 22.15. Melkweg Cinema Lijnbaansgracht 234A, 624 1777 Cine en Construccíon Thur-Tues 20.00 The Great Ecstasy of Robert Carmichael Sat, Sun, Wed 20.00. The Movies Haarlemmerdijk 159-165, 638 6016 Babel daily 22.00 Beestenboel Wed 15.00 Flushed Away (NL) Sat, Sun 15.00 Gosford Park Fri, Sat 23.45 The Illusionist daily 17.15, Sun 13.00, Fri, Sat 0.35 The Last King of Scotland daily 21.45, Sat, Sun, Wed also 14.45, Fri, Sat 0.00 Little Children daily 19.30, 22.00, Sat, Sun, Wed 14.30, Fri, Sat 0.30, Sun 12.00 Prairie Home Companion,A daily 17.30, 19.45, Sun also 12.15 The Queen daily 17.00, 19.00, Sun also 12.30 Ten Canoes daily 17.15, 19.30, Sat, Sun, Wed 15.15 The Way I Spent the End of The World daily 21.30. De Nieuwe Anita Frederik Hendrikstraat 111, 06 4150 3512, Harold and Maude Mon 20.30. OT301 Overtoom 301, 779 4913 Manufacturing Consent:Noam Chomsky and the Media Tues 20.30. Pathé ArenA ArenA Boulevard 600, 0900 1458 An Inconvenient Truth Tues 15.00 Apocalypto Thur-Sun 20.50 Arthur en de Minimoys Fri-Sun, Wed 13.25, 16.05, Sat, Sun also 10.15 Babel Thur-Tues 20.40 Beestenboel Wed 13.20, 15.40 Blood Diamond daily 18.15, 21.20, Thur-Tues also 15.10, Thur-Sat, Mon, Tues also 12.05 Casino Royale daily 15.00, 18.00, 21.10, Thur-Sat, Mon-Wed also 12.00 Déjà Vu: D-4 Thur-Mon, Wed 21.35 The Departed Mon-Wed 20.50 Ernst, Bobbie en de geslepen Onix Wed 13.30, 15.15 Flushed Away (NL) Fri, Sat, Wed 12.00, 14.00, Sat also 10.00, Sun also 11.00, 13.30 The Good Shepherd Tues 20.00 Happy Feet (IMAX) daily 12.50, 15.25, Thur-Tues also 17.55, Sat also 10.10 Happy Feet (NL) Fri-Sun, Wed 13.10, 15.35, Sat also 10.40 The Holiday daily 18.00, 20.55, Thur, Mon, Tues also 12.10, 15.05 The Illusionist daily 18.50 Kruistocht in Spijkerbroek (NL) Fri-Sun, Wed 13.00, 15.50, Sat also 10.20 The Last King of Scotland daily 16.10, 21.15, Thur-Sat, Mon-Wed also 13.30, Sat also 10.45, Sun also 11.30 Maskeli Besler daily 13.45, 16.15, 19.10, 21.40, Sat also 10.55, Sun also 11.15 Memoirs of a Geisha Tues 13.30 Miss Potter daily 12.55, 15.30, 18.10, 20.30, Sat also 10.05 Plop in de stad Sat, Sun 10.05 The Prestige daily 18.35, 21.30, Thur-Mon, Wed also 12.40, 15.35, Tues also 12.00 Pursuit of Happyness daily 13.15, 16.00, 19.00, 21.45, Sat also 10.30 Salaam E Ishq Thur-Mon, Wed 16.05, 20.20, 16.05, 20.20, ThurSat, Mon, Wed also 11.45, Tues 13.55 Saw III daily 19.05, Thur-Mon, Wed also 16.00, Thur, Mon also 13.30, Tues also 16.35 Smokin' Aces daily 22.00, Thur-Tues also 14.30, Thur-Mon, Wed 17.00, 19.30, Thur-Sat, Mon, Tues also 12.00, Tues also 18.30 Sneak Preview Tues 21.00 Son Osmanli daily 18.45, 21.25, Thur, Mon, Tues also 13.25, 16.05 ’N Beetje Verliefd daily 18.25, Thur, Mon, Tues also 13.00, 15.50. Pathé De Munt Vijzelstraat 15, 0900 1458 Apocalypto daily 18.10, 21.20, Thur, Mon, Tues also 12.05, 15.05 Arthur and the Minimoys Fri-Sun, Wed 13.10, 15.40, Sat also 10.40, Sun also 10.45 Arthur en de Minimoys Fri, Sun, Wed 12.50, 15.25, Sat 10.50, 13.20, 15.50, Sun also 10.25

Babel Thur, Mon, Tues 13.30, 16.45, 20.15, Fri, Sun, Wed 17.50, 21.10, Sat 18.30, 21.45 Beestenboel Wed 12.10, 14.25, 16.40 Blind Thur, Fri, Sun-Wed 14.30, 17.00, 19.30, 22.05, Thur, Fri, Mon, Tues also 12.00, Sat 16.10, 18.45, 21.10, 23.35 Blood Diamond Thur, Fri, Sun-Wed 15.15, 18.15, Thur, Fri, Sun, Mon, Wed also 21.30, Thur, Fri, Mon-Wed also 21.30, Sat 12.30, 15.45, 19.00, 22.30, Sun also 14.15, Tues also 21.10 Casino Royale Thur, Mon, Tues 14.00, 20.40, Fri, Sun, Wed 20.50, Sat 15.00, 21.30, Sun 14.15 Charlotte's Web (NL) Sat 11.20, 13.45, Sun, Wed 12.20, Sun also 10.15 Déjà Vu: D-4 Thur, Fri 18.50, Sat 20.25 The Departed Thur, Fri, Sun-Wed 20.30, Sat 22.00 Ernst, Bobbie en de geslepen Onix Wed 12.30, 14.30, 16.30 Happy Feet Fri, Sun, Wed 14.25, Fri, Wed also 12.05, Sat 10.10, 12.35, 15.10, Sun also 11.30 Happy Feet (NL) Fri, Sun, Wed 12.35, 15.10, Sat 10.45, 13.50, 16.30, Sun also 10.10 The Holiday Thur, Fri, Sun-Wed 14.00, 17.30, 20.30, Sat, Sun 11.00, Sat also 14.50, 18.00, 21.20 Kruistocht in Spijkerbroek/Crusade in Jeans Fri, Sun, Wed 12.00, Sun also 11.10 The Last King of Scotland Thur, Fri, Sun-Wed 13.00, 16.00, 19.00, 21.45, Sat 10.30, 13.35, 16.25, 19.20, 22.15 Man of the Year Thur, Fri, Sun-Wed 17.55, Thur, Mon, Tues 12.35, 15.10, Sat 19.15 Miss Potter Thur, Mon, Tues 13.15, 15.30, 17.55, Fri, Sun, Wed 16.50, 19.20, 21.40, Sat 17.50, 20.25, 22.50 Nacho Libre Thur, Fri, Sun-Wed 18.50, Thur, Fri, Mon, Tues also 12.00, 14.15, 16.30, Sat 17.30 Night at the Museum Sat 23.25 Perfume: The Story of a Murderer Thur, Mon, Tues 17.30, Fri, Sun, Wed 17.40, Sat 18.15 The Prestige Thur, Fri, Sun-Wed 15.00, 18.00, 21.00, Thur, Fri, Mon-Wed 12.15, Sat 11.00, 14.00, 17.00, 20.00, 23.00 Pursuit of Happyness Thur, Fri, Sun-Wed 12.10, 17.45, 20.45, Thur, Fri, Mon-Wed also 14.45, Sat 11.15, 14.15, 17.15, 20.15, 23.15, Sun also 15.00 Rocky Balboa Thur, Fri, Sun-Wed 18.45, Sat 17.45 Saw III Thur, Fri, Sun-Wed 21.55, Sat 23.30 Smokin' Aces Thur, Fri, Sun-Wed 22.00, Thur, Fri, Sun, Mon, Wed also 19.15, Thur, Fri, Sun, Mon also 13.45, 16.30, Sat 10.10, 12.40, 15.15, 18.00, 20.45, 23.30, Tues also 13.20, 15.55, 18.30 Sneak Preview Tues 21.30 ’N Beetje Verliefd Thur, Fri, Sun-Wed 12.10, 14.15, 16.40, Sat 11.15, 13.35, 15.50, 18.05, Sun also 10.10. Pathé Tuschinski Reguliersbreestraat 34, 0900 1458 An Inconvenient Truth Thur 11.40 Apocalypto Thur, Fri, Sat 20.50 Arthur en de Minimoys Sat, Sun, Wed 13.30 Beestenboel Wed 13.15 Bobby daily 15.15, 21.15 Casino Royale daily 21.15 Ernst, Bobbie en de geslepen Onix Wed 12.50, 14.50 The Illusionist daily 12.45, 18.40 Little Children daily 18.00, 21.00, Fri-Mon, Wed also 15.00 Little Miss Sunshine Thur-Tues 13.15, Sun-Wed also 21.45 Miss Potter daily 17.00, 19.30, 22.00, Thur-Tues also 12.00, 14.30 Munich Thur, Tues 13.30 Paris, je t'aime Fri-Mon, Wed 12.15 The Prestige Thur-Sat, Mon-Wed 12.30, 15.30, 18.30, 21.30, Sun 13.10, 15.50, 18.45, 21.40, The Queen daily 16.45, 18.45, Thur, Mon, Tues also 13.45. Rialto Ceintuurbaan 338, 676 8700 4 Elements daily 18.00, Sat, Sun, Wed also 15.45, Sun also 11.30 Bamako daily 17.45, 21.45, Sat also 15.30, Sun also 13.00 Dark Horses Fri 16.00 Every Day God Kisses Us on the Mouth Fri 23.00 Flandres daily 19.30, 21.15, Sat also 23.00, Sun also 14.15 Into Great Silence Fri-Sun, Wed 16.15, Sun also 11.15 Last Days Sat 16.00 Manhattan Sun 11.00 Ten Canoes daily 20.00, Fri, Sun, Wed also 15.30, Sat also13.15 To Die For Sat 13.30 The Way I Spent the End of The World daily 19.45, 22.00. De Uitkijk Prinsengracht 452, 623 7460 After the Wedding daily 21.15 Forever Sun 14.00 Perfume:The Story of a Murderer daily 18.30 Zwartboek daily 16.00.

8-14 February 2007

Amsterdam Weekly

Wok like a man Wok Culinair Ceintuurbaan 256-260, 676 1688 Open Daily 16.30-22.30 Cash, PIN Wallowing in the Year of the Pig, honoured readers, your Glutton sallied forth to seek out new pocket-friendly places that he had never ventured into before. His trusty spiritual guide, Pigasus, the mythical flying porker, flapped across Amsterdam’s rooftops to land in De Pijp outside Wok Culinair on Ceintuurbaan. Caramba! (And that’s a very appropriate word, as the previous incumbent was a Mexican restaurant). What an enormous space! You walk into a vast 200-seater and yet you get a feeling that it’s equally possible to enjoy an intimate dinner for two as a rowdy army of feeders. There’s a simple formula at work—at wok!—here. You get one round of teppanyaki and as much stir-fry and buffet as you like for €17.50 a head between Monday and Thursday, and €19.50 on weekends and holidays. For starters, there’s a Japanese teppanyaki grill. First, you make a one-off choice from a selection of different meats. There are lamb chops, boned chicken thighs, fillet steak, pork chops and salmon chunks and raw vegetables. You take this to the chef, who grills it to order. He moves fast, flipping and turning the sizzling meat like a casino croupier, wielding his spatula like a pro. The veggies go to the wok chef, who blanches the vegetables before stir-frying the selection on high-temperature, air-fed gas burners. Lovely, healthy stuff.

THE UNDERCOVER GLUTTON Then came the teppanyaki. Unfortunately, I didn’t fully understand the rules, so I chose three lamb chops, two small pieces of excellent beef and a chicken thigh. Behind him is a board listing a selection of sauces, ranging from neutral oyster sauce to really spicy Thai curry and coconut, or beyond, into three-chilli rated territory with the

Szechuan sambal with fresh peppers. Hot enough to melt steel, that is. Besides the stir-fry counter, there’s a hot and cold buffet, with food kept warm in bain-

maries. I tend to avoid this kind of stuff, though, since lying in state like that tends to dry out the victuals. The only solution is to tuck in when the chefs brings it out fresh. Anyway, with all the lovely fresh meat, fish, vegetables and seafood lying chilled and just waiting to be selected and cheffed, why settle for less? On this occasion, the Glutton disgraced himself. His menu selection went as follows: two delicious sushi pieces with pickled ginger and eye-watering wasabi, followed by a piquant Chinese soup with vegetables and omelette strips (there are two daily soups to choose from). Then came the teppanyaki. Unfortunately, I didn’t fully understand the rules, so I chose three lamb chops, two small pieces of excellent beef and a chicken thigh. The chef snapped: ‘One piece only!’ I apologised, offering to put them back. Oops. He cooked them, anyway. My vegetables included wood ear fungus, raw and spring onions and broccoli florets. The wok man fried them with ginger, garlic and black bean sauce. The flavour combination was delightful—my meat and multiple vegetables were cooked to a T. I skipped the rice and noodles: it tends to fill up gluttons on the loose. The wok section came next. Many prawns, steak strips, spring onions, straw mushrooms, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts were blanched and fried in oyster sauce. Some noodles accompanied this as a side. All excellent. The friendly staff regarded me and joked among themselves in Chinese. I imagined they saw my body with a pig’s head on it, snuffling greedily at the trough. Some fresh kiwi, pineapple and melon slices ended my gargantuan rampage. Well, one shouldn’t overdo it, should one?

Amsterdam Weekly

WEEKLY CLASSIFIEDS Ads are free, space permitting. They will be posted both to the paper and online. Guaranteed placement is available for a small fee; see our website for details. Ads may be published in English, het Nederlands or whatever language is best for you to communicate your message. How to submit an ad: via our website at www.amsterdamweekly.nl, by fax at 020 620 1666 or post to Amsterdam Weekly, De Ruyterkade 106, 1011 AB Amsterdam. Deadline: Monday at 12.00, the week of publication. AD OF THE WEEK CELLOGRAM V-DAY Make this the best Valentine's Day ever! Have a lovely professional cellist come to her/his work, home, dinner on the town and play the sounds of love. Then a single red rose (damm cool) book. One day only: Valentine's Day! Call 06 3844 4074.

HOUSING OFFERED 100S OF APTSavailable in A’dam immediately. From €450 p.m. www.xpatrentals.com/offers. ROOM IN DE PIJP€572. Female wanted for room in De Pijp sharing w/ 1 other female & 2 male internationals. Incl wi-fi/gas/elec central heating. Nice big, light room. Registration poss. 2 mths deposit needed, legal contract. Share kitchen, bathroom. Contact 06 2419 7168 or room.ams@ gmail.com. Available immediately. BALI, INDONESIA Furnished 2bedroom villa in beautiful Bali, Indonesia. Available long- or short-term. Next door to temple and including servant, gardener, air conditioning and cable TV. Contact Fatima 06 4876 3940. WENSLAUERSTRAAT Fully furnished apt for rent, 65m2, 2 bedrooms, living room, big kitchen, nice bathroom with bath, great canal view. For 6 months from beginning of March. €1100 incl TV subscription, internet and electricity/gas. Contact +32 438 123 59. 2 BEDROOMS AVAILABLE fur-

nished apartment(TV, CD player, video machine, study table, dishwasher, dryer, etc). Big kitchen, open-roof balcony. Good location. Contact billyw8@yahoo.com.

HOUSING WANTED 2-BEDROOM APT required for 2 working professionals, preferably unfurnished, in De Pijp, Oud Zuid, Centrum or close by. Will pay up to €1300 p.m. for right place. Excellent references available. Contact 06 2755 8607. LOOKING FOR A STUDIO Working Spanish girl looking for studio to live in from the beginning of Mar. Close to the Centraal Station. €500 p.m. or less. Contact Maria 06 2837 3494. NICE ROOM WANTEDPartnered 50+ gay man requires double room w/ 2 chairs, table, TV & internetinA’damCentrum.Veryclean, tidy person & I do not impose on others. Would like room full-time even though would only use it occasionally when I visit from Scotland. Am a moderate smoker. Email mflamarra@aol.com.

HOUSING TO SHARE AMSTELVEEN One large bedroom with walk-in closet available in Amstelveen. Apt to share with Polish and American girls. €600 p.m. incl. Available from 1 March. Contact 06 44157289. FLATMATE WANTED To share large luxury 2-bdrm apt (+/100m2) in De Pijp close to metro/tram/shops.Fullyfurnished room (+/-25m2), own balcony, ensuite w/ shower/sink. Kitchen,

dining&livingrooms,toiletshared w/ 1 other person. All mod cons, TV/DVD/wi-fi. Available1 March. €775 incl. Call 06 3842 6307. ROOM FOR RENT available in centrally located apt, to be shared with 28 y.o. artist from SF/ NYC. Space is very creative & funky, especially perfect for another artist/ artisan. Rent is €425 + €50 utilities & is available immediately. Contact art@simonemagikalia.com/06 4104 4221.

OTHER SPACES PHOTO STUDIO TO RENT for amateur and professional photographers. Can also be used as meeting or gathering space. 100m2, €150/day. Also possible to rent photo equipment. Studio has high ceilings, good natural light and located on WG Plein, adjacent to Overtoom. For appt. and more info contact D Ingel: 06 2883 4224. GREAT STUDIO SPACE suitable for graphic designer to rent in center of A’dam (near Leidseplein). Available from now until July. Rental duration negotiable. Internet access, well-lit, high ceilings, +/-50m2. Email basmorsch@wanadoo.nl for more information.

WORK OFFERED IT JOBS IN NLWe have over 650 IT and technical support jobs for non-Dutch speakers all over NL. www.xpatjobs.com. IT SECURITY Calling all IT Security Professionals! Are you a CISA or CISSP qualified IT professional? We want to hear from you.

We have great contacts within the IT Security Industry and can assist you in finding great career opportunities. Contact Jcarpenter@Antal.com/751 6100. www. antal.com. ACCOUNT MANAGER Dutchspeaking account manager (inside) for major global software vendor. Must have ICT experience and HBO education. Competitive salary and excellent benefits. Kick-start your sales career! Contact Jo at Antal on 751 6100, email jreid@antal.com or visit www.antal.com. PHOTOGRAPHERS WANTED Sugar Factory looking for photographers enthusiastic about going out in our club & making high-quality pictures to grasp spirit of the night. Will put you on guest-list + 1 & all used pix used for promotional goals will have your name on it! Interested? Email sanne@sugarfactory.nl w/ work samples. SECURITY OFFICER A vacancy has arisen in The British Consulate General, Amsterdam. The role requires a diligent, highly motivated and experienced person who will, after appropriate training, be expected to operate largely within a small team. For further details look on the website www.britain.nl. UNDUTCHABLES Recruitment Agency Amstelveen are looking for: Translation Coordinator speaking Danish or Swedish (Wesley Felida), Accountant Speaking Spanish (Wesely Felida), Outside sales person for

Nordic countries (Judith Engels). Contact amstelveen@undutchables.nl. More positions www.undutchables.nl. (PARA) MEDICS WANTEDExpat doctor is looking for serious health professionals (psy/ physio/ giro etc) to join new expat health centre in central A’dam (Jordaan area). Will start April 2007. Office available on sessional, daily or monthly basis. Contact 06 1771 4131/huisartsen@planet.nl. BOATHANDYMAN WANTEDLooking for handyman to fix boat. Small 4 metre canal boat, needs de-watering, cleaning, new rain shield and if possible fixing of motor. Contact Rick 06 1771 4131/rickbridge@hotmail. com. OPPORTUNITYOur multi-million company offers you an opportunity to build an organisation and a residual income. Just listen to our pre-recorded info line on 799 1626. If you want more information without any obligation just send an email to www.reneheeren.acnrep.com or contact 06 2602 0136. EXPAT PHYSIO SOUGHT Experienced Australian/Canadian physiotherapist sought for parttime English-speaking work in a corporate health clinic. Please send CV to physioamsterdam@gmail.com. MALE MODEL WANTED Painter/sculptor looks for male model who has athletic/dancer figure. Age between 18-33 y.o. and able to pose for 2 hours. Pause included. €35. Call 624 8068. OPPAS GEZOCHTNiet rokende, Nederlands sprekende oppas gezocht. Ervaring en referenties vereist. Reacties met foto naar miauw@miauw.com. TRANSLATION JOB Company looking for native French and Italian people who speak fluent English for a part-time translation job. Contact michal@ staff.onehello.nl.

8-14 February 2007 FREELANCE WORKWriter seeks part-time research assistant (age immaterial). Central A’dam. Tel 06 4828 1051 or email CV to imagefound@ yahoo.com.TED

FOR SALE HOUSE CLEARANCE All for sale from fridge freezer, washer, dryer, bed, DIY equipment, DVDs, videos, all kitchen utensils. Microwave, coffee machine, sofa, table chairs and much more. Contact rapenburgnl@hotmail.com for more details. FUTON FOR SALE IKEA two-person futon including cover, €25. Contact 06 4798 0501. TAAL VITAAL+AUDIO CD I have a completely new Taal Vitaal (Nederlands voor beginners blue cover)with audio CD (still wrapped) for sale. €15 for the set. Contact Zuzana4@hotmail.com mentioning Taal Vitaal in the email header.

SERVICES ENGLISH MAN WITH VAN can help with removals big or small, in or outside of country. Reasonable rates, quick service. Contact Lee on 06 2388 2184 or isabelleandlee@planet.nl. FRED'S PET CARE Friendly dogwalker with references, available from 07.00-20.00 to take care of your pets. Also possible to keep them during the day and overnight. Reasonable rates. Call Fred 06 1649 1359. XPAT PAGES Looking for an English-speaking plumber, dentist, lawyer etc? Visit www.xpatpages.com. BEST MOVING SERVICEIN TOWN Driver with van (10m3) or truck (40m3) available. Plus extra moving men, hoisting rope and elevator. Any combinations possible. Call Taco on 06 4486 4390, email info@vrachttaxi.com or check out www.vrachttaxi.com. NEED A STUNNING WEBSITE? Experienced web designer builds professional, unique sites for very reasonable prices. Online

links to past projects a vailable. Jordan: jordangcz@yahoo.com, 06 3034 1238. LET ME SHOOT YOUblack queer fine art and commercial photographer, new to A’dam, specialises in teaching photography, nudes, portraits, portfolios and private commissions, etc. www.ajamufotographie.com. Contact 06 4373 4716.

email to tulipany@live.nl. PORTRAIT ARTIST Professional freelance oil painter available for commissions. Portraits of adults, children and families. Visit www.annagreaves.com to see examples of Anna’s work. Contact Anna Greaves on 06 1811 5098 or anna@annagreaves.com for more information or to make appointment.

ENGLISH EDITOR University of Toronto graduate with experience in the field of Marketing and Public Relations is able to edit, proof read or even write various types of English language documents. Student rates. Contact Anna 06 3393 3259.

PROFESSIONALHAIR COLORIST with more than 15 years experience offer his services for good rates. Highlights, tint and semitint, creative colours. Also trained in make-up and hairstyling. Call 06 2413 7392.

CLEANING/IRONINGNice friendly and experienced couple looking for more housecleaning and ironing work in A’dam and Amstelveen. Our work is fast and good with reasonable rates. References available. Contact 06 4365 9790.

THINKING ABOUT THERAPY? Heighten your quality of life and improve your relationships with the help of a native Englishspeaking therapist. My 20 years of professional experience and understanding can help you better cope with feelings and sort through stressful thoughts. Contact Sagar 06 4626 5412.

GET ONLINEGet your company online in 48 hours. We offer professional web design and full corporate re-branding. For more info contact sales@echo1.nl or log onto www.echo1.nl. ENGLISH COMMUNICATORFreelance English communication specialist. Writes, edits and proof reads your English language content for website, brochures, menus, etc. Very competitive rates. Contact Helen 06 1350 1570. HOUSEKEEPING If you are looking for somebody for cleaning, ironing, dropping and picking your children up at school, just contact me. I am a Brazilian girl, 24y.o.livinginA’dam.Ihaveexperience and references. Contact 06 4409 6591/lysbordun@hotmail.com. TULIPANY Are you thinking about starting a business? Do you have a business but adminstration and papers are not your thing? Call Tulipany on 06 1021 8271 or send an

HEALTH & WELLNESS

EMOTIONAL RESCUE Want to know the secret to having a happier, more joyful and fulfilling life? I am a professional & certified counselor who can help you solve & end your emotional problems. Short-term counseling can change your life & bring peace & happiness back into your life (American/English). 06 4626 5412. SKINNYONFATWORKSHOPInthis workshop we will explore the differencebetweengood&badfats & how they can become part of a healthy lifestyle. A cooking lesson will demonstrate these fats in delicious recipes. A’dam, 21 Feb, 19.00, €50/€35 if reserved before14Feb.Contactjoslyn@justnosh.com/06 1242 4524. HEALER Life coach, reiki healer and yoga teacher offers all types of sessions. Contact 06 5210 1547/www.empowerall.eu. COUNSELLING Expat specific counselling to reduce stress and

Amsterdam Weekly

8-14 February 2007 feelingsofdisplacement.ArtTherapycounsellinghelpsyouexpress your feelings and gain insight into yourself. €60 p.h. Contact Jeroen de Wit 06 4842 7860. DENTIST Are you searching for a dentist? Do not be afraid of the dentist! Please contact Avicenna Dental Practice in A’dam for your dental needs. American-trained dentist, gentle and caring with more than 10 years experience in all aspects of dentistry includingcosmetics.Contact6126093.

HOME IMPROVEMENT PAINTER + HANDYMANI am available to paint inside and outside or lend a helping hand. Reasonable rates. Lots of practical and professional experience. Good references available. Contact Dacho 06 4275 6045. DUTCH HANDYMANHave been expat myself for 12 years. For all technical domestic, maintenance and rebuilding jobs. Specialising in kitchens and creating storage space in hardly and non-used space in your house. Speak fluent English. De Bock Home Improvement. Contact 06 1064 0697.

COMPUTERS PC HOUSE DOCTORSpecialised in virus/spyware removal, H/W, S/W repair, data recovery, wireless, cable/ADSL installation and computer lessons from friendly and experienced Microsoft professional for reasonable price. Contact Mario 06 1644 8230. NEED HELP WITH YOUR MAC? MAC-lover helps you with basic setups, minor troubleshooting, install, networking, basic MAC lessons, setting up programs, MS Word, QuarkXpress, etc. Help with purchasing the right MAC. Contact Sagar at7791926. ALL ABOUT THE MACExperienced teacher in computer skills teaches Aperture for Photographers, Photoshop, Final Cut and more at reasonable rates in your home. Contact ribomedia@gmail.com.

23 ENGLISH PRACTICE GROEnglish Language Practice Group open toalllevels,beginnertoadvanced. Led by native speaking TEFL Instructor, Practice Group meets Tues 19.00-21.00 at Voetboogstraat11. Grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, conversation & more. Informal & inexpensive. Contact elizabethehr03@ yahoo.com/486 1037.

MASSAGE GREAT MASSAGEWe offer both 2 hands and 4 hands massages. We are located in a cosy massage studio near Leidseplein. Contact 774 5930/06 2743 2883 or check our website for more information: www.souldancing.nl. RELAXING BODYMASSAGE Very good-looking sportive masseur, 24 y.o, gives total relaxing body masasge for gentlemen. Contact Kima on 16 2192 7429. HEALING MASSAGE Relax into the new year. Offering relaxing massage using a variety of techniques, pressure points and oil. Reiki and rebirthing also available. Please call 06 2862 4557. SHIATSU COURSE Learn how to give a simple but efficient treatment. Introduction to the basic principles of shiatsu. 10 Wed from 9.30-11.45 starting 7 Feb. More info at monikaforster@ dds.nl/693 7808.

COURSES TAI CHI LESSONSTai Yang school starting new courses now. Beginners welcomed. Come train body, mind and spirit. See website and sign up for free introduction lesson. www.taiyang.nl or 623 0835. DRUMLESSONS!Studywithexperienced professional. Reading and rudiments to rock ‘n’ roll. Beginners to working drummers. Call Jack Dempsey on 06 1707 8673.Emaildrumdempsey@hotmail.com. HEALING WORKSHOPS Learn Hands-on Energy Healing, Guided Visualisations, Shamanic Journeys in the ‘Source of Life’ workshop series. Heal yourself & others & reconnect with your inner being. 8-wk course Wed 13.15-16.45 starting 14 Feb at Aurora Holistic Centre. Misha: 06 466 94556 or www.soulweaving.com. YOGA WITH REENA Experience yoga with Indian teacher. Discov-

er how simple yoga practices can help you to live a healthy & happy life. Learn the science of living in harmony with yourself and the world around you. Yoga is suitable for all age groups. For more information contact 06 4390 2470/www.YogAmsterdam.nl. IYENGAR YOGA CLASSES with certified Iyengar yoga teacher Cristina Libanori, Tues 19.30 to 21.00 at Training Centrum, Europaplein127 near RAI. Tram 4 (stop Dintelstraat). €8 p/class; with yoga strippenkaart €7.50. Individual therapeutic classes arranged by appt at €20/hr. cristina@the-wheel-ofyoga.com/773 5307. DRAWING AND PAINTINGDrawing and painting workshops by professional artist. Various techniques, all styles. Contact 681 3067/joneiselin@hetnet.nl. VOICE OVERS Learn a comprehensive overview of the voiceover industry. Workshops run weekly in A’dam. For more information visit www.voicetake.com. SIVANANDA YOGA CLASS New Sivananda Yoga classes in the Mirror Centre with Lupe Haripriya. Weekly classes on Wed, from 19.30-21.00. Drop-in class: €10. 10-class card: €90. More information: www.mirrorcentre.nl. Class limited to15 participants. To register contact jeroendewit@mirrorcentre.nl.

OPEN CLASS NIA-FREE Thur 1 March from19.45-21.00 and Fri 2 March from14.00-15.15. Class limited to15 participants. Please register at jeroendewit@mirrorcentre.nl. More info at www.niawilma.nl. STILL LOOKINGfor the right yoga class? Think you are too creaky? At Studio Body & Mind, Herculestraat 109, it’s not about tying yourself in knots but feeling good in your own body. Trial class thru Feb. Only €5. Find a lttle time for yourself & boost your winter energy. more info www.peakexperience.nl. NEW BELLY DANCE course in A’dam at Mirror Centre. Every Mon & Fri from 20.30-21.45. Starting 15 Jan ‘07. More info at www.sitadance.com or contact 06 2518 1717. THEATRE TRAININGThur10.3012.00 for actors, dancers, performers interested in the basics of physical theatre. Use energy efficiently, stimulate presence and challenge the creativity of the performer. Fee:10rate card is €50 and valid for 2 mths. Place: WAT Studio in Bos en Lommer. Call 488 8449. BALLET DANCE LESSONS Freestyle jazz dance with classical elements. Level beginners. Develop your body to dance, strength + flexibility. Tues nights at19.45.http://home.tiscali.nl/balletjeannetsmit. Call 682 5478 or email jeannetsmit@yahoo.com.

FUN COOKING CLASSES Rediscover your love of cooking. New cooking classes based on plantbased,organic,whole-foodingredients.TopicsfromHealthySweets to 30 Min Whole Food Meals. Classes are kept small to provide personalattention.Visitwww.justnosh.comorcontactjoslyn@justnosh.com for info or to reserve. YOGA FOR WOMEN Friendly & well-established yoga group has space for new women. Tues mornings in A’dam Centrum. Contact 679 8753. PAINTING WORKSHOPSin studio in canal house along Amstel river near Muziektheater. Courses in different materials. Open studio, visit for single session. Cultural events for small groups, a visit to a museum and a painting-workshop. More information in English: www.inloopatelieramstel.nl.Contact0622990420.

LANGUAGES DUTCH LESSONS Improve conversation or for professional purposeorstudies,NT2,indivlessons, €15/hr and intensive courses and online lessons/min intensive:15 hrs = €187.50. Adults & children. http://home.tiscali.nl/stylusphant /indexdutch.html, excellentdutch@hotmail.com or call 06 3612 2870. SPANISHCOURSELearningSpanish is easy! Given by 20 years (native) exp. KIT prof. Fun topics, literature, food, lifestyle, standard Latin American Spanish for

Travellers. 2-3 persons €16. Private €22. Flexible schedule in Oud-West, Zuid. Info: yanodav9@yahoo.co.uk or 06 1931 6130. DUTCH LESSONSNew evening courses starting in Feb, centre of A’dam. €200-€250 for 20 hours. Visit www.mercuurtaal.nl or contact 693 4250. CURSUS PORTUGEES Braziliaans-Portugees voor beginners in A’dam (vlakbij CS) met inspirerende Braziliaans docente. In 12 lessen de beginselen van de Portugese taal eigen maken. Start 23 Feb. Tijden: vrij-middag of vrij-avond. Prijs: €175. Lesboek: €35. Info/inschrijving 639 2913 (ook voor privélessen). MOBILE DUTCH Still getting to grips with Dutch? Download a handy translator for your mobile phone at www.steape.com. Available in 17 languages with 100 handy phrases. Comes with both text & sound so your pronunciation is flawless. Lighter & more fun than traditional phrase books. DISCUSSING IN DUTCH Dutch langage is driving me crazy! I am learning hard but struggling a bit. Would you like to be the one who is going to help me improve? Can offer French lessons or a nice drink in exchange. Drop me an email if you are up for it. Contact black_light_district@hotmail.com.

IMPROVE YOURSPANISH! Experienced Latin American Spanish teacher in small groups as well as private lessons, conversations and grammar. Call for more info: 06 2518 1717. LEARNING DUTCH?JOOST WEET HET! €7/hr. 2x2 hrs/wk. Don’t go to sleep in wintertime, improve your Dutch at Joost Weet Het! Courses on all levels and real quality. Visit our website www.joostweethet.nl or call us at 420 8146 or email info@aprenderholandes.nl. INTENSIVE DUTCHCOURSES at Joost Weet Het! €7/hr, 4x4 hrs/wk. We have an unconventional and very clear learning method. Fun classes, emphasis on conversation and inexpensive! Visit www.joostweethet.nl or call us at 420 8146 or email info@aprenderholandes.nl. ABC TREEHOUSE Castillian (Spanish), Italian, Dutch & English. A new group begins each week!Native teachers and low prices! More info in: www.treehouse.nl or unlimitedeurope@gmail.com.

MUSICIANS SINGING LESSONS On Prinsengracht, beautiful atmosphere. Classical voice training, breathing techniques, vocalization, scales,etc.Forbeginnersandprofessionals. From classic to jazz, pop or rock, all styles of singing. Good prices + free introduction lesson. Contact Michael on 320 2095 or ajara77@ yahoo.com. STEM IN BEWEGING Voor wie: Iedereen die nieuwsgierig is

naar de mogelijkheden van stem, zang & beweging en die op zoek is naar diepgang in het werken met de stem. Contact info@steminbeweging.nl. Aanmelden. Voor meer informatie kijk op www.steminbeweging.nl of bel 419 8389. VOCAL COACHINGSinger/songwriter offers vocal coaching/confidence and songwriting skills sessions. Contact 06 52101547 or visit www.dvoradavis.com.

PERSONALS GIRLFRIEND WANTED Charming, well-educated, athletic man, living in central A’dam, financially independent and looking for a good-looking, slim girlfriend with g.s.o.h. Contact amsterick@hotmail.com. FOR NEW EXPERIENCES I am a good-looking 26 y.o. straight who has lately been having fantasies about men. I would like to discover more about this world. If you feel the same contact 25.prince@gmail.com.

ANNOUNCEMENTS CAR FOR RENTPeugeot 307 station wagon in excellent condition for rent until 1 July. €250 p.m. For information contact berthuiberts@holdam.nl. SCOTTISH MEDIUM SHIP in Nicky’s place in Haarlem. On11 Feb at14.00 we’re proud to present Scottish medium John Johnson who uses his medium ship to prove survival after death. Entrance fee €7.50. Located in elderly center on Van Oosten de Bruynstraat 60, Haarlem. Call Nicole on 023 532 1009 or visit www.nickysplace.nl. INTRO TO KABBALAH Ready for change? Do you want to become the director of your own life? Come to the free introduction lecture by the Kabbalah Centre (www.kabbalah. com). 21 Feb at 19.00, De Roos, PC Hooftstraat 183, A’dam. To register email arie.politi@kabbalah.com or call free in NL on 0800 023 5027.