Amsterdo September 2012 by Amsterdo

FREE CITY MAP // DISCOUNTS & OFFERS // NEWS & EVENTS // ART & CULTURE // CLUBS // TOP 5 // STYLE SEPTEMBER 2012

SOMETHING SOOTHING IN SEPTEMBER

IN THIS ISSUE:

INSIGHT - MAGNEET FESTIVAL

TOP 5 - HIDDEN CITY ART

FEATURE

THIS DAM LIFE - LIVING IN AMSTERDAM

THE CITY RITES

STREETS OF OUR CITY

6 12

THE TASTE - SINGEL 101 FREE CITY MAP

CLUBS & EVENTS

THAT DAM TECH

LOCAL BEAT - ART & MUSIC

STAGE & SCREEN

14 LOKAL MOKUM

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR DEAR AMSTERDAM, What an August we had! The city turned into a bit of a playground for everyone over August. Gay pride took the run of the canals just before the Grachtenfestival while at least one outdoor festival every weekend was the norm. To top it all off Uitmarkt took over centre stage towards the end of the month (despite the weather). On a personal note, I turned 28 (oh to be old) and my brother, who I hadn’t seen in four years, made his first appearance in Europe. He was sufficiently wide eyed… September, September…. What can I really say about September? It’s kind of one of those annoying, in-the-middle months. But in Amsterdam it’s known for holding desperately onto the summer and softening the blow that winter is winding up to smack us within a couple months time. But let’s not think about that just yet. September has the Fringe festival, the Magneet festival and the clubs will start filling up once again. There are some amazing Turkish films showing around Amsterdam and all the kids have gone back to school (yay!). The weather should still be good for a while longer and I also get to celebrate my four year anniversary of arriving in Europe this September as well. AmsterDO has had a pretty good last month. We stepped up our facebook page and likes have been soaring. We are always running new competitions so get on it show us your thumbs and be in to win. We have also started a couple of new partnerships with some great businesses around Amsterdam but probably most exciting of all – Joe, the senior editor, and I have been invited for an interview on the English Breakfast Radio Show on Monday the 10th at 8am. So make sure to tune into 99.4 FM to hear it!

INTERACT WITH THE WORLD AROUND YOU! Layar is a mobile app for discovering information about the world around you. Using Augmented Reality (AR) technology, Layar displays digital information, unsurprisingly called “layers” into your smartphone’s field of vision. We at AmsterDO like to embrace innovation, as well as support our local start-ups, so are very excited by our first augmented edition, and would love to hear your views. Look out for the Layar Logo throughout the newspaper for more interactive media content.

Well, as I am writing this I have a bit of a cold and am in need of a cup of tea and a biscuit. But I hope you are doing well Amsterdam and remember to keep in touch.

After installing Layar scan this page with the app to see a welcome message from the AmsterDo Team.

You are AmsterDO

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Yuri Cartland

chiefeditor@amsterdo.com

1. Go to get.layar.com to install the app on your smart phone.

2. Look for pages and content with the Layar Logo

3. Open the app and press the ‘Tap to view’ button...

DIRECTOR

AMSTERDO WANTS YOU!

Baz Riachi

do@amsterdo.com

SENIOR EDITOR

Joe Wegecsanyi

4. ...and discover an amazing extra layer of content.

‘EVERYTHING AMSTERDAM’

Welcome to Amsterdam's newest community newspaper! We aim to provide a reliable source of news, opinion and insight into the depth and diversity of Amsterdam, whilst simultaneously providing visitors with a unique guide to the various levels of the city.

senioreditor@amsterdo.com

ART DIRECTOR

CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER

grafix@amsterdo.com

dan@amsterdo.com

Ben Neill

Dan van Dahl

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND SALES

PHOTOGRAPHER

sales@amsterdo.com

pics@amsterdo.com

Michael Raciti

David Cenzar

CONTRIBUTORS

Amy Lowthian, Bernou Schram, David Beckett, Dean Sadikot (innit), Katherine Oktober Matthews, Gerard Looker, Catherine Smith, Marte Hellema, Tom Denicolai and Jaime Menchén Lopéz Special thanks to – ClubNL, Emir Sergo, Jack van den Burger, Douglas, Amsterdam Fringe festival and Singel 101.

The team at AmsterDO come from all over the world and have a very mixed background, but one thing we all have in common is that we all love Amsterdam! We at AmsterDO don’t pretend to know it all. We don’t want this paper to voice the thoughts and opinions of a select group of people. We want this paper to be the voice of a city! We want local writers, photographers, artists, organizations and businesses to all be a part of AmsterDO. Each month we will be holding parties and competitions for everyone who wants to get involved. If you have an event, a story, some artwork, a good cause, a mission or a dream.... Please get into contact with us and we will share it with the city.

The AmsterDO Team - contribute@amsterdo.com

INSIGHT

MAGNEET FESTIVAL

Get creative with the Magneet Festival, a three week long Amsterdam spectacular (www.magneetfestival.nl) Amsterdam is, undoubtedly, a very creative city. If you get past the usual tourist tramping grounds, and venture into the depth of Amsterdam life, you’ll find countless people expressing themselves in countless and diverse ways. In September, things get even more creative, because, until the 16th of September, the Magneet Festival has come to town! This is kind of like Amsterdam’s own version of the famous ‘Burning Man’ festival, but without the commercially based hype that Burning Man now attracts. Their ethos is that ‘there are no spectators, and only participants’, because this is about everybody getting together for music, theatre, art creation, kids’ activities, good vibes and more. Held in Amsterdam’s eastern Zeeburgereiland in an artificial sand valley, Magneet’s month long tenure is something not to be missed out on. Volunteers are always welcomed by the organization

Photographs: Arthur de Smidt

AMSTERDAM FRINGE FESTIVAL

If you’ve never heard of the AFF, this is definitely the year to get yourself acquainted (www.amsterdamfringe.nl) Based on the successful model of the Edinburgh, Adelaide and New York Fringe Festivals, this is a 10 day event that takes place on the fringes (get it?) of and concurrently to the more orthodox Dutch Theatre Festival.This is an opportunity to explore the avante-garde of Amsterdam’s drama scene, with 80 theatre groups and over 30 venues contributing to a powerful explosion of theatrical energy, all around the city.

TOP

HIDDEN CITY ART

At Amsterdo we’re dedicated to bringing you fresh and alternative views and things to do in Amsterdam. We’re serious about showing you other possibilities of what this city has to offer.

o we went to the sagely council of local elders, and we asked them to come up with a series of TOP 5 lists. Having sat witness to all the ebbs and flows of Amsterdam’s 800 year history, we figured there was no better group of fictional characters that we just made up to decree what the TOP 5 of anything in this city could be. Each month we will bequeath to you, the people, one of these lists as handed to us by the elders. This month we have taken a look around the city to find some of best hidden art Amsterdam has to offer. Amsterdam is a city full of surprises and home to many of the world’s up-coming and established artists. But as any artist knows – getting your work out there is not always easy. Thankfully there is a city out there to use as a canvas and showroom! We aren’t saying these five hidden pieces are the best. They are just the ones we found!

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3. The Viaduct (tunnel) in Vondelpark

The little sculptures of a boy and girl, walking in the park, were constructed by sculpture Hildo Krop in 1947, when the viaduct was built. Water leaks have, over the years, ruined the originals, but they have since been restored and offer a nice unexpected surprise in what is otherwise a generally bland ‘tunnel’. Just enter the park from the city end and walk straight. When you find yourself going through a tunnel, you’ve found them.

Photographs: Bernou Schram

5. Anjeliersstraat - Little people hanging from the Pipes

4. Discrete alleyway – Lijnbaansstraat

2. Space Invaders!

1. The sawing guy in the tree down by Leidseplein

Inspired by such pieces as ‘the sawing guy’, the city hall commissioned these little characters to spark up this alley in the Jordaan. Make what you will of them; we think they are perfect examples of unobtrusive art that, as soon as you find them, go a little towards lighting up your day.

To date, street artist Invader has left his mark in 65 cities around the world. It is one of those pleasures about wandering around a foreign city these days, to suddenly stumble across one of his mosaic tile Space Invaders, based on the popular video game of the same name. In Amsterdam there are at least 25 pieces, and probably more. Invader doesn’t shy from showing them in highly populated areas. The most ‘hidden’ one is under the northern-most bridge on Ouderzijds Voorburgwal, in the Red Light District.

This is a road best found by either taking a wrong turn, or by exploring. It is a dead-end street, which is an annoying discovery if you’ve thought to take a short-cut, but which can lead you to an elegant and tiny street-art display. This work is completely unpretentious in that it is fairly well out of sight, but still manages to catch enough attention from artists that it does change and develop with each visit. Very understated and very cool, in typical Amsterdam fashion.

This little gem is, by now, fairly well known around Amsterdam. There has been, for some time, a small movement by anonymous artists to display their work behind a veil of mystery. Like the famous bronze bust in the Red Light District, there are no definite answers as to who the artist is, although it is often assumed that he or she is responsible for both. Even when you know it is there, the little sawing dude in the tree still evokes feelings of wonder and thrill – will he ever get through that massive branch?

6 THIS DAM LIFE MY NIGHT IN A REDLIGHTWINDOW W

hile researching my book, ‘Amsterdam… The Essence’, I decided to avoid the cliché’s of drugs and prostitution, and made it my mission to tell the city’s true story in the words of the creative people who shape it. I interviewed artists, musicians, authors, a historian, a tattoo artist and a comedian in search of the city’s essence. And yet… the Red Light District (RLD) is such an icon of Amsterdam’s liberal identity that it felt impossible to avoid it. By chance, I discovered Mariska Majoor, former sex worker and founder of the Prostitution Information Centre. She runs information talks for thousands of visitors per year, explaining the truth of the most famous sex industry in the world. Who better than Mariska to tell the RLD’s role in Amsterdam’s history? “Many assume the RLD was created for the tourist industry; they often don’t realise that it’s the most ancient part of the city, over 800 years old. In those early days, this was just a tiny harbour town and, naturally, every port has to deal with horny sailors. There have always been dancing houses and bars where sex workers picked up guys; the city was already renowned for that hundreds of years ago. I explain to tourists that this is how Amsterdam started: it began with the old church, around which they started to build a village, and bars automatically sprang up around the harbour. It all developed together to become what it is today. These days, the authorities want to make a lot of changes and supposedly ‘clean the area up’; some even imagine the council will close it. But the RLD simply is Amsterdam. If you wipe prostitution out then Amsterdam will never be the same.” Mariska mentioned that various research papers had been published, claiming that a large number of the workers are trafficked. “We can’t say that trafficking doesn’t happen; but it’s not true or fair to pretend, that all the girls here are victims and all the owners of the establishments are criminals. Safety is a major reason why girls work legally here and not illegally elsewhere. They can refuse a customer, they can go to the police if they are in trouble. All rooms have very loud alarms. The girls don’t have to work in dangerous circumstances on the street; they don’t have to step into a car with someone they don’t know and deal with the possible consequences.” As our interview progressed, Mariska spoke the words that struck deep fear into me. “David, if you really want to understand prostitution, you should come and sit in a window for an evening. Then you will see the worker’s side of the story for yourself.” Terribly sorry, I thought, but I’m an Englishman – and you want me to sit in a window as a prostitute? I hoped she was joking, but Mariska is serious about true representation of this area. This was no joke. So one cold October night, I bid farewell to my girlfriend – I’m just off to the Red Light District, dear – and arrive at Mariska’s office next to the Oude Kerk. She casually points at a stool in the middle of a window decorated as a classic prostitute’s window; fluorescant light, red feathers, lurid curtains and a selection of chains and battery-powered items strewn on the window sill. I assume the position. Reactions from the potential customers are a combination

of mild bemusement and utter disbelief – not to mention disappointment. As I watch the punters glancing up and shuffling away, it becomes clear that there are stories on both sides of the glass, and Mariska begins to coach me on assessing the passers by. “Sitting here, you can see every side of a person’s character. For example, if someone is aggressive, I can’t see it on the street. If I see them from here, I know it immediately. The way people react if they see a window prostitute is like the mask is falling down. People say you have to be really careful with customers because anything can happen. But if you sit here and watch them, without their masks, and if you look them in the eyes in combination with the body language, you can see if you can trust them or not, how they are as a customer.” I complete the evening’s experience with a question, as one lady actually seems to consider knocking at my window. “What the hell do I say if she asks how much?” Mariska smiles at my discomfort and replies, “Just tell them it costs 50 Euros for massage and a few compliments!”

David Beckett, The Essence

ASK AMY ANYTHING GOES... I

can’t believe that August is over already! Time does indeed fly by, especially at this amazing time of year.I’m definitely more relaxed even though I’ve been moving around whilst looking for a permanent home. The positive side is that I really have gotten to see every side of Amsterdam; East, West, Oud West, Old South and a small bout in the North… I’m currently staying in the south with a lovely girl I met last year at an exhibition of a friend and, I have to say these are the best digs I’ve ever had the pleasure to set my suitcase down in, whilst in Amsterdam. This is where the really professional people live, I believe. Away from the bustle, here you can enjoy big houses and peaceful neighbourhoods. I say peaceful, as it's away from the hustle and bustle of the dense centre. People have private gardens and terraces to sun on...it’s wonderful. However, the other sounds can also occasionally take over the tranquillity; mowing of lawns, singing, and the occasional wailing cat and neighbours making loud love. Sometimes those last two are hard to differentiate. This actually brings us to this month’s question, sent in by a very mysterious “Mr. X”. He asks:

Dear Amy, My girlfriend and I are visiting Amsterdam, and I like to spice things up and be spontaneous. Are there any good, little hidden spots in town where we can…be spontaneous? Well Mr X, first I must applaud you for your endeavour and initiative. I have indeed done research into this topic, as I always do for my Ask Amy segment (of course). I have to say that Amsterdam is not lacking in these secret little places… From my broad experience in Amsterdam, the many canals, corners and benches surrounding the canals are always great for random moments of spontaneous passion. The canals add the setting for these moments, and if you are not already in a relationship they can also be an interesting meeting point... Going back to one Queens’ day a few years ago, I was biking home… let’s just say a bridge went up whilst some ships were passing through and I met a neighbour who I had never met, but who did become a very spontaneous moment, or two… There are also hundreds of boats everywhere. Pick the right one and hopefully no one will come along to claim it, or interrupt, and you could have a rockin’ good time. There are Mariska Majoor – founder of the Prostitute information centre also over 30 parks in Amsterdam, and my favourite park spot, I Photograph: Joost Van Manen have to say, would be in the Vondelpark, which has lots of little fields. There are a lot of stories about how it is legal to have sex in A full interview with Mariska Majoor (above) can be found in the park after dark. This isn’t strictly true, although it was a plan David Beckett’s book, ‘Amsterdam… The Essence’. Meet Mariska at the PIC: Enge Kerksteeg 3, 1012 GV Amsterdam, floated around in 2008 – as long as you were nowhere near the playground! The police have since said that they will be forced or visit her website www.pic-amsterdam.com to…interrupt...if they catch you having a ‘fondle in the Vondel', so be sure that you do some recon and, needless to say, it is best to be done in the summer time and when people are starting to leave from their day of sunning. Just find your nook and have yourselves some nookie.In these cases, it is each to their own comfort, and you must put the time in to find a place where you will (both) enjoy. I do have one certain spot…my own private “Idaho” but, well if I tell you specifically, I may find Mr X and his girlfriend performing their own version of Occupy Amsterdam. So, I hope you find yours, before this wonderful summer ends... So keep those questions coming - feel free to ask me, Amy, anything! askamy@amsterdo.com

HOME IN AMSTERDAM

In this photo-essay series, Katherine Oktober Matthews explores the concept of ‘home’ in Amsterdam, and what it means to those who have moved here from all around the world.

ELYSIA, WEST CHESTER, PHILADELPHIA

was born just outside of Philadelphia in a blizzard in January. I grew up in West Chester, the county seat and nightlife center of our suburban paradise just beyond the Mainline, where Katharine Hepburn and Grace Kelley were from. When my family left the condo where I spent my earliest years to move into our first real house, I was really sad about leaving, but I never felt that way about any place after that. When they sold the house where we grew up, you'd think I would be sad about it, but I wasn’t, even though I’d lived there with my mom, my step-dad, and my sister from when I was 7 until I left for college. I didn't go very far for college, just into Philadelphia. I went to Penn (the University of Pennsylvania) because I wanted to study business, and it just so happens that the best business school is there… not because I felt any need to stay close to my hometown. After college, everyone I went to school with moved to New York. It was the 'thing to do', so I did it, too. I lived in different areas around New York City, but finally settled in Brooklyn, the place where I lived the longest. I wasn't all that happy in New York, though. It felt like all of life was a competition and it was sometimes depressing feeling like I lived on the subway. I really just wanted to have a different experience. Europe seemed perfect for that, so when I fell in love with a Dutch boy, it was no problem for me to follow him home to Holland. My parents still live in the same town where I grew up. They moved to a different house, but it’s nicer. It does still feel like home in a lot of ways; There’s no language barrier, and I see friends who still live there when I go back to visit. It’s comfortable and familiar but, I realize after I’ve been there a week that I'm ready to come back to Amsterdam. There was a gradual switch, from when I first talked about 'going home,' and I meant going to my parents’ house, and when I said it later, I meant going back to Amsterdam. When I went to visit some friends in the US last fall, I realized I felt homesick for Amsterdam. It was the first time I really felt homesick in my life. The point when Amsterdam really became my home was when my Dutch boyfriend and I broke up, and I decided to stay for myself. I realized my life was here. I got a permanent job and that’s also where I met my current partner. We decided we wanted to move in together, and it made the most sense to buy a place. Now I really feel like this is our home. It's hard to believe that we've lived here such a short period of time except for the still-lingering boxes. But we're slowly getting it all into place. This apartment has felt more like home than any other mostly because of the idea that we own it. That's something special. But even furniture is just something you have to buy; it's really about who you share it with. In this place, it’s not the same as sharing with a roommate, when someone else's stuff is all over and their food is taking up the fridge. Now when we open the fridge, it's all our food. It's important that a home feels like it’s yours, as opposed to just the place where you live. But it’s funny, even when I’m traveling, I’ll say something like "let's go home” and I mean the hotel room. Of course that's not really home, but it's your safe spot where you can walk around naked, and that's an important part of home, too. It's just a safe spot where you have a bed. Maybe that's also why living with roommates felt less like home: nudity was forbidden. Although, I lived in New York by myself, and even though everything was mine - I even had my very own cockroaches it was only a place I lived, instead of a home. I guess feeling at home has to do with your intentions. With this place, my intention is to stay. This “home” is no longer just a place to keep my stuff: it’s a plan for the future.

Katherine Oktober Matthews www.oktobernight.com

FEATURED

DUTCH POLITICAL PROCESS - AN OVERVIEW A

fter only two years of political power, the last government, which was made up of a shaky coalition between the CDA (Christian democrats) and the PVV (Party for Freedom) collapsed in April this year. So once again, votes will be cast on the 12th of September and the weird and whacky world of Dutch politics is being thrown into the spotlight. It’s confusing stuff, which is why political observer Marte Hellema has given her time to try and explain the process the Dutch use to build their government upon. The Dutch Poldermodel; The Dutch political system is characterized by a consensus and compromise model, known as ‘the Poldermodel’. According to popular belief the term is a reference to the fact that a large part of the country consists of polders – tracts of land that have been reclaimed from the sea. In history, for a community to live safely in a polder, it was a necessity of survival to set-aside differences and to collaborate and compromise. It is a consensus-based decision making system, which involves everyone, and that operates on all levels of politics and society. All this negotiating and compromising has its good and bad sides. On the one hand it assures that the needs and interests of a large majority of the population are taken into account, while at the same time no one seems to ever truly get their way. Everyone is satisfied, but no one is ecstatic, so to say. Everybody Should Be Able to Participate; One of the first things that make the Dutch election system very complex is the very large number of parties that voters can choose from. Registering as a political party for the elections is quite easy. The main regulations for participation are related to support and funds. A new party needs to collect 30 statements of support from each of the 20 constituencies in which the country is divided. Support statements can only come from people that are allowed to vote in that particular constituency. Still, in practice this comes down to no more than 600 signatures. only be returned if the party manages to gain at least 75 % of the votes required to gain one seat in parliament. With the 2006 elections the quota to gain a seat was almost 66,000 making it around 49,500 votes that a party needed to get their money back. For the upcoming elections this means that although initially 50 parties have registered to participate, on the 12th of September Dutch voters will be able to choose from only 21 political parties. In practice, far from all parties manage to convince the voter. In 2010, for example, 19 political parties were on the voting ballot, but only 10 of them managed to get one or several seats in parliament. Parties and Candidates; Although you can theoretically run as an independent candidate, in practice the overall majority of candidates are representing political parties. The voting ballot features the candidate lists of each political party. As a voter you can choose whichever candidate is on the list, you do not have to vote for the party’s number one. In that way candidates can also collect preferential votes. So if a party manages to gain, for example, 10 seats in parliament, it does not automatically mean the first 10 candidates will take up these seats. A few years back a television programme aimed at stimulating young people to vote, BNN, called upon people to still go and vote, even if they had no faith in established politicians. Instead of staying home they asked them to vote for the last person on the candidates list of the party they preferred, in that way giving a sign of protests, without wasting their democratic right. Although that is an extreme example, it does happen that people lower on the candidate list make it into parliament based on preferential votes. Proportional Representation System; For people coming from countries with a plurality or single-winner voting system – like the USA and the UK – the Dutch system could seem

confusing and, to some extent, cumbersome. The Netherlands organises its elections through a proportional representation system. This means that the percentage of votes a political party gets will be equal to the percentage of seats it will get in parliament. Parliament has 150 seats, so if any given party has about 10 % of the votes, it will get 15 seats. This results in it being almost impossible for a party to gain majority in parliament. In recent history, the Netherlands has never seen one party gain so many seats in parliament that it could govern by itself. This situation is where the Poldermodel becomes so important. For all due purposes this makes it impossible for one or two parties to dominate the political scene. The positive side of this is that new parties can relatively easily join the political scene, representing new viewpoints or groups if so desired by society. At the same time, because so many different opinions are represented in parliament it can make people feel like their vote is drowned out by the masses. After the Votes Are Cast, the Complications Start; The truly difficult part starts after the votes have been counted. In the Netherlands people are no longer legally obliged to vote. At the same time, you do not have to register to vote. When registered as a citizen, you will automatically get a voting ballot sent to your home a few weeks before the elections. On average around 75-80 % of the population (counting only those people that are allowed to vote) uses its democratic right to vote. Once the votes have been cast the quota per seat in parliament will be determined, and this decides how many seats each party has actually won. The number of people that have voted will be divided by the number of available seats. In 2006, for example, there were to 9,838,683 people who voted, which divided by 150 (number of seats in parliament), made the seat quota 65,591. In 2010, 9,416,001 votes were cast, which made the seat quota 62.773. In 2009 you needed fewer votes to get a seat than in 2006. In comparison to other countries the quota or number of votes required to gain a seat in parliament is really low, even in comparison to countries with a similar size population. Coalition Cabinets; Immediately after the election the cabinet formation process starts. The newly elected parliament members will appoint informateurs (information gatherers) whose task it is to collect information amongst the different parties about who is willing or interested in forming a cabinet with whom. Points of discussion include a coalition agreement and the division of ministerial posts. Previously the monarch, currently the Queen, as head of State would make this appointment, but as recently as March 2012 this was changed into being a task of the new parliament. With the results of these rounds of talks, the Queen appoints a formateur – former – whose task it is to start actually forming a cabinet. Normally this person will be the future Prime Minister. As recent coalition formation processes have shown, it is very likely that quite a few rounds of information gathering and negotiations will pass before this final step is taken. In the past, coalition formation processes have taken from 8 up to 208 days. More so, given that it is all about forming a coalition, being the biggest or one of the biggest parties is no guarantee to becoming a part of the government. In the last election the Partij van de Arbeid – Labour Party – was the second party with only one seat difference from the biggest, but still ended up in opposition. Also, because normally – with the exception of the last cabinet – a coalition will look to have a majority in parliament, even smaller parties can be in a very good negotiating position. Making it possible that opinions of a minority group make it into a coalition agreement. The wait for Agreement; The political landscape has been extremely fragmentized and polarized in the last two decades. Not only has this meant that a lot of governments fell before the end of their term, but also that there is no clear cut option for which coalition can be expected , following the results of the upcoming elections. Issues such as immigration and economy are, as always, big topics, and the EU budget cut demands always cause a stir, although some serious polder discussion managed to see a result before the last government fell. In Amsterdam, probably unsurprisingly, the issue under greatest focus is that of the “wietpas” – a prospective new demand for customers of coffee-shops, to prove that they are residents. This law has been designed on a national level, and the new government will go a long way to ensuring its survival or demise, and whether the local Amsterdam government will have a fight on its hands in keeping its coffee-shops tourist friendly. Truth be told, politics in the Netherlands is a strange beast, and in the end it is best not to believe anyone who tells you that they know what will happen. It is the process that will decide.

TOO MUCH CHOICE?

Too much choice may lead to a cycle of shaky Governments, writes Political Science major, Catherine Smyth.

ne of the most striking things about the Dutch political system and the upcoming elections is the sheer amount of choice that voters have. The whole political spectrum is represented in individual parties, left and right old and young, human and non human, infrastructure and ecosystems, there’s a party for it. This enormous range of options is the greatest strength and weakness of Dutch party politics. On the pro side, the Dutch system is an example of democracy in its purest form, with free, frequent and fair elections and a wide selection of candidates to choose from. Unlike in systems such as the USA or UK it is very much possible to start up your own party, to gain a significant following, and a seat in the parliament. Power and influence is available to everyone in the Netherlands and voters are far from trapped in a system with two dominant parties and a smattering of extreme or weaker ones with no hope of recognition. On the other hand, in the con column, too much choice is also counterproductive, what happens when there are too many candidates and a majority cannot be reached? Then we revert to familiar protocol in the Netherlands and start to form coalitions. Compromise is something that the Dutch traditionally take in their long legged stride, but in past years the formation of coalitions and attempts to find compromise have been detrimental to the entire political system. After only two years of political power, the last government (ie, the Christian Democrats, fronted by Prime Minister Mark Rutte and The Partij Voor de Vrijhied fronted by Geert Wilders) went through a quick routine of coalition, compromise and collapse after less than two years in power. There is much speculation of the prospect of history repeating itself after September 12th. If a clear majority cannot be made, then it is likely that another coalition will be formed and if we can predict anything from past experiences, negotiation, deadlock and stubborn stalemates could very easily replace action to the extent that the government becomes wedged in another corner and collapses again. The Netherlands risks entering into a vicious cycle and becoming like its neighbouring state, Belgium which has been without a formal government for a significant period of time. The September 12th elections will be the first in a series of interesting happenings in the Netherlands, for now, the future is still uncertain. Major Dutch internal issues hanging on the elections such as the weed pass, continued subsidising of student’s educational costs and the future of The Netherlands in the European Union are all teetering on the edge of a peak ready to fall one way or the other. The stakes are high, and consequences are many.

THE 'SCUM PARTY'

It is election month here in the Netherlands and, with our dedication to Amsterdam’s amazing history, we thought it only right to pay tribute to one of this city’s most infamous political identities; a man who unwittingly became one of the world’s first politicians to be solely ‘created’ through a dedicated media campaign.

msterdam of the 1920s was, like other great cities, a melting pot for concepts, discussion, and ideas towards the advancement of civilization. Throughout the city, a multitude of characters preached a range of different sermons, prophecies and intonations for redemption. At the same time, universal suffrage had come into effect, seemingly giving every person the right to vote, and also to stand for election. No longer was politics the realm of only the elite and untouchable, as now, surely, even the ‘average Joep’ on the street could participate in governance. So diverse were the views and ideas going around at the time, that there included in society a large group of people who saw the newly universal political system as a farce, readymade to be ridiculed. The Dada movement, whose celebration of the irrational and intuitive had reached Amsterdam from its inception in Zurich, represented the use of graphic design and ‘anti-art’ in the communication of anti-war and anti-bourgeois concepts (or should they be called anti-concepts?). Their political leanings were towards the left, where they were joined by the anti-capitalists and anarchists, as well as ‘free socialists.’ The campaign that grew out of this mingling of ideas was one which set out to prove that the political system was a joke, out of which the “stupid masses” could be persuaded to vote for just about anybody. In 1921 they created the Rapaille Partij (Scum party), and selected a candidate to stand for the local council elections.

THE CITY RITES

The man who they chose to be the face of this big practical joke on society was a man called Nelis de Gelder, affectionately known by locals as “Had-je-me-maar”. Had-je-me-maar was an alcoholic street-performer; a socalled ‘down-and-out’. Having been a former mason and circus performer, he was infamous in Amsterdam for his presence on the Butter Markt, which is today’s Rembrandt Square. Carrying a cigar-box, his stumbling around the square begging for money would occasionally be accompanied by a little Red Indian dance, all of which made him well known to the locals. Had-je-me-maar took to his Scum Party candidacy with pride, and he adopted a concise political agenda. Although only a short list, it demonstrates that he had very lucid ideas about what this society needed. Given a seat at the city council, he would lower the prices of brandy, bread and butter. He would also clean up the public urinals around the Butter Markt and, to top it all off, there would be free hunting and fishing in the Vondel Park. The Dadaists and anti-capitalists who had created the Scum Party ran a concerted and organized propaganda campaign, using incredibly progressive posters and advertising material, in order to project Had-je-me-maar even further into the public consciousness. Some argue that this was the first time media had played such a role in literally ‘creating’ a politician. Thanks to this effort, Had-je-me-maar was duly elected to the city council with more than 14,000 votes. Such was the unexpected nature of his success that the acting Burgomaster had to scurry off to The Hague, looking to the national government for some legal solution to this huge problem. Fortunately, those in The Hague had remained apprised of Had-je-me-maar’s campaign, and had already prepared an emergency law, which would disallow him from taking his seat. In some ways, this further consolidated the views of the Scum Party organisers; that the whole system was, indeed, a farce. As it turned out however, this emergency law became unnecessary. A few days before the election, Had-je-me-maar had been arrested for being drunk outside and, unable to take his seat in the allotted time to do so, was disqualified from sitting on the council. So ended one of the most brief, random and colourful political careers in Dutch history. So as we prepare to usher in a new government this month, in whatever shape, form or fashion it takes place, we at AmsterDO

wish all contestants happy campaigning and politicking. Remember that, if uncertain of what stance to take, free fishing and hunting in the park may very well remain a viable option.

Nelis de Gelder (Hadjememaar) Leader of the Scum Party Joe Wegecsanyi, Senior Editor AmsterDO

10 STREETS OF OUR CITY DAMRAK

Did you ever wonder where Amsterdam actually started? Well, as with most places founded by the Dutch, the answers can all be found in the names.

t was a dark and stormy night. As the wind whipped the crashing waters, a lone, small boat struggled frantically to stay above the waves. On board, two men clung on to their feeble and leaky vessel, praying with each breath that they would survive this ordeal. Survivors of a ship-wreck, they had with them a dog that lay quivering and ill from the constant barreling motion of the boat, as the water continued to assault them again and again. There seemed no end to the storm and, for what seemed like days, the two men slipped in and out of consciousness, exhausted to the point of giving up. As one leaned over to check if the dog was still alive, he sent up another prayer, promising God that if they should somehow escape the storm with their lives, and once again find dry land, he would dedicate his life to building a settlement on the spot where they landed. He promised all this, as he once again slipped into unconsciousness. When the man awoke, the clouds had abated. The little boat seemed to have come out of the sea, and was heading into a small ‘rak’ – a straight reach of water that runs off a river. The boat slid a small way down the rak before coming to a halt against a low bank of land. For the first time in days, the dog stirred. Lifting its head, it peered over the rim of the boat, stood up and made the small leap onto dry land, where it promptly proceeded to vomit. The man who had made his promise to God knew that they had been saved, and that this was where he must build a new settlement. For many years this settlement would be ought but a small fishing village. Eventually, however, it would come to be known as a city called Amsterdam. This is one version of Amsterdam’s ‘origin’ story. Although probably completely fictional, it is all about where Amsterdam began, on the Damrak, and this place is the focus of this month’s Streets of our City. The oldest surviving documentation of the settlement, from 1275, refers to it as the Amsteldam. Over the years, this turned into the name we have today. The Damrak, which is seen as Amsterdam’s ‘red-carpet’ entrance into the centre, often provides visitors with their very first impression of the city. This role is one which has remained unchanged throughout the years. Even in the origin story, the small boat had to travel down the rak, in order to find its way from the large IJ bay towards the Amstel river. Once the dam had been built, this reach of water became known as the Damrak. It has always been central to the existence of Amsterdam. The dam, built on the river Amstel, is where the fictional men and their dog landed, and the point from which the subsequent village grew into a town, and then a city. The reality of Amsterdam’s founding is more likely to be in line with that of other settlements in the area; people trying to eke out a living from the muddy land soon realized the viability of fishing and trading. By the mid 14th century, the Damrak was a canal that allowed ships to travel from the IJ harbor right down to the Dam square, which provided a lively fish and dairy market. The canal was lined with rambling wooden houses, much like those found in small German villages today. However, such had Amsterdam grown by this time that the Damrak was too small a docking space for the abundance of ships coming into the city. The big ships had to sit out on the harbor, where the central station sits today. You can imagine the Damrak as a crowded, stinking place, full of characters and colours, with people selling wares and services off and around the boats, and generally much commotion. In fact, so crowded with ships was the Damrak at this stage that it played a vital part in the destruction of large swathes of the city. In 1452, Amsterdam experienced its worst ever fire, which caught alight near the Old Church, in the middle of today’s Red Light District. The row of wooden houses between the Damrak and Warmoesstraat caught fire, and soon all the ships in the canal itself were also ablaze. The north wind blew these floating infernos to the other side, setting those houses alight. Before long, nearly the whole city was aflame, including Dam square itself. By the time it had abated, only a third of Amsterdam had survived intact.

Photographs: Bernou Schram

In the 16th century Amsterdam began to experience the effects of turmoil that were shaking the entire continent at the time. The religious wars (between Catholicism and Protestantism) of this period left no town in Europe untouched. In Amsterdam, the Dam Square and Damrak were usually the flash-point locations for public unrest and disorder. There were ten years, between 1568 and 1578, when Amsterdam was constantly under siege and threat from the sea-faring Calvinist rebels, who had risen against the oppression of Catholic Spain, which officially ruled this region. These rebels would eventually take over from the Catholic administration, but in the ten years before they did, their pressure on the city led to a decrease of trade along the Damrak, and often meant starvation and death for the unwitting public. One record conveys the severity of this time, and tells of a woman drowning herself in the Damrak canal, in order to ‘help herself’ from the torment. In 1678 Amsterdam became a Calvinist city. The ten years of hardship was over and, under the new administration, the Damrak was once again full of ships and traders. Over the next 100 years, Amsterdam would experience its Golden Age, during which it became the world’s leading city in economics, trade and business, as well as a hub of artistic and cultural renaissance. The Damrak, which flowed right up to the point where the National Monument stands today, was still the centre for all this activity. It boasted Europe’s largest corn exchange, and was also where anyone could view the listings of each ship’s arrival and departure into the city. Everything that came into Amsterdam came through the Damrak. Sailors, tradesmen and prostitutes mingled with every other type of character around at the time, all of them in the business of making money. By the time the Golden Age was over, the merchant elite had degraded into an out-of-touch, nepotistic order, and the general public began to regularly revert to riots and rebellions. One of these was a rebellion against taxation in the 1740s. This round of rioting saw a four day ‘orgy of drunkenness and destruction’ during which bands of angry citizens used registration lists to hunt down the city’s tax collectors; an act which may find sympathy with some, even today. When it all ended and the ringleaders were hanged in Dam Square, an enormous crowd gathered, and surged forward to witness the

spectacle. The local, law enforcing militia thought that they were being attacked and opened fire on this crowd. According to one source, the ensuing panic saw hundreds of people fall in the Damrak, and sixty of them drowned. By the late 19th century, Amsterdam had faced its decline and begun to rise again. In this period, the city that had been born on a rak between the IJ bay and the Amstel river underwent what was arguably its biggest facelift. Central station was built, the Damrak was filled in, and the 800 year relationship between the Dam and the IJ was ended. Amsterdam was no longer the trade and shipping capital of the world, but it was still a powerhouse, and modern finances of the time required a new, larger stock exchange building. Not long after Central Station, the famous Beurs van Berlage was constructed for this purpose, and located on the filled-in Damrak. Between them, these two buildings ensured that the Damrak maintained its roles as an economic engine, and starting point for any Amsterdam adventure.

Joe Wegecsanyi, Senior Editor AmsterDO

THE TASTE

SINGEL 1O1

While popping out of the office for a quick bite to eat, the AmsterDO team came across one of the best lunchrooms in the city with some of the friendliest staff (something unusual for Amsterdam)

ocated a few streets parallel to the Damrak, a comfortable distance from the hustle and bustle in

due to its location on a quiet corner at a stones’ throw from the famous 'Singel' canal, is in one of Amsterdam's most clandestine lunchroom's. At first glance from across the water, this picturesque setting fits perfectly with what appears to be a rather inconspicuous approach’’ is what Julia Castro (owner, brains and heart behind 'Singel 101') believes in. When Julia and her sister acquired the premises back in pretty bumpy ride trying their luck with a spare rib joint which was unfortunately shut by the 'gemeente' (local council). All that was about to change, the whole place was completely renovated and refurbished in their own personal minimal style. Originally the concept was to open an 'eet-cafe' which is a sort of simple restaurant, Paris-bistro style, food-focused café. After some issues with licensing/permits the idea was to convert 'Singel 101' into a chic amalgamation of a lunch-room, a restaurant/ bar and an eetcafe with a fully laden bar rich in Mediterranean and South American wines. As Julia so bluntly, yet pertinently puts it: ‘’It’s a lunch-restaurant........ I can’t call it anything else. There are two different concepts, day and night’’ The whole idea of her lunch-room is that it transforms

into a restaurant/bar after about 5 or 6 o'clock. During the day it is a cosy, spacious lunch-room with a semi open-air feel to it, thanks to the open plan entrance. The AmsterDO team enjoyed a simple, yet delightfully satisfying lunch of salmon pasta with capers and a light creamy tomato sauce, followed by a scrumptious waldorfesque salad creation and a fresh salmon and goats cheese 'broodje' (sandwich) on fresh brown seeded bread. All of 'Singel 101's produce is fresh and the large majority the prime Irish beef is local produce. After dark the transformation is quite striking, it’s as though you're walking into a Parisienne high class restaurant, the whole atmosphere is electric and made even more authentic by the open kitchen. Jaime, the Spanish chef, is pottering away in the kitchen as people enjoy their appetizers complimented with a glass of Chile’s finest Cabernet sauvignon. ‘’My favourite dish to cook is by far the main course’’ says Jaime, ‘’although every dish comes straight from the heart’’ comes from the huge influence and delegation of the Fidel sisters. Most of the creativity and culinary judgement stems from Julia's sister, who has transformed her simple childhood meals into something really quite special whilst retaining the Latin authenticity surrounding the whole establishment...... delectable quality, home cooked food with that extra somethingminimalism at its best! With a work force of a maximum of four at any one time, the team at 'Singel 101' are hard working and very efficient but still manage to keep a really homely and cosy feel to the place which is endorsed by the continuous return of grinning, beamish customers..... The AmsterDO guys were inundated with an explosion of subtle flavour and mouth-watering fragrance by the time it mash potatoes, parsley and crispy capers was complimented Gabruzzo and the equally extraordinary tenderloin steak cooked to perfection in red wine sauce with shallots and potato gratin left nothing to be desired, undoubtedly one the best meals we

have had in a while! To keep customers on their toes and to present some innovation, every three months the menu is revamped, Julia tries to keep in touch with seasonal foods thus adapting the menu according to the time of year. customers can choose from a starter, a main and a dessert- Julia will even throw in a coffee on top for that price. All in all, a great experience and wonderful day spent with the Fidels. A must see lunch-restaurant that will leave you wanting more, we recommend 'Singel 101' to people from all is something for you at 'Singel 101'. On a final note, if this is the place for you and you find yourself as totally immersed, captured and just generally as pleasantly surprised as we were, you will be excited to hear that Julia’s dream of an 'eet-cafe' is not completely lost yet....without ruining the surprise, all I will say is keep a sharp ear out for Julia and her team because their presence is definitely beginning to be felt in this wonderful city of ours!

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LOCATION:

RESTURANT INFORMATION: WEB:

101 Singel

www.singel101.nl

CUISINE:

PRICE RANGE:

Between €3.50 - €22.50

Mediterranean

OPENING HOURS:

Lunch; 11am-5pm, Dinner; 5pm-10pm

TASTE & QUALITY

OUR RATING:

CUSTOMER SERVICE

INTERIOR

VALUE FOR MONEY

FINAL SCORE:

8.0

14 LOCAL BEAT BRRAP - BRRAP IT'S BIGREDCAP!

BigRedCap has been tearin' up Amsterdam since he arrived two years ago. He’s If you've ever had the pleasure of meeting him and learning the infamous ‘Reggie greeting combo’ - shake, sprinkle then box - you'd instantly know that this man was born to rhyme!

ailing from Brighton, England, BigRedCap was already busy making a name for himself as a rapper, as part of a four MC rhyme collective called ‘MultiFinish ‘. The group still make music together though BigRedCap is now representing from here in Amsterdam. Currently working on his own projects, he still keeps close contact with the MultiFinish crew and features them on all his mix-tapes. After arriving in Amsterdam, BigRedCap met local, funky hip hop hero, Fredee Brazil. Both hungry to unleash their everlasting flow of rhymes on a grateful audience, they devised a monthly night called ‘DamBreaks’, which served as a platform to constantly release new material and work alongside other local artists and musicians. Last summer they took the show to the streets with the help of ‘Wojtec’ and his bicycle taxi, and organized the first ever bicycle hip hop tour in Amsterdam. With a personal chauffeur and both rappers armed with a microphone and portable amp, they rolled and rocked it! They would start at Dam Square and stop in every major square to give a free show to the unsuspecting public. Even though the police tried to shut down the show, the boys would just continue ’round the corner and eventually they gathered a following of loyal, hip hop loving cyclists. Since his involvement with DamBreaks, BigRedCap has been invited to showcase his material and grace many stages in Amsterdam. Local Drum n bass night ‘Cheeky Monday’

regularly ask Red to feature on the mic either in the club or through Cheeky Radio on Sub FM. You can also catch him at the annual ‘Paint n Beer’ festival at Villa Friekens in the North of Amsterdam; a local squat that has been going strong for over 10 years. The party celebrates music, graffiti and homemade beer! If you were at the cannabis cup this year you may even remember BigRedCap on the main stage at the Melkweg, representing The Devil's Harvest Seeds. Lately he is has been extremely busy in Amsterdam, his main focus right now is producing his mix-tapes, which are his heart and soul. Over the last two years BigRedCap has produced a series of tapes entitled ‘I jack beats all day’. With this, you have series of unofficial remixes cut together like the script of a great movie, starring BigRedCap and a host of other MC's. These mix-tapes are available to download in their entirety, completely free on his website. BigRedCap's latest release is a grime mix-tape, in association with ‘GrimeSeen’, a local initiative to bring more ‘Grime’ music to the Netherlands. The collective works closely with both UK and Dutch artists and offer a podium for artists to perform collaborate and share. His new mix-tape, the imaginatively titled ‘I jack grime all day’ will only be available to download exclusively from the GrimeSeen website, from September 1st. BigRedCap is intent on creating an international collective of people dedicated to keeping the underground scenes alive and has already built a fine army here in Amsterdam. His resident graffiti artist/designer ‘Skatin' Chinchila’, responsible for all BigRedCaps artwork, is a shining example of a man dedicated to the underground. You can watch him in action on BigRedCap's new video – ‘A – Town’, filmed across the whole of Amsterdam for all you lovely locals. BigRed even made an entire DamBreaks crowd wear red caps for one of the scenes in the vid. ‘Twas red caps aplenty, I tell thee! To keep up to date with the life of BigRedCap, video updates, new releases, downloads and performances, check.. www.bigredcap.co.uk or www.dambreaks.com If you wanna hear the grimier side of BigRedCap and collect your free ‘I jack grime all day’ mix-tape then be sure to visit www.grimeseen.nl

Dean Sadikot (innit)

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RANTINGS FROM THE LONE RAVER

With summer pretty much confined back to the storm clouds that it came from, the Amsterdam party scene makes its way quickly back indoors and into some of the best clubs in the world.

t’s all about getting back to the semi-serious nature of providing us, the people, with the music, venues and atmospheres that we love/crave so much. I've been lucky enough catch a few this year but one stood out recently from the rest for vibe, music, setting, perfect weather and people. Gaasperpleasure take a bow. You were fantastic. The first weekend of the month (31st until the 2nd) sees the welcome return of Trouw, returning after their August hiatus with a more than adequate line up of guests and residents to entice us back through these hallowed doors. Friday brings Ostgut Ton’s Don Nick Hoppner to Amsterdam from his current residency at Berlin's Berghain/Panaramabar where he has developed a distinct sound somewhere in the middle of house and techno but often bouncing off the edges. The party continues on Saturday with Todd Terje, J.G. Wilkes and locals Job Jobse and Patrice Baumel. The weekend from the 7th to the 9th of the month throws a party with such quality acts that it's rare to get them all on the same line up, never mind at such an intimate venue as Studio 80. Frankfurt label CLR host the main room with the latest star off their production line Tommy Four Seven, who’s still riding high after the success of his debut album "Primate". With inhouse mastering technician Brian Sanhaji also performing, the label is certainly well represented. The special guest comes in the form of DVS1 who makes the journey across the pond to share his brand of techno that certainly can't be described as compromising. Venture into the back room and the beats per minute won't have dropped as Compound play host with Gloom & Dispar Vulgo on the decks. For those who like to get down in a location a little more left-field then the Transnatural Festival kicks off in Nemo, Amsterdam’s science museum. Running for a month, the festival aims to explore smart energy, materials and systems which all sounds very interesting but I'll be mostly looking forward to The Field and Fantastic Mr Fox headlining the Friday and Saturday (7th and 8th) respectively. Elsewhere Dave Seaman is at which is a bit of a shame, as it’s not a venue that is normally on the top of my list but, with each to their own, the deep house sounds in the air might make up for things. Friday the 14th takes us to "The Big Man Himself" at Chicago Social Club, one of the newer additions to the Leidseplein clubbing fraternity. The big man in this case is Shonky who'll play his own tech-influenced take on House music all night long. The French DJ/Producer has been prolific in recent years with 2010's Cluborama taking him to new heights and he will have no problems keeping the crowd engrossed for the whole night. Just around the corner at Melkweg, with their forever impressive programming, Secret Cinema and Egbert get together for another Gem Session, also on the 14th, where they will man the controls for a six hour live set, giving them ample time to show off their creative artistry. Gem Sessions started off back in January as good friends deciding to put on a party - a big one. Since the inception it has grown into a huge success and returns home to where it all started and with support in the Oude Zaal coming from M_nus’ star, Ambivalent. The penultimate weekend (21st to the 23rd) keeps us in the Leidseplein area with the Sugar Factory our hosts for the monthly Junction gathering, with Pfirter the special guest. The rise from Buenos Aires to being an internationally recognized leader of his field has been built on solid foundations with releases on his own MindTrip imprint, Stockholm LTD and the aforementioned CLR. ON and ON's Jeff Rushin is also present with a rising reputation for banging sets. Dub explorations take

place at OT301 also on the Saturday and for those who like to take things a little step further, Kinky Salon at Akhnation will certainly do that. May I suggest checking out their website for more info, after all this is a family publication… The final weekend (28th to the 30th) on this month’s journey takes in a personal favorite and all round techno God Marcel Dettmann at OT301 for a 5 hour set on Friday. Dettmann has come to epitomise the dark, dub heavy, big room techno sound that’s been developed in recent years and has honed his sound by playing pretty much every one of the world’s leading clubs. It will be such a treat to find him at little old OT301. As venues go 301, at night, turns into the dark, minimalistic monster that gives a home to some of the city’s finest underground scenes. The Saturday demonstrates this perfectly with the invites sent out for the 1st birthday celebrations of Sistemsiz V which will include Brenmar and FS Green B2B with Cinnaman joining in for bass heavy beats. Meanwhile, back at the Melkweg, Off Centre 2012 continues into day two and Omar S, Martyn and Pariah following the footsteps of Joy Orbison and Gold Panda, who will turn up, already having rocked the previous night. Other notable acts showcasing their talents around the city over the weekend include Marcel Fengler who takes in Trouw, Paco Osuna at Studio 80 and Studio K opening its doors for a rare club night fronted by the Green Room and Turbo recordings. That's it from me for this month, as the summer comes to an end. At least we’re fortunate that the good times will keep on rolling in this Dam city.

LOUNGING IN THE HOUSE

This month AmsterDO is proud to begin a new partnership with ClubNL, one of Amsterdam’s most popular night clubs. But like any new friend, if you didn’t introduce them to your other friends, it would be might rude.

History of Club: ver seven years ago, a group of friends from the Netherlands visited the United States, where they first experienced the locally emerging lounge scene. At the time, lounging in trendy lobbies was already a hype within the party-scene of New York, and the would-be founders of Club NL were so excited about this new concept, that they decided to introduce it back home in the Netherlands. And so Club NL was born. By opening the first true Dutch lounge club, Club NL smartly responded to the growing need for a classy and stylish club where the more mature visitor would also feel at home. It quickly became a huge success. In the years following, and in part thanks to these pioneers, a true ‘lounge-hype’ swept the Netherlands, and numerous lounge bars were started throughout the country. After four successful years however, Club NL decided to change its course and develop into a sexy, stylish house club, focusing on a sophisticated and complete nightclub experience. Nowadays Club NL is a well-known and highly regarded phenomenon in Amsterdam that caters to a broad range of easy going, style-conscious people. It has entertained numerous international celebrities the likes of Mick Jagger, Naomi Campbell, P. Diddy and many more. Club NL is also a favorite haunt of many well known Dutch soccer players. The founders of Club NL have since their initial success developed concepts for well renowned clubs like ‘the Republiek’ in Bloemendaal and ‘Club 13’ in Barcelona. These clubs are now celebrated for their style and originality within the international club scene.

ClubNL: Club NL is a uniquely stylish nightclub located in the heart of Amsterdam. With its excellent vibe and easy-going staff it serves as the perfect drinking and dancing joint to spend your nights out. Seven nights a week, Club NL offer you the coolest tunes mixed together by some of the best dj’s this city has to offer. They will provide you with a perfect mixture of easy musical atmosphere early-on in the evening, progressively evolving into some truly groovy house tunes as the evening turns into night. Apart from the resident dj line-up they also regularly host clubbing events, boasting famous international dj’s. In the past Club NL has already welcomed internationally renowned dj’s like Trentemoller, Ricardo Villalobos and Rui da Silva. Many other big names are still to come. But wait, there’s more! Not only is Club NL the ideal place to get your dance floor groove on, they are also well known for their inspired cocktail creations. In the early evening you can kick back at Club NL and enjoy one of the latest cocktails from their extensive cocktail list. Not in the mood for a cocktail? There is of course a wide range of liquors from all over the world. The staff behind the bar would be happy to advise you, and help you find the perfect drink for an excellent night out. Now Club NL really loves their cocktails and always loves to introduce others to its wonderful world as well. To achieve this, the skilled and enthusiastic bartenders at Club NL regularly hold cocktail workshops, in which they not only tell you about the history of these alluring and glamorous drinks, but also teach you how to make your very own cocktail creations in just a few simple steps. ‘’Our goal with this workshop is to let you taste, smell, see and feel the art of shaking’’ ‘’So join us in shaking cocktails during the day, and shaking booty throughout the night!’’ For more information you can visit ClubNL.com or email info@ clubnl.nl

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18 CLUBS & EVENTS PARADISO

STUDIO 80

SUGARFACTORY

WETERINGSCHANS 6 www.paradiso.nl

REMBRANDTPLEIN 17 www.studio-80.nl

LIJNBAANSGRACHT 238 www.sugarfactory.nl

This place has been a church, a squat and a coffee-shop. These days it’s an awesome club venue with great acoustics, a liberal attitude to the consumption of soft drugs and a bar on the dance floor. Did we mention it used to be a church? You will find a wide variety of music and bands and a night to remember.

Amsterdam’s most ‘underground’ club is located on the neonlit, touristic Rembrandtplein. The 300-capacity club has two areas and is where you will find cutting-edge electronic dance music, experimental techno, or experience one of its regular gay nights with some of Berlins edgiest DJs.

SF is located in Amsterdam’s clubbiest areas – Leidseplein square. Part of Sugar Factories website manifesto describes this club as – Artistic – Cultural – Progressive – Independent. That pretty much sums up what you can expect from a night here. On any given evening you could expect to see DJs, as well as bands, theatre, dance and even spoken word.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, CLUB PARADISO PRESENTS:

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, STUDIO 80 PRESENTS:

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, SUGARFACTORY PRESENTS:

Line-up: Shackleton, Stellar To Source Genre: Dubstep, House | Time: 19:30 - 21:30 | Price: ¤15

Line-up: Brian Sanhaji, Dispar Vulgo, DVS1, Gloom Genre: Techno | Time: 23:00 - 05:00 | Price: ¤15

Line-up: Delicatesse, Ici sans Merci, John Steel Genre: Techhouse, Techno | Time: 24:00 - 05:00 | Price: ¤12

JG Ballard, a Tribute

CLR Night

Verknipt

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, CLUB PARADISO PRESENTS:

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, STUDIO 80 PRESENTS:

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, SUGARFACTORY PRESENTS:

Line-up: Stephan Bodzin, Terry Toner, Live: Max Cooper, Half Soul, Les Deux, Rogor, Live: Tiger & Woods Genre: Electro, House | Time: 23:00 - 05:00 | Price: ¤18.50

Line-up: Boris Werner, Efdé, Freddy Spool, Marckus, Prosper Rek, Tettero, Tom Ruijg Genre: Techno | Time: 23:00 - 05:00 | Price: ¤14

Line-up: D-Rok, Mr. Speak Genre: Funk, Jazz, Soul | Time: 23:00 - 05:00 | Price: ¤7.50 Wicked Jazz Sounds gets the party started with DJs and live musicians, delivering a unique club experience in the Sugarfactory

NGHTDVSN

Official Magneet Electric Festival Afterparty Wicked Jazz Sounds Club Night

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, CLUB PARADISO PRESENTS:

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, STUDIO 80 PRESENTS:

Line-up: Rufus Riley, KidQ, Isaac Blaze, Stevez, The Syndicate, Dimitri Nikita, Dan Stezo Genre: Urban, Ecelectic | Time: 00:00 - 05:00 | Price: ¤15

Line-up: Oxia, Some Chemistry, SonurBer, Spada Genre: Techno | Time: 23:00 - 05:00 | Price: ¤15

Asian Refresh

Prisma

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, SUGARFACTORY PRESENTS:

Line-up: Kid Sublime, Wouda Genre: Deephouse, Disco | Time: 23:00 - 03:00 | Price: ¤3

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, STUDIO 80 PRESENTS:

Void

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, CLUB PARADISO PRESENTS:

Pup: The Arti Fest

Line-up: Burnski, Jop & Jordi, Terry Toner, Live: Benoit & Sergio Live: Infinity Ink, Chris Julien, M A N I K , Victor Coral Genre: Deephouse, House | Time: 21:30 - 05:00 | Price: ¤20

The Womb

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, SUGARFACTORY PRESENTS:

Line-up: RAAF, Chopstick & JohnJon, Danny Daze, Tapesh, Milan Meyberg, Microove, KERK!, Victor Coral Genre: Techno | Time: 23:00 - 05:00 | Price: ¤15

3argasm

Line-up: Wesssl, Rico Fernando, Punish, Hoodie Genre: Electro, House | Time: 24:00 - 04:00 | Price: ¤7

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, STUDIO 80 PRESENTS: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, CLUB PARADISO PRESENTS:

Blackout

Linke Soep

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, SUGARFACTORY PRESENTS:

Junction

Line-up: Audio, Black Sun Empire, Dillinja, June Miller Genre: Drum & bass, Dubstep | Time: 23:00 - 05:00 | Price: ¤17.50

Line-up: De Man Zonder Schaduw, Dominik Eulberg, KlapRoos Nhan Solo, Robert Ferdinand Genre: Techno | Time: 23:00 - 05:00 | Price: ¤15

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, CLUB PARADISO PRESENTS:

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, STUDIO 80 PRESENTS:

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, SUGARFACTORY PRESENTS:

Line-up: Jess & Miss, Luke Verano Genre: House | Time: 21:00 | Price: ¤20

Line-up: Paco Osuna, El Mundo & Satori Genre: Techno | Time: 23:00 - 05:00 | Price: ¤15

Line-up: Culprate, Kenti, Legion of the Confused, Nicksn Genre: Drum & bass, Dubstep | Time: 24:00 - 05:00 | Price: ¤12.50

Sencity Paradiso

FOR MORE INFO VISIT www.paradiso.nl

Bla Bla · Start of the New Season FOR MORE INFO VISIT www.studio-80.nl

Line-up: Boxed, Drum Tone, Jeff Rushin, Pfirter Genre: Techno | Time: 24:00 - 05:00

Filth

FOR MORE INFO VISIT www.sugarfactory.nl

VIEW THIS PAGE WITH

ESCAPE

PANAMA

CLUB NL

REMBRANDTPLEIN 11 www.escape.nl

OOSTELIJKE HANDELSKADE 4 www.panama.nl

NIEUWEZIJDS VOORBURGWAL 169 www.clubnl.nl

Escape is known to use a wide variety of multimedia effects which has led it to be branded the most versatile club in Amsterdam. This place is very trendy and very popular so expect a line and dress nice. Inside you will find a lot of different areas with a variety of music.

Panama offers a really good and complete night out, with the easy ability to eat and drink, as well as an opportunity to check out some theatre. They also attract some very big names, and have played host to those ranging from Pendulum to Alicia Keys. Worth a check out.

These guys brought the lounge scene to Amsterdam and have ever since been on the forefront with providing a wholesome night club experience for a wide ranging public. Not long after they switched course and now lead the house club scene. It’s sophisticated and stylish in a way that is pretty laid back and comfortably attracts the upper echelons fairly regularly.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

EVERY SUNDAY, CLUB ESCAPE PRESENTS:

EVERY FRIDAY, PANAMA PRESENTS:

EVERY SUNDAY, CLUB NL PRESENTS:

Line-up: Line-up: Brian S, Frederik Abas, Mike Scot, Kimberlee Ramirez, MC Pryme Genre: House | Time: 23:00 - 04:00 | Price: ¤10

Every Friday the best urban music Genre: Urban | Time: 23:00 - 04:00 | Price: ¤10

Line-up: Martin Selector Genre: Deep house, Tech house | Time: 23:00 - 03:00

Episode

Epic

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, PANAMA PRESENTS:

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, CLUB NL PRESENTS:

Live Performance Genre: Rock | Time: Doors open 20:00 | Price: ¤7.50

Line-up: Fady Ferraye Genre: House, Progressive | Time: 23:00 - 03:00

The Silhouettes

EVERY THURSDAY, CLUB ESCAPE PRESENTS:

Reveal

Line-up: Marc Benjamin, Peter Fields, Yokez, VJ: Joury Genre: House | Time: 23:00 - 04:00 | Price: ¤10

Golden

Line-up: Brian Chundro & Santos, D-Rashid Genre: House | Time: 23:00 - 05:00 | Price: ¤12.50

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, CLUB ESCAPE PRESENTS:

Brainwash

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, CLUB NL PRESENTS:

Line-up: Dave Seaman, C-Jay, Dennis Hercules Genre: Electro, House | Time: 23:00 - 05:00 | Price: ¤15 Dave Seaman enters with his Dutch colleague and friend C-jay stage of Panama. With this delicious line-up it promises to be a legendary musical trip.

Line-up: Purusha Genre: House | Time: 23:00 - 03:00

Djamm Sessions

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, CLUB NL PRESENTS:

Sub

Line-up: Meester Moeilijk, Reuben Alexander Genre: House | Time: 22:00 - 02:00 | Price: ¤5

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, PANAMA PRESENTS:

Line-up: Frederik Abas, Raymundo, Sax: Saxy Mr. S, MC: Miss Bunty, Addik Genre: Dirty House | Time: 23:00 - 05:00 | Price: ¤16

Goosebumped

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, PANAMA PRESENTS:

Panama invites Dave Seaman

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, CLUB ESCAPE PRESENTS:

Body & Soul

Fall Eleven

Live Performance Genre: Live | Time: Doors open 20:00 | Price: ¤5

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, CLUB NL PRESENTS:

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, PANAMA PRESENTS:

Line-up: Flash, Orlando, Quarter Master, Red Delicious Genre: Latin, Salsa | Time: 23:00 | Price: ¤7.50

Line-up: Mr Milano, Paolo Genre: Techhouse, Techno | Time: 23:00 - 04:00 | Price: ¤10 Incrowd: a small, fashionable, and exclusive or influential group, especially one that others want to be part of because of its prestige (informal).

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, CLUB ESCAPE PRESENTS:

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, PANAMA PRESENTS:

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, CLUB NL PRESENTS:

Line-up: Aaron Gill, Delivio Reavon, Gregor Salto, Jay Are Genre: House | Time: 23:00 - 05:00 | Price: ¤10

Line-up: TBA Genre: Classics, Disco | Time: 22:00 - 04:00 | Price: ¤15

Line-up: Jama, Max Anthony Genre: Dubstep, House | Time: 23:00 - 03:00

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, CLUB ESCAPE PRESENTS:

Heroes of House Music

Line-up: Andy Jones, Ben Bastion, Dennis Ruyer, Lucien Foort, VJ: Joury, MC: Boogshe Genre: House, Progressive | Time: 23:00 - 05:00

Houserockers

FOR MORE INFO VISIT www.escape.nl

Going back to My Roots

We all love '80's and '90's

FOR MORE INFO VISIT www.panama.nl

The Incrowd - 1 Year Anniversary

I Heart U

FOR MORE INFO VISIT www.clubnl.nl

Renee Naus

EMIR SERGO

A local Amsterdam filmmaker/photographer is a fascinating man. Luckily for us, he will be jumping on board AmsterDO to introduce us to the world of young Amsterdam entrepreneurs. But first we just have to introduce you to him…

Emir, what is your background? I studied science dynamics at UvA and applied ethics at KUL (Leuven, BE), then when I was living as a monk between '94 and 2001, I set up a small publishing house called 'Shu'em Press' and I was printing and binding books and slowly got interested in publishing. Exploring different media, I turned to filming; my first film was a 45 minute road movie of a journey in Spain called "Spellbound Traveller". It was very well received amongst a select group and they stimulated me to continue filming. So over the last ten years I have been filming as well as publishing the books of philosopher Frédéric Antonious with Shu'em Press. During the last year I have become more serious with photography, initially to develop a better eye for framing, but it appealed to me in its own right, so now besides filming I have a pop-up photography studio on the Herengracht, where I do portraits and look-book fashion photography. You operate as a filmmaker and photographer here in Amsterdam, has that always been your goal? After I finished my studies in Amsterdam in '97 I moved to Belgium and then I lived in Andalucia, in Southern Spain, for eight years. Two years ago I got home-sick so I moved back to Holland. I started in Utrecht but found myself going to Amsterdam on a daily basis for the cosmopolitan atmosphere that I so much enjoy, having been born and partially raised in Chicago. I love the light here in Amsterdam and meeting people from the fashion industry helped me to get started. So it was not pre-meditated but I have always felt most at home in Amsterdam. What kind of films do you like to make?

Patricia Hofstede

Magda Kulpinska

My favourite kind of filming is in the large dance theatres. I love the dynamics of dance and particularly the back-stage atmosphere with all the odd light and visual effects. Also, I enjoy making short fashion films for online promotions and now I am producing some video-clips as well. Other than that I am working on a documentary and am working on a script for a kind of real-live black and white film with my best friends.

sitting on the street with eyes as bright as if there was fire inside. We merely exchanged glances but seeing him inspired me to search for my spiritual roots. And those I discovered over many years of practicing yoga meditation and following the advice and compassionate example of my best friend Frédéric Antonious. You operate in Amsterdam as a professional artist, and your photography has a big focus on entrepreneurs and creative’s.

How does your interest in philosophy affect your work and your life? Profoundly, I'd say...in the sense that through philosophy I was steered in the direction of easthetics and ethics. Besides having my own business as a photographer/film-maker, I am board member and co-creator of Foundation Phronimos, which is a non-profit organisation aimed at spreading the philosophical teachings of Transcendental Humanism, a new school of thought based on the work of Frédéric Antonious - one of the wisest men I’ve met in my life and whose books I publish under Shu'em Press.

How would you rate this city as a place to start-up a business or project? It's a marvellous city to start a business and particularly in the creative publishing sector, which I’m in. I am lucky to have a strong backbone and therefore the time to develop my skills as a film-maker and photographer and to learn from colleagues, as the book publishing has been a stable source of income over the last decade, with more wonderful books forthcoming such as the modern classic 'Ishmael' by Antonious, and I am also producing a jazz CD by my father’s spectacular jazz band from Chicago, 'Ellington Dynasty'. It’s called ‘A Tribute to Duke’ and is a wonderfully joyful swinging jazz experience. Here in Amsterdam it’s easy to expand my network and to find good sales and marketing partners, besides the many wonderful artists who inspire me on a daily basis.

What other people, places or events have inspired you to pursue the work that you do? As far as filming is concerned, I have been mostly inspired by Peter Brooks' adaptation of the Mahabharata, and Jim Jarmusch's 'Dead Man' with Johnny Depp. In photography, it has been by Helmut Newton and Marc Lagrange. Needless to say, I really enjoy photographing beautiful people and woman in particular. So lately I have been focusing on young female entrepreneurs in Amsterdam like Eva Bartels, Emma Holthuis & Patricia Hofstede, all of whom I hope to introduce to the readers of AmsterDO in the coming months. Another funny story as to who inspired me in life is from when I was a young boy and I met my youth idol Micheal Jordan several times. I had the good fortune to meet him and see him play as I participated in the Micheal Jordan basketball camp at Elmhurst Collage in Chicago during the summers of '88 and '89. The slogan 'No bird soars too high, if he soars with his own wings' was my directive during adolescence. I remember once he jumped over me as if he was floating in the air, then I started to believe that anything is possible if you set your mind to it. Then there was this sadu in India in Hyderabad, a man just

Have you gotten rid of your wanderlust, and are you gearing up to stay put? No, and I know that come autumn here in Holland, I will fly to the south to catch more sunshine, and when things turn out for the better here in the coming years I will take a few years off for travelling the world again with my sweetheart, Bara, and perhaps film another road movie. One of my ambitions is to go to Tibet by land and to film that trip. Last question, do I need to press a button or something to make this coffee machine to work? If you wanna enjoy a good espresso here at my pop-up studio on the Herengracht, and have some portraits made or discuss a video production, then you are more than welcome to email me at emir.drs@gmail.com. You can come and visit this remarkable building from the 18th century that I am occupying as an antisquatter.

PICNIC NETWORK

THAT DAM TECH

As the festival season and the (slight) Amsterdam summer wind up, a slightly different event rolls into the city, this year hitting the site of the new EYE film museum. But there will be no camping, dancing to your heroes or bonding with new friends here... or perhaps, just maybe....

ntroducing the PICNIC network; a haven for creative minds, technological vision and pioneering spirit... a network that likes to call Amsterdam its “home”, and that is also ground zero for the new media movement. Inspired by a visit to Silicon Valley, two Dutch entrepreneurs, Marleen Stikker and Bas Verhart, envisioned positioning Amsterdam as a similar creative hub for innovation and co-creation. Since 2006, PICNIC has been creating salons, stirring the internet oceans, hosting mashup workshops and of course, staging their annual shindig the PICNIC Festival, which has set upon a mission dedicated to blurring the lines between creativity, science, technology and business. It’s all about taking a headon approach to the immediate topical issues by exploring innovative solutions whilst maintaining a spirit of cooperation and freedom of thought. So far, it’s been quite a successful mission... Each year a key theme is identified; a common thread that links the array of speakers, participatory workshops, networking events and lectures that traverse the various levels of collectivism/tribalism, from a personal to global level. It reflects changes in our personal lives, our society, economy, governance and environment. This year, the theme is New Ownership: the shift from top down to bottom up. Firstly, kudos to the PICNICers for identifying that there is an uprising of bottom up endeavours... however, whether it’s a megatrend, I’m not so sure... not yet... these are just the ripples of a wave yet to be experienced.

A series of crises make it clear that many traditional institutions and systems of governance are being seriously challenged. Institutions such as governments, banks, educational institutes, the media, businesses and even charities are rapidly losing citizen and consumer trust. At the same time, supported by the power of connected technology, citizens and consumers are (re)discovering the ability to take greater control over their lives, causing a huge shift from top down to bottom up. A networked society has emerged, giving people a sense of autonomy and stimulating a new and stronger notion of personal and collective ownership. Recent developments provide evidence of this mega trend – Picnic Ethos Essentially this boils down to the power of the people, and collectivism has proven to be a very influential force. When this people power is both enabled and facilitated by technology... well, shit just got real! Open source movements (think firefox, openoffice, ubunto, AmsterDO etc.), cloud computing and online collaboration tools, social media platforms (blah, blah, blah) and self-policed communities (á la wikipedia, ebay, piratebay etc.) have demonstrated that connected people, regardless of physical, geographic or virtual platform, can create an independent entity, with their own identity, values and beliefs. Such communities can emerge, grow and disseminate very quickly, with viral communications and 24/7 handheld technologies as the catalyst. Whether these forces are used for good or bad is irrelevant... the mere that that this situation exists marks a milestone for humankind... and facilitates a global and communal consciousness. Bottom up processes are inherently less hierarchical in structure, so lend themselves to a more open and democratic governance and policing. So therefore a huge amount of trust and faith needs to be left with humanity - thats us! Global rebellion in the form of occupy movements, as well as cell uprising like that seen in London, Athens and across the Arab states, against the so-called 1%ers and fat-cats, have

highlighted the perception a common evil... those that have come out as “winners” in the traditional top-down structuring. The evolution into more egalitarian fundamentals seems to be a logical step of progress. How are individuals, societies, businesses and institutions adapting to this ownership shift? How will we stay relevant and meaningful in this brave new world? Who will be the winners and the losers of this disruption? It is this evolution and these questions that PICNIC 2012 will focus on. The event price is steep - but this really is an event that encompasses everyone that gives a damn about the way the world is heading, and a worthwhile investment. However, the festival is only the cherry on top, as the organisation operates all year round, staging events and stimulating the global conversation (follow on twitter, join facebook etc.), but the event itself provides an invaluable opportunity to connect with those like minded individuals and businesses... and when people power gains momentum... well... we have already discussed that, and will do so further at the PICNIC event. This is not a geek fest, as people from all walks of life will

be attending. Although, if this article has stimulated at least one geek guest, twitter follower or facebook thumbs-up, then it’s been worthwhile. It’s always good to connect, and it’s always great to picnic.

Dan van Dahl, CTO AmsterDO

22 STAGE & SCREEN FESTIVALS & MORE FESTIVALS A

ugust has seen some of Amsterdam’s finest film festivals, starting with the World Cinema Amsterdam, in De Balie and Rialto, and continuing with Pluk de Nacht, which is still ongoing while I write these lines. They differ from each other in spirit and scope, though both are made with the enthusiastic and unpretentious attitude that characterizes Amsterdam. I didn’t have many expectations of the World Festival Amsterdam, so I was pleasantly surprised when I found a perfectly organized event, with a wide range of activities and a complete and diverse program. The quality of the films was diverse, as it couldn’t be any other way, but hardly uninteresting. I couldn’t attend the whole festival, but watched at least two noteworthy films: the delightful “A casa de Alice”, an unusual look at a Brazilian family, and the dense “Al juma al akheira” (The Last Friday), by Jordanian director Yahya Al Abdallah, which won the Jury Award. I’ll definitely mark this festival in my calendar for the next year. Pluk de Nacht is an open air festival showing a selection of recent movies and shorts films from around the world that are still unreleased in the Netherlands. These range from American indie (“Terri”) to Czech cinema (“Four Suns”) to Korean experimentalism (“The Day He Arrives”). Located in an empty stretch of land in the west on the river IJ, it actually summarizes the spirit of the ‘summer festival’, with deckchairs lined up in front of the screen instead of normal seats. Rolling kitchens and bars offer a great variety of food and drink while small art exhibitions offer you a respite from sitting all night. The after-parties are great and the laid-back atmosphere welcomes everyone. The entrance is free, and if you want a deckchair, you can decide the amount that you want to pay for renting it. Pluk de Nacht somehow marks the end of the summer and is constantly threatened by the unpredictable Amsterdam weather; in case of rain, however, they have a huge tent under which to show the films. Amsterdam is a city of festivals and seasonal events, and September is no exception to this. To start with, we have some regular screenings back, more remarkably the Cinemanita (at De Nieuwe Anita, on Mondays www.denieuweanita.nl) and the weekly screenings at the OT301, a legalized squat that used to be the Netherlands Film Academy (ot301.nl). By the end of the month, between the 20 and the 23, the Pathè Tuschinski hosts the 3rd edition of the Amsterdam Turkish Film Festival. This year its programme is organized under the concept of ‘Diaspora’. The selection comprises films by young directors as well as works by filmmakers of Turkish origin living in European countries. German-Turkish director Fatih Akin (“Head-on”, “The Edge of Heaven”) will be given a retrospective. I definitely like his documentary “Crossing the Bridge: the Sounds of Istanbul”, so I can’t wait to see it again on big screen (check the program at atff.nl). Parallel to this event, The Eye Film Institute has organised the “Turkish Beat” series, featuring films by new directors. The offer this month is too big to be summarized in a few lines, so I recommend you to regularly check the cinema’s listings. Check The Eye Film Institute (www.eyefilm.nl), which, on the occasion of the release of Woody Allen’s “To Rome with Love”, is showing a retrospective on movies set in the Italian city, including Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator”, William Wyler’s “Roman Holiday” or Jarmusch’s “Night on Earth”. Also have a look at the “Modern Classics” series in Kriterion (“Happiness”, “Paris, Texas”) as well as the Café Cineville (“Boogie Nights”, “Airplane!”) at De Uitkijk. As usual with AmsterDO, all relevant sites can be linked to by viewing this page with the Layar app. And finally, September 13 sees the release of “Ted”, the longawaited film by Seth MacFarlane (“Family Guy”, “The Cleveland Show”), starring Mark Whalberg, Mila Kunis and... a teddy bear. Jaime Menchén López is passionate about any kind of movies, from Murnau’s ‘Sunrise’ to anything made by Fritz Lang to some of the Coen brothers films. The most recent film he feels very impressed by is ‘Take Shelter’. You can check out more reviews at Jaime’s’ blog jaimemenchen.wordpress.com and at UA magazine (united-academics.org/magazine).

FILM REVIEWS

THE BOURNE LEGACY (2012)

The fourth instalment of the Bourne series doesn’t feature Jason Bourne, but another agent named Aaron Cross. Filmmaker Tony Gilroy, who THERE co-wrote all of the previous WAS movies, use the key points NEVER of the Bourne saga (stunt JUST ONE action, a modernization of the classic spy genre) to tell a new story with different characters. He succeeds on the look and the tone of the movie, dark and spectacular THE BOURNE LEGACY when required, but fails on providing a consistent and 6 SEPTEMBER IN DE BIOSCOOP thrilling plot. The new agent, played by Jeremy Renner (“The Hurt Locker”, Hawkeye in “The Avengers”) is part of a secret program of the CIA, aimed to infiltrate its members in conflict zones. Along with a harsh training, their physical and mental skills are enhanced with drugs. When, following the events of “The Bourne Ultimatum”, a CIA supervisor (Edward Norton) decides to shut down the program, Aaron Cross will have not only to fight for his life, but find new provisions of drugs to maintain his acquired abilities. The action moves from Alaska to New York to Manila, with Doctor Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz) as Cross’ partner, helping him to find the drugs. Apart from a more violent-thanusual scene, there are few surprises along the film; and, while everything quite works on the screen, the plot and characters would have needed more development and appealing. “The Bourne Legacy” is decent, if forgettable, entertainment, thanks to a good cast and careful directing, but it lacks a solid script and doesn’t add anything to the saga. Rating: 2.5/5 JEREMY

RENNER

RACHEL

WEISZ

EDWARD

NORTON

UNIVERSAL PICTURES PRESENTS IN ASSOCIATION WITH RELATIVITY MEDIA A KENNEDY/MARSHALL PRODUCTION IN ASSOCIATION WITH CAPTIVATE ENTERTAINMENT “THE BOURNE LEGACY” JEREMY RENNER RACHEL WEISZ EDWARD NORTON CASTING MUSIC EDITED COSTUME PRODUCTION DIRECTOR OF BY ELLEN CHENOWETH BY JAMES NEWTON HOWARD DESIGNER SHAY CUNLIFFE BY JOHN GILROY ACE DESIGNER KEVIN THOMPSON PHOTOGRAPHY ROBERT ELSWIT ASC ALBERTEXECUTIVE FINNEY JOAN ALLEN STACY KEACH OSCARINSPIREDISAACBY THESCOTTBOURNEGLENN SERIES PRODUCED STORY SCREENPLAY CREATED BY ROBERT LUDLUM BY FRANK MARSHALL PATRICK CROWLEY JEFFREY M. WEINER BEN SMITH BY TONY GILROY BY TONY GILROY & DAN GILROY PRODUCERS HENRY MORRISON JENNIFER FOX DIRECTED A UNIVERSAL PICTURE BY TONY GILROY SOUNDTRACK ON BACK LOT MUSIC AND VARÈSE SARABANDE

www.bournelegacy.nl

WWW.MISSION-IMPOSSIBLE.NL

O OOOK K T TE E ZZIEN I E N IN IN

PARIS, TEXAS (1984) There is something truly unique about “Paris, Texas”, the tenth movie by German director Wim Wenders. Much has been written about the film, about the cinematography by Dutch cameraman Robby Müller and the spare, captivating music by Ry Cooder; and still the picture retains a distinctive sense of mystery and enchantment. Travis Henderson (Harry Dean Stanton) is a man who disappeared four years ago just to show up again in the Texas desert, when chance puts him in contact with his brother. He has left behind a kid, who is taken care by his brother and sister-in-law, and a wife whose whereabouts are unknown. Little by little he will be brought back to normal life, but at some point he will have to face again the facts that made him go away. This is one of those rare occasions in which apparently disjointed pieces fit in a perfect way. The script by playwright Sam Shepard gives Wenders and Müller enough room to capture the American scenery in a beautiful, yet rare and original, way. The plot slowly unveils the character and reasons of Travis, leading to an exceptionally climatic ending. There are several films in one (the road movie, the family drama, the mystery behind Travis’ disappearance) and yet all of them blend together in a portrait of human beings lost in a great landscape. All result in a wonderful, timeless movie. Rating: 4/5 “Paris, Texas” will be shown at Kriterion on the 24 of September at 22h.

Jaime Menchén López

LOKAL MOKUM

THE DAM REGULARS

DJ & MUSIC PRODUCTION COURSES

If you are looking for an event a little off the beaten track â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Look no further. Check out the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Dam Regularsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for some real local events and a chance to mingle with some like minded people.

EVERY SUNDAY

Comedy Workshop @ CREA CafĂŠ

Cultural student centre for the University of Amsterdam Time: 15:00 | Location: Nieuwe Achtergracht 170 | Price: Â¤30 for 4 work-shops EVERY MONDAY

Okido Yoga: Training for health, strength and mobility @ OT301

Famous squat which contributes immensely towards community activities. Check out their program! Â¤12

888 .*44*2#&"65: /8JO FFO EBBHTF SFJT OBBS $VSBĂ&#x17D;BP Tijdens de finale van de Miss IQ Beauty 2012 op 26 oktober 2012!

EVERY TUESDAY

FRIDAY 26TH OCTOBER

Great venue, great vibe and totally acoustic. Time: 21:00 | Location: Groen van Prinstererstraat 41

Are you ready to make a difference? These women are. They are running in the newest style beauty contest, that is set out to make a difference. All proceeds and the winner will go to helping underprivileged children in the Caribbean. A shroud of mystery lies over the actual events of the evening. But there will be good looking women, food, drink and, by all reports, some kind of battle.

Open Mic Night @ Jet Lounge EVERY THURSDAY

Salsa Dancing Night

Local Latin Night Time: 21:00-01:00 | Location: Klonneplein 4-6 | Price: Free

Miss IQ Beauty 2012

More info pleaes see www.missiqbeauty.nl

EVERY SATURDAY

Organic Farmers Market

DJ Courses

Organic Local Produce Time: 9:00-16:00 | Location: Noordermarkt, De Jordaan

4 HOURS INTENSIVE, PRICE: 120 EUROS Learn, mix & upload your first DJ MIX-TAPE to the internet within 4 hours of intensive course. 100% student satisfaction guaranteed. - DJ Setup: Turntables, CDJ's, Mixer & Headphones - Introduction to digital DJing with Traktor - Counting beats & beat matching - Mixing techniques, EQ's and effects - Record, upload & promote your first mix-tape

EVERY SUNDAY

Nude Swimming @ Zuiderbad

Not for everyone, but if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re into it, well here it is, strip of a few layers and jump in! Time: 16:30-17:30 | Location: Hobbemastraat 26 | Price: Â¤3.30 EVERY MONDAY

Music Production Course

Sophieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Quiz Night @ CafĂŠ Thijssen

All questions are in English too! You can reserve a table on the facebook site â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;CafĂŠ Thijssenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Time: 20:00 | Location: Brouwersgracht 107 | Price: Â¤2.50 p.p

4 HOURS INTENSIVE, PRICE: 150 EUROS Learn, Produce & Perform your first track idea with Ableton. Within this 4 hours intensive program you will learn & produce your first: - Drum Beats - Phat Bass Lines - Melodies - Record & Sample Sounds - Composition Techniques - Live Performance

1ST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH

Sivananda Yoga with Janaki

Learn how to relax, recharge, detox and energise! Time: Time: Thursdays 9.15am - 10.30am, Saturdays 10.00am 11.15am | Location: Cornelis Anthoniszstraat 53hs | Price: Â¤10

You can book: every Friday - Saturday - Sunday from Oude Waal 26 Sous, 1011EE Amsterdam info@unis-academy.com | Cenk Unis: +31(0)646 06 40 62

EVERY MONDAY

Drag Bingo @ The Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Head Pub

A night which everybody should experience at least once, if not regularly! Time: 22:00-03:00 | Location: Zeedijk 20 | Price: Â¤2.50

SUNDAY 30 SEPTEMBER

Indoor Vrijmarkt

Sneak Preview @ Kriterion Movie Theatre Locally famous student-run theatre Time: 22:15 | Location: Roetersstraat 170 | Price: Â¤5

Flea market, Queensday style. Free entrance. Expect music, second hand paradise, cheap haircuts, foot massages & hopefully some weird games, fresh food & kids playing violin. Want to sell food or stuff yourself or do you have some other brilliant idea to make money email your name, phone number(s) and plan to martine@stormspace.nl.

Have you got a small local event or activity and want to let people know? Send us an email @ events@amsterdo.com

Time: 12-18:00 | Price: Participation cost Sunday Â¤12.50 Monday & Wednesday Â¤10

EVERY MONDAY

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