A-mag – Amsterdam Magazine: Vol 3, No. 3 by amsterdam&partners

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SIGHTS & SOUNDS ART & FASHION DANCING & DINING COMPLETE LISTINGS MAY & JUN 2015

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AMSTERDAM MAGAZINE

Welcome to the home of KLM: Amsterdam Airport Schiphol When you fly with KLM, chances are you’ll pass through Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, one of Europe’s finest airports. Where you will enjoy the great self-service facilities and an excellent quality range of retail and catering facilities. But you probably won’t stay long, thanks to the very efficient transfer in our singleterminal layout. Welcome to our home. Visit klm.com for more information.

May - June — Language no problem — operaballet.nl

Dutch National Opera presents

Hector Berlioz — 9 - 31 May 2015

Alban Berg — 1 - 28 June 2015

Dutch National Ballet presents

BENVENUTO CELLINI

NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE Hiphop meets ballet — 8 – 11 May 2015

LULU

COOL BRITTANIA

Britain’s top choreographers — 17 - 27 June 2015

AMSTERDAM MAGAZINE

VOL 3 N0 3 MAY & JUN 2015

CONTENTS P.06 WHAT’S NEW?

City confidential: exciting new Amsterdam initiatives, events and venues – including your Top 5 must-do things this issue.

P.10 UP CLOSE Made in Amsterdam: this is once again a city of makers – from artisinal brewers to bespoke bike makers.

P.19 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Multidisciplinary performing arts extravaganza The Holland Festival, plus clowning around with the Ashton Brothers and our critics’ picks of the best exhibitions, concerts and events.

P.31 EAT, DRINK & CHIC Neighbourhood watch: De Plantage; plus the hottest new shops, the tastiest food trends and our selection of the best restaurants and cafés.

P.78 CLOSING Get out of town with our excursion tips; once upon a time in Amsterdam; top tips from visitors on the way out; colophon.

There was a time when Amsterdam was one big workshop. Tobacco producers, sawmills, shipping companies, leather tanneries, potteries, sugar refineries, coffee-roasters and spinning mills abounded just beyond the Canal Ring, which in itself was one giant storage facility. What happened is not unique to Amsterdam: the industrial revolution came, smallscale production disappeared and inner cities became strictly residential areas. But in the past ten years a quiet revolution has been taking place. Large corporations are returning to inner cities because of outsourcing. The need for a brand to be close to a production facility has disappeared in the present global economy. Companies need to be where the bright minds are, and bright minds want to live in pleasant cities. Such as Amsterdam. And if no one wants to hire them – such as has been the case in the past few years – they’ll just start their own company. Which is why the city has attracted a record half a billion euros in start-up capital this past year. It’s as if Amsterdam is reversing the famous line about New York City: If you can make it anywhere, you can make it in Amsterdam. So why not stay here? At the other end of the scale, small manufacturing has come back. Amsterdammers are generally very well-to-do. And can afford premium prices for premium products, which means that producers can afford to stay small and exclusive. Bicycle manufacturers, microbreweries, smallscale organic food production, homeware design and manufacturing, coffee roasting, furniture production, the fashion industry: they’re back in town because of this beneficial economical cycle. In our cover story, starting at page 10, we survey the new makers’ economy in Amsterdam and point the way to where you can see, smell and taste it. Bart van Oosterhout editor-in-chief A-mag a-mag@iamsterdam.com

STAY IN TOUCH:

P.63 THE A-LIST Agendas at the ready: from clubbing to gallery hopping, The A-List is your one-stop, at-a-glance guide to the city’s very best music, theatre (language no problem!), sporting, family and gay & lesbian events and venues.

iamsterdam.com facebook.com/iamsterdam twitter.com/iamsterdam youtube.com/videoiamsterdam

WANT TO ADVERTISE? T: 020 702 6180 E: partner@iamsterdam.com

MOOOI AMSTERDAM SHOWROOM. PHOTO NICOLE MARNATI, COUTESY MOOOI

MADE (IT) IN AMSTERDAM

may & jun 2015

OPENING

What’s new? (in town)

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All the latest cultural news plus the fresh new initiatives, events and venues making Amsterdam the place to be.

THE AMSTERDAM MUSEUM HAS BEEN SHORTLISTED FOR THE €100,000 MUSEUMPRIJS, THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS AWARD IN THE DUTCH MUSEUM WORLD FIND OUT WHY: WWW.AMSTERDAMMUSEUM.NL

text Mark Smith

How does WASHINGTON, D.C. compare with AMSTERDAM ?

AMSTERDAM

WASHINGTON, D.C. 660,000 10%

POPULATION

810,000

WATER TO LAND

25%

BIKE LANES

250

(ALMOST)

STREET CAR LINES

MUSEUMS

AMOUNT OF MARIJUANA RESIDENTS CAN CARRY WITHOUT BEING ARRESTED

(1 CANAL)

MILES

OUNCES

(165 CANALS)

MILES

0.176 OUNCES

Learn more about Dutch marijuana laws and policies on dc.the-netherlands.org

FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH Drinking water fountains are the latest weapon in Amsterdam’s fight against childhood obesity. Responding to figures which show that one in five kids in the city is overweight, alderman Eric van der Burg announced plans to install 300 free drinking fountains around the capital (although presumably not all by himself). He ’borrowed’ the idea from 19th-century do-gooders who had them installed at the entrances of city parks such as the Sarphatipark and Vondelpark. The idea is to wean Amsterdam children off fizzy pop.

Courtesy of @NLintheUSA

A TALE OF TWO CITIES Square eyes are on Amsterdam as the potential setting for a Dutch House of Cards after Film Commissioner Simon Brester let slip to Het Parool newspaper that HOC originator Netflix may be planning a series based here. That said, those hoping for a drama centred on Amsterdam’s reputation as Stoner Central may be disappointed. When Washington DC legalised recreational marijuana use in late February, the mayor of the District of Columbia, Muriel Bowser, circulated pamphlets reassuring citizens that DC wouldn’t become ‘like Amsterdam’. Big mistake. The Netherlands Embassy quickly retaliated with data highlighting some of the differences between Amsterdam and Washington, concluding that Americans are more likely to smoke weed than the Dutch. A piece of lobbying even Frank Underwood would be proud of… www.dc.the-netherlands.org

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Food trucks dispensing ever more exotic delicacies are a common sight in Amsterdam – particularly in mid-May, when the Rolling Kitchens festival turns the Westerpark into a smorgasbord of hipster-rific meals-onwheels (www.rollendekeukens.nl). Still, few mobile eateries anywhere can turn heads (and stomachs) like the Keuken van het Ongewenst Dier truck (‘unwanted animal kitchen’), whose menu includes pigeon rolls, geese croquettes and – squeal! – a My Little Pony horsemeat burger. The unconventional project began when founders Rob Hagenouw and Nicolle Schatborn learned that once-protected geese were being culled by licenced hunters at Schiphol Airport in order to prevent aviation havoc. They set about creating sustainable meals from the goose meat, which is darker and more intense in flavour than turkey. The truck will visit festivals around the Netherlands this summer. www.kvhod.blogspot.nl

‘ONLY @TINIETEMPAH COULD RIDE AROUND AMSTERDAM ON A BICYCLE AND STILL LOOK LIKE AN ABSOLUTE #BOSS.’

‘I AM A VILLAGE BOY, AND AMSTERDAM FOR ME WAS ALWAYS THE BIG TOWN.’

LONDON RADIO STATION CAPITAL FM GIVES CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE.

JUNIOR COMPANY, LOLLAPALOOZA © ANGELA STERLING

DUTCH DIRECTOR ANTON CORBIJN ON THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OF THE ‘BIG CITY’.

FRIED FOOD We’ve heard of dining in high style, but Amsterdam’s new ‘Baked Live’ dining concept takes things to another level. Featuring unusual delicacies such as ‘purple marijuanapumped donut and ice cream’ and ‘pork cheek with magic truffle glaze’, the €80 set menu at this highly secretive (but apparently legal – or, as the organisers term it, ‘not illegal’) pop-up restaurant aims to enhance the mind as well as stimulate the taste buds. Group bookings are asked to confirm their level of psychonautical experience online, from ‘novice’ to ‘shaman’, and customers are advised that they dine at their own risk. In other words, it’s entirely possible that things could get messy, whether or not there’s a food fight. www.baked-restaurant.com

WARNING: THIS ARTICLE IS IN FRENCH! Il flotte comme un parfum de Quartier Latin sur le Keizersgracht. Depuis Septembre 2014, Pierre-Pascal Bruneau vous reçoit au milieu d’une collection de livres qui n’a rien à envier aux meilleures librairies françaises. Il vous recommande avec passion les dernières nouveautés françaises ou vous guide parmi les classiques. Histoire, BD, voyages, cuisine… Il y en a pour tous les goûts et tous les âges. Quelques estampes signées Van Dongen ou Signac ainsi qu’une série de DVD completent l’offre. Les prix sont eux aussi ‘français’, raisonnables donc!

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Keizersgracht 529 www.letempsretrouvé.nl

BEE HERE NOW Amsterdam’s long been a hive of human activity, but now it seems the city is abuzz with new life. Whereas bee populations continue to decline worldwide, there are now 61 bee species in the city, up from 51 in 2000. A decade ago the city council took a new, eco-friendly approach to green areas and roadside flora, eschewing pesticides and sowing wild flowers wherever possible – and it’s finally paying off, it would seem.

LIGHT SUPPER Fancy getting away from it all? This remote eatery on the Vuurtoreneiland – literally, Lighthouse Island off the coast of Durgerdam – could be for you. Opening its doors (metaphorically, because there are no doors) during May, June and July, the temporary restaurant serves local produce cooked over an open flame, in the shadows of Amsterdam’s only lighthouse. A meal, including the boat ride there and back from Amsterdam, lasts around five hours. www.vuurtoreneiland.nl

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may & jun 2015

OPENING WHAT’S NEW?

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‘THE ADVANTAGE OF A MODEST SKYLINE IS THE SEEMINGLY LIMITLESS HORIZON.’

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‘THE MONUMENTALITY OF AMSTERDAM EXISTS ONLY IN THE HEADS OF ITS INHABITANTS, NOT ON THE STREETS.’

HISTORIAN RUSSELL SHORTO ON AMSTERDAM’S LOW-RISE APPEAL.

DUTCH HISTORIAN GEERT MAK ADDRESSES THE CITY’S ARCHITECTURAL NAPOLEON COMPLEX.

JAUME PLENSA , THE HEART OF TREES

TEXT MESSAGES

Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 67 www.mgallery.com

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AS BIG AS THE SKY © HANS HIJMERING

TOP 5 to do

If you only do one thing in Amsterdam, make it one of our top picks of must-do events, exhibitions, museums, music and more this issue.

1 HOLLAND FESTIVAL The new and the radical take centre stage for this year’s Holland Festival, one of Europe’s biggest and most prestigious performing arts extravaganzas. 30 May-23 June Various locations www.hollandfestival.nl

MASSIMO SESTINI

A vital aspect of the Dutch Golden Age is Amsterdam’s status as a centre for the nascent print publishing industry. The same spirit of tolerance that made the city a magnet for exiled traders in the 17th century made it possible to print books here that would have been considered dangerously subversive elsewhere. Now Amsterdam has a hotel befitting this heritage, in the shape of INK Hotel. Occupying the site of the former newspaper De Tijd on Niewezijds Voorburgwal, it was designed by ‘it’ architects Concrete, who took inspiration from the historic canal-house buildings as well as their newsworthy past. Its 149 magazine-perfect rooms feature hand-drawn murals by Jan Rothuizen, author of The Soft Atlas of Amsterdam, and the bar-restaurant is designated the ‘Pressroom’.

2 ART ZUID

4 OPEN GARDEN DAYS

Culture vultures fly south this summer, for the international sculpture route that’s starting conversations all over the place.

On the third weekend in June, the owners of some of Amsterdam’s finest canal houses open their gardens to the public as part of the Open Gardens Days scheme.

22 May-22 September Plan-Zuid District www.artzuid.nl

3 BENVENUTO CELLINI The DNO presents Berlioz’s ‘unperformable’ Benvenuto Cellini – hoping to spin gold from straw, with Monty Python Alumnus Terry Gilliam at the helm. 9-31 May National Opera & Ballet Amstel 3 www.operaballet.nl

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19-21 June Various locations www.opentuinendagen.nl

5 WORLD PRESS PHOTO The winning images from the world’s largest and most prestigious annual press photography contest begin their world tour in Amsterdam each year, presenting a reflection of trends and developments in photojournalism. Until 5 July De Nieuwe Kerk, Dam www.nieuwekerk.nl

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‘AMSTERDAM IS THE ABSOLUTE BEST. PERIOD. #THEPINKPRINTTOUR LOVE U AND THANK U. THANK U I LOVE U.’ RAPPER NICKI MINAJ IS TICKLED PINK TO BE IN AMSTERDAM.

EDWIN VAN EIS

RUNNING COMMENTARY

DRIVEN UNDERGROUND Plans are underway for a 7,000-space subaquatic bicycle garage to ease the burden on Amsterdam’s bike parking provision. The new space next to Central Station  will be connected to the city’s train and metro system via underground tunnels. A pair of floating islands to accommodate a further 4,000 bicycles will also be built, with work due to be completed by 2020.

PETAL POWER

A chocolate factory in Amsterdam-Noord district has scooped this year’s DAM Prijs, the award for the most sustainable small business in the city. On receiving the honour, Chocolatemakers co-founder Enver Loke said that he and business partner Rodney Nikkels want to challenge the effective monopoly that Belgian companies have long held over chocolate supply in the Netherlands. Loke and Nikkels are doing so by pedal power, transporting cocoa beans to their factory via a bakfiets cargo bike.

An Amsterdam twenty-something has been making headlines by saying it with flowers. Every time Anne Zwartbol buys a bunch of blooms for herself, she buys another bunch and gives it away to a stranger on the street or an employee in the nearest shop – no questions asked. The stated aim for her one-woman mission is to promote selflessness in an increasingly selfiecentric world. See pictures of Anne’s largesse on her delightful blog.

www.chocolatemakers.nl

www.bloemenvoor.com

HOT CHOCOLATE

Spanning the iconic Dam square – site of the manmade water feature that gave this city its very name – and the central Muntplein, Rokin  is Amsterdam’s red carpet, showcasing its architectural and aquatic beauty to Instagram-blazing effect. Or at least it will be, once excavation work on the Noord-Zuid Metro is done in 2017. On completion, we’re told the street is to boast a water feature to rival the Trevi fountain(!). The jury’s currently out on three options submitted by Dutch artists: a duo of classical bronze heads by Mark Manders; a series of handy steps by Jennifer Tee; and an installation by Rob Birza that seeks to depict Amsterdam’s tourist drag as it is, replete with a vomiting onesie-clad tourist.

PART I UP CLOSE

made in amsterdam

MADE IN AMSTERDAM

Some 150 years after her industrial heyday, Amsterdam is once again a city of makers – from artisanal brewers to bespoke bike makers and small-scale sausage manufacturers. HEINEKEN EXPERIENCE With a brewing heritage stretching back more than 250 years, Heineken is perhaps the most famous Amsterdam brand, and one of the world’s favourite beers. While the beer’s no longer brewed within the city limits, the former Heineken brewery is now an interactive playground for over-18s, featuring virtual-reality experiences, nostalgic displays and free beer.

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Stadhouderskade 78 www.heinekenexperience.com

The production industry, which largely disappeared from the Dutch capital in the second half of the 20th century, is seeing a revival. text Veerle Corstens highlights Megan Roberts

SOMETHING’S BREWING

ame an Amsterdam brand. Heineken? Actually, no. The behemoth brewer’s head office has been in Zoetermeer in the west of the Netherlands for some time now, and the production facility isn’t here any more either. The imposing former brewery that dominates the Stadhouderskade is these days something of a boozy amusement park, one of Amsterdam’s most popular attractions. And while you can buy Heineken at bars across town, it will have travelled at least 50 kilometres to get there. But not far from the Heineken Experience , a little further into the Pijp neighbourhood, is a café that for the past year has housed a whole row of gleaming brewing kettles. Beer is brewed at Troost on Cornelis Troostplein , and that beer is sold in the adjoining café-restaurant – which is so popular you’d be lucky to get a table on the weekend. The production industry is back in Amsterdam, but in a different form. Heineken had international ambitions (which it has more than achieved); the city’s new producers, like brewer Peter Derk-Muffels of Troost, are local, smallscale and artisanal – and they want to be able to shake their customers by the hand.

THE CITY’S ENERGY The handy hoisting beams that adorn the gables of Amsterdam’s historic houses are testimony to the fact that once, in the 17th century, Amsterdam was one giant workshop. Sawmills, shipping companies, leather tanneries, sugar refineries, coffee roasting houses, spinning mills and tobacco companies sprang up like mushrooms just beyond the Canal Belt. Up until halfway through the 19th century – when, for instance, Amsterdam still had 1,400 cigar makers and tobacco cutters – it remained that way. But the dawn of the industrial revolution marked the gradual disappearance of the production industry – into the countryside, where there was space for textile factories and large beer brewers. Amsterdam remained the centre for trading and consumption, but the factories were turned into houses and offices. Hammers and chisels were replaced with computers. But a few years ago, Amsterdam’s production industry saw a dramatic revival: companies that make tangible products want to be based in the city again. Firstly, because modern IT networks mean it’s possible for production to be anywhere: the necessity for the ‘head’ and the ‘hands’ of

made in amsterdam

PART I UP CLOSE

MARIE STELLA MARIS In 2010 the United Nations adopted resolution 64/292, which recognised access to clean drinking water and sanitation as a basic human right. The resolution was the inspiration for a new kind of brand based on sharing: for every product purchased, Marie-Stella-Maris donates a fixed amount towards clean drinking water projects around the world. The brand was launched by creative director Patrick Munsters and former telecoms executive Carel Neuberg in 2011 with bottled mineral water. It was soon extended to include skin, body, hair and home care products. The water is available in more than 150 select restaurants and supermarkets in Amsterdam and in the Water Bar below the brand’s flagship store on the historic Canal Belt.

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Keizersgracht 357 www.marie-stella-maris.com

RITUALS Founded by former Unilever executive Raymond Cloosterman in 2000, Rituals’ name comes from the idea of turning the routine into rituals, whether those things are household chores or part of a grooming regime. The breadth of the brand’s product offering distinguishes it from similar brands: along with skincare and cosmetics, its offering includes washing-up liquid, tea, candles, clothing and ‘car perfume’. You’ll find a range of Rituals products in de Bijenkorf on Dam square. Kalverstraat 203 & across town eu.rituals.com

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‘WE’RE FED UP WITH “MADE IN CHINA”.’ MADE IN AMSTERDAM FOUNDER MARIT TIMMERMAN.

CAFÉ-RESTAURANT TROOST With three enormous silver vats suspended above the bar, Troost (Dutch for ‘consolation’) certainly doesn’t hide its light under a bushel. Through glass doors inside the casual canteen, the brewery itself looks like a highly polished science lab, and the blonde, IPA and white beers it produces are all fantastic, while the burgers are some of the best in the ’hood. Cornelis Troostplein 21 www.brouwerijtroost.nl

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13 a company to be in the same place has long gone. Secondly, because brands need intelligent people from across the world, and these people want to live in Amsterdam. High-tech navigation company TomTom, for example – which generated in excess of €950 million last year – is situated in the middle of the city. Other Dutch brands like pushchair pioneers Bugaboo follow the same principle. As does Rituals, the ‘luxury home and body cosmetics brand’ set up by Raymond Cloosterman in an Amsterdam basement 15 years ago, which today has 350 stores in 15 countries . Cloosterman travels so much that a head office at Schiphol seemed like a good idea. ‘I tried it,’ he says. ‘But ultimately we want to be in the centre, because of the city’s energy.’ Yet there’s also room for small-scale, artisanal production again. Breweries, sausage makers and chocolate producers can all exist here, because there’s a demand for their products. Amsterdammers are the country’s most critical consumers. They want to know what they’re eating – which means locally produced, preferably organic and sustainable products – and they want to make things themselves again, too. TRADITIONAL PRODUCTS, MADE WITH LOVE What we’re talking about are small businesses, says Annelies Soede, senior policy advisor for the manufacturing industry at Amsterdam Municipality. ‘It’s not the shipping yards that are back; it’s the craftsmen and women. The economy in the Netherlands was built on knowledge and distribution. The large, dirty industries have disappeared to very distant shores. But thanks to new production techniques, we can now make smaller series of products that meet individual needs closer to home.’ One of the pioneers of this resurgence is Brouwerij ’t IJ, located next to the windmill on Funenkade, which ten years ago started making speciality beers from Belgian malt, different hop varieties from across the world and Amsterdam tap water . ‘Our customers like that our beer is brewed in the city – it’s a large part of the charm,’ says brew-

er Tim Hendriks. ‘Perhaps we’ve gone too far with industrialisation, which is why we want to go back to traditional products that are made with love.’ Soede agrees that nostalgia plays a large role: ‘The desire for authenticity and appreciation for craftsmanship seem to be the counterpart of our consumer society.’ It also helps that sales and shipping have become so much easier, according to Taco Carlier, owner of bicycle maker Vanmoof . ‘We can communicate with parties the world over: from my computer I can contact distributors in Japan and Korea. Amsterdam start-ups operating in very small niches can trade all over the world. During a stay in a small hotel in Taipei, for example, I noticed a row of IJbier in the cooler. And we can find suppliers all over the world too. We can innovate with ease, and compete against the big players. Our electric bike, for example, is in competition with Mercedes’ version – how cool is that?’ AMSTERDAM, THE BRAND And while Vanmoof ’s bikes are sold all over the world, according to Carlier, the head office couldn’t be anywhere but Amsterdam. ‘This is our testing market: if it works here, it’ll work anywhere in the world.’ Carlier profiles Vanmoof as an Amsterdam company, and is affiliated with the Made in Amsterdam label, an initiative placing the city’s producers more firmly on the map. Says founder Marit Timmerman: ‘We’re fed up with “Made in China”, but although there are plenty of makers of beautiful products in Amsterdam, these small businesses aren’t in contact with one another. By carrying a common label, the city’s breweries, designers and furniture makers can work together with marketing companies to highlight the quality of Amsterdam’s production industry. The classic pickled onions of Kesbeke and the trendy sunglasses of Ace & Tate  both carry the “Made in Amsterdam” label now.’ For most companies, an Amsterdam association gives their brand extra prestige. Rem Koolhaas sells his United Nude  shoes all over the world, but has his head office is here: ‘Amsterdam may not be a fashion city, but it is renowned for its art and design. It’s

KESBEKE

You’ll find them everywhere from the city’s finest restaurants to the characteristic herring stalls dotted around town – and of course at Kesbeke's shop Zoet & Zuur: Kesbeke pickles are an Amsterdam institution. Based in the west of the city and using local ingredients wherever possible, the Kesbeke family has been pickling produce since 1948. Current owner Oos’s parents used to tout their wares to revellers on the bustling Zeedijk, his attractive mother taking orders in the bars while his father delivered them. Adolf van Nassaustraat 3 www.kesbeke.nl

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made in amsterdam

PART I UP CLOSE

‘During a stay in a small hotel in Taipei, I noticed a row of IJbier in the cooler.’ Taco Carlier, owner of bicycle maker Vanmoof.

SUPPLYING THE CITY For many Amsterdam brands, the city is also their largest market. ‘We want to win the loyalty of our customers by showing that we process pigs in their entirety,’ says Geert van Wersch of local sausage makers Brandt & Levie . ‘Amsterdammers are a bit more progressive about such things.’ Van Wersch’s company is situated in the Houthavens, close to both the ring road and the centre. ‘The city has many cafés, restaurants and shops that buy our sausages,’ he says, ‘and spending patterns are higher here. We need that because our prod-

uct cannot compete with supermarkets on price; our unique selling point is the superior quality of our products.’ Of course, those pigs Brandt & Levie process in their entirety can’t all be kept in the city – although Van Wersch is experimenting with this idea on a small scale. ‘One of our associates is carrying out a pilot scheme, so we can see whether it’s possible to feed pigs on waste from the city.’ Annelies Soede also sees opportunities for recycling: ‘Technologies are available for growing mushrooms on coffee grounds, which is useful if you’re located near a multitude of coffee bars. Then it becomes an advantage to be in city that’s bursting at the seams.’ While certain crafts may be back in vogue in Amsterdam, those who have stood the test of time are survivors like Kesbeke . For them, it wasn’t necessary to innovate, just to keep pushing the motto. These born and bred Amsterdam producers have never felt the need to leave and are now part of the city’s interior. Just like those handy hoisting beams.

also a real global village with a strong international orientation.’ Designer Marcel Wanders is also staying faithful to his city, selling his designs all over the world from his studio on Westerstraat . Amsterdam forms part of the DNA of his famous Moooi design agency, as regards both creative inspiration and finding new talent. ‘Amsterdam attracts people. It’s an international city that’s open to all cultures. I believe that creativity needs the freedom and nonchalance of a city like Amsterdam. People are much more broad-minded here. I travel a lot, but wouldn’t move away for all the tea in China.’

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TONY‘S CHOCOLONELY Founded by Dutch TV presenter Teun van de Keuken in 2005 as a result of a journalistic investigation into child slavery within the chocolate industry, Tony’s Chocolonely is based in Westerpark. Every bar of Tony’s is 100% slavery free, and because it’s one of very few brands that make such guarantees, ‘Chocolonely’ became part of the name. Sate your sweet cravings with a clear conscience: you’ll find Tony’s Chocolonely at stores around town – or purchase online.

www.tonyschocolonely.com

VANMOOF Serious cyclists, like keen runners, have long used GPS tracking to chart their daily biking progress via smartphone. Now Amsterdam-based bike company Vanmoof has become the first manufacturer to harness satellite technology to counter bike theft. The firm’s ‘Electrified’ model communicates with a smartphone app to establish its exact location, particularly useful should it ever be ‘borrowed’ by undesirables...

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Mauritskade 55 www.vanmoof.nl

15 BRANDT & LEVIE Founded in 2011 by Amsterdammers Samuel Levie, Geert van Wersch and Jiri Brandt, Brandt & Levie produces sustainable sausages. Having travelled through Italy learning the science of charcuterie, they brought their skills home to Amsterdam’s Houthavens neighbourhood. With eight dried sausages – ranging from the expected (black pepper) to the unusual (lavender) – and seasonal fresh snags, they can be found at some of the city’s finest restaurants, markets and delicatessens. Vleck Wijnen Eerste Helmersstraat 63 www.brandtenlevie.nl

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PART I UP CLOSE

made in amsterdam

MOOOI Furniture and lighting maker Moooi has been producing bright and witty products since 2001. Founded by renowned Dutch designer Marcel Wanders and business partner Casper Vissers, it brings together some of the most innovative design studios currently working in the Netherlands. The name is a play on the Dutch word mooi, which means ‘beautiful’, the extra ‘o’ standing for the extra quirky beauty the firm offers. Better-known designs include the ‘Smoke Chair’ by Maarten Baas (with wood finished by blowtorch) and the ‘Horse Lamp’ by Front (a lamp in the shape and dimensions of a real horse). Jurgen Bey, Kiki van Eijk, Studio Job and almost 30 others also contribute. Westerstraat 187 www.moooi.com

I AMSTERDAM STORE Your one-stop shop for the best products, brands and events in the city, the new I amsterdam Store in the IJhal of Central Station is the place to be if you want to know what’s happening in town. Get inspired by the best Amsterdam has to offer.

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Opening in August www.iamsterdam.com

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ACE & TATE Named for the cellulose acetate from which the majority of its frames are formed, glasses company Ace & Tate cuts costs by eliminating third parties and middlemen to provide an online glasses service (including prescription lenses) for just €98. And these aren’t your average NHS frames: affordable, stylish and high quality, they’re cool classics in the making. De Bijenkorf, Dam 1 or online www.aceandtate.nl

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BROUWERIJ ’T IJ The first of the city’s organic microbreweries is located in a former municipal bathhouse at the foot of a windmill, with a suntrap of a terrace. Producing brews along traditional methods – read: without filtering or pasteurisation – results in a distinctive, full-bodied taste. You can taste them on a 30-minute tour (admission includes a beer) from Friday to Sunday. In addition to ‘house beers’ – including a Belgian double, white beer and IPA – there are seasonal specials.

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Funenkade 7 www.brouwerijhetij.nl

UNITED NUDE A collaboration between the nephew of one of the Netherlands’ most famous architects and a descendent of the Clark family that has controlled the eponymous British shoe brand for seven generations, United Nude footwear is part sculpture, part shoe, all style. Elastic features prominently, as does moulded plastic running the gamut of Pantone hues.

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Molsteeg 10 www.unitednude.com

PART I UP CLOSE

made in amsterdam

THE STORY BEHIND THE COVER We invited brand design agency DesignBridge to submit a proposal for our ‘Amsterdam Brands’ cover. Instead, they gave us a hard time choosing from 12 great proposals. We (finally) picked a winner in consultation with cover connoisseur, Coverjunkie. www.designbridge.com | www.coverjunkie.com

DANIEL LECKENBY (UK)

IVAN CERVANTES (SP), GLORIA GOMEZLECHON (SP), ANE MAGUREGUI (SP), RICHARD RIGBY (UK)

Title: Creative Melting Pot Amazing brands manifesting and emanating from Amsterdam.

Title: Factory of Brands Amsterdam – a white canvas for global brands.

CHARLOTTE NEWBOLD (UK) AND NINA BRANDT (GE)

MATTHEW ROBSON (UK)

Title: Masters of Branding A contemporary photographic twist on the traditional still life paintings of the Dutch Master painters – ‘The New Masters’.

Title: Graffiti Logos Famous logos abstracted.

REBECCA BERG (SE) GALI LUCAS (UK)

Title: Dutch Delft A contemporary take on the classic Delft art displaying the brands growing in Amsterdam today.

Title: Brandscape The brands that really make Amsterdam.

NINA BRANDT (GE) ROBIN WHITE (UK), MARLOES OOMEN (NL)

Title: Made in Amsterdam A multitude of eclectic international and national brands joyfully spill into the air from a classic Amsterdam bicycle.

Title: International brands from our block. X marks the spot. This winning design is a powerful image with immediately recognisable elements of Amsterdam, and is conceptually right on the mark.

INGE DANIELS (NL) Title: Made in Amsterdam Brands that find their origin in Amsterdam. Plays with ‘Made in Amsterdam‘ and the cheeky side of the city instead of showing the brands.

BRIDIE, THE DESIGNBRIDGE DOG We didn‘t have room to show you all the talented graphic artists that comprise the DesignBridge studio and who so kindly submitted designs for our ‘Amsterdam Brands‘ cover. So instead we‘re showing you Bridie, the studio dog. Design Bridge is an awardwinning, independent, international brand design agency, working in over 40 countries and speaking around 30 different languages. Design Bridge blends creative passion, strategic insight and a firm belief in the power of great ideas.

FABIO MILITO (IT) Title: Made in Amsterdam A Tale of Brands. Set against a backdrop of denim‘s new heartland, Amsterdam brands are woven together.

RUI GRANJO (PT) Title: HandMade in Amsterdam Industrial production is about endless repetition, continuous remakes of chosen models.

A-mag likes to stimulate home-grown design talent. Are you a design company, school or collective? Drop us a line: a-mag@iamsterdam.com

may & jun 2015

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ENTERTAINMENT

‘AMSTERDAMMERS ARE EASY, DIRECT AND COSY. THE GIRLS IN AMSTERDAM HAVE A KIND OF CASUAL PURITY – WHICH THE ARCHITECTURE ALSO HAS, FOR THAT MATTER. AMSTERDAM IS BEAUTIFUL BY ITSELF, WITHOUT PRETENCE.’

HOLLAND FESTIVAL ART ZUID THE ASHTON BROTHERS 13 QUESTIONS FILM NIGHTLIFE ESSENTIALS WORLD PRESS PHOTO The winning images from the world’s largest and most prestigious annual press photography contest begin their world tour in Amsterdam each year, presenting a reflection of trends and developments in photojournalism. This collection of images not only presents the (at times gruesome) reality of events on the world stage, but also the beauty of life, sports, art, science and nature. UNTIL 5 JULY De Nieuwe Kerk, Dam www.nieuwekerk.nl

Entrepreneur Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten on what makes Amsterdammers tick.

Amsterdam joins the rest of the Netherlands on 4 May when its citizens pause to pay their respects to the fallen soldiers of World War II and more recent military conflicts and peacekeeping operations. There are events throughout the day but the national moment of remembrance takes place at 20.00. Then it’s time for a national party on 5 May, as the crowds take to the streets to celebrate their freedom on Liberation Day. 4 & 5 MAY Various locations www.4en5meiamsterdam.nl

RAPHAELA ROSELLA, AUSTRALIA, OCULI, LAURINDA

REMEMBRANCE & LIBERATION DAY

PART II ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

holland festival

Cutting-edge culture

The new and the radical take centre stage for this year’s Holland Festival, one of Europe’s biggest and most prestigious performing arts extravaganzas. text Megan Roberts

W 30 MAY-23 JUNE Various locations www.hollandfestival.nl

idely regarded as the greatest innovator of classical music of the 20th century, in the year he turns 90 celebrated maverick Pierre Boulez is the focal point of Amsterdam’s annual Holland Festival. Back in 1967 – when the Holland Festival was a relative babe in arms – Boulez proclaimed that the solution to the stagnation of opera was to ‘blow the opera houses up’. It seems especially pertinent for a festival that, under former artistic director Pierre

Audi, developed a reputation for stripping away the pomp and ceremony of the concert hall, replacing plush seats and exorbitant ticket prices with free performances in unexpected locations. That legacy continues under Ruth Mackenzie (known to Brits for heading the London 2012 ‘Cultural Olympiad’, for which she was made a CBE). A passionate fan of Boulez – ‘[he is] one of the artists of the 20th century who has changed music, changed the direction of music’ – Mac-

kenzie has programmed the composer’s Répons in a former gas silo that regularly hosts EDM parties such as Awakenings. But this is Boulez, not Bach, and his early 1980s foray into real-time electronics was in fact intended to be performed in a circular space. So intrigued is the composer by the acoustics of the Gashouder, that his own Ensemble Intercontemporain will perform Répons twice, so the audience can hear it from different positions.

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HF highlights  LULU

BEYOND THE SCORE: A PORTRAIT OF PIERRE BOULEZ. SLAGWERK DEN HAAG © GERRIT SCHREURS

A contemporary of Duchamp, Cage and Stockhausen (whom he dismissed as ‘a pompous bore’, ‘a performing monkey’ and ‘a hippie’, respectively), Boulez has often courted controversy, but his shadow stretches across the latter part of the 20th century and beyond, and the headlining honour seems appropriate for a festival that has foregrounded music throughout its 68 years. Tickets for Répons – which combines live music with computer-generated sounds

– are selling out fast, but there are other opportunities to experience Boulez’s work. Beyond the Score brings the provocateur’s work together with that of architect Frank Gehry, who designed the sets for a musical and theatrical journey through Boulez’s eventful life as a musician. Boulez also looms large over Ruth Mackenzie’s main innovation for this edition of the Holland Festival: the 12Hour Prom. This series of informal concerts performed over the course of a day at

the stately Concertgebouw – and for which the seats will be removed, to create a true promenade performance – was inspired by the BBC Proms. Boulez’s Notations I-IV and VII, as well as his Le soleil des eaux, will be performed by Radio Filharmonisch Orkest. But if Boulez isn’t to your taste (and he isn’t everyone’s cup of tea), there’s no need to channel the composer’s fire-starting tendancies: with 45 productions over 25 days, there’s something here for everyone.

Acclaimed South African artist William Kentridge follows in the footsteps of Picasso, Chagall and David Hockney in making the leap from gallery to stage, with this production of Alban Berg’s final opera. It’s particularly apt: Lulu is in part about art, featuring an artist who falls in love with a femme fatale after painting her portrait. The second act calls for a silent film, for which Kentridge – as well known for his videos as his drawings and sculptures – seems especially well suited. Performed for the first time in full by the Dutch National opera, with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.

 KRAPP’S LAST TAPE

Samuel Beckett’s famous oneact play about loneliness and disillusionment, performed by Holland Festival alumnus Robert Wilson (The Life and Death of Marina Abramovic, 2012), one of the most important avantgarde stage directors of his generation. Beckett’s minimalist style seems created for Wilson, who brings his trademark eye for detail and synchronicity of movement, light and sound to this performance. Praised by the UK’s Guardian as ‘a masterpiece in the true sense of the word, for it exhibits the impressive mastery of so many theatrical disciplines achieved by Wilson over the course of his career,’ this is a must-see performance.

 THE END She has supported Lady Gaga. Pharrell Williams remixed one of her songs. She has 2.5 million Facebook fans. Yet, cyber celebrity Hatsune Miku is not real. In essence, Miku is a ‘Vocaloid’ – a vocal synthesizer application – that ‘performs’ onstage as a perpetually 16-year-old manga hologram, complete with miniskirt, thigh-high boots and turquoise pigtails. Composer Keiichiro Shibuya has made Miku the star of the world’s first Vocaloid opera, constructed from multi-screen 3D images and electronic sound. Travelling through a virtual world, accompanied by Shibuya’s score of minimal techno and EDM, modern and contemporary classical music and sound art, Miku goes in search of the paradox of her own existence.

artzuid

PART II ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

ArtZuid

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Culture vultures fly south this summer, for the international sculpture route that’s starting conversations all over the place.

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text Mark Smith

MARKUS LÜPERTZ, PARIS SANS BRAS, 2004. © ARTZUID

he may be feted for having transformed the artistic landscape of Amsterdam, and the 2011 edition of her biennial ArtZuid culture walk was opened by none other than the then-Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, but international lawyer Cintha van HeeswijckVeeger maintains that her proudest moments result from seeing her formerly disparate neighbours knocking on each others’ doors for a cosy chat and a cuppa. ‘Long-lasting friendships have begun through ArtZuid, either because people have generously volunteered to help run it, or because the sculptures literally bring people out of their homes and start conversations,’ she says of the project she dreamed up in 2008. ‘I’m originally from a village so that kind of interaction is really important to me. It’s something I really craved when I first moved to Amsterdam.’ Van Heeswijck-Veeger describes the Plan-Zuid district in which she lives as ‘something of an island in the city’, but this leafy area just south of central Amsterdam – characterised by its detached residences and wide streets designed by prominent architect HP Berlage – was ripe for artistic intervention. Now in its fourth edition, ArtZuid typically attracts some 500,000 visitors with its eye-popping collection of large-scale sculptures submitted by first-class artists from all over the world. ‘I’m just grateful that Amsterdam is a port!’ Van Heeswijck-Veeger has joked of the immense logistical effort required. This year the sculptures dotted around impressive boulevards such as Minervalaan and Apollolaan include Ai Weiwei’s 12-piece representation of the zodiac, the solid stately heads of the late Hans Josepsohn and ferocious figurative works by Thomas Houseago, the

KAWS CÉLÈBRE The giant wooden sculpture of a cartoon-like figure that graces posters for this year’s ArtZuid is by KAWS, a Brooklyn- based artist whose work bridges the gulf between high art and mass media. Brian Donnelly – for that’s KAWS’s real name – started as a graffiti artist, ‘kidnapping’ advertising posters and adapting them with his visual hallmarks: crossed-out eyes à la Nirvana T-shirts and balloon skulls. He’d then replace the ads in their original hoardings, to the mystification of Madison Avenue. Nowadays, KAWS’s sculptures are mentioned in the same breath as Keith Haring and Jeff Koons.

don’t miss these Leeds-born artist who studied under the famous painter Marlene Dumas at the Ateliers in Amsterdam. Leading contemporary German artist Markus Lüpertz, whose 2004 work ‘Paris sans bra’ is pictured here, is another big ‘get’. Van Heeswijck-Veeger, however, is particularly excited to have 66-year-old Mimmo Paladino, from Naples, on the roster: ‘His work is so playful, and like many of the artists on the programme this year, he applies paint to his sculptures to terrific effect.’ The 2015 ArtZuid route features more works than ever, but the number of participating artists has been limited to 24. It’s all part of the vision of guest curator Rudi Fuchs, art historian, former director of the Stedelijk Museum and the man Van Heeswijck-Veeger refers to as ‘a Pope of the art world’. Taking ‘concentration’ and ‘depth’ as his watchwords, Fuchs has been inspired by the innovative geometric compositions of the Italian Early Renaissance painter Piero della Francesca to arrange clusters of sculptures by the same artist in such a way that encourages reappraisal. ‘The largest works – the ones you might expect to be the centrepieces – are being placed in really unexpected positions,’ says Van HeeswijckVeeger. Earlier this year, volunteers were enlisted for a stand-in for giant sculptures so that Fuchs could plan his compositions with the aid of a sketchbook, ready for the arrival of an army of cranes. ‘The size of the sculptures and the fact that each one needs to be firmly secured into the ground means that there’s limited room for manoeuvre once they’ve been placed,’ says Van Heeswijck-Veeger. Hence a surreal game of musical statues, with the Pope of Amsterdam’s art scene calling the tune. Of course, it’s all in a day’s work for team ArtZuid. Let the conversations begin.

WILLIAM KENTRIDGE: IF WE EVER GET TO HEAVEN South African artist William Kentridge – whom the UK’s Guardian dubbed ‘the most acclaimed animator in international art’ – articulates the concerns of post-Apartheid South Africa with unparalleled nuance and lyricism in his remarkable films, drawings and installations. He’s in town for the Holland Festival, having designed the operatic production Lulu (see page 21), and a number of his existing works are now on display at Amsterdam’s centre for film, but the real highlight is a 40-metre-long frieze of moving images created specifically for this exhibition.

UNTIL 30 AUG EYE Filmmuseum, IJpromenade 1 www.eyefilm.nl

ITS FESTIVAL Every year at the end of June, the latest crop of performing arts graduates from across Europe descends on Amsterdam to prove they’ve got what it takes to merit a long-lasting career. Comprising more than 50 unique performances from some 200 graduates, it’s a box-fresh opportunity to catch a glimpse of what’s on the horizon in the fields of acting, dance, mime and even film directing. As well as performances, the programme includes debates and workshops in all things theatrical – and no doubt some suitably dramatic after-parties…

22 MAY-22 SEPTEMBER Plan-Zuid district www.artzuid.nl

AMSTERDAM OPEN AIR

KAWS, BETTER KNOWING, 2013

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A collaboration between a host of major names from the city’s clubbing circuit, this festival aims to offer an accurate reflection of the city’s nightlife. Totally in the spirit of the cosmopolitan nature of Amsterdam’s South-East, Open Air boasts a wildly diverse set of musical styles and rhythms to dance to. Tom Trago’s (Rush Hour) Voyage Direct project is well represented with Trago himself, Elias Mazian, Interstellar Funk and Awanto 3 playing house tunes. The Yours Truly crew take care of the UK/bass and urban side of things with Dutch feelgood rap hotshot Typhoon (live), L-Vis 1990, Girl Unit, Full Crate, FS Green, The Flexican and Vic Crezée headlining.

FRI 19-FRI 26 JUN Various locations www.itsfestivalamsterdam.com

SAT 6 & SUN 7 JUN

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Gaasperplas www.amsterdamopenair.nl

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PART II ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

highlights

Brotherly love

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Words fail to describe the physical theatrics of one of the Netherlands’ most admired performance troupes: the Ashton Brothers.

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text Mark Smith

ppropriately, for a man who’s one quarter of an act that’s propelled by prank-like glee, it’s April Fool’s Day when Pim Muda, 37, of the Ashton Brothers talks to A-mag about the troupe’s upcoming show at Amsterdam’s oldest surviving theatre, De Kleine Komedie. Muda and the other three Ashton Brothers (who aren’t really brothers) bonded in their early days over a mutual love for televised stunt shows such as MTV’s Jackass and the physical comedy of Charlie Chaplin. Today is the first day of rehearsals for the

month-spanning Welcome To The Ashton Brothers show. A cavernous rehearsal space in Zaandam, the fascinating industrial city just outside Amsterdam, is strewn with hundreds of white plastic cups and a giant fan, of the kind purportedly used by Jennifer Lopez to ensure that her hair appears pleasantly animated during TV appearances. It’s unclear exactly how such apparatus will be employed by the Ashton Brothers in their show but – as past performances have seen them using toilet seats suspended from the

theatre rafters as makeshift gymnastic rings – the sky would appear to be the limit. ‘Maybe we’ll try to make it snow in June,’ hints Muda. Fourteen years after Muda first encountered Pepijn Gunneweg, Joost Spijkers and Friso van Vemde Oudejans at performing arts school in Amsterdam (‘we were just thrown together and told to do acrobatics,’ he says), the boys are adhering to their customary routine for getting back in the creative saddle. ‘We start by creating a playground for ourselves,’ says Muda. ‘We hang out, drink coffee and play football. We play-fight too. You could say that we all have Peter Pan syndrome. We’re united by a refusal to grow up.’ Indeed, as the Brothers approach the milestones of middle age, fans may detect a certain cheery defiance of mortality that’s reminiscent of Monty Python’s ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’. One past skit opened with a display of synchronised dancing by four giant coffins. Another poked fun at the issue of erectile dysfunction, with two of the boys stripped to the waist, ‘playing’ the penises of the other two in various states of arousal. Helped by the fact that their unique brand of physical theatre has no verbal component, the Ashton Brothers have been invited to perform in venues all over the world, from Edinburgh to Toronto. On home turf, they’ve previously sold out lengthy runs at the stately Carré theatre across town – a landmark in the career of any Dutch artist. And yet Muda and gang are particularly excited at the prospect of this summer’s Kleine Komedie stint on the other bank of the Amstel: ‘It’s a much more intimate stage, where Amsterdam’s performing arts students present their graduation shows. It’s where we did our first ever televised performance. So you could say this is a homecoming of sorts. We’re really looking forward to taking over the whole theatre. As soon as people step through the door of the foyer, that’s when the fun begins.’ Or possibly the snowfall… 4-28 JUNE De Kleine Komedie Amstel 56-58 www.dekleinekomedie.nl

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featured artist

don’t miss these With the reopening of the Rijksmuseum and the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam has regained its position as the cultural heart of the Netherlands,’ says Amsterdam Art Fair founder Wim van Krimpen. ‘What Amsterdam now needs is a fair where quality in an international setting is key and where both the experienced art connoisseur and the fledgling collector feel at home and make unique discoveries.’ No pressure, then. Thirty galleries will participate in this first edition, representing the best of the Dutch contemporary art market.

‘I’d do music for a cheese and onion sandwich.’

HARLAND MILLER, WHO CARES WINS. GALERIE ALEX DANIËLS

AMSTERDAM ART FAIR

27-31 MAY Kunsthal Citroën, Stadionplein www.amsterdamartfair.nl

Adam Broomberg (SA, 1970) and Oliver Chanarin (GB, 1971) lead viewers through a meandering and disturbing history lesson on the relationship between photography and race. This exhibition – titled To Photograph the Details of a Dark Horse in Low Light – is the result of a commission to document the West African country Gabon, which they did using Kodak stock that expired in the 1960s – and which director Jean Luc Godard called inherently ‘racist‘, because it was better at depicting white than black skin. The exhibition is named after a claim made by Kodak regarding the film that replaced the one the photographers use: ‘[it is able to] photograph the details of a dark horse in low light‘.

GHOSTPOET Born: 18 January 1983 Talent: Singer and MC Obaro Ejimiwe earned a Mercury Prize nomination for his debut album, Peanut Butter Blues and Melancholy Jam, back in 2011. His two critically acclaimed subsequent records have run the gamut from sparse electronic beats to moody alt-rock. One to watch.

11 MAY Bitterzoet, Spuistraat 2 www.bitterzoet.coml

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UNTIL 3 JUNE Foam, Keizersgracht 609 www.paradiso.nl

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It’s your last chance to catch this critically acclaimed performance, which uses perhaps the most famous and widely read chronicle of life under Nazi occupation to tell the story of Anne Frank, the young Jewish girl who, with her family and four others, spent two years hidden in a secret annex at Prinsengracht 263 before being deported to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp and ultimately to death. Drawing from her unedited diaries to reveal a complex, three-dimensional character, ANNE uses multimedia technology to provide instantaneous translation – both audio and with surtitles – in eight languages.

ANNE

‘I’m not trying to be rich. I don’t need as much as a pop star. As long as I can pay my bills and feed my dog and look after my missus, then I’m all right, man. Music is a strange beast. It makes you do strange things… All you got to do is stay happy – that’s how you get by.’ In conversation with The Independent

SHIRLEY 1, 2013

BROOMBERG & CHANARIN

UNTIL 31 JUNE Theater Amsterdam Danzigerkade 5 www.theateramsterdam.nl

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highlights

PART II ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Now for something completely different The DNO presents Berlioz’s ‘unperformable’ Benvenuto Cellini – hoping to spin gold from straw. © CRIS TOALA OLIVARES

text Megan Roberts

Secret gardens

One weekend in June, some of Amsterdam’s finest canal-house gardens are open to the public. text Mark Smith

an Meulendijks has lived at Amsterdam’s Staetshuys with his now-husband Bart Schuil for 20 years. The pair invented some of the Netherlands’ best-loved television formats – not to mention thousands of newspaper cryptograms – so it seems fitting that they’re at the heart of one of the nation’s most venerable households. Built by silk merchant Hendrick Staets in 1685 on what became known as ‘The Golden Bend’ of the Herengracht, the Staetshuys is one of Amsterdam’s finest historic buildings. Back to the garden, though, which is one of the most impressive of the 30-odd that comprise this year’s Open Gardens programme. It wasn’t always so. ‘You could hardly speak of a garden when we moved in, except for the trees,’ recalls Meulendijks. Society garden designer Robert Broekema was enlisted to create a calm, Empire-style oasis befitting the building’s understated façade. Near the terrace adjacent to the house’s kitchen, a prune tree keeps nearby restaurant Spelt in

jam all year round. But it’s the enormous beech at the other end of the garden that dominates. ‘It’s 130 years old,’ says Jan, proudly. ‘In autumn, its bark suddenly turns red.’ It is inanimate features that are the thematic link between the gardens in this year’s OGD programme, though. And in this poshest part of town that means statues and stonemasonry rather than garden gnomes. Jan bought the two beautiful cast iron Ephebes of Marathon that grace his garden from the Marchés aux Puces de St-Ouen flea market in Paris, and the canopy under which they’re displayed is one of the many places he likes to read the newspaper or just contemplate the garden’s formal beauty. Stopping to smell one of the exquisite pink blooms on a camellia rose bush that flecks the back of the mansion like graffiti, Jan says, ‘It’s a great pleasure to have this garden.’ It doesn’t take a champion cryptographer to understand why. 19-21 JUNE Various locations www.opentuinendagen.nl

e may perhaps be best known as one of Monty Python’s capering comic geniuses, but Terry Gilliam has spent the 30-odd years since the surrealist comedy troupe disbanded quietly reinventing himself at the other end of the cultural spectrum. The reluctant ‘Posh Spice’ of the 2014 Python reunion shows, Gilliam made a name for himself in the ’80s and ’90s as a film director (of, amongst others, social satires Brazil, 1985, and The Fisher King, 1991). In 2011 he took a more surprising direction, taking the helm for an English National Opera production of La damnation de Faust by Hector Berlioz (1803-’69). And now he’s coming to Amsterdam with a second Berlioz production, the ‘incoherent, bombastic and nigh on unperformable’ Benvenuto Cellini. ‘I like [Berlioz] because he’s crazy, flawed, exciting and he breaks rules,’ Gilliam has said. Berlioz’s first opera, Benvenuto Cellini is loosely based

on the outrageous autobiography of the eponymous 16th-century sculptor and goldsmith (convicted sodomite and allegedly a murderer four times over). A tale of thwarted love, elopement, intrigue, disguise and mistaken identity, it underwent many incarnations before premiering in 1838, making an awkward – and not quite complete – transition from opera comique to opera semiseria. As tough to sing as it is to stage (read: very tough indeed), full productions of Benvenuto Cellini have been few and far between. Gilliam’s will be the first in the Netherlands, co-produced with the ENO and Teatro dell’Opera di Roma. ‘I prefer to do operas that haven’t been done because you can’t be judged against the great versions,’ he says. ‘Besides, no one succeeds with a Berlioz opera – you might fuck it up, but so does everybody else.’ 9-31 MAY National Opera & Ballet Amstel 3 www.operaballet.nl

13 questions Entrepreneur Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten (Delft, 1971) is the founder of international technology blog and events platform The Next Web.

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text Inger van der Ree portrait Julia de Boer

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‘Amsterdammers think we’re bigger than we actually are.’ 1.BEST THING ABOUT LIVING IN AMSTERDAM? The city’s natural beauty continues to amaze me. Sometimes I walk with my daughter along the canals and I say, ‘Four hundred years ago, a father and his daughter also walked here, and saw the same beautiful homes.’ 2. IN WHAT BUILDING WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEND THE NIGHT? De Bijenkorf department store (www.debijenkorf.nl) . I’d throw a massive party, then clean everything up so that nobody realised what had happened. 3. WHAT SHOULD A VISITOR DO WITH A SINGLE DAY? Head to a café on a quiet street, and hang out there a while. Absorb the life of the city. The rhythm of the city is captured beautifully in places like this. 4. FAVOURITE THEATRE? A friend sometimes takes me to the National Opera & Ballet

(www.operaballet.nl) . It’s very nice, but I don’t know much about opera. My thoughts often wander, and I feel guilty. My friend always says it’s good that I’m distracted: it means the performance has made me think. 5. FAVOURITE BAR? Bar Moustache on the Utrechtsestraat (www.barmoustache.nl) . Good paninis and an inspiring, mixed atmosphere. Full of laid back students and business men from the Nederlandsche Bank, which is on the other side of the street. 6. BEST RESTAURANT? Braque (caferestaurantbraque. nl) . It has great food and a relaxed atmosphere. I take my children there and we often eat escargot and bouillabaisse. Delicious. 7. FIRST MEMORY OF AMSTERDAM? When I finished art school in Enschede, I moved to Amster-

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dam. That was fantastic. I just couldn’t understand how the city was put together. 8. FAVOURITE STREET? De Vijzelstraat, because it’s one of the few streets in Amsterdam where you really get the feeling of a big city – the high buildings, and noisy trams. The best thing about that street is that on every corner you can escape to the canals. 9. FAVOURITE MUSEUM? If the Rijksakademie or the Rietveld (www.gerritrietveldacademie.nl)  have an exhibition, I’ll go and see it. I like the energy of young artists. I also find Foam charming (www.foam. org) . The atmosphere is homely, like you’re visiting a tasteful friend. 10. FAVOURITE AMSTERDAM ARTIST? Photographer Ed van der Elsken. I’ve liked his work since I was a child. I like that he manages to

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be part of the image, instead of just being an observer.  11. FAVOURITE VIEW? The Skinny Bridge . We have the most beautiful skies in the world. It’s not for nothing that painters come to the Netherlands to capture that. 12. WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT AMSTERDAMMERS? Everyone is easy, direct and cosy. The girls in Amsterdam have a kind of casual purity – which the architecture also has, for that matter. Amsterdam is beautiful by itself, without pretence. 13. AND THE WORST? We think we’re bigger than we actually are. In the centre of Amsterdam – the real centre –there are 180,000 people. That’s a village. We sometimes have unrealistic expectations of how we can play in the world. On the other hand, I like that attitude. www.thenextweb.com

PART II ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

film

Taking you through Amsterdam’s movie scene, one cinema at a time.

Filmhuis Cavia

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Our favourite cinematic guinea pig. text Bregtje Schudel

FILMHUIS CAVIA Van Hallstraat 52-I (first floor) www.filmhuiscavia.nl

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ith only 40 seats, Filmhuis Cavia may be the smallest theatre in Amsterdam – and one of the smallest in the Netherlands – but its programming is certainly some of the more daring, and unconventional. Founded in 1983 by a local squatters’ movement in a former boarding school in the Staatsliedenbuurt in West, Filmhuis Cavia has never really lost that underground feel. Housed in a semi-secluded location and run solely by volunteers, handwritten signs and tea lights lead the way past the busted front door and the local kickboxing club to the compact cinema on the first floor. No one really knows the exact origin of the name ‘Cavia’, but, intended or not, its English translation – ‘guinea pig’ – seems to fit its programming like a glove.

Since it’s open only a few nights a week, you don’t go there for your average film fare. Instead, Filmhuis Cavia offers a stage for high-quality productions, from classics and art films to documentaries, with a special focus on minorities, underground and political culture. Every Tuesday there’s a special screening by guest programmer Jeffrey Babcock, a walking – and talking – film encyclopaedia. Most movies come with English subtitles and you can even pay with Bitcoin. Not surprisingly, Filmhuis Cavia has proven to be a fertile breeding ground for fringe film festivals like the Pink Film Days (Roze Filmdagen), CinemAsia and KLIK! Amsterdam Animation Festival, who have since moved on to bigger venues. During the summer, Filmhuis Cavia goes outside with special open-air screenings at

different locations in Amsterdam West. Last, but not least, being so small comes with certain perks. As there are fewer than 50 seats, Filmhuis Cavia can be categorised as a sex cinema, which means the programmers are allowed to screen (unrated) hard-core porn, which they occasionally do. Of course, this is never your run-of-the-mill, Playboy Channel fare, but the more highbrow, artistic variety. From 14-17 May, Filmhuis Cavia hosts its very first sex film festival, the HOLY FUCK Film Festival, focusing on the cinematic qualities of sex and the desires of audiences gay, straight and otherwise. Ranging from soft- to hard-core, the four-day festival includes seductive shorts and forgotten classics, underground fetish films and more demure documentaries.

highlight

nightlife essentials

Our must-see film pick this issue…

TranScreen

f course, we have the Pink Film Days in Het Ketelhuis and the Gay & Lesbian Summer at Rialto. Still, transgender films (the ‘T’ in LGBTQI) seem to be a niche in a niche market. Happily, there’s TranScreen. About five to six times a year there are special screenings at Filmhuis Cavia; once every two years there’s the TranScreen Film Festival, a multi-day cultural and informative film festival on the theme of transgender and gender diversity. It’s an event that aims to increase public awareness and to create an environment where everyone can come as they are, and where gender diversity is the norm. Of course, besides the great cause, TranScreen also has some great movies on offer. Special focus will be on animation, sex workers and Dutch, Turkish and African productions. Documentaries are especially strong for this third edition, including Julia (J Jackie Baier, 2013), about a Lithuanian boy-turned-female streetwalker in Berlin; Sistagirl (Andy Canny & Donna McCrum, 2010), where a photographer travels to the far north of Australia to document the beautiful transgender ‘Sistergirls’ of the Tiwi Islands; and the heart-breaking In the Turn (Erica Tremblay, 2013), wherein a ten-year-old transgender girl finds acceptance and empowerment in the company of a queer – and kick-ass – roller-derby collective called Vagine Regime. While Filmtheater Rialto will be the main venue, with a grand opening and most of the film screenings, Filmhuis Cavia will focus on the more experimental and community aspects of the festival, including an animation workshop where 15 to 20 participants get the chance to make new animated shorts from old 35mm material. All movies come with English subtitles, and all ‘encounters’ (lectures, after talks, workshops) are in English. 3-6 JUNE & Filmhuis Cavia Filmtheater Rialto www.transcreen.org

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I LOVE VINYL When it comes to boogie, disco and funky downbeat, there aren’t many DJs more exciting than NYC’s Tom Noble, who himself has edited tracks for the wicked funk and disco label People Potential Unlimited. Be prepared for some sweet, obscure, un-Shazamable, wonky, mega funky dancefloor stuff… Listen to the track ‘Africa Bump’ on YouTube to get in the mood. Saturday 2 May Canvas Wibautstraat 150 www.volkshotel.nl/canvas

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VRIJLAND FESTIVAL This relative newcomer on the festival scene excels in good vibes and wicked music of all sorts. Most notable are the experimental live performers including Belgium’s excellent jazzfunk/fusion/hip-hop ensemble STUFF, who sound like the eclectic 1970s one minute and like a live reincarnation of Afrika Bambaataa just five minutes later. Other live acts on the bill include the Gallow Street Brass Band, Fox & Mink and Tears & Marble.

Tuesday 5 May Oostpunt Ijdijk 10 http://vrijlandfestival.nl

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ONE NIGHT IN DETROIT A night with a decent, soulful electronic line-up is a rare occasion in this otherwise quite grey venue at the Rembrandtplein. Don’t be fooled by the location: Detroit’s Keith Worthy is set to play a wicked set of deep Detroit house (no deephouse, mind you). Performing live is Anonym, one of the most obscure Detroit musicians around. Friday 15 May Studio 80 Rembrandtplein 17 www.studio-80.nl

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COMEDY: KEVIN BRIDGES M RDA ER STE AM SGEND AL N IV A T R T rg ES MF reen.o FIL w.transc ww

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Ketelhuis / Filmhuis Cavia Amsterdam

familiar face on the British comedy circuit, particularly back in his hometown of Glasgow where you can typically find him performing night after night in the city’s biggest arena. Saturday 13 June Meervaart Meer en Vaart 300 www.meervaart.nl

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COOL BRITANNIA Bringing together three of today’s top British choreographers, Cool Britannia features Wayne McGregor’s Dutch National Ballet debut with the contemporary masterpiece Chroma, created in 2006 for the Royal Ballet, and new works by Christopher Wheeldon and David Dawson.

Wednesday 17-Saturday 27 June Dutch National Opera & Ballet Waterlooplein 22 www.operaballet.nl

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LAURA MVULA & METROPOLE ORCHESTRA Last summer, Brit soul songstress Mvula revealed a timeless-sounding collaboration with the Metropole Orchestra, which was recorded at Abbey Road Studios. Evidently there was plenty of chemistry, sparking a jazzy initiative that they’re all too keen to re-create this evening at the classy Royal Concertgebouw. The gig launches the new Robeco SummerNights series that mashes up classical, jazz and pop sounds until the end of the August. Saturday 27 June Royal Concertgebouw Concertgebouwplein 10 www.concertgebouw.nl

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AWAKENINGS FESTIVAL Awakenings is often already billed as one of world’s largest outdoor techno festivals – yet it just keeps getting bigger and bigger. The festival kicks off its second annual weekender edition out in the countryside with more than 100 international acts and DJs spread over areas representing all aspects of the techno scene. Look out for Richie Hawtin, Dave Clarke, Billy Nasty, Chris Liebing, Ricardo Villalobos and more.

Acclaimed Scottish funnyman Kevin Bridges presents his new show A Whole Different Story. Bridges rose to 27 & 28 June Spaarnwoude  fame in 2011 and is now a www.awakenings.nl

kopje of credit

FIRST PART UP CLOSE

“Fantastic New Museum - State of the Art” - TRIPADVISOR

Nominee International Award for Excellence - MUSEUMS + HERITAGE

“It’s fantastic interesting and interactive. Something very different.”

“An experience that will forever change the way visitors see the world.” - EURONEWS

the first museum of microbes in the centre of Amsterdam next to Artis Royal Zoo (open daily) www.micropia.nl

may & jun 2015

PART III

EAT DRINK CHIC

32 38 40 42 44 46 47

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH: DE PLANTAGE EATING OUT ON THE MENU BROWN CAFÉS PRETTY THINGS WHAT’S IN STORE COLUMN

PLANCIUS The perfect sunny-day spot, conveniently located right opposite the Artis Royal Zoo and next door to the Dutch Resistance Museum. Plancius’s interior may be cavernous, but it soon fills up with locals. On the menu is brasserie fare done well (for lunch or for two dinner settings, at family-friendly 17.00/17.30 and a more respectable 20.15/20.30) as well as a blow-out afternoon tea. Plantage Kerklaan 61 www.restaurantplancius.nl

‘THIS NEIGHBOURHOOD HAS EVERYTHING YOU NEED: LOTS OF CULTURE, CULTURE NATURE AND HISTORY. LUCKILY, I WORK HERE!‘ HERE!

Zoo worker Jasper Buikxon his ‘hood.

PART III EAT, DRINK & CHIC

Neighbourhood watch

neighbourhood watch

DE PLANTAGE

WHITNEY SCHEFFLER, 23, & JOY PRINS, 24 owner youtube.com/whitneyvalerie & graphic designer

Joy: ‘I was born in the Plantagebuurt. It’s such a lovely area and it still feels like home for me. On the weekend I love visiting Artis – I’m so in love with the monkeys – and also the Hortus Botanicus. So beautiful.’

Step outside the Canal Belt and into the Plantage, where urban sprawl meets the natural world in the city centre. text Lauren Comiteau photos Elisah Jacobs map Monique Wijbrands/SaltyStock

Back to the future

trolling the quiet boulevardesque streets of De Plantage, it’s hard to imagine that 300 years ago this quiet neighbourhood was party central. In fact, the Plantage has been it all: green oasis, theatre destination and World War Two casualty. But through the centuries, one thing has remained constant: this unique quarter – bordered by the Plantage Muidergracht to the east and south, the Nieuwe Herengracht to the west and the Entrepotdok on its northern flank – is the place where nature intersects with the city, redefining the role of the latter in the process. ‘We always think Amsterdam is about canals and canal houses,’ says Dr Erik de Jong, Professor of Culture Landscape and Nature at the University of Amsterdam. ‘This puts it in a different light. In the Plantage, you can see a different definition of the city.’ MORE THAN ANIMALS At the forefront of this urban reinterpretation is the city’s zoo, Natura Artis Magistra, known simply as Artis. When Amsterdam’s main canal belt was completed in 1682, city planners decided to leave this neighbourhood’s canals building-free, reserving them instead for

nature and outdoor pursuits (which generally meant strolling, but was not beyond prostitution). Large avenues were carved out and up went the double rows of linden trees that gave the neighbourhood its name – Plantage, or plantation of trees. Sandwiched in between were small gardens that middle-income residents could rent and tend to without leaving the city. When Hortus Botanicus, the city’s botanical gardens, opened its doors also in 1682, the quarter’s green credentials were cemented. ‘Nature is central to Amsterdam society,’ says Professor De Jong, whose other moniker is Artis Professor. For Amsterdam’s science- loving, nature-seeking, trading- hungry populace, the Plantage was the place were ‘nature and culture started to fuse to make good, public liveable spaces,’ he says. Around 1800, the city changed tack and began buying up the Plantage’s gardens to create a zoological park. When Artis officially opened in 1838 to its economically diverse (if male-only) membership, the zoo’s canals had been transformed into the ponds that are still there today alongside some of the oldest trees in the city. Crucial to Artis’s mission was education and science, and a

neighbourhood watch

PART III EAT, DRINK & CHIC

‘In the 19th century, more money was spent acquiring a lion than a Rembrandt.’ Dr Erik de Jong, Artis Professor. museum, library and aquarium soon followed (women were also added in 1842). ‘In the 19th century, more money was spent acquiring a lion than a Rembrandt,’ says Professor De Jong. By 1920, Artis had become the child-friendly public zoo it is today, or as De Jong calls it, a ‘park with animals’. It is one of several parks in the neighbourhood, including the city’s oldest, Het Wertheimpark, all of which make the Plantage so attractive to both peace-seeking tourists and family-minded residents. ‘It’s a really green part of Amsterdam, so quiet but still near to Amsterdam’s hotspots,’ says resident Aukje Belt. The zoo has served as her children’s de facto backyard, but these days she welcomes the area’s latest culinary addition, the De Plantage restaurant, which leases its historic building from the zoo. ‘If De Plantage wasn’t here, I’d call Plantage Kerklaan “Friet Street”,’ says Belt of the prevalence of French fry and pizza establishments in a neighbourhood she otherwise describes as the most beautiful in the city. But the Plantage did have its ugly moments. A party destination and bustling theatre district before the war (Artis was the place to see music before the Concertgebouw opened its doors in 1888), the Germans who occupied the Netherlands during World War Two turned those festive venues – the Schouwburg and Plancius buildings among them – into Jewish-only establishments and the latter into a deportation centre. (To Artis’s credit, its director hid Jews above the animal cages and fed them with food meant for his creature charges.) But after the war, with many of its residents murdered, the neighbourhood was neglected.

ARTIS ROYAL ZOO Originally created in 1838 as a members-only playground where nature, science and art converged, Artis threw open its iron gates to the public, specifically its children, in 1920 as a more traditional zoo. Today Artis boasts more than 900 animal species amidst flowering gardens and landmark buildings. It’s newly opened and exquisitely interactive microbe museum, Micropia, moves the zoo into the future with a nod to its educational past as immortalised by its full name: Natura Artis Magistra, or ‘Nature is the teacher of art and science.’ Contemplate that while sitting in Artisplein, the city’s newest public space courtesy of its beloved zoo. Plantage Kerklaan 38-40 www.artis.nl

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‘It had been a booming neighbourhood, and

BURGERMEESTER If any of the ubiquitous burger joints dotting Amsterdam can claim to be the mayor (burgemeester) of all hamburger joints, it is certainly Burgermeester. When this three-strong chain opened in 2007, it was as the city’s first dedicated burger eatery. While there’s now a certified burger culture, Burgermeester’s offerings have proven a recipe for success: meat, veggie or fish burgers and an a la carte selection of sides.

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Plantage Kerklaan 37 www.burgermeester.eu

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HOLLANDSCHE SCHOUWBURG

HORTUS BOTANICUS

This stately building was a Dutch theatre until 1941, when Nazi occupiers rechristened it the Jewish Theatre, and allowed only Jews to perform and attend its productions. By the following year, what was once a thriving theatre became the last stop for the city’s Jews before being deported, ultimately, to Europe’s death camps. Today the Schouwburg is both monument and war memorial.

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Plantage Middenlaan 24 www.hollandscheschouwburg.nl

One of the oldest botanic gardens in the world. Founded in 1638 mostly as a herb garden for medicinal purposes, Hortus perfectly reflected Dutch sensibilities during the Golden Age, when its traders brought plants from around the world that were scientifically studied, admired and cultivated for profit. Today Hortus is home to some 4,000 plant species, while its rare books still serve as inspiration to botanists worldwide. Plantage Middenlaan 2A www.dehortus.nl

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neighbourhood watch

PART III EAT, DRINK & CHIC

BLIN BLIN BLIN Although it’s doubtful that the majority of Amsterdam’s 6,000+ strong Russian community lives in the Plantage, Russian shop Blin Blin Blin caters to their nostalgic needs – think: Baltika beer, Tolstoy, or a set of Russian presidential nesting dolls. Amply stocked with all sorts of yummy Russian delicacies (yes, we mean caviar), this deceptively spacious shop doesn’t stand out on the Plantage Kerklaan, but the faux birch trees on the window will let you know you’ve arrived. Plantage Kerklaan 30 http://www.blin.nl

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BROUWERIJ ’T IJ ROYAL THEATER CARRÉ Built by Oscar Carré as a stone tent for his travelling circus in 1887, the city’s most illustrious theatre nowadays hosts everything from cabaret and flamenco to stand-up comedy, theatre, opera and pop music. The World Christmas Circus still takes over this ode to Neo-Renaissance style during the holidays. But ever diverse, look out this June for the Holland Festival with its Capetown choirs and contemporary dance and a midmonth appearance by pop diva Idina Menzel. Wicked.

Amstel 115/125 https://carre.nl

KRITERION CINEMA Resistance fighters founded the Kriterion right after the war in 1945 as a student-run cinema where undergraduates could help support their studies in a bleak post-war landscape. Celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, the Kriterion is still democratically run entirely by students, having earned a place in the hearts of indie filmgoers with its eclectic mix of first run features, contemporary classics, film festivals and a hopping bar. Success has led to Kriterion outposts further east: Studio K in Amsterdam’s Timorplein and even further, to Sarajevo, where Bosnian students keep art-house cinema alive with the help of former Kriterion employees. Roetersstraat 170 www.kriterion.nl

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In the shadow of Amsterdam’s tallest wooden windmill lies Brouwerij ‘t IJ, which has been brewing its own award-winning beers for the past 30 years. While you’re likely to see them on bar menus and in shops around town (the perfect Amsterdam memento), nothing beats sipping one on the brewery’s ample terrace with a plate of local cheese and Amsterdam original ossenworst (raw beef sausage). While a newly finished renovation has left the place spic and span and propelled the bar into the 21st century, its walls remain lined with its famed beer bottle collection. Best to drink the brew, though, straight from the tanks.

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Funenkade 7 www.brouwerijtij.nl

DAVID VAN HAAGEN, 26 volunteer Hortus Botanicus

‘I grew up in this neighbourhood and now I work at Hortus Botanicus in addition to studying forestry and nature conservation. It’s a great place to work because you’re surrounded by amazing plants and trees from all over the world. And on cold days the tropical temperature in here isn’t bad, either!’

JASPER BUIKX, 26 educator Micropia at Artis

then horror,’ says Hester Schölvinck, project panager of the cultural cooperative Plantage Amsterdam. ‘For a long period, it was not a happy, warm neighbourhood.’ It took a few decades, but eventually new cultural institutions moved in, and the arrival of the University of Amsterdam has brought a flood of young people and their attending playgrounds (think: cafés, bars) into the mostly residential quarter. URBAN RENEWAL But it’s Artis’s recent rejuvenation that hopes to bring the Plantage into the future by capitalising on its past. Not wanting to resort to the theme-park status typical of many of today’s zoos, Artis is investing in its original educational mandate, which in the 21st century means examining man’s effects on the environment and how the two may be brought in better sync. The result? Micropia, the zoo’s new microbe museum billed as the world’s first, restores the zoo’s museum tradition while teaching visitors the role microbes can play – in helping to alleviate food shortag-

es, for instance. Tickets are bought separately, so you don’t need to pay zoo admission to gain entry into this wonder of interactive microbe education. A Museum of Nature and Man is expected to follow soon. ‘We can do more than just animals,’ says De Jong. To that end, just as the Rijksmuseum and other 19th-century Amsterdam stalwarts are rethinking their 21st-century selves, Artis has donated part of its property to the city to create Artisplein, a peaceful, tulip-filled square that encourages public strolling and lolling. Local planners are hoping that these new institutions and public spaces will indeed draw people out of the crowded Canal Belt to enjoy the wider reaches of the city. ‘Artis is a major player in the neighbourhood,’ reflects De Jong. ‘If Artis is successful in renewing itself, it will have made a major contribution to the renewal of this neighbourhood.’

‘This neighbourhood has everything you need: lots of culture, nature and history. Luckily, I work here! After work I’d like to go with my colleagues to restaurant Bloem or Café Koosje just around the corner. Those are great spots for a drink and a snack.’

BLOEM ETEN EN DRINKEN Around the corner from Artis and across the aptly named De Nijlpaardenbrug (Hippopotamus Bridge) sits Bloem, a small and cosy café nestled in one of the Entrepotdok’s restored 19th-century warehouses that in former times held the customs-free wares of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). Its prime location gives you dockside dining with the added bonus of a view of the zoo. From the small but sun-drenched terrace enjoy a 100 per cent organic lunch or dinner, where homemade pâté happily co-exists with quinoa salad. If only the animals were so easy.

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Entrepotdok 36 www.bloem36.nl

PART III EAT, DRINK & CHIC

EATING OUT

Our top dining options, from firm favourites to precocious newcomers.

ODUCTEN text Karin Engelbrecht

MY LITTLE PATISSERIE

Eerste van der Helststraat 63 www.mylittlepatisserie.nl

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NEW

his lovely little Parisianstyle bakery is the realisation of French-born Audrey Kriel’s dream of escaping the drudgery of the office to work with her hands. After a career in marketing for the Antipodean art-house film industry, Kriel enrolled at the Ecole de Boulangerie et de Pâtisserie in Paris and began a new life as a pastry chef. She gained experience at various bakeries, such as the prestigious Pâtisserie des Rêves in Paris and Petit Gâteau in Amsterdam, before opening this, her first shop, in De Pijp. Kriel specialises in cream-filled pastries (think: millefeuilles, eclairs and choux). ‘It’s all about the juxtaposition of textures,’ she says, with the delicate crisp of an expertly made crust counterbalanced by the velvety smoothness of the creamy interior. The light-asair chocolate eclair (€3.10), with its hefty hit of Valrhona chocolate tempered by rich cream, and the crispy choux crammed with lemon cream (€3.70), a citrusy sugar bomb, come highly recommended. There’s also a little window seat where you can kick off the day with viennoiserie, such as pain aux raisins (€1.10) or pain au chocolat (€0.80), and coffee made with a blend of Ethiopian and Brazilian beans from renowned Amsterdam roasters Lot Sixty One.

eating out

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39 trendy HUMMBAR With its prime location in a former bank off Rembrandtplein, the neon-lit heart of the city’s nightlife scene, and a crowd-pleasing menu of lobster and burgers, Hummbar seems on to a winning formula. Order an Aperol Spritz or gin & tonic and settle in – this isn’t fast food. The Amsterdam Deluxe burger (€15), a 200g beef patty on a crusty Kaiser roll, comes fully loaded with bacon, egg, Old Amsterdam cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, shallots in balsamic, pickles and truffle mayonnaise. The lobster roll (€22.50), a study in sumptuous simplicity, is made with a whole butter-basted lobster and served in a crunchy brioche bun.

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Utrechtsestraat 11 www.hummbar.com

critic’s choice RESTAURANT WILDE ZWIJNEN

he three-course menu (€30.50) at this long-time favourite is inspired by Dutch traditions and usually features plenty of home-grown ingredients and something for lovers of game meats and pork – which makes sense, given that the restaurant’s name translates as ‘wild boars’. The acclaimed eatery combines raw industrial elements and recycled finds with modern features for a hip yet relaxed vibe that somehow suits its location in the up-and-coming Indische Buurt. Alternatively, if you’re in a more Mediterranean mood, head next door to the newly opened Wilde Zwijnen Eetbar, which evokes mid-century Madrilenian trattorias and offers a shareable menu of small plates inspired by the latest breed of Spanish gastro bars.

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Javaplein 23-25 www.wildezwijnen.com

classic AAN DE AMSTEL

quick & simple JACKETZ One wonders why it took so long for the concept of jacket potatoes to reach spud-loving Amsterdam, but we’re glad it finally did. Expect baked potato perfection, with a crisp, salt-flaked skin, a creamy centre and Normandy crème fraîche (from €3.95). Additional toppings include tangy pulled pork in whiskey-maple sauce, traditional beef stew, salmon in herbed quark and zesty beetroot salad. Kinkerstraat 56

 www.jacketz.nl/en

A cheerfully noisy riverside restaurant that consistently delivers on quality and flavour. At a recent four-course meal (€45) we mopped up a plate of creamy cockles, cauliflower purée and bone marrow with crusty baguette. A warm salad of octopus, horn of plenty mushrooms and crispy seaweed was an ode to umami and the house speciality, pork belly, as excellent as ever. A dessert of almond cake with poached pear, whey sorbet, goat milk hangop (strained yoghurt) and cookie crisp was a celebration of spring’s clean, bright flavours – we’d love to revisit it with juicy summer fruits.

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Weesperzijde 42A www.aan-de-amstel.nl

PART III EAT, DRINK & CHIC

ON THE MENU

Three of a kind to suit every taste. text Karin Engelbrecht

best bar terraces

excellent ice cream salad to go

CAFÉ DE CEUVEL

MONTE PELMO

VENKEL

A creative crowd congregates at this ‘breeding ground’ in a former shipping wharf in Noord. Grab a beer at the ramshackle self-service bar, which was constructed of old shipping containers and upcycled building materials, and head to a hammock on the large outdoor terrace to enjoy life in the slow lane.

Universally known as the place to get ice cream in the Jordaan. Join the long line leading to this artisanal ice cream factory’s tiny store front for creamy ice creams and superb sorbets in interesting flavours such as lemon cheesecake, stroopwafel, blood orange and limoncello.

This diminutive salad bar takes a locavore approach, featuring domestic ingredients such as North Sea mackerel, Amsterdam honey, Zaanse mustard, Brandt & Levie sausage and clove cheese. Choose from the seasonal menu or create your own from a selection of organic leafy greens, grains, proteins and dressings.

Korte Papaverweg 4 www.cafedeceuvel.nl

CAFÉ ’T SMALLE Easily one of the most photogenic terraces in a district internationally renowned for its beauty, with coveted and quickly snapped up canal-side seating. Inside it’s pleasantly twee too, with a gleaming 18th-century brass genever pump on the bar harking back to the heady days when it was the Hoppe Distillery. Egelantiersgracht 12 www.t-smalle.nl

DE YSBREEKER It’s easy to lose all sense of time while sipping chilled white wine on this lovely Linden tree-lined terrace on the sunny side of the Amstel River. There are delicious Dutch bar snacks too – think croquettes and bitterballen from the famous Holtkamp patisserie – and the burgers are reliably good. Weesperzijde 23 www.deysbreeker.nl

2e Anjeliersdwarsstraat 17 http://montepelmo.nl

IJSBOUTIQUE Head to this charming corner ice-cream shop near Vondelpark for arguably the best ice cream in Amsterdam. Stand-out flavours include decadent double chocolate, refreshing passion fruit, fatfree strawberry sorbet with over 50% fruit, and IJsboutique’s signature champagne ice cream, made with Moët et Chandon. Johannes Verhulststraat 107H www.ijsboutique.nl

PISA IJS Traditionalists craving the creamy consistency of authentic gelato will have to put up with the sometimes surly service of Pisa’s all-Italian staff. With over 30 flavours to choose from, it’s easy to overlook classics such as pistachio, stracciatella and panna cotta, but they are truly done to perfection here. Eerste van der Helststraat 62B Scheldeplein 10

Albert Cuypstraat 22 www.venkelsalades.nl

STACH With its emphasis on healthy, affordable, day-fresh meals to go, STACH has proven so popular that it’s grown into a five-outlet chain in only a few years. Salads include quinoa, spinach, walnuts and cranberries; buckwheat with miso and red cabbage; and chickpeas with sweet potatoes and broccoli. Various locations www.stach-food.nl

SLA This fast-growing chain of neo-rustic salad bars attracts a hip, clean-living clientele with its many vegan, dairyfree and gluten-free options. Create your own salad or choose from organic chicken with whole-wheat couscous, pumpkin and pine nuts or roast vegetable salad with beluga lentils, herbs and hazelnuts. Various locations http://ilovesla.com

on the menu

BETTER BISCUITS

Gourmet cookie trend takes off.

he tradition of serving coffee with a koekje has a long history in Holland, but lately Amsterdam’s restaurants and bakeries seem to be stepping up their game. Gone are the prepackaged biscuits and the lone bitterkoekje (a chewy almond cookie) that once graced Dutch saucers. RIJKS®, the restaurant at the Rijksmuseum, offers a Dutch cookie menu with cinnamon pretzels, cinnamon spiced cookies, nougatine cookies and aniseed biscuits from revered Amsterdam patisserie Holtkamp. And the city’s latest generation of cookie shops are dedicated specialists. De Pepernotenfabriek offers over a dozen variations on the traditional

Dutch spiced cookie, including flavours such as cappuccino, truffle and raspberry. Van Stapele Koekmakerij takes the trend to the extreme, specialising in just one cookie, which it calls ‘the world’s tastiest chocolate cookie’: a crisp chocolate shell made with rich Valrhona cocoa, encasing a soft centre of melted white chocolate. RIJKS® Museumstraat 2 www.rijksrestaurant.nl DE PEPERNOTENFABRIEK Van Woustraat 101 webshop.pepernotenfabriek.nl VAN STAPELE KOEKMAKERIJ Heisteeg 4 www.vanstapele.com

PART III EAT, DRINK & CHIC

brown cafès

Back to brown The brown café, once the staple of Amsterdam’s nightlife, has retreated to a niche existence as hipster culture takes over the city. It’s time to rediscover the place where the bartender calls everybody ‘darling’ and ‘ossenworst’ is the only food. text Floor van Dijck photo Liselore Kamping

CLASSIC

Welling Jan Willem Brouwersstraat 32 Oosterling Utrechtsestraat 140 Café Nol Westerstraat 109 De Twee Zwaantjes Prinsengracht 114

LIVING ROOM

Toverbal Postjesweg 122H New Olympia Jan Pieter Heijestraat 174

ECLECTIC

Ruk & Pluk Linnaeusstraat 48 Knibbel Knabbel Knuisje Jan Evertsenstraat 143

NIGHT BARS

WELLING

De Doofpot Amstelveenseweg 55 De Biecht Kerkstraat 346 Savoy Korte Reguliersdwarsstraat 1

msterdam has rapidly moved up in the international hipster rankings. The birth of a new coffee place serving organically grown Ethiopian roasts or a bar where bearded guys in tight jeans pour G&Ts with fresh rosemary and cucumber slices is an almost daily occurrence. It makes you long for that old brown café. Where a big-bosomed bar lady calls you and everybody else ‘honey’, the only kind of beer they serve is called ‘beer’, and where sometimes they let you stay after closing time and everybody smokes inside. HARDBOILED EGGS Where every hipster place tends to look the same, there is enormous diversity among brown cafés. You can loosely divide them into four categories. First there’s the classic: places that haven’t changed their inventory, human or otherwise, in ages. You recognise them by the small rack of hardboiled eggs on the bar, one of the few bites on offer. Take Welling, the favourite hangout of musicians after performing in the adjacent Concertgebouw, famous for its lack of service, causing one customer to exclaim: ‘I would die of joy if I could ever get served at this place.’ Or take Oosterling on the corner of the Utrechtsestraat, which dates back to 1735 and is now run by the fourth generation of the Oosterling family. Amsterdam humour, bitterballen and a total absence of music make this place a local favourite.

THE LIVING ROOM Which brings us to the second kind of brown café: the ‘second living room’. Where bartenders tend to be older ladies with motherly instincts. At the bar of the Toverbal in Oost you’ll find several hundred years’ worth of prison time sitting at the bar. At New Olympia, customers feel so at home that they dance spontaneously, while bartender Esther serves shots of liquor. ‘It’s like a mental institution,’ says one customer. Then there are those places that always have a party going on: eclectic bars full of silly furnishings. In the infamous Ruk & Pluk on the Linnaeusstraat it’s Carnaval all year round. Knibbel Knabbel Knuisje on Jan Evertsenstraat is stuffed with witches inside and out. For people who don’t know when to stop, there’s a fine selection of neighbourhood brown cafés with indefinite opening hours such as De Doofpot (the cover-up) on the Amstelveenseweg or De Biecht (the confession) on the Kerkstraat. Leading in this genre is Bar Dancing Savoy on Rembrandtplein, where dubious activities take place on the red velvet chairs. If you’re not up to the challenge of the weird local hangout, the famous brown cafés in the Jordaan may be a good starting point. In places like Café Nol or De Twee Zwaantjes you can taste Amsterdam culture as it was a century ago, preserved especially for the visitor.

VISITOR INFORMATION

I amsterdam Visitor Centres are your one-stop shops for everything you need to know about the city. VISIT OUR NEW I AMSTERDAM STORE OPENING THIS SUMMER AT AMSTERDAM CENTRAL STATION SEE P. 16

I AMSTERDAM VISITOR CENTRES FOR INFORMATION AND TO BOOK EXCURSIONS, VISIT ONE OF THE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRES IN AMSTERDAM: Tel: +31 (0)20 702 6000 Open Mon-Fri 09.00-17.00 info@iamsterdam.com www.iamsterdam.com http://twitter.com/Iamsterdam

I AMSTERDAM VISITOR CENTRE CENTRAL STATION*

Stationsplein 10 (across from Central Station) Open daily May: 09.00-18.00; June: 09.00-17.00 *Last Minute Ticket Shop

I AMSTERDAM VISITOR CENTRE SCHIPHOL AIRPORT Schiphol Airport, Arrivals 2 at Schiphol Plaza Open daily 07.00-22.00

THE AMSTERDAM & REGION DAY TICKET Get unlimited travel in Amsterdam and the surrounding region – day and night – on bus, tram and metro for 24 hours. A ticket costs just €13.50 and can be purchased from the I amsterdam Visitor Centres or from GVB, EBS and Connexxion ticket points.

may & jun 2015

Find u s @ iamst erda .com m

LAST MINUTE TICKET SHOPS Enjoy discounted theatre tickets on the day of performance. Check the Last Minute Ticket Shop screens and buy tickets at the following locations for same-day performances: I AMSTERDAM VISITOR CENTRE CENTRAL STATION Stationsplein 10 (across from Central Station) Open daily May: 09.00-18.00 June: 09.00-17.00 STADSSCHOUWBURG AMSTERDAM Leidseplein 26 Open Mon-Sat 12.00-18.00 AMSTERDAM PUBLIC LIBRARY (OBA) Oosterdokskade 143 Open Mon-Fri 10.00-19.30 Sat & Sun 10.00-18.00 www.lastminuteticketshop.nl

PART III EAT, DRINK & CHIC

pretty things

PRETTY THINGS Purses at the ready: these tempting stores will have you reaching for your credit card. text Elisah Jacobs

TOPSHOP TOPMAN

NEW IN TOWN

Following wildly successful concessions in cavernous department store de Bijenkorf, 18 months later Topshop/Topman has finally secured its own spot on Amsterdam’s answer to London’s Oxford Street, the Kalverstraat. Part of a recent wave of arrivals (see also: & Other Stories, Urban Outfitters, Pull&Bear) that’s elevated the city’s high-street shopping scene, Topshop’s first continental flagship store is divided over a whopping 1,170m2 and three floors. Unlike the concessions, this standalone brand store

stocks pretty much the full Topshop and Topman range. Look out for the effortlessly cool luxury Boutique label, the brand’s stalwart affordable denim and beauty lines plus trend collections (including shoes, jewellery and suits for men). To celebrate the opening of the Amsterdam store the British high-street staple launched a limited-edition T-shirt and cardigan collection printed with a typical Amsterdam logo, and Dutch designer Michael van der Hamm even designed a covetable limitededition canvas tote. As you’d expect in this high-turnover industry, the collection is re-

freshed every week (with 300 new items). Those feeling overwhelmed by the tyranny of choice can book their own instore styling (and beauty) session, so you’re guaranteed to always walk out of the store with the right outfit. Or two… Kalverstraat 48/52 eu.topshop.com

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45 art & design

JIMMIE MARTIN Got a weakness for quirky tchotchkes with a twist? Then check out the popup store of British design studio Jimmie Martin. Located in the Urban Art House Gallery store until 30 June, you’ll find the duo’s exclusive furniture collection, with every piece hand painted and featuring urban influences inspired by graffiti art and – of course – the Union Jack.

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Westerstraat 174 www.lena-library.com

fair-trade design GOODS Design label Goods curates sustainable and affordable interior accessories and furniture in collaboration with Dutch design icons – think: Marcel Wanders (industrial design candelabra ‘Lucy’, €167) and Bertjan Pot (the carbon fibre Random Chair, €675). Goods’ designs are exhibited all over the world, including in New York’s MoMA and the Design Museum in Iceland. The latest addition to the Goods stable is the Superhelden series (translated: ‘Superheroes’), feel-good dolls designed by Alexa Lixfeld in collaboration with kids from the Sri Lankan village of Kurunegala. Local kids, aged six to eight, described their ultimate superhero, and six of them are being produced to help fund a village school. The colourful dolls are made of 100% handwoven cotton, are fair trade and come with a matching sleeping bag. Buy Goods products at de Bijenkorf (Dam 1 , ww.debijenkorf.nl) or online.

natural mattresses COCO-MAT Founded to maximise the restorative power of a good night’s sleep, Coco-Mat’s mattresses are made of 100% natural materials – think: coconut and eucalyptus fibres, softest cotton and wool, while seaweed extract emits natural iodine scents that aid respiration. They’re so natural you could probably eat them in a crisis (though we wouldn’t recommend it). With a recycling rate of 96%, the imprint is minimal, and for those visiting, associate hotels let you sample the goods, while a pair of slippers is a luxurious gift – and hand-baggage friendly.

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Overtoom 89 www.coco-mat.com

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PART III EAT, DRINK & CHIC

what’s in store

WHAT’S IN STORE Fashion-forward style – for him (M) and her (F).

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text Elisah Jacobs

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    

PAUW (M/F)

RED WING SHOES (M)

Established womenswear tailoring store Pauw recently opened up a new multi-brand store for men near Amsterdam’s financial district, de Zuidas. It’s the third store for the Dutch brand where you can find the exclusive Pauw Mannen Private Label alongside luxury brands such as Kiton, Attolini, Loro Piana, Caruso and Finamore, offering the right suit for every budget.

This honest American brand dates from 1905 when Charles Beckman spotted a gap in the market for good quality workman’s shoes. A century later, everybody from hipsters to blue-collar workers are still wearing Beckman’s shoes. The Red Wing Shoes store in Amsterdam stocks leather boots, belts, hats and other accessories. You can even have your shoes cleaned and repaired while you wait.

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Gelderlandplein 8 https://pauw.com/en/men

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Reestraat 15 www.redwingamsterdam.com

LEVI’S (M/F)

MY OH MY (M/W)

Can’t get enough of their iconic 501s? Good news: Levi’s has launched an updated version of possibly the world’s most famous jeans. The Levi’s 501 CT (Customized & Tapered) have a wider waist and a tapered leg (for him and for her), as worn by rock bands Haim and The Vaccines, Japanese drummer Kavka Shishido and songwriter Lewis Jr. Allen in the Spring/Summer ’15 campaign.

Nathifa Echteld started selling customised T-shirts, jewellery and vintage shorts at a festival, and by the end of the day she’d almost sold out. Good news with the festival season coming up: her pop-up store stays open till the end of May (and maybe longer). Shop here for gorgeous jewellery, retro sunglasses, maxi dresses and palm-tree printed pants (and a little bit of men’s fashion). If you miss the pop-up, catch My Oh My at festivals such as Solar, Magneet and Open Air this summer.

 

Leidsestraat 8 Kalverstraat 166 www.levis.com

Utrechtsestraat 88 https://myohmy.nl

THE LOFT (M/F) Business meetings boring? Not if you hire The Playing Circle. This company transforms spaces into an inspiring room for business meetings – think, an old rubber factory or a former theatre. Given the company’s careful attention to styling, it’s no wonder The Playing Circle occasionally opens up a temporary store called The Loft, selling furniture and interior accessories. There’s a web shop too. Keep an eye on the website for The Loft 3.0. https://entertheloft.com

CENTRE NEUF (W) Having recently moved to another location to open a new and bigger store for women (including a City Street Spa outpost for nail and beauty treatments), Centre Neuf 2.0 stocks luxury brands such as Kenzo, Vanessa Bruno, Avelon, Ganni and Kiss and Tell. For men there’s Cowboys 2 Catwalk, from the same owner, at number 139.

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Utrechtsestraat 120 https://centreneuf.com

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MODE MUSTHAVES (W) Don’t miss the fashion party of the year. Online shop ModeMusthaves.com goes offline with its own festival on 16 May. In addition to music, ‘Fierce’ features fashion and beauty supported by cool brands. Shop till you drop at different stands with hand-made jewellery and customised sneakers, get styling advice from famous Dutchies and dance on the beats of DJs such as Geza Weisz & Manuel Broekman, GirlsLoveDJ’s, Emanuelle Vos and The Flexican & Sef. 16 May Sportpark Riekerhaven, Overschiestraat 190 www.modemusthaves.com/fiercefashionfestival

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CONVERSE X ANDY WARHOL (M/W) The iconic Chuck Taylor sneaker has a new, fancy and arty look thanks to a collaboration between Converse and The Andy Warhol Foundation. You can buy a pair of Chucks (n various designs, including a sneaker wedge) with an arty Andy Warhol print featuring his famous Campbell’s soup can. Also available on T-shirts, for him and for her. https://converse.nl

PART III

EAT, DRINK & CHIC

When in Amsterdam…

After 18 years here, native New Yorker Lauren Comiteau is still working out how to ‘go Dutch’.

RULES OF THE ROAD

N Lauren Comiteau is a journalist and writer who has been covering the Netherlands for TIME magazine, CBS Radio and others since 1996. She lives in Amsterdam with her two daughters.

egotiating Amsterdam’s streets – bike paths and pavements included – can be an intimidating affair for the uninitiated. Not to mention the rest of us. Just when you think you have the green light, a moped goes whizzing by, nearly crushing your Manolos. (And that’s if you’re lucky.) Who knew that traffic lights apply only to cars and not to the Autobahn-worthy bike traffic? If only it was as easy as my driving instructor told me: ‘If you see the word “lorry” on the exam,’ he advised, ‘the answer is always stop.’ I did manage to get my licence, despite the incident where I hit a tram with my car. (Actually, the tram hit me, but let’s not get technical.) Having my driving licence, though, doesn’t necessarily mean things are that much clearer when on two feet or two wheels. Although all vehicles are obliged to give way to pedestrians at zebra crossings, my daughter – who, like all Dutch kids, gets road-safety instruction in school – and I stood at one particularly busy intersection recently photographing the bikes that failed the mandatory stop. Depressingly, it was almost all of them. But in reality, this bike-friendly, car-dissuading city is navigable. And safe. Statistics show that in recent years there have been about three times fewer fatalities on

Amsterdam’s roads for all users than at the beginning of this century. But serious road injuries have increased, especially for cyclists, so it’s wise to know the city’s wellthought-out rules of the road before hitting the streets. Trams have right of way, followed equally by cars and bicycles, with pedestrians in last place. Although the latter may often seem to think they have right of way – and do indeed have more legal protections should an accident occur – those on foot must yield to anything on wheels. As for the attitude of the average Amsterdam cyclist, see above. As an American-trained driver, though, the most difficult rule for me to adjust to is that all traffic coming from the right has right of way by default, unless otherwise marked. This rule was only reinstated in the 1990s after a 50-year ban, instituted by the country’s German occupiers who were fed up with the city’s cyclists slowing down their army vehicles. But that military traffic is long gone, and the number of cars in Amsterdam is a fraction of the city’s 881,000 bicycles. Despite them and the city’s myriad of tramlines, automobiles, mopeds and rollerbladers, there’s still no place I’d rather stroll. Or roll.

spend less on bus tickets and more on edam cheese valid all d ay

hop on the local bus Find your â&#x201A;Ź10 daypass at localbus.nl

amsterdam - volendam - marken - edam - monnickendam - purmerend - broek in waterland

Castles gardens SPECIAL

MUIDEN The fortified town of Muiden sits near the IJmeer, just east of Amsterdam. Dating back to the tenth century, it is now known for its peaceful streets, cosy cafés, historic landmarks and picturesque harbour. The town is a key link in the Defence Line of Amsterdam. Pass through Muiden’s centuries-old walls and prepare for a stroll through one of the country’s oldest communities. DE

49 50 54 56 58 60

FORTRESS STRETCH HISTORICAL RIVER ESTATES MAP & VISITOR INFO LEISURE LAKES AMSTEL RIVER COUNTRYSIDE

WELCOME TO THE CASTLES & GARDENS OF AMSTERDAM The countryside of Amsterdam was always a popular region for the rich merchants of the Golden Age. Each summer they would leave their primary residences in the heart of Amsterdam, retreating to extravagant castles and estates with acres of beautifully manicured gardens. South-east of Amsterdam, on the banks of the Amstel River and the River Vecht, you can still bike and boat past these historic houses. Some are open to the public while others leave you dreaming of an aristocratic life by the water… At the leisure lakes of Amsterdam, meanwhile, watersports enthusiasts and nature lovers will find plenty to do, to explore and relax. www.iamsterdam.com/cityescapes

 a number next to an attraction

corresponds to the location on the map on page 56

A a letter next to an attraction

corresponds to the nearest Visitor Information Centre, listed on page 57

TIP Travel by boat from Amsterdam to Pampus Island and Amsterdam Castle Muiderslot and get a 25% discount with your I amsterdam City Card. Boats depart Tuesday-Sunday from IJburg in Amsterdam.

xxx

4 APRIL-1 NOVEMBER +31 (0)20 427 8888 www.veerdienstamsterdam.nl

PART I CASTLES & GARDENS SPECIAL

fortess stretch

FORTRESS STRETCH

Home to many old castles, fortified towns and ruins, the picturesque fortress stretch offers a vivid window into medieval times.

FORT PAMPUS

he charming town of Muiden is a must for boat lovers, with countless ships sailing into and out of the historic harbour. It is also home to the grand Amsterdam Castle Muiderslot, which looms over the mouth of the River Vecht, the Netherlands’ most beautiful river. As well as providing a historic snapshot it’s also a fun-filled museum for all the family. Nearby, Naarden is one of the most remarkable examples of a preserved fortified town, with its classical town centre still encompassed by two elaborate star-shaped canals and stone walls. Weesp’s forts and windmills, meanwhile, offer up a taste of the Golden Age. All of these towns are fantastic starting points for exploring the UNESCO World Heritage-protected Defence Line of Amsterdam.

+31 (0)294 262 326 www.pampus.nl  TIP Get a 25% discount with your I amsterdam City Card

FORT OSSENMARKT

VISIT 1,000 YEARS OF HISTORY

At low tide Pampus Island used to block the access of seagoing ships to the port of Amsterdam. Late in the 19th century, an island fort was built on the site as one of a ring of 46 fortifications and batteries surrounding Amsterdam. It was abandoned in 1933 when the Zuiderzee was closed off from the North Sea to become the IJsselmeer, the biggest lake in the Netherlands. These days, the island and abandoned fort have a mysterious air and make for an interesting day out for visitors of all ages. Catch the ferry from either Muiden or Amsterdam (4 April-1 November).

FOTOFESTIVAL NAARDEN Now entering its 14th edition, FotoFestival Naarden is held every other year and attracts tens of thousands of photography enthusiasts to the historical fortified city of Naarden. Taking place at some ten locations, this year’s festival is themed around water, and will feature new series by Frans Lanting, Kadir van Lohuizen, Tim Tadder, Jimmy Nelson and dozens of other top photographers. Other highlights include tours, public interviews and a photo-book store. 14 May-21 June www.fotofestivalnaarden.nl

NAARDEN N DEFENCE LINE OF AMSTERDAM The Defence Line of Amsterdam (Stelling van Amsterdam) is a remarkable 135-kilometre-long defensive ring made up of 46 forts and batteries as well as a multitude of dykes and sluices, encircles the Dutch capital. The Stelling was mostly constructed between 1874 and 1914 and showcases the Dutch genius for hydraulic engineering: the possibility for flooding the land lies at the heart of this defensive system, which is characterised by ingenious logistics. During both World Wars the Stelling was manned by soldiers, although it didn’t witness any action. Nowadays, a large portion of this monument is open to the public and makes for a great day out for young and old. Special bike routes (in English) have been developed along the most beautiful highlights (April-October). www.defencelineamsterdam.com

AMSTERDAM CASTLE MUIDERSLOT A square castle with a drawbridge, five towers, battlements and embrasures, Muiderslot is a true medieval water stronghold on the River Vecht. Built around 1285 by Count Floris V, an ally of the French Court and later of the British King Edward, Floris was later brutally murdered by his own nobles. Some 300 years later Muiderslot was home to ‘Dutch Shakespeare’ Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft. Today, it is an informative and fun day out for the whole family. Take a tour through the impressive knight’s hall, towers, dungeon and armoury; stroll through the beautiful herb and vegetable gardens that still retain the atmosphere of the Dutch Renaissance and enjoy the fantastic views from the ramparts. A special interactive tour for kids – where they can play dress-up and even try their hand at jousting – comes highly recommended, as do the falconry displays (daily in July and August, except Monday). FREE entrance with your I amsterdam City Card Open 1 April-31 October Herengracht 1, Muiden  +31 (0)294 256 262 | www.muiderslot.nl

aarden was once a modern military defence post and it is still one of the best-preserved fortified towns in Europe. From the air, the town’s layout resembles a gigantic snowflake, comprising six bastions, a double rampart and a double ring of canals. This unique configuration meant Naarden was used as a rallying point for Allied bombers during World War II. Must-sees include the Town Hall dating from 1601, with its imposing crow-stepped gable, The Spanish House, one of the last remaining medieval buildings, and The Big Church with its famous 16th-century paintings illustrating scenes from the Old and New Testaments. The Arsenal was originally a weapons repository dating from 1688, and is now the home base for Dutch interior designers and a top restaurant, which in combination offer the perfect opportunity to combine history and contemporary design. The city offers plenty of good restaurants and pubs where you can experience typical Dutch gezelligheid (cosy atmosphere). Also enjoy the museums, excellent boat rides, festivals, galleries, little shops, cosy cafés and beautiful natural surroundings. www.vvvnaarden.nl D

PART I CASTLES & GARDENS SPECIAL

fortess stretch

DUTCH FORTRESS MUSEUM Swallowed by the Zuiderzee, massacred and burned by the Spaniards, occupied by the French and Prussians and later by Napoleon’s troops: the history of Naarden can be found at this fascinating museum, comprising canons, weapons, uniforms, engravings and an audiovisual presentation, plus historical reconstructions every third Sunday of the month. Visitors can also learn about the ‘New Dutch Waterline’: by flooding large sections of land with water too shallow for boats and too deep to march through, this military line of defence, designed in 1815, helped to keep Holland out of war for more than a century. D Westwalstraat 6, Naarden  +31 (0)35 694 5459 www.vestingmuseum.nl

Weesp A

grand town hall, windmills, forts and the River Vecht adorn the fortified town of Weesp. The town centre boasts more than 188 national monuments. One of the most eye-catching is the town hall built in 1772-’76 and designed by Jacob Otten Husly, the architect behind the grand Felix Meritis building on Amsterdam’s Keizersgracht. These days, the town hall houses a small museum for porcelain, one of the oldest industries in Weesp (www.museumweesp.nl). Until the 1970s, the town was home to a chocolate factory owned and operated by the renowned Van Houten family. Today, the family’s influence can still be seen in the Van Houten church and the grand 99-room Villa Casparus. E

FORT UITERMEER From the centre of Weesp follow the River Vecht to the southeast, where you’ll find the ruins of the Uitermeer fortress , which was blown up in World War II and is being (partially) restored. The surrounding grounds are accessible on foot and by boat. Next to the fort you’ll find a lovely restaurant – the perfect stop for a refreshing drink. www.defencelineamsterdam.com

WINDMILLS Weesp has three full-size historical windmills. The Eendragt (Unity)  and Vriendschap (Friendship)  mills are close together on the Vecht, and are best§ seen from the opposite bank, about a ten-minute walk from the centre. Windmill Vriendschap is still used for the production of wheat flour and can be visited on Saturdays. Windmill ’t Haantje (the Rooster) , meanwhile, is located west of the centre, on the bank of the waterway Smal Weesp. www.vvvgooivecht.nl

Amsterdam Castle Muiderslot Only 15 minutes from Amsterdam

Free app The Vinkeveen Lakes is a typically Dutch kind of mire land, just outside Amsterdam. It originates

The purest water. The interesting history. The great nature.

from the Dutch Golden Age (17th century) when peat was mined to use as fuel. It’s a true water sports paradise with over 300 small islands. They

The Vinkeveen Lakes.

all have a characteristically long shape, because they were used to dry the peat.

You can go swimming, sailing, water-skiing, wake boarding, rowing, canoeing or even scuba diving. Or maybe you just want to take a break from busy Amsterdam and relax for a while? Tip! if you really want to experience the splendour of this area, why not go on a typically Dutch bicycle trip. Along the way you’ll discover meandering little rivers, wide ‘polder’ views, authentic villages, monumental farms and picturesque windmills. BK15021 Adv I Amsterdam A5 [opmaak 04].indd 1

vinkeveenlakes.com 15-04-15 15:36

FIRST PART CASTLES & GARDENS SPECIAL

historical river estates

Historical River Estates

Take a trip south of the city and enjoy the grandeur and nature of the historical river estates that dot the banks of the winding River Vecht.

BOAT HIRE

he winding River Vecht between Amsterdam and Utrecht is a wonderful setting for a boat trip or cycle route. The bank or water offer an open view of the imposing castles, country houses and accompanying tearooms. Rich merchants from the Golden Age once spent their summer months here – a smart place to take a holiday, because at the beginning of the 17th century, the River Vecht was the most important link between Amsterdam and Utrecht. The holidaymakers ‘only’ needed five to seven hours to reach their rural residence. Thankfully, it’s much quicker today! CE

THE BICYCLE BOAT Combine biking and boating on the River Vecht with De Fiets- boot (The Bicycle Boat). Starting at Nieuwersluis, the boat stops in Breukelen, Maarssen and Oud-Zuilen, and you can hop on and hop off as you please to continue by bike. 16 May-14 September, various days Rijksstraatweg 11, Nieuwersluis  +31 (0)294 237 403 www.defietsboot.nl

REDERIJ WOLFRAT Discover the wonderful lakes near Amsterdam and the River Vecht with summer mansions of the rich and famous of the Golden Age along its banks. Take a guided afternoon boat trip with lunch and dinner afterwards. Oud-Loosdrechtsedijk 165 Loosdrecht  +31 (0)6 2386 7785 www.rederijwolfrat.nl

GEOCACHING The Garden of Amsterdam GeoTour is a multi-day geocaching game, where participants go in search of 24 buried treasures, or caches, using a GPS-enabled smartphone. An adventurous treasure hunt game for young and old, you can play by yourself, with family or with friends. The Garden of Amsterdam GeoTour takes you through the most interesting sights of the Castles & Gardens region, past impressive castles, fortresses and ancient fortified towns to the most beautiful natural areas. www.vvvgooivecht.nl

ZUYLEN CASTLE Zuylen Castle in the tiny village of Oud-Zuilen is another castle on the Vecht that became a summer retreat. Whilst retaining many of its medieval castle-like features it was converted into a country mansion in the 18th century. Its most famous resident was feminist writer Belle van Zuylen (Isabelle de Charrière). These days Slot Zuylen is a museum where the past is recalled to life through guided tours, garden walks, concerts and special events. Tournooiveld 1, Oud-Zuilen  +31 (0)30 244 0255 www.slotzuylen.nl

Castle Nyenrode

BRINK TE LAREN, AVOND, GUSTAVE FRANCISCUS DE SMET

uilt in 1290 and located in Breukelen, the name-sake of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, Castle Nyenrode was strategically positioned on the narrowest part of the bank of the River Vecht, an area heavily disputed by the Bishops of Utrecht and the Counts of Holland. In times of need, the surrounding water could be used to defend the castle. The original castle was destroyed in 1481 and again in 1511 but was rebuilt as a country retreat in the 1630s in the Dutch Renaissance style; its impressive arch, drawbridge and waterway once protected its owner from unwanted house guests and visitors. The castle currently houses a private university but can be viewed from the river. ď ł

THE SINGER MUSEUM LAREN Laren became one of the centres of Dutch art at the end of the 19th century. The American businessman and art lover William Henry Singer built a large mansion in the centre of Laren in 1911, which became the famous Singer Museum after the Second World War, proudly displaying the works of many of the artists of the Laren School of Painting. Oude Drift 1, Laren ď ¤ +31 (0)35 539 3939 www.singerlaren.nl

Schiphol Airport

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320 322 327 Amsterdam Amstel

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plassen Viaduct

A Amsterdam Central Station B Schiphol Airport C VVV Hilversum D VVV Naarden E VVV Weesp F VVV Bussum G VVV Loosdrecht H VVV Huizen I VVV Wijdemeren-'s Graveland J VVV Aalsmeer

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 Flora Holland

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Public Transport Map

Hoofddorp 300 340 Hoofddorp

Drie Kolommenplein 340

Kudelstaart 172

 Zuylen Castle  Castle Nyenrode  Singer Museum  Westeinder Paviljoen  Westeinder Boat Cruises  Wester-Amstel Country House  Amsterdamse Bos  Amstelpark  Cobra Museum  Museum Jan van der Togt  Fort aan de Drecht

Fort aan de Drecht 174 

Zwarteweg Westeinderplassen

Leisure Lakes

Attractions  Fort Pampus  Amsterdam Castle Muiderslot  Dutch Fortress Museum  Fort Uitermeer  Eendragt Windmill  Vriendschap Windmill  't Haantje Windmill  Bicycle Boat  Rederij Wolfrat Boat Rental

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visitor information

VISITOR INFORMATION

Everything you need to get the most out of your visit. VISITOR INFO CENTRES AMSTERDAM A I amsterdam Visitor Centre Stationsplein 10 (across from Central Station) +31 (0)20 702 6000 www.iamsterdam.com B I amsterdam Visitor Centre Schiphol Airport (Arrivals 2 at Schiphol Plaza) +31 (0)20 702 6000 H www.iamsterdam.com C VVV Hilversum Kerkbrink 6 +31 (0)35 544 6971 www.vvvhilversum.nl D VVV Agency Naarden Utrechtse Poort, Ruysdaelplein +31 (0)35 694 2673 www.vvvnaarden.nl E VVV Agency Weesp Slijkstraat 28 +31 (0)294 457 711 www.vvvgooivecht.nl F VVV Agency Bussum Wilhelminaplantsoen 18 +31 (0)35 697 3000 www.vvvgooivecht.nl G VVV Loosdrecht Oud-Loosdrechtsedijk 115 +31 (0)35 623 6282 www.vvvwijdemeren.nl H VVV Agency Huizen Achterbaan 82 +31 (0)35 525 0223 www.vvvhuizen.nl I VVV Agency Wijdemeren-'s Graveland Noordereinde 54B +31 (0)35 656 30 80 www.vvvwijdemeren.nl J VVV Agency Aalsmeer Zijdstraat 12 +31 (0)297 324 454 www.vvvaalsmeer.nl

GETTING THERE FORTRESS STRETCH MUIDEN: from Amsterdam Central Station take metro 53 or 54 to Amstel Station; then bus 320, 322 or 327 to stop P+R Terrein, Muiden. Journey time approx. 35min.

NAARDEN: from Amsterdam Central Station take metro 53 or 54 to Amstel Station then catch bus 320 to stop P+R Terrein, Naarden. Journey time approx. 40min. Or catch the train to Weesp; then bus 110 to stop Westwalstraat, Naarden. Journey time approx. 50min. WEESP: from Amsterdam Central Station take metro 53 or 54 to Amstel Station then catch bus 320 to stop P+R Terrein, Muiden; then bus 110 to stop Station Weesp. Journey time approx. 40min. Or catch the train to Weesp. Journey time approx. 20min. LEISURE LAKES WESTEINDERPLASSEN: from Amsterdam Central Station take bus 172 (direction Kudelstaart via Amstelveen) to stop Zwarteweg (Aalsmeer) or take bus 340 from Hoofddorp to the centre of Aalsmeer. Journey time approx. 60min. LOOSDRECHTSE PLASSEN: from Amsterdam Central Station take bus 170 to stop bus station Uithoorn; then bus 121 to stop Ottenhome. Journey time approx. 120min. Or take the train to Hilversum; then bus 104 (direction Nw-Loosdrecht) to stop Acacialaan, Loosdrecht. Journey time approx. 65min. HUIZEN: from Amsterdam Central Station take metro 53 or 54 to Amstel Station; then bus 320 (direction Hilversum via Blaricum) to stop Havenstraat, Huizen. Journey time approx. 50min. AMSTEL RIVER COUNTRYSIDE OUDERKERK AAN DE AMSTEL: from Amsterdam Central Station take metro 54 to Bijlmer ArenA; then bus 146, 171, 175 or 300 to stop Brug/Hoger Einde, Ouderkerk aan de Amstel. Journey time approx. 35min.

AMSTELVEEN: from Amsterdam Central Station take bus 142, 170, 172 or 174 to stop bus station, Amstelveen. Journey time approx. 40min. UITHOORN: from Amsterdam Central Station take bus 174 (direction Wilnis via Amstelveen) to stop Alfons Arienslaan, Uithoorn. Journey time approx. 60min. HISTORICAL RIVER ESTATES BREUKELEN: from Amsterdam Central Station catch the train to Breukelen. Journey time approx. 30min. OUD-ZUILEN: from Amsterdam Central Station catch the train to Breukelen; then bus 120 (direction Utrecht Centraal) to stop Zuilenselaan, Oud-Zuilen. Journey time approx. 60min.

SELECTION OF ACCOMODATIONS & RESTAURANTS FORTRESS STRETCH Hotel Hart van Weesp Affordable two-star hotel in the centre of Weesp. Herengracht 35, Weesp +31 (0)294 419 353 www.hartvanweesp.nl Rechthuis Muiden This converted 17th-century courthouse is now a hotel and restaurant. Every September it hosts the annual ‘Swing on the Brink’ festival. Googweg 1, Muiderberg +31 (0)294 261 323 www.hotelhetrechthuis.nl Restaurant Acquavite Situated in an old barrack, Restaurant Acquavite offers you the chance to enjoy a dinner inside the town fortifactions. Adriaan Dortsmanplein 3 Naarden +31 (0)35 694 2587 www.restaurantacquavite.nl

LEISURE LAKES Amrath Hotel Lapershoek A monumental hotel and restaurant. Utrechtseweg 16, Hilversum +31 (0)35 623 1341 www.amrathhotels.nl/ lapershoek Blaricum B&B In the heart of Het Gooi with room for up to ten. Molenveenweg 15, Blaricum +31 (0)65 578 1678 www.blaricumbnb.nl CornelisZ Restaurant open seven days a week, from early morning until late at night. Vaarboom 1, Huizen +31 (0)35 887 6000 www.cornelisz.nl Hampshire Hotel Newport, Huizen Right in the Gooi with breathtaking views over the Gooi and marina. Labradorstroom 75, Huizen +31 (0)35 528 9600 www.hampshire-hotels. com/hampshire-hotel-newport-huizen Rent a Houseboat Houseboat rental in peaceful, green surroundings with private garden and waterside terrace. Old Spoordijk ws 22 Aalsmeer +31 (0)6 3041 5380 www.rentahouseboat.nl Westeinder Paviljoen Enjoy a breath-taking view over the lake while having a nice lunch or dinner at the same time. Kudelstaartseweg 22 Aalsmeer +31 (0)297 364 985 www.westeinderpaviljoen.nl AMSTEL RIVER COUNTRYSIDE Brasserie Paardenburg Affordable and high quality food with an amazing view on the Amstel. Amstelzijde 55 Ouderkerk a/d Amstel +31 (0)20 496 12 10 www.brasseriepaarden burg.nl Loetje aan de Amstel Well known in the entire area, Loetje aan de Amstel serves the best steak you’ve ever had. Amstelzijde 35-37 Amstelveen +31 (0)20 472 1090 www.ouderkerk.loetje.com

Lute An ultra-modern restaurant on the site of a former explosives factory with a great ambiance. Oude Molen 5, Amstelveen +31 (0)20 472 2462 www.lute.nu Restaurant Pancakefort and Amstelfort Two restaurants which are situated in an authentic fort, a special experience and fun for the whole family. Grevelingen 50-66 Uithoorn www.defencelineamster dam.com HISTORICAL RIVER ESTATES Belle van Zuylen Seasonal French cuisine next to Castle Zuylen and the River Vecht. Dorpsstraat 12, Oud Zuilen +31 (0)30 244 1790 www.restaurantbelle.nl De Willigen Logies Located directly on the Vecht, accommodation consists of seven stylish and luxuriously appointed rooms. Nigtevechtseweg 186 Vreeland +31 (0)6 5179 8045 www.dewilligenlogies.nl

AMSTERDAM & REGION DAY TICKET Discover Amsterdam and the surrounding area with the Amsterdam & Region Day Ticket – a special 24hour public transport pass valid on metros, trams and buses (except trains) operated by GVB, Connexxion and EBS. Special offer: Combine the Amsterdam & Region Day Ticket with the I amsterdam City Card. Explore the Amsterdam Area and its attractions and save money by picking up the Amsterdam & Region Day Ticket for just €10*. *This offer is exclusively available at the I amsterdam Visitor Centres across from Central Station and Schiphol Airport.

FIRST PART CASTLES & GARDENS SPECIAL

leisure lakes

LEISURE LAKES

Near Amsterdam you’ll find a number of lakes perfect for a day of fun on the water. Rent a sailboat, electric boat, canoe or surfboard to explore, enjoy and relax. LOOSDRECHTSE PLASSEN The Loosdrechtse Plassen (Loosdrecht Lakes) area is particularly suitable for watersports: sailing, rowing, canoeing, waterskiing and speedboating are all possible. Hire a boat or take lessons at one of the many sailing schools. If taking a boat out yourself is not your thing, then take an excursion with a speedboat or sailboat or just laze around on a terrace with a view of the water and the boats. CFGI

EVENTS HUIZERDAG Village festival with openmic talent podium, live music headlined by different artists, a fashion show, food, drinks and much more. 11 & 12 September www.huizerdag.nl

HAVEN FESTIVAL HUIZEN Nautical festival featuring traditional flat-bottom fishing boats, music, market, raft race, food, drinks and more. © PETER BAKKER

19 September www.huizer-botters.nl

BOATING ON THE LOOSDRECHTSE PLASSEN There are plenty of boat rental options on the Loosdrechtse Plassen, from where you can also enter the River Vecht and explore further. In warm weather, it’s advisable to reserve a boat or canoe in advance. At Recreatiecentrum Mijnden (www.mijnden.nl) or Ottenhome (www.ottenhome.nl), you can rent boats, bikes and even camp. Bus 121 takes you straight there.

WATER TOWER The 50-metre water tower is one of the showpieces of Aalsmeer. With its art-deco architecture and ornamentation, the vista of the tower at the water’s edge is truly splendid. Close to the tower, restaurant ‘Westeinder Paviljoen’ offers a breath-taking view of the lake, a perfect surf break and a beach for swimming. www.westeinderpaviljoen.nl 

59 WESTEINDERPLASSEN Located in Aalsmeer, the Westeinderplassen (West End Lakes) form one of the biggest lakes in the country, with plenty of water-sports options from swimming to sailing lessons. You can also rent a boat and go on an adventure through the network of tiny channels that link the lakes together. There are dozens of small islands, mostly privately owned, but everyone is welcome to moor their boat at Starteiland (Start Island). There are some 50 marinas along the banks of the Westeinderplassen, some of them with restaurants, cafés and sun-drenched terraces. www.vvvaalsmeer.nl J

Huizen

TIP

There’s no better way to explore the Westeinderplassen than with a boat cruise. During an hour-long tour with Westeinder Boat Cruises, the skipper will entertain you with historical facts about this delightful area, which is deeply entwined with the Aalsmeer horticultural industry (www. westeinder rondvaart.nl). 

THE VINKEVEEN LAKES

uizen – literally, Houses – was originally an agricultural village, about two kilometres from the sea. Later, it expanded to become a coastal town, with a thriving fishing industry with a fleet of approximately 200 boats, the largest on the Ijsselmeer. The building of the Old Harbour around 1850 opened the region up and earned the town the nickname ‘the Gooi area’s harbour’. After the damming of the Zuiderzee by the Afsluitdijk in 1932, industry and commerce became the driving economies. In recent years Huizen has developed into a modern town bordering the Gooimeer (Gooi Lake), with several marinas and a lively historic centre with great shopping and the medieval Dutch Reformed Church, which is surrounded by 17th-century farmhouses. The hiking trail Huizer Milkmaid, self-guided or with a guide, takes you through the historic streets and tells the colourful story of The Miracle of the Huizer Milkmaid. Pick up a leaflet or book a guided tour at the Visitor Information Centre. Huizen is also uniquely located for hiking and water-sports activities, and is home to several excellent marinas with approximately 1,500 berths. H

NAUTICAL QUARTER Built around the Oude Haven (Old Harbour) where you can still see beautiful flat-bottom boats, some of them over 100 years old, Huizen’s Nautical Quarter is a picturesque village including a hotel, restaurants and convivial cafés. The Nautical Quarter has been carefully constructed to resemble a Zuiderzee village from time gone by. Replicas of a village school, a café on the harbour and a town hall dating from around 1860 are an insight into the past.

The Vinkeveenseplassen (The Vinkeveen Lakes) are a typical Dutch wetland area just to the south of Amsterdam, which originated during Golden-Age peat extraction. The area is characterised by more than 300 islands, once used for drying the peat. These days, it’s a great spot for young and old to enjoy some tranquility or one of the many watersports. www.vinkeveenlakes.com

FIRST PART CASTLES & GARDENS SPECIAL

amstel river countryside

AMSTEL RIVER COUNTRYSIDE Amsterdam’s hinterland is quiet, green and unspoilt. Follow the Amstel River past grazing cows, historic villages and country houses. OUDERKERK AAN DE AMSTEL COUNTRY HOUSES

The picturesque Ouderkerk aan de Amstel is located south of the centre of Amsterdam on the bank of the Ouderkerkerplas Lake. Established in the 12th century, the village is well known for its extraordinary church almshouses. Ouderkerk aan de Amstel offers a scenic refuge from the hustle and bustle of its infamous neighbour to the north. Visitors typically head to the village to take in its architecture, which includes historic churches, houses and De Zwaan (the Swan, an impressive windmill). There’s also Beth Haim of Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, the Netherlands’ oldest Jewish cemetery. It opened in 1614 and features elaborate tombstones that include human figures. The graves of more than 27,000 people have remained intact for over 400 years, and among the cemetery’s most famous residents are Rabbi Menasseh Ben Israel, a colleague and collaborator of Old Master painter Rembrandt van Rijn. Just outside of Ouderkerk is the largest-, undeveloped area in the Randstad region of the Netherlands, the polder called De Ronde Hoep (the Round Hoop). The 17-kilometre jaunt over the dyke is very popular with walkers, joggers and cyclists. See www.ontdekamstelland.nl for your favourite route. www.ontdekamstelland.nl A

Close your eyes for a moment and picture the 17th and 18th centuries with one enormous country house after another along the bank of the river, owned by wealthy Golden Age merchants who were escaping the bustle of Amsterdam. A few of these magnificent sites have been preserved – including the privately owned Oostermeer and the fully restored 350-yearold Wester- Amstel, which hosts regular exhibitions and concerts and whose gardens are open to the public (www. wester-amstel.nl). 

AMSTEL SUMMER FESTIVAL A spectacular annual tradition, every year in the first week of June the village of Ouderkerk aan de Amstel hosts this magical mix of music and culinary treats. Ouderkerk is known for its many great restaurants – some with Michelin stars – and they all take part, offering a taste of their menus. Meanwhile, a variety of live acts ensures a special and sunny atmosphere, no matter the weather. This year the line-up includes Voice of Holland winners O’G3NE. Friday 5 June

TIP

Hire a boat in Uithoorn and explore the Amstel River countryside. Aemstel Boating Marktplein 2, Uithoorn +31 (0)6 2476 9053 +31 (0)6 5130 2581 www.aemstelboating.nl

Amstelveen A lively, multicultural city home to 124 different nationalities, there’s plenty to see and do in leafy Amstelveen – from museums to shopping, theatre to sports. In 2014 Amstelveen was voted the second greenest city in the Netherlands, and is home to one of the largest municipal parks in Europe the Amsterdam Forest (het Amsterdamse bos), as well as the family friendly Amstelpark. The parks comprise lush forests, playgrounds, a petting zoo and offers plenty of space for a relaxing picnic. Amstelveen is also well known for its heme parks (heemparken), dedicated to native flora and which are designated national monuments. These parks are well worth a visit – especially during springtime. It’s an idyllic bike ride along the Amstel River from the centre of Amsterdam. AB 

DINING ON THE AMSTEL If you follow the Amstel River out of the centre of Amsterdam – on a bike or even by boat – it doesn’t take long before you’re passing grazing cows and historic stately homes. The banks of the Amstel are bustling with fantastic restaurants and cafés with sunny waterside terraces where you can pause to refuel, including Brasserie Paardenburg (www.brasseriepaardenburg. nl), steak house Loetje aan de Amstel (ouderkerk.loetje.com) and Lute, an ultra-modern restaurant on the site of a former explosives factory (www.lute.nl).

COBRA MUSEUM In the centre of Amstelveen you will find the Cobra Museum of Modern Art. It is home to a collection of key works by artists from the avant-garde Cobra art movement. The museum presents interesting exhibitions from this unique collection, as well as temporary exhibitions of modern and contemporary art.

FREE entrance with your I amsterdam City Card Sandbergplein 1, Amstelveen  +31 (0)20 547 5050 www.cobra-museum.nl

UITHOORN Just to the south of Amsterdam is Uithoorn, with its charming Thamerkerk church from 1834 right on the bank of the Amstel River. There is also a lively harbour, with restaurants, shops and a weekly market on Wednesdays. Completely renovated in the 1990s, today it is open to the public for tours (www. fortaandedrecht.nl). A variety of walking and cycling routes have been marked out in Amstelland (the area around the Amstel River), and many pass through Uithoorn, which also has a 60-hectare nature reserve that surrounds a lake called the Zijdelmeer. It’s a fantastic spot for picnics and walks, and the grounds include a petting zoo.

FORTEN PAD (FORTS PATH) The area of Uithoorn is perfect for a tour – on foot or by bike – along the fortifications and through a typical Dutch landscape of polders, reeds and towpath following the river. Enjoy a well deserved drink at Fort bij de Kwakel and continue your journey to the Fort aan de Drecht . Over 100 years old, the monumental former military installation Fort aan de Drecht is on the outer edge of Uithoorn and is part of the Defence Line of Amsterdam. Nowadays it houses restaurant Amstelfort and a typical Dutch pancake restaurant. Fun for the whole family! www.defencelineamsterdam.com

MUSEUM JAN VAN DER TOGT Situated in the ‘Old Village’ of Amstelveen, you’ll find Museum Jan van der Togt. Here you’ll discover a leading collection of modern glass sculptures and fine art. The museum also organises temporary modern art exhibitions every six weeks. The museum tram line – a vintage tram service that operates in summer months and starts at Haarlemmermeer Station – stops near the museum. Dorpsstraat 50, Amstelveen  +31(0)20 641 57 54 www.jvdtogt.nl

Molen koe grachtpandje fiets

cluding bus line 858 from Schiphol Airport to Keukenhof

Explore Castles & Gardens of Amsterdam With the Amsterdam & Region Day Ticket you can travel for 24 hours by bus, tram and metro in and around Amsterdam. This ticket is ideal to visit the Castles & Gardens region.

Price €13.50

Purchase your Amsterdam & Region Day Ticket with your I amsterdam City Card and get €3.50 discount. This offer is exclusively available at the I amsterdam Visitor Centres in Amsterdam and at Schiphol Airport. www.iamsterdam.com/citycard

Welcome to the Garden of Amsterdam Amsterdam

Mobile information

Utrecht

The Gooi & Vecht region,

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Garden of Amsterdam!

Huizen is worth visiting. With his cozy marinas, the old harbour and ﬁshermen’s houses, excellent catering and hotel accommodations, Huizen is an ideal stopping place for your trips in the Garden of Amsterdam and the Leisure Lakes. More information: www.vvvhuizen.nl and www.huizenhavenvantgooi.nl

The Miracle of the Huizer Milkmaid

The Gooi & Vecht mobile site includes: Highlights of the region To do in a day Hiking, biking and sailing tips Information about fortresses and castles Accommodation and restaurant tips Accessibility of the region For mobile tourist information about Gooi & Vecht scan the QR code or visit www.visitgooivecht.com

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HAVEN VAN 'T GOOI

PART IV

THE

may & jun 2015

FESTIVALS/MUSIC/ CLUBBING/EXHIBITIONS/ STAGE/SPORTS/FAMILY/ GAY & LESBIAN

For complete listings, see www.iamsterdam.com

ROLLING KITCHENS If you like your meals on wheels, prepare to pig out. From London to Chicago, much has been made of the so-called ‘food truck revolution’, whereby eating from a van is suddenly a gourmet pastime instead of a drunken guilty pleasure. Amsterdam has long been ahead of this culinary curve; Het Weekend van de Rollende Keukens (‘Weekend of Rolling Kitchens’) invites van-based vendors from all around the Netherlands to pitch up in the Westerpark and dole out delicacies, from perfect pizza to old-fashioned sweeties served from a VW camper. With vans competing for your custom with colourful awnings and signage, it’s a feast for the eyes as well as the belly. 13-17 May, Westerpark www.rollendekeukens.nl

PART IV THE A-LIST

FESTIVALS & EVENTS Choice festivals

SPRING SNOW FESTIVAL Every year, Amsterdam’s elm trees scatter a blanket of blossom over the city’s streets. This celebration of ‘spring snow’ includes a walking route, an exhibition and a side programme of events. Until Wed 21 May, Various locations, www.springsnow.nl. Various times & prices ONLINE RADIO FESTIVAL This 30-hour celebration of online radio invites some of Europe’s most renowned broadcasters to the city. Look out for live sessions and DJ sets from electronic, hip hop and avant-garde specialists like Dean Blunt, James Pants and Craig Leon. Fri 1 & Sat 2 May, Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, www.muziekge bouw.nl. 19.00-06.00 (1 May) & 06.00 to 01.00 (2 May), €15-€25

EMERGING COLORSPACE, SONICE DEVELOPMENT

FESTIVALS & EVENTS

FIBER FESTIVAL Always looking ahead, Fiber returns for its third full celebration of cutting-edge audio-visual art, design, music and digital culture. Look out for numerous multimedia installations, lectures, film screenings and live performances that reflect our digital lives of today and tomorrow. Fri 15 & Sat 16 May, A Lab & Radion, www.fiberfestival.nl. Various times & prices

REMEMBRANCE & LIBERATION DAY an enormous musical and theatOn 4 May Dutch citizens pause to pay their respects to the fallen rical line-up and plenty of events and activities. soldiers of World War II and Thur 14 May, NDSM-werf, more recent military conflicts. There are events throughout the www.hemeltjelieffestival.nl. 11.00, €12.50/€15 day but the national moment of remembrance takes place at AMSTERDAM COFFEE 20.00. Then it’s time for a nationFESTIVAL al party on 5 May, as the crowds This festival features over 100 take to the streets to celebrate artisan roasters, equipment their freedom on Liberation Day. makers, gourmet food stalls and Mon 4 & Tue 5 May, various more, with some of Europe’s best locations, www.4en5meiamster baristas hosting workshops and dam.nl. Various times & prices tastings. There’s also live music VONDELPARK OPEN and DJs from home and abroad. AIR THEATRE Fri 15-Sun 17 May, NDSM-werf, www.amsterdamcoffeefestival. Every summer weekend Amstercom. Various times, €15 dam’s famous Vondelpark presents a programme packed with LONDON CALLING dance, cabaret, jazz, children’s LOVES CONCERTO theatre, stand-up comedy and all This bonus spring edition of genres of music. the London Calling festival is From 5 May, Vondelpark, www. in honour of local record store openluchttheater.nl. Various Concerto, which is celebrating its times, free (donations welcome) 60th anniversary. So head to this RUIGMARKT WEEKENDER waterside venue for two days of Head to the renowned Ruigoord old and new pop, rock, punk and indie bands. church on the north-western Sat 16 & Sun 17 May, Tolhuisperiphery of the city for a funky tuin, IJpromenade 2, www.lon three-day art market. doncalling.nl. 13.00, €20 Fri 8-Sun 10 May, Ruigoord, www.ruigoord.nl. Various times, PACHA FESTIVAL free The renowned club brand is back NATIONAL WINDMILL DAY to kick-start the festival season with the latest edition of their This annual festival sees windspectacular dance music event. mills throughout the country Expect festive, beat-heavy fun at throw open their doors to the its central island location. public, and with eight located Java Island, www.pachafestival. in and around Amsterdam, com, Sat 23 May, 13.00, windmill spotting is a great way €52.50-€75 to see the city. Sat 9 & Sun 10 May, various FESTIVAL DE GROENE locations, www.nationalemolen BOULEVARD dag.nl. Various times & prices Head east and bask in the ‘green ROLLING KITCHENS boulevard’ that has emerged thanks to the redeveloped During the long holiday weekWibautstraat for this familyend, hoards of mobile kitchens friendly festival. descend upon the park at the Sun 24 May, JD Meijerplein, Westergasfabriek to create an www.degroeneboulevard.com. enormous open-air restaurant. 12.00-18.00, free Wed 13-17 May, Westergasfabriek, www.rollendekeukens.nl. HAXPO 13.00, free (various prices for food Running alongside the HITB & drink) Security Conference 2014, the HEMELTJELIEF Haxpo (hacker expo and exhibition) is a paradise for IT and This family festival steals the technology fans looking to think show every Ascension Day with

outside of the box. Wed 27-Fri 29 May, Beurs van Berlage, Damrak 243, www. haxpo.nl. Various times, free KUNSTRAI 2015 The longest-running art fair in the Netherlands offers art lovers the chance to get their hands on the latest and greatest in the scene. Alongside the regular gallery-centred stands, booths are devoted to individual artists allowing visitors to delve deeper into their work. Wed 27-Sun 31 May, Amsterdam RAI, www.kunstrai.nl. Various times, €15

ARTIS ZOOMERAVONDEN ZOOmeravonden (Summer Evenings) at Artis Royal Zoo lets visitors learn what the animals get up to after hours by staying open until sunset on every Saturday in June, July and August. There’s plenty of activities for families and live music performances for adult crowds. Every Sat from June, Artis Royal Zoo, Plantage Kerklaan 38-40, www.artis.nl. Various times & prices DOEK FESTIVAL dOeK is an Amsterdam-based collective of renowned jazz musicians with a particular penchant for improvisation. The annual dOeK Festival, centred on the Bimhuis, celebrates their work. Tue 2-Sun 7 Jun, various locations, www.doek.org. Various times & prices TASTE OF AMSTERDAM Four days of eating, drinking and entertainment as top chefs from the city's leading restaurants present special menus of startersized dishes in an unbeatable al fresco gourmet feast. Thur 4-Sun 7 Jun, Amstelpark, www.tasteofamsterdam.com. Various times, €12

a healthy dose of art to be added into the mix. Sat 13 Jun, NDSM-werf, www. stichtinghenk.nl, 11.00, €TBA ITS FESTIVAL The International Theatre School Festival brings the best of new theatrical talent to stages at theatres across Amsterdam every year. See page 23. Fri 19-Fri 26 Jun, various locations, www.itsfestivalamsterdam. com. Various times & prices ARCHITECTURE DAY AMSTERDAM Experience some of the city's architectural highlights via tours and events. Programming in 2015 takes inspiration from the area around the River IJ, featuring boat tours, cycling tours, special access to buildings, lectures, walks and much more. Fri 19-Sun 21 Jun, various locations, www.dagvandearchitec tuuramsterdam.nl. Various times DEFQON.1 This festival is focused on the harder edge of dance music, inviting DJs to bombard the huge crowd with frenetic and distorted beats from across 14 stages. Fri 19-Sun 21 Jun, Biddinghuizen, www.defqon1.nl. Various times & prices

AMSTERDAM OPEN AIR A collaboration between a host OPEN GARDEN DAYS of major names from the city’s Hidden behind the stately clubbing circuit, this festival façades of the houses along Ammirrors the diversity of today's sterdam’s canals lie some of the electronic music scene. So expect city’s best-kept secrets: private a versatile festival brimming with deep house, dubstep, electro, tech gardens. Few of these canal house gardens are usually open to the house and techno. Sat 6 & Sun 7 Jun, Gaasperplas, public, but each year on the third weekend of June, some 30 of www.amsterdamopenair.nl. them are accessible to visitors 12.00, €47.50-€79.50 during the Open Garden Days. URBAN PHOTO RACE See page 26. DIYNAMIC FESTIVAL Fri 19-Sun 21 Jun, various locaJoin fellow shutterbugs for this tions, www.opentuinendagen.nl. Hamburg-based record label fun competition that sends 10.00, €16/€18 Diynamic heads north to pack participants dashing to various the park south of Amsterdam full checkpoints located throughout TICKET TO THE TROPICS of pulse-pounding dance beats. the city to snap photos of various Arriving right before midsumLine-up includes Solomun, Adri- people, places and things. Just reatique and Kollektiv Turmstrasse. member to register on the race’s mer, this popular party is hosting Fri 29 May, Amsterdamse Bos, website beforehand. A jury will a special festival edition that aims to heat things up on the north www.diynamicfestival.com. announce the winners online and 11.00, €22.50 their photos will be displayed at a bank of the River IJ. As always, it’s all about danceable grooves special event a few months later. 909 FESTIVAL from all over the world. Just Sat 6 Jun, various locations, The 2015 line-up of this dance some of the special guests include www.urbanphotorace.com music festival includes the likes Jungle By Night, the Gallowstreet AMSTERDAM JAZZ FESTIVAL of DJs Marco Carola, Kevin Brass Band and Togo All Stars. Saunderson, Stacey Pullen and The entire main building of the Fri 19 & Sat 20 Jun, Tolhuistuin, Michael de Hey. IJpromenade 2, www.tolhuistuin. Amsterdam ArenA is transSat 30 May, Amsterdamse Bos, formed into a jazz hotspot. Dutch nl. Various times & prices www.909.nl. 11.00, €29.50 and international jazz artists will MYSTIC GARDEN be swinging in to light up the five HOLLAND FESTIVAL FESTIVAL festival stages, with this edition This leading international celebrating the 75th birthday of With an emphasis on creating an performance arts festival prointeractive, visual experience, this local star Hans Dulfer. vides Dutch and international dance-music festival transports Sun 7 Jun, Amsterdam ArenA, theatregoers with a survey of the www.amsterdamjazzfestival.info. partygoers into a modern fairy best and most widely acclaimed tale world teeming with enchant15.00, €39 performance pieces from around ing musical and theatrical acts. LIVE AT AMSTERDAMSE BOS the world. See page 20. Sat 20 Jun, Sloterpark, www. 30 May-23 Jun, various locamysticgardenfestival.nl. Besides theatrical performances, tions, www.hollandfestival.nl. 12.00, €34.50 look out for diverse singer-songVarious times & prices writer and pop acts showing up AWAKENINGS FESTIVAL there over the coming months. In HET LENTE KABINET Awakenings is often already June it’s Jett Rebel (7 June) and The spring electro music, art billed as one of world’s largest Asaf Avidan (29 June). and culture festival returns. The From Sun 7 Jun, Amsterdamse outdoor techno festivals yet it just funky, soulful musical menu Bos, www.liveatamsterdamsebos. keeps getting bigger and bigger! will be backed up by a cultural The festival kicks off its second nl. Various times & prices programme of art and off-theannual weekender edition with HENK OP DE HELLING wall events. Look out for festival more than 100 international favourites like Joy Orbison. acts and DJs. Genre-blending, techno-heavy Sat 30 May, Het Twiske, Sat 27 & Sun 28 Jun, Spaarnfestival exploring the boundaries www.hetkabinetfestival.nl. woude, www.awakenings.nl. of electro, classical tunes, experi12.00, €39.50 12.00, €40-€82.50 mental funk and beyond. Expect

may & jun 2015

MUSIC/POP & JAZZ POP & JAZZ COLIN STETSON & SARAH NEUFELD Jazz meets classical meets pop in this genre-bustin’ performance. Saxophonist Colin Stetson loves to make the Earth move when he reels out his bass sax. Violinist Neufeld plays in similar circles and is also a member of Arcade Fire. This tour marks an album release from the pair. Sat 2 May, Bimhuis, 20.30, €18 HACKENSAW BOYS These guys hail from Virginia and specialise in a potent blend of folk and bluegrass. Modern styles? Traditional ballads? Electric instruments? Their vibrant sound doesn’t need any of ’em. Mon 4 May, Paradiso, 20.30, €12

MARINA & THE DIAMONDS This electro-pop act sprinkles a blend of new wave and disco over futuristic soundscapes. With the bubbly Marina Lambrini Diamandis at centre stage, this show is sure to make you feel like you’ve just stepped into an old episode of ’80s dayglo cartoon Jem and the Holograms. Sun 10 May, Melkweg, 19.30, €17.50 JOSÉ JAMES Famed for his emotive vocals, blending jazz, hip hop and soul, Blue Note artist James returns to Amsterdam for an intimate portrayal of the music of Billie Holiday. Mon 11 May, North Sea Jazz Club, 21.00, €28

UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA This psychedelic band’s hypnotic guitar sound has been compared to similarly spacey modern rock acts like Ty Segall and Deerhunter. Mon 25 May, Bitterzoet, 21.00, €17.50 ROXETTE Tracks like ‘It Must Have Been Love’ turned this Swedish duo into a household name in the early ’90s. Join them for another joyride, won’t you? Wed 27 May, Heineken Music Hall, 20.00, €59 ARIANA GRANDE Get ready for two epic concerts that are truly worthy of this young singer’s surname. The for-

going strong despite a premature breakup in 2008. They’re best known for their hits in the ’80s, which include ‘Hold the Line’, ‘Rosanna’ and the iconic ‘Africa’. Sat 30 May, Ziggo Dome, 20.00, €39-€49 FLEETWOOD MAC Despite being one of the most combative bands of all time, Fleetwood Mac has also proven to be one of the most indomitable. They’re out on tour again, this time with their full line-up. Sun 31 May & Mon 1 Jun, Ziggo Dome, 20.00, €75-€89 CHRIS DE BURGH Now in his 60s, soft pop troubadour Chris de Burgh still has some of the most fanatical fans around, ready to kill for a sniff

MAROON 5 Hit singles like ‘Makes Me Wonder’ and ‘If I Never See Your Face Again’ have helped make this American pop-rock band one of the most popular on the planet. V, their fifth album, washed up in record stores in 2014. Wed 3 Jun, Ziggo Dome, 20.00, €39-€49 THE DUSTBOWL REVIVAL As their name suggests, this Californian act focuses on music that was popular during America’s Great Depression: ’30s-style gospel, jazz and bluegrass. Fri 5 Jun, Paradiso, 22.00, €8.50 POKEY LAFARGE The ‘old timey’ tunes of this American folk singer have appeared on TV show Boardwalk Empire and radio programme A Prairie Home Companion. Fri 5 Jun, Paradiso, 20.30, €19

VIET CONG When their acclaimed former band Women fell apart, two 40 YEARS CITY LINKS: OSLO members struck out on their own –AMSTERDAM to form this garage rock outfit. THE SOFT MOON This series looks at the connecThey create psychedelic sounds tions between here and other full of blazing, lo-fi guitar riffs For The Soft Moon’s Luis major jazz cities. Tonight, it’s all and their first full-length album Vasquez, darkness seems to come about Oslo, with drummer Paal arrived to a great critical recepin many shapes and sounds. His Nilssen and his 11-piece Love tion at the beginning of 2015. songs are a harrowing journey Large Unit showcasing ScandinaThur 14 May, Bitterzoet, through his past, breathing vian avant-jazz. 20.30, €12.50 heavily and contrasting whispers Thur 7 May, Bimhuis, with screams. Reminiscent of THE ELVIS CONCERT 20.30, €20 ’80s punk fuzz and new wave, his The King of Rock and Roll’s old bleak landscape of droning bass JP HARRIS & THE TOUGH tunes still pack a wallop. Pay your and cascading drums creates a CHOICES respects to the late/great monwall of enthralling noise. This country band dishes up good arch at this tribute show, which Fri 5 Jun, Melkweg, 19.30, €17 ol’-fashioned honky-tonk songs features a few of his former band MARK KNOPFLER about heartbreak, flyover states mates. Special guest this year and, you guessed it, tough choicis actress Marilyn Mason, who Knopfler, presumably, still wants es. Like a bucket of moonshine, performed alongside Elvis in the his MTV (even though the suptheir music isn’t for little girls but movie The Trouble With Girls. posedly music-centric network HANS DULFER ROUTE 75 it’ll cure whatever ails ya! Sat 16 May, Melkweg, 19.30, €33 is more focused on reality stars This iconic Amsterdammer isn’t only celebrating his 75th Thur 7 May, Bitterzoet, these days). Regardless, classic MATISYAHU 20.00, €10 tunes like ‘Money For Nothing’ birthday this month, but 60 years of performing and a Also known as Matthew Paul and ‘Walk of Life’ made the Dire genuine jazz legacy that has this city at its core. Despite PATRICK WATSON Miller, this rapper is one of the Straits frontman a living legend, his international acclaim, you can still catch this sax hero One of Watson’s songs provided most unusual currently roaming even if these days his songwriting jamming in the city pretty much every week, be it at the the soundtrack to a trailer for the wild plains of hip hop. He is comparatively low key, explorCotton Club, Bulldog or other intimate jazz haunts. But zombie thriller The Walking lashes together reggae, rock and ing Celtic folk and rock. this is an opportunity for some 1,500 fans to bask in him Dead. Sure enough, it sent chills beatboxing with rhymes about Sat 6 Jun, Ziggo Dome, 20.00, getting back on to a bigger stage and experience him down the spines of the show’s veganism and Orthodox Judaism. €44-€59 fans and his elegant indie pop Sat 23 May, Melkweg, 19.30, €17 doing what he does best: letting rip with friends of old PAUL MCCARTNEY and soul tunes are sure to provide and new. Thur 28 May, Melkweg, 19.00, €10 MEW you with the same sensation. This massive arena gig sees the Fri 8 May, Melkweg, 19.30, €24 Mew's intoxicating blend of indie former Beatles star performing rock and atmospheric post-rock mer Nickelodeon star has earned of his leathers. Undoubtedly his in the city for the first time since J COLE biggest hits landed in the ’70s is like catnip for their fans in a reputation for bombastic pop 1972 as part of his global ‘Out and ’80s, most notably ‘The Lady 2014 Forest Hills Drive, J Cole’s Amsterdam. The Scandinavian tunes and even bigger tours in There’ tour. in Red’ and ‘A Spaceman Came third album, is his third straight band’s latest release is 2015’s pe- her relatively short music career. Sun 7 & Mon 8 Jun, Ziggo Travelling’, but he’s still a prolific to top the charts in the US – just culiarly named ‘ + - ‘. Thur 28 & Fri 29 May, Ziggo Dome, 20.00, €85-€129 pop songwriter, releasing new one of the many reasons he’s conSat 23 May, Melkweg, Dome, 19.00, €34-€42 PUBLIC SERVICE records every couple of years. sidered one of the best rappers of 19.30, €17.50 MARC RIBOT CERAMIC DOG BROADCASTING Mon 1 Jun, Heineken Music his generation. FATOUMATA DIAWARA & Hall, 20.00, €40-€59 Sat 9 May, Heineken Music Ceramic Dog is a band made This unique indie-rock band ROBERTO FONSECA Hall, 20.00, €37-€50 up of guitarist Marc Ribot plus doesn’t have a lead singer. InOUGHT Diawara has already won over Shahzad Ismaily, a largely selfstead, they’ve handed the mic DANIEL NORGREN Amsterdam gig goers with her taught American-Pakistani bass- Lead singer, or maybe we should over to voice samples from old This Swedish singer-songwriter sensual bluesy folk, which recalls ist, and drummer Ches Smith. As say lead talker, Tim Beeler fronts this eclectic band from Canada. advert has been compared to everyone compatriot Rokia Traoré. Alalways, anything goes when this His chatty vocals help set the from Tom Waits to a Swiss Army though her musical career is still elastic trio find their gear: rock, stage for a surprisingly danceable Knife. His music ranges from relatively young, she’s enchanted rap, electronics or jazz classics. mix of indie rock, post punk and blues to gospel to circus music. many collaborators, the latest of Thur 28 May, Bimhuis, noisy guitar experimentation. Yes, you read that right: circus which is Cuban multi-instrumen20.30, €18-€22 Mon 1 Jun, Bitterzoet, 21.00, €12 music. His live performances are talist Fonseca. GINGER BAKER JAZZ notably mesmeric and charming. Sun 24 May, North Sea Jazz CHILLY GONZALES & CONFUSION Sat 9 May, Tolhuistuin, Club, 21.00, €32 KAISER QUARTETT 20.30, €16 He may have found fame as the ERIC BURDON AND THE driving beat behind blues band Canadian pianist Gonzales teams ELIZA GILKYSON ANIMALS up with the Kaiser Quartett to Cream, but Ginger Baker is a present new material especially In 2003, Gilkyson earned a spot Burdon is one of rock’s great lead statesman of adventurous jazz in the Austin Music Hall of Fame. singers and his vibrant antics and Afrobeat. Tonight he show- written for the German ensemble which takes inspiration from A year later, her album Land of during live shows have made him cases tracks from Why?, his first everything from Bach to Daft Milk and Honey was nominated a legend. For this show he’ll be studio album in 16 years. Punk. Their new album Chamfor a Grammy Award. The folk joined by the band that helped Fri 29 May, Bimhuis, bers reimagines Romantic-era star definitely knows how to him reach stardom with hits like 20.30, €25 chamber music as today’s addicblend Americana with multiple ‘House of the Rising Sun’ and 18 JUN TOTO tive pop. other genres. ‘Don’t Let Me Be Understood’. Wed 3 Jun, Concertgebouw, Sun 10 May, Paradiso, Mon 25 May, Paradiso, Founded in 1977, this Los AnSURTITLED IN ENGLISH 20.15, €30-€40 16.00, €11 20.30, €32.50 geles-based rock band is still

Choice pop & jazz

KINGS OF WAR

PART IV THE A-LIST

MUSIC/POP & JAZZ / CLASSICAL propaganda films and informational videos. Tue 9 Jun, Sugarfactory, 19.00, €12.50

signature tune during these two cert will shine a light on several concerts? Well, if he doesn’t, the symphonies by JS Bach, Shostakcrowds will probably riot and that ovich and many more. will be a spectacle in and of itself. Sun 3 May, Concertgebouw, Thur 25 & Sat 27 Jun, Ziggo 11.00, €10-€25 OLLY MURS Dome, 20.00, €49-€99 CHRISTOPH PRÉGARDIEN + This popular singer has come a ALLEN TOUSSAINT MALCOLM MARTINEAU long way since he received Simon Cowell’s stamp of approval on Experience authentic New German tenor Christoph The X Factor in 2009. To date, Orleans R&B and jazz from this Prégardien is an internationally Murs has racked up four number grand master. Lots of his songs renowned singer. In this proone hit singles in the UK and have grown up and enjoyed lives gramme he dives head first into three multi-platinum albums. of their own but Toussaint is a the world of Franz Schubert, Tue 9 Jun, Heineken Music Hall, true original with plenty of tales with the bonus of songs by 20.00, €35 left to tell. Mahler, too. Fri 26 Jun, North Sea Jazz Club, Wed 6 May, Muziekgebouw aan CAPE TRADITIONAL 21.00, €24-€28 ’t IJ, 20.15, €39.50 SINGERS & IGUGU LE KAPA LAURA MVULA & METROPOLE From Cape Town’s melting pot ORCHESTRA come two choirs that combine all the colours and flavours of the Last summer, Brit soul songstress rainbow nation. Mvula revealed a collaboration Wed 17 Jun, Royal Theatre with the Metropole Orchestra, Carré, 20.00, €20-€35 which sparked a jazzy initiative that they’re all too keen to reKISS create this evening. The gig These rock icons are now better launches the new Robeco Sumknown for their cheesy merchanmerNights series that mashes dising (KISS-themed toilet paper, up classical, jazz and pop sounds anyone?) and riding around on until the end of the August. parade floats than their actual Sat 27 Jun, Concertgebouw, music. That doesn’t mean that 21.00, €25-€43 they don’t deliver during their SANTANA stadium tours. Get ready to rock’n’roll all night while Gene Carlos Santana and his band all Simmons unleashes the awesome but created the genre of Latin might of his gargantuan tongue. rock. Tracks like ‘Hope You’re THE REPLACEMENTS Thur 18 Jun, Ziggo Dome, Feeling Better’ and ‘Oye Como Va’ 20.00, €59-€69 also helped turn the man himself It’s been argued that this into a full-fledged guitar god in infamous American band MISHA MENGELBERG the late ’60s. helped bridge the gap 80TH BIRTHDAY Tue 30 Jun, Ziggo Dome, between The Ramones and Two contrasting bastions of 20.00, €45-€59 Nirvana during their heyday Amsterdam’s jazz scene collide in the ’80s. The Replacein celebration of pianist Misha ments broke up in 1991 but Mengelberg: the traditional CLASSICAL swingers of the Jazz Orchestra they triumphantly busted LUNCHTIME CONCERTS of the Concertgebouw and the out of their rock’n’roll grave thrilling wildcards of the ICP Who said there’s no such thing in 2012. The Replacements’ Orchestra. as a free lunch (concert)? The notoriously antagonistic (and Thur 18 Jun, Concertgebouw, Concertgebouw’s lunchtime conoften drunken) live sets got 20.15, €35 certs are exactly that, showcasing them banned from Saturday everything from young, upcomTHE LOOM OF MIND Night Live back in 1986... ing talent to chamber music and This collaborative performance public rehearsals by the Concertbut we hear that they’re by Icelandic one-man band gebouw Orchestra. It’s advisable much better behaved these Mugison, Pétur Ben and the to show up at least half an hour in days.Sat 30 May, Paradiso, Flemish indie-baroque collective advance to guarantee entry. 20.30, €32.50 Baroque Orchestration X sees the Every Wed, Concertgebouw, bearded crooner presenting a mix 12.30, free NEDERLANDS KAMERORof old and new songs. KEST + TIM KLIPHUIS TRIO THE VU-ORCHESTRA: Fri 19 Jun, Bimhuis, 20.30, €19 BENJAMIN BRITTEN’S WAR Gordan Nikolic, Daniel Hope JACKSON BROWNE REQUIEM and Tim Kliphuis are the three Browne is one of the most contrasting violinists at the heart Join conductor Daan Admiraal beloved American singer-songof this performance. They’ll as he leads the orchestra in a writers of his generation. His each take turns to examine the performance of Benjamin Brithits, which include ‘Running on seasons, not just in the typical ten’s melancholy masterpiece. Empty’ and ‘Doctor My Eyes’, are Vivaldi sense, but in recomposed The acclaimed composer wrote too numerous to mention here so and reimagined ways. the requiem in the early 1960s we’ll include this interesting fact to honour English poet Wilfred Fri 8 May, Muziekgebouw aan ’t about him instead: he was actualIJ, 20.15, €39.50 Owen and other victims of the ly born in Heidelberg, Germany. two World Wars. THE SIXTEEN AND THE Mon 22 Jun, Heineken Music Fri 1 May, Concertgebouw, CENTURIES-OLD Hall, 20.00, €45-€76 20.15, €17.50-€27.50 ‘PALESTRINA STYLE’ THE MOODY BLUES SHOSTAKOVICH’S FIFTH The 54th season of this celebratSYMPHONY Days of Future Passed, the breaked Saturday afternoon concert sethrough album for this classic The lush vocals of soprano Marti- ries is devoted to works inspired rock band, made them interna Prins are sure to be a highlight by the culture and people of Italy. national sensations back in the The programme for this entry inof this concert featuring one of late ’60s. They’re still touring the cludes works by Renaissance-era Dmitri Shostakovich’s greatest globe nearly 50 years later. works and Dutch composer Hans composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Thur 25 Jun, Heineken Music Palestrina and others, performed Kox’s tribute to Anne Frank. Hall, 20.00, €45-€59 by UK choral group The Sixteen. Sat 2 May, Concertgebouw, Sat 9 May, Concertgebouw, 20.15, €12.50-€48.50 NEIL DIAMOND 14.15, €37-€43 THE BRASS ENSEMBLE OF Watching a stadium-sized crowd MOTHER’S DAY RECITAL THE CONCERTGEBOUW sing along to Diamond’s ‘Sweet BY OLIVIA VERMEULEN ORCHESTRA Caroline’ is truly one of the world’s greatest spectacles. Will Celebrate the maternal holiday Led by conductor Ivan Meylethe legendary crooner play his mans, this Sunday morning con- with the acclaimed mezzo-sopra-

no during this special morning performance. Vermeulen will lead a rich programme featuring works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Hugo Wolf and more. Sun 10 May, Concertgebouw, 11.00, €16-€25 MASTER PIANIST: GRIGORY SOKOLOV This Russian overcame the pitfalls of the Soviet regime in the ’70s and ’80s to become one of the best pianists in the world. At this concert, which is part of the Concertgebouw’s Master Pianist series, he’ll perform works by JS

Choice pop & jazz

TAYLOR SWIFT Taylor Swift had managed to conquer the music industry with country/pop hits like ‘You Belong With Me’ before morphing into a mega star with the glistening pure pop of 1989. She’s sold over 40 million albums worldwide and has won seven Grammy Awards. Not half bad for a young singer who won’t celebrate her 26th birthday until this December. So watch her shake, shake, shake, shake, shake it off (but just don’t get her started on Spotify). Sun 21 Jun, Ziggo Dome, 19.30, €44-€74 Bach and others. Sun 10 May, Concertgebouw, 20.15, €47-€69.50

CONCERTGEBOUW ORCHESTRA WITH JAN WILLEM DE VRIEND Best known as the chief conductor of the Symphony Orchestra in Enschede, this celebrated conductor will helm each of these three performances. Join De Vriend and the orchestra as they explore a few symphonies penned by Mozart and Schubert. Wed 13, Fri 15 & Sun 17 May, Concertgebouw, various times, €10-€56 SYMPHONIC GRANDEUR: PROKOFIEV AND BRAHMS Munich native Müller-Schot won his first international musical competition at the young age of 15 and has enjoyed a celebrated career ever since. Now the cellist will take centre stage at each of these two performances with conductor Marc Albrecht and the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra. Sat 16 & Mon 18 May, Concertgebouw, 20.15, €12.50-€48.50 VERDI REQUIEM Operatic superstar Eva-Maria Westbroek joins for this grand production of Verdi’s Requiem, alongside other big names like Frank van Aken (tenor), Tania Kross (alto) and Jaco Huijpen (bass). Sat 16 May, Royal Theatre Carré, 14.00, €25-€75 NOVEL MUSIC: OEK DE JONG AND THE OSIRIS TRIO Pier and Ocean, a novel by Dutch author Oek de Jong, received critical acclaim following its publication in 2012. Now it will serve as the muse for this concert featuring the Osiris Trio. First formed in 1988, the small ensemble has earned plenty of accolades themselves over the years. Mon 18 May, Concertgebouw, 20.15, €10-€35 SUPERTRIO: FRÖST, RYSANOV AND PÖNTINEN Martin Fröst, Maxim Rysanov and Roland Pöntinen are all classically trained musicians with a wide array of career highlights. They’ll join forces at this performance to take on several works by German composer Robert Alexander Schumann and others. Tue 19 May, Concertgebouw, 20.15, €10-€54

OPERA PER TUTTI Regular opera sessions in the beautiful Vondelkerk. Each performance typically includes five DREAM DUO: JUAN or six operatic fragments or arias DIEGO FLÓREZ AND – some you’ll know inside out, PRETTY YENDE others may be new to you. Sun 10 May (15.00) & Sat 13 Jun The accomplished Peruvian tenor (20.00), Vondelkerk, €10-€20 Juan Diego Flórez is known throughout the world. Join him LUNCH CONCERT at his first ever show at the Con& TOUR certgebouw while he performs Free monthly performance in alongside the Gelderland Orcollaboration with the Nationaal chestra and the uniquely named Muziekinstrumenten Fonds. soprano Pretty Yende. A video Tours of the concert hall also take clip of the two vocalists’ playful place before the performance. rendition of Rossini’s ‘Le Comte Tue 12 May, Muziekgebouw aan Ory’ became a big hit after it ap’t IJ, 12.30, free peared on YouTube last year. Tue 19 May, Concertgebouw, ERARD ENSEMBLE 20.15, €10-€100 Perpetual fans of Romantic CALEFAX chamber music, in this programme the quartet performs This reed quintet is never content Chopin’s 24 Préludes for piano, to play by the rules but they love and Fauré’s Piano Quartet No.2. to play nonetheless. So tonight Tue 12 May, Amstelkerk, they’ll turn to music by the likes 20.15, €18 of Bach, Purcell and Hindemith,

may & jun 2015

MUSIC/CLASSICAL Choice classical

THE KYOTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA One of Japan’s best orchestras and Mihoko Fujimura, one of its most talented mezzo-sopranos, are coming to Amsterdam for this special performance. The programme will include works by Richard Strauss and Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu. Sun 7 Jun, Concertgebouw, 20.15, €15-€40

promising fun and surprises in the process. Wed 20 May, Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ, 20.15, €28.50

TRACKS Music, words and images will once again come together in this edition of the ongoing concert series. Each of these two performances will feature Martin Fröst. Widely considered to be one of the best clarinettists on the planet, he’ll be joined by additional musicians and a video production designed by artist Jurjen Alkema. Thur 21 & Fri 22 May, Concertgebouw, 21.00, €10-€25 OPERA WITH EVA-MARIA WESTBROEK AND FRANK VAN AKEN Dutch soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek’s career has been filled with memorable performances in some of the world’s greatest concert halls. During this show, she’ll sing alongside The Gelderland Orchestra and her husband, the acclaimed tenor Frank van Aken. Fri 22 May, Concertgebouw, 20.15, €45-€120 PIETER JAN LEUSINK AND GABRIEL FAURÉ’S REQUIEM Fauré’s masterpiece is one of the most beloved works of its kind. The piece dates back to 1888 and is sure to be the highlight of this performance featuring soprano Olga Zinovieva and the Bach Choir and Orchestra of the Netherlands. Sat 23 May, Concertgebouw, 19.30, €50-€75 JOHANNES MOSER + ANDREI KOROBEINIKOV Cellist Moser and pianist Korobeinikov team up to explore the highlights of the 20th-century cello repertoire, including key works by Britten, Pärt and Shostakovich. Fri 29 May, Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, 20.15, €28.50 MARC ALBRECHT AND BRUCKNER’S SIXTH The son of a renowned conductor, Albrecht decided to follow in his father’s footsteps after receiving the soundtrack for the opera La traviata one Christmas. Along with the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, he’ll tackle one of Austrian composer Anton Bruckner’s most vibrant symphonies during this performance. Fri 29 May, Concertgebouw, 20.15, €10-€40

THE PARADISO ORCHESTRA – ZING! Classics and pop collide this evening as the talented ensemble compares classical composers to modern singer-songwriters. See how songs by heroes like Purcell, Schubert and Wagner stack up with this generation’s voices. Thur 21 May, Paradiso, 20.30, €25

LAVINIA MEIJER Dutch harpist Meijer has been enjoying international acclaim thanks to her interpretations of favourites by Philip Glass, as well visits to major international venues like New York’s Carnegie Hall. Always a regular in Dutch concert halls too, this evening she’s setting up her majestic harp in this grand Amsterdam theatre for a melange of Romantic, baroque and minimal music, showcasing the intimacy and explosive power of the harp as a solo instrument. Sun 24 May, Royal Theatre Carré, 16.00, €17-€34

BEYOND THE SCORE® A PORTRAIT OF PIERRE BOULEZ This year Pierre Boulez, the pioneer of abstraction, experiment and electronics in music turned 90 – a special occasion being celebrated at the Holland Festival. Featuring custom sets and loving musical performances by Asko|Schönberg and Slagwerk Den Haag, the entire evening is an ode to Boulez, weaving together works from across his career with poems, letters and video projections. Tue 2 Jun, Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, 20.30, €27.50-€32.50 SUMMER ROMANTIC The Naardens Kamerorkest plays it bright and breezy this afternoon, performing Mozart’s Overture from La clemenza di Tito, J Brahms’ Violin Concerto and Bizet’s Symphony in C. For the occasion they’re joined by renowned violinist Carla Leurs. Sun 31 May, De Duif, 14.00, €17.50

HOLLAND FESTIVAL: 12 HOUR PROM This epic ‘mini festival’ offers 12 straight hours of music and magic. Unlike typical Concertgebouw performances, this one will offer a promenade-style experience without chairs. The line-up veers from spine-tingling classical greats through to British singer-songwriter Anna Calvi (pictured) who’ll be joined by the Metropole Orchestra for extra symphonic punch. Check the Holland Festival’s website for the full schedule. Sat 20 Jun, Concertgebouw, 12.00, €10-€100 the Netherlands Radio Choir as they perform the contemporary composer’s ‘Preludio all’infinito’ and Wolfgang Rihm’s Third Symphony. Sat 6 Jun, Concertgebouw, 14.15, €31-€36

CONCERTGEBOUW ORCHESTRA: PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION This family-friendly concert is CONTEMPORARY HARMONperfect for classical music fans IC RICHNESS: WAGENAAR of all ages (but especially those AND THE YOUNG RIHM between the ages of six and 12). SYMFONIEORKEST DE Conductor Jurjen Hempel will Born into a musical family, PHILHARMONIE lead the orchestra as they perHague native Diderik Wagenaar Head to the pop temple for grand form Mussorgsky’s whimsical began playing the piano at the symphonic performances of 1874 suite, which was inspired by age of eight and never looked Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic the portraits of Russian artist back. Since then he’s penned sevDances and Prokofiev’s Seventh. eral celebrated works. During this Viktor Hartmann. Sun 31 May, Paradiso, Sun 7 Jun, Concertgebouw, matinee performance, the Radio 15.00, €17.50 13.30, €7.50-€17.50 Philharmonic Orchestra will join

A NIGHT UNDER EASTERN SKIES The mystical ways of sufism will descend on Paradiso, transporting you from classical Arab Sufi music to its 21st-century incarnation. The concert is opened by the Al-Kindi ensemble from Istanbul, who return to the source of the classical repertoire on traditional instruments. Then, the traditional music blends with the hypnotising, sufi-inspired pop music of Niyaz. Fri 12 Jun, Paradiso, 20.30, €25

CONCERTGEBOUW ORCHESTRA WITH JANINE JANSEN These three performances were nearly sold out as of press-time. This should come as no surprise considering that they star Janine Jansen, one of the best-loved violinists of her generation. Wed 17-Fri 19 Jun, Concertgebouw, 20.15, €25-€72 BAROQUE REVISITED This Holland Festival concert catapults the music of Bach, Pandolfi Mealli, Von Biber and Barriere into the 21st century. Composer Sarah Nemtsov has created a new work, in which the parallels and contrasts between the composers are given a physical presence by the spatial grouping of the soloists and strings of Solistenensemble Kaleidoskop. Thur 18 Jun, Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, 20.15, €22.50-€27.50

JIDDISJ KOOR HEJMISJ ZAIN Explore old and new songs in the CONCERTGEBOUW Yiddish repertoire performed by ORCHESTRA: VENICE, NEW the 45-member choir. YORK AND ST PETERSBURG Sun 21 Jun, Amstelkerk, Tickets are sure to go quickly for 15.00, €15 this concert featuring both piaMASTER PIANIST: MARIA nist Stefano Bollani and works by JOÃO PIRES George Gershwin, in addition to many more. The final entry in the 28th season Fri 12 Jun, Concertgebouw, of this popular concert series will 20.15, €19.13-€46 feature Maria João Pires. The infamous ‘poet pianist’ is hugely MARC ALBRECHT famous in her native Portugal CONDUCTS MAHLER’S FIRST and is known for vibrant perforSYMPHONY mances that lead audiences on At these two concerts, the besome unforgettable journeys. loved conductor will close out Sun 21 Jun, Concertgebouw, the Netherlands Philharmonic 20.15, €57.50-€85 Orchestra’s current season along ADDRESSES with violinist Simone Lamsma. The programme includes works Amstelkerk by Austrian composer Arnold Amstelveld 10 Schönberg and more. www.amstelkerk.net Sat 13 & Mon 15 Jun, ConcertgeBimhuis bouw, 20.15, €12.50-€48.50 Piet Heinkade 3 http://bimhuis.nl BACH ORCHESTRA OF Bitterzoet THE NETHERLANDS: Spuistraat 2 ODE TO BACH www.bitterzoet.com Tag along with the orchestra De Duif while they dive into some of the Prinsengracht 756 best works by one of history’s http://deduif.net greatest composers. They’ll be Heineken Music Hall joined by special guests including ArenA Boulevard 590 soprano Olga Zinovieva, tenor www.heineken-music-hall.nl Martinus Leusink and violinist Melkweg Igor Ruhadze. Lijnbaansgracht 234A Sun 14 Jun, Concertgebouw, www.melkweg.nl 14.15, €50-€75 Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ Piet Heinkade 1 MASTER PIANIST: ALEXANwww.muziekgebouw.nl DER GAVRYLYUK North Sea Jazz Club This edition of the ongoing conPazzanistraat 1 cert series features one of Auswww.northseajazzclub.com tria’s best, and youngest, pianists. Paradiso Originally from the Ukraine, Weteringschans 6-8 Gavrylyuk has played everywhere www.paradiso.nl from Moscow to Sydney. He’ll Royal Concertgebouw tackle works by Franz Schubert Concertgebouw 10 and many more during this perwww.concertgebouw.nl formance. Royal Theatre Carré Sun 14 Jun, Concertgebouw, Amstel 115 /125 20.15, €30-€50 https://carre.nl Sugarfactory LUNCH CONCERT: RCO Lijnbaansgracht 238 REHEARSAL www.sugarfactory.nl For several years now, the ConTolhuistuin certgebouw Orchestra has hosted IJpromenade 2 a series of special lunchtime perwww.tolhuistuin.nl formances and open rehearsals. Vondelkerk This one will be led by conductor Vondelstraat 120 Andrés Orozco-Estrada and adwww.stadsherstel.nl mission is complimentary. Ziggo Dome Wed 17 Jun, Concertgebouw, De Passage 100 12.30, free www.ziggodome.nl

PART IV THE A-LIST

CLUBBING & NIGHTLIFE CLUBBING 5 DAYS OFF: FUNKINEVEN BEATROOM US GARAGE/ HOUSE EDITION Step in a time machine back to the early 1990s, an era when Kenny Dope Gonzales, Little Louie Vega, Kerry Chandler and George Morel were king. It’ll be interesting to see Gomes – one of biggest specialists of UK garage in the Netherlands – play his favourite garage anthems from across the ditch. Fri 1 May, Club Up, 23.0005.00, €7.50 WILDE RENATE This night is named after an East Berlin club based in an apartment block. This may not get as wild as the soirees at the real ‘Wilde’, but with Tim Hoeben, Sebastian Voigt, David Cornelissen, Juri Miralles and Max Absymal playing a mix of techno and tech-house this may be well worth taking a look at. Fri 1 May, Closure, 22.0005.00, €12.50 I LOVE VINYL When it comes to boogie, disco and funky downbeat, there aren’t many DJs more exciting than NYC’s Tom Noble. Be prepared for some sweet, obscure, un-Shazamable, wonky, mega funky dance-floor stuff… Sat 2 May, Canvas, 23.0004.00, €12 DOOR! Another hefty all-nighter in the beautiful church that is the landmark of this hippie village. Louis Flores, Mattikk and Svreca play a mix of house and techno. Sat 2 May, Ruigoord, 23.0008.00, €19 THE GOING One the young protégés of the late Club Trouw, Malawi’s sets can best be described as a blend of house and ethnic rhythms. Not your average night of clinical techno at Studio 80! Sun 3 May, Studio 80, 23.0003.00, €5 ALLO ALLO – VIVE LA RESISTANCE An in-crowd Amsterdam crew of house and techno DJs who like their beats druggy and German will get this thing going. With DJs Aron Friedman, Eric De Man, Alex Salvador and more. Mon 4 May, Closure, 22.0004.00, €12.50 VRIJLAND FESTIVAL This relative newcomer excels in good vibes and wicked music of all sorts. Most notable are the experimental live performers including Belgium’s excellent jazzfunk/fusion/hip-hop ensemble STUFF, who sound like the eclectic 1970s one minute and like a live reincarnation of Afrika Bambaataa just five minutes later. Tue 5 May, Oostpunt, Ijdijk 10, 13.00-04.00, €35 HET AMSTERDAMS VERBOND Relive the celebration of the end

of the Second World War in the Netherlands by dancing to the hip hop, bass, house and techno beats of skilled local DJs such as Elias Mazian, Cinnaman, Vic Crezée and Tom Trago. Tue 5 May, Sportpark De Eendracht, 12.00-23.00, €18.50 KLEAR PRESENTS BONOBO (DJ SET) Bonobo and his partner Sjerdene have travelled the world extensively to play live, but a DJ set by one of Ninja Tune’s biggest artists is rare. Support comes from Cinnaman (Colors, Beat Dimensions, Rush Hour) and Romare. Fri 8 May, De Marktkantine, 12.00-23.00, €22.50 THE GOLDTIER DANCE PARTY The long-awaited return of the Gaultier Modern Dance party, a classic in the mid-1990s local club scene. The line-up couldn’t be more classic with Jaydee (‘Plastic Dreams’), Dimitri, Remy and none other than Carl Cox himself. Sat 9 May, Paradiso, 22.00, €55 HOSPITALITY LABEL NIGHT A celebration of the sound of what may well be the biggest record label in the current drum & bass scene, featuring imprint hotshots Etherwood, Fred V, Grafix, Hugh Hardie, Logistics, Metrik, S.P.Y. and Nu:tone behind the decks plus MCs Carasel and Wrec on the mic. Wed 13 May, Paradiso, midnight-06.00, €20 HEMELTJELIEF FESTIVAL An eclectic little festival in Amsterdam’s trendy North, with live performances by quirky local acts such as Steye and the Bizonkid and the Amsterdam Faya Allstars. Thur 14 May, Noorderlicht, 11.00-23.00, €16 KLEAR X BALLINNN’ PRESENT DJOGO NIGHT A free event of current urban music with Girls, GurneyChampion and Wantigga playing trap, hip hop, garage, house and R&B. Thur 14 May, De Waterkant, 22.00-01.00, free ONE NIGHT IN DETROIT Detroit’s Keith Worthy is set to play a wicked set of deep Detroit house (no deephouse, mind you). Performing live is Anonym, one of the most obscure Detroit musicians around. Fri 15 May, Studio 80, 23.0005.00, €15

from local jock Carlos Valdes. Fri 29 May, Canvas, 23.0004.00, €12

Choice clubbing

BEYOND THE REALMS OF DOOM The line-up for this dark and horrible eve of terror: AnTraxid, Htbrd, La Bourreau, Newk, ANGST (live), Fifth Era (live), Maniak-47 (live) Tonal Verges (live). Sat 30 May, OCCII, 23.0004.00, €12 ON For all of those clubbers still a bit sad about Trouw’s closure earlier this year, this one’s for you to wipe your tears with. Tonight’s been put together by the people behind Ontrouw, including Trouw’s resident DJ Patrice Bäumel. For fans of euphoric German techno. Sat 30 May, Canvas, 23.0004.00, €12 PROPER’S CULT If there ever were a house and disco equivalent to rock’n’roll animal Lou Reed, it’d have to be local bon vivant jock San Proper. Watch San and his mates rock the decks like there’s no tomorrow… Fri 5 Jun, Studio 80, 22.0005.00, €15

BANLIEUE INVITES APRON RECORDS Despite a monthly radio show on NTS, a wicked record label called Apron and a crazy rework of a classic Level 42 tune on his resumé, Steven Tony Julien, aka Funkineven, is still not recognised as one of the most impressive forces of current club music. Despite being based in London, his sound doesn’t give away his Britishness – call his output cosmopolitan, hyper-creative club music if you will. Fri 15 May, Radion, Louwesweg 1, www.radionamsterdam.nl. 23.00-07.00, €15

PRCPTN Young Berlin deephouse jock Sven Weissemann rocks the Canvas decks non-stop from start till close. Fri 5 Jun, Canvas, 23.0004.00, €15 AMSTERDAM OPEN AIR DAY ONE Tom Trago’s (Rush Hour) Voyage Direct project is well represented with Trago himself, Elias Mazian, Interstellar Funk and Awanto 3 playing house tunes. The Yours Truly crew take care of the UK/bass and urban side of things with Dutch feelgood rap hotshot Typhoon (live), L-Vis 1990, Girl Unit, Full Crate, FS Green, The Flexican and Vic Crezée headlining. Sat 6 Jun, Gaasperpark, 12.00-23.00, €79.50 for both days HORIZON Up-and-coming Nijmegenbased DJ Reza Athar plays his dark mix of house, electro and other leftfield electronic dance genres. All night long. Sat 6 Jun, Canvas, 23.0004.00, €12

FESTIFEST PREPARTY Head down to Canvas to find out what to expect musically at Festifest (see 20 June). DJs Tornado Wallace (Australia), Elias Mazian (Voyage Direct, Rush Hour) and Pieter Jansen play leftfield house tunes. Fri 22 May, Canvas, 23.0004.00, €15

AMSTERDAM OPEN AIR DAY TWO Styles are similar to yesterday’s line-up, with a wild variety of DJs spinning including Bakermat (deep house), Jameszoo (wonky beats and beyond), Madeon (slick poppy electronic dance music), Ben Sims (classic industrial techno) and Surgeon (punishing UK techno). Sun 7 Jun, Gaasperpark, 12.00-23.00, €79.50 for both days

LIGHT HOUSE Headlining tonight is Swedish house DJ and producer Axel Boman, known for his mid-tempo sets. Support comes

MYSTIC GARDEN FESTIVAL Amsterdammers have never really had a reason to complain about a shortage of electronic music festivals, but here’s yet

THE HISTORY OF HOUSE With 808 State headlining, the name is no exaggeration. Formed in 1987 in Manchester, the coolest thing about the UK’s equivalent to Detroit’s Underground Resistance is that they never betrayed the underground while their discography encompasses the weirdest trippiest acid house imaginable as well as UK chart hits like ‘Pacific State’. Sat 12 Jun, Melkweg, 23.00, €20 another one with a Germanstyle line up: Juan Sanchez, Regis, Boss Axis, Henry Saiz, Nadja Lind, Mike Ravelli, Dayne S and more. Sat 20 June, Sloterpark, 12.00, €34.50 FESTIFEST This new festival’s name misleadingly suggests this is the mother of all festivals. It may seem a cheap attempt to stand out in the overcrowded Amsterdam festival landscape, but what really counts is that we had a sneak peak at the line-up and it looks like it’ll be a hedonistic, banging rave that matches the spirit of Europe’s party capital perfectly; Job Jobse, Nuno dos Santos, Tranny 4/7, SHMLSS, Manamana, Haarbaarbaar, Matias Aguayo and many others play uplifting house and techno. Sat 20 Jun, Noorderlicht, 13.00-04.00, €29

NOMADS FESTIVAL This casual, low-key festival may well turn out to be one of the jewels of the summer, as one of the most fanatic crate diggers on the globe – Chicago’s Sadar Bahar, pictured – is one of the headliners. Also confirmed are local experimental electronic artist Interstellar Funk (Voyage Direct, Rush Hour), Jan van Kampen (Dekmantel, house) and Tom Ruijg (techno). Sat 27 Jun, Sportpark Riekerhaven, 12.00-23.00, €25 ADDRESSES Canvas Wibautstraat 150 www.canvasopde7e.nl Closure Rozengracht 133 www.facebook.com/ closureamsterdam Club Up Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 26-1 www.clubup.nl De Marktkantine Jan van Gallenstraat 6 http://marktkantine.nl Noorderlicht NDSM Plein 102 www.noorderlichtcafe.nl OCCII Amstelveenseweg 134 http://occii.org Paradiso Weteringschans 6-8 www.paradiso.nl Studio 80 Rembrandtplein 17 www.studio-80.nl De Waterkant Marnixstraat 246

may & jun 2015

EXHIBITIONS & MUSEUMS

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHANEL The Chanel 2.55 bag celebrates its 60th birthday in 2015 and the museum marks the occasion with an exhibition dedicated to the luxury handbag, featuring numerous models of the legendary fashion must-have. Museum of Bags & Purses, until 3 May REGINE PETERSEN – FIND A FALLEN STAR The German photographer explores stories of meteorite falls all over the world, including a rock crashing through the roof of an Alabama home in the ’50s, a group of children recovering a meteorite in their village in post-war Germany and a more recent event in India. Petersen has met with eyewitnesses and complements her photographs with documents and interviews. Foam, until 3 May QUALITIES OF VIOLENCE Michael Dean creates sculptures of cast concrete and other industrial materials, often making these materials appear to be in conflict with their actual physical attribute: rigid, cold cement seems to be soft and flexible. Dean’s sculptural work is accompanied by short, poetic texts. de Appel Arts Centre, until 10 May MELANIE GILLIGAN A three-part experimental drama, presented in Amsterdam, Utrecht and Haarlem. The Common Sense is a film investigating the transfer of sensations between people. It is set in a future where new technologies enable one person to feel another’s sensations and experiences. de Appel Arts Centre, until 10 May REMBRANDT’S LATE PUPILS – STUDYING UNDER A GENIUS Exhibition shedding light on another side of the Golden Age master: Rembrandt as a teacher. Around 60 drawings and 20 paintings by artists including Nicolaes Maes, Heyman Dullaert and Arent de Gelder, brought together from international museums and private collections, highlight Rembrandt’s special position as a highly sought-after teacher of students who wanted to continue their training after apprenticeships elsewhere. Rembrandt House Museum, until 17 May ART ZUID Culture vultures fly south this summer, for the international sculpture route that’s starting conversations all over the place. See page 22. 22 May-22 Sep, Plan-Zuid District www.artzuid.nl

OPEN STUDIOS WESTELIJKE EILANDEN Amsterdam’s Westelijke Eilanden form a beautiful, fascinating and creative neighbourhood that’s just a hop away from the city centre yet delightfully independent. As such, it’s attracted a wide variety of the city’s artists. Over this holiday weekend you can explore their studios and check out special exhibitions and installations. Visit www. oawe.nl to see the route map or look out for signs around the Haarlemmerstraat. Various locations, 23-25 May AMSTERDAM ART FAIR The city’s newest art fair sees a varied selection of 30 galleries participate, proudly representing the best of the Dutch contemporary art market. See page 25. 27-31 May, Kunsthal Citroën, Stadionplein, www.amsterdamartfair.nl GAME OF THRONES: THE EXHIBITION The worlds of Westeros and Essos come to Amsterdam via artefacts from pivotal scenes. Visitors will be able to ride the winch elevator at Castle Black in a 4D virtual reality experience and even sieze the Iron Throne. If this makes no sense to you, best steer clear. 27-31 May, Zuiveringshal West, Westergasfabriek, www. gotexhibit.com THE STEDELIJK MUSEUM & THE SECOND WORLD WAR Major exhibition exploring the wartime history of the museum based on recent research into the provenance of its artworks. Many moving and fascinating World War II stories emerged in the course of the research and these are now narrated using archive material and a selection of works from the museum’s collection. Wartime stories include those of collectors and artists – many of whom Jewish – who were forced to hand over their art; the transfer of the Stedelijk collection to a huge bunker near the sea with almost 500 other collections; and the museum’s involvement in helping the ‘Monuments Men’ to retrieve stolen art after the Netherlands was liberated. Stedelijk Museum, until 31 May ED ATKINS – RECENT OUIJA The Stedelijk Museum presents the Netherlands’ first

solo exhibition of British artist Ed Atkins. Atkins is among the vanguard of ’digital natives’ artists, making extensive use of cutting-edge digital technologies such as high-definition computer-generated imagery, surround soundtracking and extensive digital compositing. For the exhibition, the 1,100-square-metre lowerlevel gallery in the new wing is transformed into an immersive environment of monumental operatic videos, collages and drawings. Stedelijk Museum, until 31 May

BROOMBERG & CHANARIN – TO PHOTOGRAPH THE DETAILS OF A DARK HORSE IN LOW LIGHT Exhibition of work by London-based duo Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin, recent winners of the prestigious Deutsche Börse Photography Prize. Their work takes an attractive, conceptual approach to exploring themes including conflict and race. See page 25. Foam, until 3 Jun EDDO HARTMANN – SETTING THE STAGE: PYONGYANG

Choice exhibits LA PERRUCHE ET LA SIREINE, 1952-1953

TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS

GEERT GOIRIS – FLASHBULB MEMORIES, ASH REY PROPHECIES The Belgian photographer’s layered photographs of sublime landscapes, modernist architecture and enigmatic people are combined in a way that leaves the viewer experiencing an overbearing atmosphere. de Appel Arts Centre, until 24 May

THE OASIS OF MATISSE The first Dutch survey exhibition of work by Henri Matisse in more than 60 years. Matisse (1869-1954) always sought to evoke brightness and joy with the simplest possible means, yet his work takes many forms, has an abundance of motifs and uses various media. At the heart of this retrospective is one of the Stedelijk’s most popular Matisse works: the monumental cut-out ‘The Parakeet and the Mermaid’. Stedelijk Museum, until 16 Aug

BODY ART Amsterdam's fabulous 'Museum of the Tropics' – which presents non-Western art and culture via temporary and permanent exhibitions – presents an exploration of the history, culture and identity politics of body art while looking at why people decorate their bodies using (for example) tattoos, piercings and make-up. This exhibition delves into the various meanings and functions of body art, the shifts in beauty ideals and the significance body modification can have in terms of social status or personal identity. Tropenmuseum, until 30 Aug

SELF-PORTRAIT WITH TWO CIRCLES, C. 1665-1669

LATE REMBRANDT Featuring 40 paintings, 20 drawings and 30 prints, this impressive exhibition features artworks on loan from leading international museums and private collections. It offers a unique opportunity to view an exhaustive overview of works painted in the period between around 1652 and Rembrandt’s death in 1669. During these years, the artist experimented with graphic and painting techniques and succeeded in giving his work unprecedented depth, producing some of this most distinctive, innovative creations. Catch it while you can. Rijksmuseum, until 17 May

The celebrated Dutch photographer takes a look at the architecture of one of the world’s most controversial cities: Pyongyang. Hartmann’s latest collaboration presents a fascinating glimpse behind the closed doors of North Korea’s capital city. With assistance from the Beijing-based Koryo Studio, the collection evocatively reveals the city’s past, present and future. Huis Marseille, until 7 Jun JEWS IN THE CARIBBEAN. FOUR CENTURIES OF HISTORY IN SURINAM AND CURACAO With paintings, prints, ritual objects and ship models, numerous photographs and interviews, this exhibition tells the stories of the Jewish communities in the colonial tropics – countries such as Brazil, Curaçao and Suriname – societies in which plantations, slavery and the mixing of cultures played a large role. Jewish Historical Museum, until 14 Jun LOST & FOUND Enjoy a night of stray images and sound as artists, writers and musicians present work in progress and other experiments. Showcasing a host of graduating students from Amsterdam and beyond, it’s a specific and unique stage for diverse and hybrid works that don’t fit comfortably into traditional galleries or museums. Oude Kerk, 19 Jun (from 20.15) ALL-INTIMATE-ACT Visit the Museumplein during the Holland Festival and experience the latest exhibition from the New York-based artist Liam Gillick, who creates art in the public domain that is constantly redefined by the way people use it and the social interaction it triggers. Place your head through the holes in these enormous art panels and become an Oskar Schlemmer or Kazimir Malevich body. Museumplein, 30 May-21 Jun STUNNING STAIRCASES Silvio Zangarini’s photo exhibition combines modern and classic techniques in its fresh look at the staircases in some of Amsterdam’s grandest buildings. Zangarini’s use of perspective and technique distorts the images to offer a new way of looking at the city’s more ornate staircases. Museum of the Canals, until 21 Jun COR WAS HERE Subtitled ‘The adventurous oeuvre of an Amsterdam photographer’, this exhibition is dedicated entirely to the Amsterdam-born-and-bred photographer Cor Jaring. From beginnings as a dockworker, Jaring became internationally renowned for his work. He would always photograph life as an adventure, using his own lively personality as a prime example. The

PART IV THE A-LIST.

GALLERIES

EXHIBITIONS & MUSEUMS

1. JOHANNES SCHWARTZ

Schwartz explores the human relationship with ‘wild’ animals through the compelling images from Van der Elsken’s Bagara, a 1958 photography book that charts his travels through Africa. UNTIL 31 JULY Ed van der Elsken Archives Laurierstraat 185 Photo: courtesy Ed van der Elsken Archives

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2. JAMES MOLLISON

Mollison photographed children at play in their school playgrounds in countries all over the world. Inspired by memories of his own childhood, Mollison explores how we all learned to negotiate relationships and our place in the world through play. 16 MAY-27 JUNE Flatland Gallery Lijnbaansgracht 314 Photo: Dechen Phodrang, Bhutan | Playground series, 2015. © the artist / Flatland Gallery

3. HANNAH PERRY

Perry is a multimedia artist working with video, print, and installation, and creates works from her own archive of material mostly found throughout the internet. The exhibition comprises speakers and screens spread throughout the space to create a collage of sounds, words and images.

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2 MAY-13 JUNE Jeanine Hofland De Clercqstraat 62 Photo: Hannah Perry: ‘Horoscopes (Déjà Vu)’ (2014)

4. MATTHEW DAY JACKSON

Jackson uses both traditional crafts and cuttingedge techniques to expose the layered and often dark relationships between technology and time. UNTIL 30 MAY Grimm, Frans Halsstraat 26 Photo: Matthew Day Jackson, Looking Down on the Sun

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5. KRIŠTOF KINTERA

Among the highlights of the show are Kintera’s ‘Nervous Trees’, each consisting of a substructure of branches on top of which sits a globe. These sculptures engage in an active dialogue with the viewer, communicating in a curious non-verbal language that leaves the viewer struggling for an answer. 16 MAY-27 JUNE Galerie Ron Mandos Prinsengracht 282 Photo: Krištof Kintera, Nervous Trees

exhibition includes a large selection of works from his private archive, including pictures capturing his travels in Japan. Also check out the exhibition at the Amsterdam City Archives, focusing on his photographs of Amsterdam in the ’60s and ’70s. Huis Marseille, until 28 Jun CURATORIAL PROJECT The artist may typically be the name on the poster but curators are so often the driving force of the art scene. That’s why de Appel runs a renowned study programme for wannabe curators. As a bonus, the graduating students present their final projects as part of this exhibition. de Appel Arts Centre, 23 May-28 Jun LIVE WITH LIFE: BUILDING FOR BIODIVERSITY How can the spatial design of houses, squares, streets and parks make the city inhabitable for humans, plants and animals alike? Explore new solutions from international students and young professionals who are showing inspiring examples of ‘nature-inclusive’ building. ARCAM, until 28 Jun WORLD PRESS PHOTO The winning images from the world’s largest and most prestigious annual press photography contest begin their world tour in Amsterdam each year, presenting a reflection of trends and developments in photojournalism. This collection of images not only presents the (at times gruesome) reality of events on the world stage, but also the beauty of life, sports, art, science and nature. De Nieuwe Kerk, until 5 Jul COR JARING – THE MAGICAL CENTRE OF AMSTERDAM 1965-1975 Jaring (1936-2013), an Amsterdammer through and through, worked as a dockworker before he became an internationally famed photographer. He would always photograph life as an adventure, which is fitting for his portraits of the Provo movement in the Amsterdam of the ’60s that are on display here. This exhibition runs alongside Cor was Here at Huis Marseille. Amsterdam City Archives, until 12 Jul NOÉMI GOUDAL: THE GEOMETRICAL DETERMINATION OF THE SUNRISE Goudal is seen as one of the great talents of a new generation of French photographers. She creates images of serene and mysterious landscapes disrupted by elements of modern architecture, using a mixture of photography, film and installation. Foam, 29 May-19 Jul THE INDUSTRIAL AGE The Amsterdam Museum dedicates an exhibition to the inventions and rapid

developments of the 19th century – the so-called Industrial Age. Bridges, railways, roads and canals had been built, and Amsterdam had become the country’s capital. International trade and the arts and sciences flourished. Exhibits from various museums and archives from the Netherlands and beyond as well as historical images and memories and testimonials of contemporaries illustrate these turbulent times. Amsterdam Museum, until 2 Aug MADE IN DE KERKSTRAAT Museum Van Loon reveals the secret history of the Kerkstraat, a street running through the centre of Amsterdam that was once the heart of the city’s carriage industry. Museum van Loon, 1 Jun-30 Aug ARNULF RAINER The Austrian artist Arnulf Rainer was one of a group of artists to give new momentum to European Expressionism in the latter half of the 20th century. Rainer is best known for his Übermalungen: painted-over photographs and printed matter. Manipulating and photographing the source images several times, he gives them a soft, velvet-like appearance. Cobra Museum of Modern Art, 3 May-30 Aug WILLIAM KENTRIDGE: IF WE EVER GET TO HEAVEN South African artist William Kentridge is renowned for his remarkable animation films and drawings, as well as his dramatic installations composed of film, sound, music and sculptural objects. A number of his existing works are featured during the exhibition, however its showpiece is a 40-metre-long frieze of moving images created specifically for this exhibition at EYE. See page 23. EYE Filmmuseum, until 30 Aug LIFE IS STRANGE. PHOTOGRAPHIC DISCOVERIES IN POPULAR MAGAZINE ‘HET LEVEN’ The 235 photographs on display in this exhibition represent a unique opportunity to be present at hundreds of extraordinary occasions, long after the event. Most of the photographs were collected from the photographic archive of Het Leven, a Dutch popular weekly magazine that was published between 1906 and 1941. See page 23. Huis Marseille, 12 Jun-6 Sep LANDSCAPE DRAWINGS This exhibition presents around 120 drawings of landscapes and seascapes dating from between the 16th through the early 19th century, showing how artists such as Rembrandt, Ruisdael and Brueghel travelled both their own country and the

wider world, recording their surroundings in pencil, pen, gouache and watercolours. The drawings come from a private collection. Rijksmuseum, 5 Jun-21 Sep EYEWITNESSES OF WATERLOO The Rijksmuseum commemorates the bicentenary of the battle of Waterloo with an exhibition that has the museum’s largest canvas as its centrepiece: Jan Willem Pieneman’s ‘The Battle of Waterloo’ from 1824. It is accompanied by various Waterloo veterans, such as Wexy, the Prince of Orange’s horse, on an oil painting, Dutch veterans from Den Bosch on a self-commissioned portrait and 15 French soldiers proudly assembling in full regalia for a series of photographs, taken more than 40 years after the battle. Rijksmuseum, 3 Jun-27 Sep NEW FOR NOW New for Now – The Origin of Fashion Magazines brings together more than 300 prints from the museum’s rich collection of costume and fashion prints in a major retrospective. With works from the early 17th century until up to the first half of the 20th century, the exhibition illustrates the changing fashions in both womens- and menswear as well as charting how early fashion magazines evolved into the fashion glossies we know today. Rijksmuseum, 12 Jun-27 Sep MIRÓ AT THE RIJKSMUSEUM Just in time for summer, the calm oasis that is the Rijksmuseum’s luscious garden is filled with works by Spanish artist Miró (1893-1983). As such, around 20 sculptures, arriving from private and museum collections from around the world, are scattered across the garden, in the midst of its formal garden features, historical architectural fragments, lawns, other sculptures and ponds. Access to the garden is free. Rijksmuseum, 19 Jun-11 Oct ALEXANDER, NAPOLEON & JOSÉPHINE Subtitled ‘A Story of Friendship, War and Art’, this exhibition focuses on Napoleon Bonaparte and two of his exceptional and very different contemporaries: Tsar Alexander I (his friend and enemy) and Joséphine, his wife. In 2015, as the Battle of Waterloo is commemorated throughout Europe, the Hermitage Amsterdam turns back the clock to the years preceding the naval battle. More than 200 paintings, sculptures, personal possessions, gowns, uniforms and weapons tell the story of the two rulers and the fascinating Joséphine. Including works by Dutch and Italian masters, Joséphine’s collection plays a central role in the exhibition

may & jun 2015

– many of the featured works going on display for the first time in the Netherlands. Hermitage Amsterdam, until 8 Nov A YEAR AT THE STEDELIJK: TINO SEHGAL The first major survey of the German/British artist Tino Sehgal sees the Stedelijk present the live work of this radical artist non-stop for 365 days in a row. Conceived as a consecutive series of 12 presentations, the exhibition features different work from Sehgal’s oeuvre each month. Stedelijk Museum, until 31 Dec PORTRAIT GALLERY OF THE GOLDEN AGE A collaboration between the Hermitage, Amsterdam Museum and the Rijksmuseum, this exhibition features an impressive selection of more than 30 huge 17th- and 18th-century group portraits, many of which haven’t been on public display for decades. Works selected for the exhibition include some of the largest created during the Dutch Golden Age, painted by artists such as Rembrandt, Govert Flinck and Nicolaes Pickenoy. Due to their immense size, they’re rarely displayed in public, making this gallery truly one of a kind. Hermitage Amsterdam, Until 31 Dec 2016 THE ATLASES Back in the 17th century, Dutch cartographers were considered the finest in all of Europe. Now some of their groundbreaking maps are set to appear in this unique long-running exhibition. Scheepvaartmuseum, ongoing

PERMANENT EXHIBITIONS ANNE FRANK HOUSE Prinsengracht 263 is where Anne Frank lived in hiding with her family for more than two years during World War II. Now converted into a museum, it contains a sobering exhibition about the persecution of the Jews and persecution in a wider context. BODY WORLDS After captivating visitors the world over, the oftcontroversial exhibition of human specimens including whole-body plastinates, organs and translucent body slices takes up permanent residence in central Amsterdam. Featuring an extensive selection of authentic human specimens, the emphasis of this exhibition is on the various aspects of life. EYE FILM MUSEUM Cinematography museum home to an internationally renowned collection of films covering the whole history of cinema, from the first silent movies to the latest contemporary productions.

GEELVINCK HINLOPEN HOUSE A decadent canal-side mansion showcasing 17th-century patrician wealth, located on the Golden Bend of the grandest canal of all, the Herengracht. Highlights include ornamental gardens as well as sumptuous themed salons.

advertorial

www.eyefilm.nl Foam Keizersgracht 609 http://foam.org Geelvinck Hinlopen House Keizersgracht 633 http://geelvinck.nl Van Gogh Museum Paulus Potterstraat 7 www.vangoghmuseum.nl Het Grachtenhuis HET GRACHTENHUIS (Museum of the Canals) (MUSEUM OF THE CANALS) Herengracht 386 http://hetgrachtenhuis.nl A tribute to the Canal District, Hermitage Amsterdam with multimedia exhibitits Amstel 51 showing how the engineering www.hermitage.nl marvel was built on swampHollandse Schouwburg land during the 17th-century Plantage Middenlaan 24 expansion. ARTIS IN BLOOM www.hollandscheschouwburg.nl HORTUS BOTANICUS Hortus Botanicus Experience a green retreat in the heart of Amsterdam. Plantage Middenlaan 2A For nearly four centuries, Amhttp://dehortus.nl sterdam’s Hortus Botanicus has FLOWER POWER Houseboat Museum regaled visitors with its lush This April, Artisplein became home to the brand new Prinsengracht 296K greenhouses and exotic plants. ‘Tulip Carpet’. Consisting of an astonishing 52,400 tulips, www.houseboatmuseum.nl Originally founded in 1638 to this stunning ‘carpet’ descends on the yard’s brick surface Huis Marseille serve as a herb garden for the Keizersgracht 401 city’s doctors and pharmacists, and transforms the space into a natural habitat where www.huismarseille.nl it’s one of the oldest botanical elephants of varying sizes can roam freely. The Artis Park Imagine IC gardens in the world. itself is filled with tulips and other bulbs throughout the Frankemaheerd 2 spring. Visitors strolling around the park this season will HOUSEBOAT MUSEUM www.imagineic.nl marvel at the thousands of crocuses, winter aconites, grape Jewish Historical Museum Located in the Hendrika Maria, hyacinths and traditional Dutch ornamental plants adorning Nieuwe Amstelstraat 1 a former freighter moored on the grounds. Ambling along, they will discover yet more www.jhm.nl the Prinsengracht,the HouseMuseum Van Loon boat Museum gives fun insight flowerbeds, filled with narcissi, Crown Imperials, lilies and Keizersgracht 672 into life on Amsterdam’s canals tulips. With more than 157,000 bulbs planted in the park www.museumvanloon.nl – a uniquely Dutch way of life. representing no fewer than 184 varieties, including over 60 Mediamatic Fabriek tulip varieties, Artis is now officially the country’s second MUSEUM VAN LOON VOC-kade 10 largest flower garden. www.mediamatic.net Closed for renovation. See the Artis Royal Zoo De Nieuwe Kerk photgraphy collection in Foam. Plantage Kerklaan 38-40 Dam square The Van Loons belonged to www.nieuwekerk.nl the city’s governing elite, and www.artis.nl Ons’ Lieve Heer Op Solder were among the founders of seum comprises a series of small Amsterdam open daily to the (Our Lord in the Attic) the mighty Dutch East India exhibitions exploring various el- public, with a remarkable colOudezijds Voorburgwal 40 Company back in 1602. The www.opsolder.nl collection comprises paintings, ements of maritime life. Moored lection of Golden Age art and outside is the Amsterdam, an silverware. Rembrandthuis antique furnishings and exact replica of a famous Dutch Jodenbreestraat 4 objects d’art. ADDRESSES East India Company ship. www.rembrandthuis.nl ONS’ LIEVE HEER OP Allard Pierson Museum Rijksmuseum ROYAL PALACE SOLDER (OUR LORD IN Oude Turfmarkt 127 Jan Luijkenstraat 1 THE ATTIC) The Koninklijk Paleis (Royal www.allardpiersonmuseum.nl www.rijksmuseum.nl Palace) on Amsterdam’s Dam Amsterdam City Archives Royal Palace Amsterdam This clandestine church in a Square is one of three palaces Vijzelstraat 32 Dam square 17th-century canal house attic still in use by the Dutch royal http://stadsarchief.amsterdam.nl www.paleisamsterdam.nl dates back to the Reformation, family. It is used for state visits, Amsterdam Expo Het Scheepvaartmuseum when Catholics were not peraward ceremonies and other Gustav Mahlerlaan 24 (National Maritime Musuem) mitted to practice their faith official receptions. When the www.amsterdamexpo.nl Kattenburgerplein 1 in public. Today, it’s one of the palace is not being used by the Amsterdam Museum www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl city’s most unique attractions royal family, it is open to the Kalverstraat 92 Stedelijk Museum in the heart of the Red Light public. Visitors can explore http://amsterdammuseum.nl Museumplein 10 District. the magnificent interior and Anne Frank House http://stedelijk.nl REMBRANDTHUIS discover the rich history of the Prinsengracht 263-267 Tropenmuseum building. www.annefrank.org Linnaeusstraat 2 The house that Rembrandt de Appel arts centre www.tropenmuseum.nl called home for nearly 20 years STEDELIJK MUSEUM Prins Hendrikkade 142 Willet-Holthuysen Museum boasts an impressive collection The museum’s permanent colwww.deappel.nl Herengracht 605 of drawings and paintings by lection is now on display in the Museum of Bags & Purses www.willetholthuysen.nl the Old Master himself as well beautifully restored historical Herengracht 573 as by his contemporaries. The building, with fixed spots for www.tassenmuseum.nl Rembrandthuis is also home to Biblical Museum 290 of Rembrandt’s etchings – a highlights such as ‘The Beanadvert ery’ by Edward Kienholz and Herengracht 366-368 near complete collection – and works by Willem de Kooning www.bijbelsmuseum.nl an alternating selection is on and Andy Warhol. Half of the Body Worlds permanent display. ground floor is reserved for Damrak 66 RIJKSMUSEUM the best pieces from the design http://bodyworlds.nl collection. De Brakke Grond After a decade of unprecedentNes 45 ed renovation, the RijksmuseTROPENMUSEUM www.brakkegrond.nl um finally showed off its new The ‘Museum of the Tropics’ Cobra Museum (and old) look in April 2013. has eight geographically themed Sandbergplein 1 Visit the state museum and permanent exhibitions and an Amstelveen embark on a journey through ongoing series of temporary www.cobra-museum.nl Dutch art and history from the presentations, including both Dutch Press Museum Middle Ages and Renaissance modern and traditional visual Zeeburgerkade 10 right up until the 20th century arts and photographic work. http://persmuseum.nl A not-to-be-missed experience. Dutch Resistance Museum WILLET-HOLTHUYSEN HET SCHEEPVAART Plantage Kerklaan 61 MUSEUM MUSEUM (NATIONAL www.verzetsmuseum.org MARITIME MUSEUM) The only completely period EYE Filmmuseum furnished canal-side house in IJpromenade 1 The National Maritime Mu-

Highlight Artis

A-LIST. PART IV THE A-LIST

STAGE THEATRE: ANNE This ongoing production at a custom-built theatre in Amsterdam’s docklands is directly based on the diary of Anne Frank and the Frank family archives. ANNE explores Anne Frank’s life before her family went into hiding, gives an impression of what life was like in the annex and provides an insight into what happened after the family was discovered. Although this grand production is in Dutch, a dedicated translation system is available in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Russian. Spectators using a free tablet computer can choose between text or audio translations (or both). Various dates & times in May & June, Theater Amsterdam, €20-€75 COMEDY: 21 YEARS OF MOCKERY Incorporating high-tech tools and live music, 21 Years of Mockery examines the culture clash that happens when American comedians set up in Amsterdam. The resulting show is two hours of laughs and edge-of-the-seat improvisation. You say it, they make fun of it: the essential ingredient embraced by this comedy theatre for 21 years now. Various dates & times in May, Boom Chicago, €11-€36.50 COMEDY: EASYLAUGHS This international comedy group performs a hilarious, hi-octane, completely improvised show at the CREA Café every Friday night. There’s also an early bird show, guest performers from around the world, various formats, themes and open podiums. Every Fri, Crea Café, 20.00 & 21.00, €5-€10 COMEDY: THE SEVEN DEADLY DUTCH SINS The Amsterdam comedy troupe explores life in Dutchland even further! As they note: ‘We’ve been living and working here, observing, interpreting and gathering material for more than 20 years. Now we get into the national psyche and make fun of things advert

OTHELLO 7, 14 MAY SURTITLED IN ENGLISH

you never noticed, or never questioned.’ Along the way they touch on Dutch birthdays, weddings, the Royals, health service and more. Every Thur, Boom Chicago, 20.30, €11-€36.50

Choice theatre

dam’s Cello Biennial, Leine Roebana’s Snow in June is set to the eponymous work for drums and cello by Chinese composer Tan Dun. The title is a reference to a 13th-century Chinese drama by Kuan HanChing, in which a young woman is sentenced to death and killed for a crime she didn’t commit; the piece expresses purity, sympathy, beauty and darkness. Tue 26 May, Stadsschouwburg, 20.00, €12.50-€30.

COMEDY: SHOT OF IMPROV Shot of Improv sees the entire Boom Chicago cast take to the stage, so the laughs are guaranteed to keep on comin’. Completely different each week, it’s a show that starts big and never slows down. Every Sat, Boom Chicago, 22.30, €14 MUSIC THEATRE: TIES MELLEMA – THE END OF DESIRE Saxophonist Ties Mellema tells the story of ‘the god of music’ in this solo performance with interactive video projections and a choreography. Sun 3 May, Bimhuis, 15.00, €17 THEATRE: OTHELLO This highly acclaimed production of Othello, directed by Ivo van Hove and starring Hans Kesting, has been part of the Toneelgroep Amsterdam’s repertoire for more than ten years. Performances are in Dutch but surtitled in English on 7 & 14 May. Thur 7 & 14 May, Stadsschouwburg, 20.00, €20-€32.50 OPERA: BENVENUTO CELLINI Inspired by the memoirs of the 16th-century goldsmith Benvenuto Cellini, an advocate of personal freedom and artistic independence, Berlioz’ first opera is full of grand gestures, luscious colours and opulent displays. This production is staged by none other than Terry Gilliam, conducted by Mark Elder, and John Osborne sings the title role. It’s a co-production with the English National Opera and the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma. See page 26. Sat 9, Tue 12, Fri 15, Mon 18, Mon 25, Thur 28 and Sun 31 May, Dutch National Opera and Ballet, 19.30, Mon 25 and Sun 31 May 13.30, €15-€145 DANCE: EMPTY MOVES The acclaimed French-Albanian choreographer Angelin Preljocaj’s Empty Moves (Parts I, II & III) is set to Empty Words by John Cage, which disassembles words from Thoreau journals, arriving at abstract sounds. Similarly, the choreography forms no narrative but instead combines dance with athleticism into a flow of individual details that sometimes fall together into a whole. Mon 11 & Tue 12 May, Stadsschouwburg, 20.30, €10-€40 COMEDY: COMEDY CENTRAL PRESENTS: BILL MAHER Bill Maher, the US-American liberal comedian, satirist and host of the political talk show Real Time, swings by Amsterdam for a show.

MUSIC THEATRE: LOVE FAIL Performed by the all-female vocal quartet Anonymous 4, Love Fail by the US composer and director David Lang is based on the story of Tristan and Isolde and their pure, yet impossible love. Thur 28 May, Muziektheater aan ’t IJ, 20.15, €28.50

DANCE: NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE In this blend of ballet and hip-hop dance, dancers from the Dutch National Ballet’s Junior Company share the stage with dancers from the urban dance group ISH for a new production presenting a narrative performance inspired by CS Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the second part of the Chronicles of Narnia. The aim is to complement each other’s strengths and in the process develop a new language of dance. Fri 8- Mon 11 May, Dutch National Opera & Ballet, various times, €15- €40

COMEDY: GABRIEL IGLESIAS Best known as ‘Fluffy,’ his stage name, Iglesias is currently one of the hottest comedians in the United States. His last few shows in Amsterdam have sold out so tickets for this one are sure to go fast. Tue 2 Jun, Heineken Music Hall, 20.00, €38-€41 © HANS HIJMERING

THEATRE, DANCE & COMEDY

OPERA: LULU A co-production of the Dutch National Opera with the Metropolitan Opera New York and the English National Opera; the score is performed by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, while director William Kentridge delivers the visual staging. Mon 1-Sun 28 Jun, Dutch National Opera & Ballet, various times, €15-€118 Wed 20 May, Meervaart, 20.15, €30 COMEDY: GREG SHAPIRO – PART-TIME HYPOCRITE Amsterdam’s American local proclaims his views on both his adopted and his birth country in a lightning fast cabaret show. Wed 20 May, Meervaart, 20.30, €10 COMEDY: AMSTERDAM ENGLISH COMEDY NIGHTS This monthly feature presented by the Boom Chicago crew brings the best international stand-up comics to the city. Each show will include four or five sets and be entirely in English. May is headlined by Canadian comic Glenn Wool. Fri 22 May, Boom Chicago, 22.45, €12-€21 DANCE: ROSAS DANST ROSAS This groundbreaking choreography by Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker premiered in

OPERA: AS BIG AS THE SKY Dutch composer Arnoud Noordegraaf mixes traditional Chinese Kunqu opera and Wagnerian late romanticism in this tale of a European architect’s deluded plan of building a mega construction in a Chinese village. The set has been designed by Ai Weiwei. Thur 11, Fri 12 & Sun 14 June, Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ, 20.30, €39

DANCE: MANGER The French choreographer Boris Charmatz is known for his inventive and philosophical works with sharp social observations at their centre. Manger focuses on the act on consuming things and thereby making them disappear. Thur 4-Sat 6 Jun, Westergasfabriek, 20.30, €22.50/€27.50 OPERA: HATSUNE MIKU – THE END Hatsune Miku, a hologram with a voice that’s a singing synthesizer, is Japan’s biggest pop star. This is her first pop opera, arriving in Amsterdam as part of the Holland Festival. The End is a fairytale-like adventure story in colourful 3D animations. In Japanese, with Dutch and English surtitles. Thur 4 & Fri 5 Jun, Dutch National Opera & Ballet, 20.00, €17.50-€35

1983 and received an extra boost of fame in 2011 when Beyoncé plagiarised parts of it for a video. In de Keersmaeker’s piece, five female dancers perform abstract moves that, every once in a while, morph into recognisable, everyday movements. Rosas danst Rosas is set to minimal music by Thierry de Mey and Peter Vermeersch. Sun 24 & Mon 25 May, Stadsschouwburg, 20.00, €22.50-€40

COMEDY: DA BOUNCE COMEDY NIGHTS For its Da Bounce Comedy Nights, Meervaart ships over top comedy stars from the US. It’s a big event with a new lineup every time, plus musical interludes from a DJ, a dance show and food. Fri 5 Jun, Meervaart, 20.30, €25

COMEDY: STEPHEN K AMOS Fresh from sell-out tours of the UK, Australia and New Zealand, this master of feel-good comedy hits the road again for his European tour, with a programme full of everyday observations and stories, plus plenty of audience interaction. Sun 24 May, Toomler, 20.30, €15

THEATRE: KRAPP’S LAST TAPE Robert Wilson directs and acts in Beckett’s famous one-act piece about a man spending each of his birthdays recording a monologue wherein he recounts his memories of the previous year. See page 21. Sat 6 & Sun 7 Jun, Stadsschouwburg, 20.30, Sun also 15.00, €27.50-€37.50

DANCE: SNOW IN JUNE Originally created for Amster-

DANCE: EXTREMALISM This is the world premiere of a

may & jun 2015

FILM FAVOURITES

STAGE new choreography by Dutch duo Emio Greco and Pieter C Scholten, created for the choreographers’ respective companies: the Ballet National de Marseille and the contemporary company ICKamsterdam. It’s a grand spectacle with 30 dancers and a stage built into the auditorium. Fri 12 & Sat 13 Jun, Royal Theatre Carré, 20.30, €15-€35 COMEDY: KEVIN BRIDGES ACCLAIMED SCOTTISH FUNNYMAN Kevin Bridges presents his new show ‘A Whole Different Story’. Bridges rose to fame in 2011 and is now a familiar face on the British comedy circuit, particularly back in his hometown of Glasgow where you can typically find him performing night after night in the city’s biggest arena. Sat 13 Jun, Meervaart, 20.15, €31.90 THEATRE: KINGS OF WAR Once more unto the breach, dear friends: much like his earlier six-hour Roman Tragedies, Ivo van Hove’s Kings of War fuses several Shakespeare plays into one. This time, one of his mostloved kings, Henry V, meets one of his most reviled, Richard III – with Henry VI as a buffer. Van Hove focuses on how differently the three kings choose to act as leaders in times of war. Sun 14, Wed 17, Thur 18, Sat 20 & Sun 21 Jun, Stadsschouwburg, 19.00, Sun 16.00, €23.50-€36 DANCE: COOL BRITANNIA Bringing together three of today’s top British choreographers, Cool Britannia features Wayne McGregor’s Dutch National Ballet debut with the contemporary masterpiece Chroma, created in 2006 for the Royal Ballet, and new works by Christopher Wheeldon and David Dawson. Wed 17, Thur 18, Fri 19, Sun 21, Wed 24, Fri 26 & Sat 27 Jun, Dutch National Opera & Ballet, 20.15, Sun 21 14.00, €15-€50 DANCE: CULLBERG BALLET – HIGHLIGHTS The Swedish Ballet dances two choreographies: a new work by the New York-based choreographer Trajal Harrell, who mixes vogueing, house music and modern dance, and a new version of the Hungarian Eszter Salamon’s Reproduction. Fri 19 Jun, Theater Frascati, 20.30, €35 OPERA: HOLLAND FESTIVAL IN THE PARK – LULU The Dutch National Opera’s production of Alban Berg’s masterpiece is broadcast outdoors in the beautiful Park Frankendael. If the weather is suitably lovely, take a picnic out and enjoy the spectacle on the big screen. Tue 23 Jun, Park Frankendael, 19.00, free PERFORMANCE: CIRQUE ÉLOIZE No one spins and dangles from ropes quite like French Canadians. Cirque Éloize is a circus/dance troupe based in Quebec but they’re spending the

coming month in Amsterdam’s old circus theatre performing iD, which has been described as ‘West Side Story gone hiphop circus’. Expect some urban beats, world-class acrobatics and a particularly high-tech production of this timeless boymeets-girl story. From Wed 24 Jun, Royal Theatre Carré, various times & prices

THE DARK HORSE

DANCE: DANSERS VAN MORGEN Its title translating as ‘dancers of tomorrow’, this performance presents the talents of the students of the Dutch National Ballet Academy, from first-years to the most recent graduates, as they perform choreographies by Hans van Manen, Maurice Béjart, Ernst Meisner and a new work by Gioconda Barbuto, as well as fragments from August Bournonville’s Napoli and from Marius Petipa’s La Bayadère. Fri 26 & Sat 27 Jun, Stadsschouwburg, 20.00, Sat also 14.00, €17.50

Direction: James Napier Robertson Release: 7 May

COMEDY: COMEDYTRAIN INTERNATIONAL SUMMER FESTIVAL The world famous Comedytrain steams into town for five weeks of sensational comedy performances from a host of top stand-up talent from the UK, America, Australia and Canada. It’s a tag-team affair as two comedians perform on four consecutive nights before handing the baton to another duo who do the honours the following week. From end of June, Toomler, various times & prices ADDRESSES Boom Chicago Rozentheater, Rozengracht 117 020 423 0101 www.boomchicago.nl CREA Theater Nieuwe Achtergracht 170 020 525 1400, www.crea.uva Dutch National Opera & Ballet Amstel 3, 020 625 5455 www.operaballet.nl DeLaMarTheater Marnixstraat 404, 0900 3352627 http://delamar.nl Frascati Nes 63, 020 626 6866 www.theaterfrascati.nl The John Adams Institute West-Indisch Huis Herenmarkt 97, 020 624 7280 www.john-adams.nl Meervaart Meer en Vaart 300 020 410 7777, www.meervaart.nl Pathé Tuschinski Reguliersbreestraat 26-34 www.pathe.nl RAI Theater Europaplein, 020 549 1212 www.raitheater.nl Royal Theater Carré Amstel 115/125 0900 2525255, https://carre.nl Stadsschouwburg Leidseplein 26, 020 624 2311 www.stadsschouwburg amsterdam.nl Theater Amsterdam Danzigerkade 5 www.theateramsterdam.nl Toomler Breitnerstraat 2, 020 670 7400 www.toomler.nl

Genesis Potini (Cliff Curtis, the most famous Kiwi actor after Russell Crowe and Sam Neill) is a true chess prodigy, whose brilliant mind is also his greatest enemy. After his latest stint in a psychiatric institution, Potini befriends Mana, his nephew, and gang leader Ariki.

FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD

Director Thomas Vinterberg (Festen, Jagten) goes Hollywood with this lush retelling of Thomas Hardy’s eponymous novel about an independent and headstrong girl (Carey Mulligan) and her three diverse suitors: a simple sheep farmer (Matthias Schoenaerts), a dashing sergeant (Tom Sturridge) and an eligible bachelor (Michael Sheen).

TESTAMENT OF YOUTH

When her brother (Taron Egerton, Kingsman) and her fiancée (Kit ‘You know nothing Jon Snow’ Harington) get sent to war, young Vera (Alicia Vikander) volunteers as a nurse. Based on the memoir by Vera Brittain (1893-1970), based on her experiences during World War I. Direction: James Kent Release: 11 June

INFINITELY POLAR BEAR

Unlike most actors, Mark Ruffalo seems to get more likeable the messier he gets, like your favourite worn-out teddy bear. And it doesn’t get much messier than Cameron, a manic depressive and highly irresponsible father. Still, his wife (Zoe Saldana) has faith he’ll clean up when he suddenly has to take care of their two daughters on his own.

Direction: Thomas Vinterberg Release: 7 May

Direction: Maya Forbes Release: 18 June

52 TUESDAYS

THE AGE OF ADALINE

When her lesbian mother begins transitioning from female to male, 16-year-old Billie decides to start a video diary to document their get-togethers, now limited to once a week. But while Jane becomes James, Billie changes as well. Winner of a directing award at Sundance and a Crystal Bear at Berlin. Direction: Sophie Hyde Release: 14 May

GOOD KILL

Director/screenwriter Andrew Niccol and his Gattaca-star Ethan Hawke team up for the third time for Good Kill, in which a former fighter pilot (Hawke) is moved out of the line of fire to kill by remote control – by piloting drones. But what happens when killing begins to feel like playing Call of Duty? Direction: Andrew Niccol Release: 28 May

CITIZENFOUR

In June 2013 Edward Snowden showed the world that Big Brother really was watching us by leaking numerous classified NSA documents to two journalists. One was documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras. Consisting almost entirely of talking heads, CITIZENFOUR plays like a paranoia thriller come to life. Direction: Laura Poitras Release: 28 May

Rutger Hauer, take a bow. After 30 years of being our main male Dutch representative in Hollywood, now Michiel Huisman is our go-to-guy. After some stellar minor roles in TV series like Game of Thrones and Nashville – and a onenight-stand with Reese Witherspoon in Wild – he landed his first leading role as the love interest of Adaline (Blake Lively), a woman who doesn’t age. Direction: Lee Toland Krieger Release: 18 June

THE KING’S GARDENS

Speaking of native-speakers, Belgian-born Matthias Schoenaerts isn’t doing too bad either. As André Le Notre, the personal landscape artist of King Louis XIV (played by director Alan Rickman), he becomes smitten with ingénue Sabine (Kate Winslet). Also starring Stanley Tucci and Helen McCrory. Direction: Alan Rickman Release: 18 June

RED TULIP FILM FESTIVAL

The Red Tulip Film Festival has spread its wings. After two editions in Rotterdam, this celebration of Turkish film will now run simultaneously in Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Eindhoven. This year’s theme will be Migration and Women. 29 May-6 June EYE, IJpromenade 1, www.rtff.nl

PART IV THE A-LIST.

SPORTS EVENTS FRIDAY NIGHT SKATE Get your skates on for the weekly Friday Night Skate, an institution in Amsterdam! Departing from the Vondelpark, the skating routes take in all areas of the city, allowing you to skate in places where you wouldn’t on your own. Every Friday, Vondelpark Pavilion, www.fridaynight skate.com. 20.30, free FRIDAY NIGHT RUN Organised by the Phanos athletics association every second Friday of the month, this free group running event is open to both recreational and more serious sportsters. Beginners can join in the 40-minute run at a slower tempo and there’s also the standard one-hour run. Fri 9 May & 13 Jun, Olympic Stadium, www.friday nightrun.nl. 19.30, free GROENE VAN AMSTERDAM An initiative of Dutch author (and as you may expect, runner) Abdelkader Benali, this new event claims to be the first crowd-funded marathon ever. The course weaves its way through the green heart of the city over in the District of Nieuw-West, taking in parks, polders and meadows. And if the full marathon seems like a bridge too far, there’s also a 10km version and a Kids’ Run. Sun 10 May, Amsterdam Nieuw-West (President Allendelaan), www.degroenevan amsterdam.nl. Various times & prices RONDEHOEPLOOP Taking in the scenery of the polder to the south of Amsterdam, this running event features a shorter 5.5km course as well as a challenging 17km version. Under-12s are invited to take on a 2km course. Sun 10 May, Rondehoep, www.rondehoeploop.nl. Various times & prices AMSTERDAM SEVENS RUGBY Get ready for a ruck as international rugby returns to Amsterdam! Now reaching its 42nd edition, the Amsterdam Sevens tournament attracts male and female teams from around the world (both amateur and professional), as well advert

Amsterdam Castle Muiderslot

www.muiderslot.nl

as 7,000 cheering rugby fans up for a sporting feast. Fri 22-Sun 24 May, Sportpark De Eendracht, Bok de Korverweg 6, www.amster damsevens.com. Various times & prices IRB WOMEN’S SEVENS WORLD SERIES The annual Amsterdam Sevens tournament is always popular with both male and female players each spring and this year it’s once again joined by the IRB Women’s Sevens World Series. This elite women’s competition touches down in Dubai, Brazil, USA, Canada and England before completing its tour in Amsterdam. Fri 22 & Sat 23 May, Sportpark De Eendracht, Bok de Korverweg 6, wsws.irb.com. Various times & prices COPA AMSTERDAM This annual football competition pits eight of the best under-19 club teams in the world against each other. The contest dates back to 1934, when the local amateur outfit Blauw-Wit Amsterdam began hosting teams over the Pentecost holiday weekend. It’s now the youngsters from Ajax that host the event at Amsterdam’s famous Olympic Stadium. Top teams from around the world join for short (50 minutes per match), action-packed games – in 2015, Ajax, Arsenal and Lazio will compete. Sat 23-Mon 25 May, Olympic Stadium, www.copa-amster dam.nl. Various times GUMBALL AT THE ARENA The Gumball 3000 rally is making its way through Europe this spring before heading back to North America to race to Las Vegas. Before then, the stars and cars are set to stop in Amsterdam – naturally because they’ve heard about the top P+R provisions. Look out for the bling of some 100 supercars, beats from Afro Jack and icons from film and TV (did someone whisper David Hasselhoff?). Tue 26 May, Amsterdam ArenA, www.gumballatthe arena.com. 19.00, €39-€59 THE NETHERLANDS VS. USA There’s no major international tournaments taking place this summer but the Dutch national team are still getting together for a friendly match in Amsterdam before breaking up for summer. This evening they’re up against Team USA. Fri 5 Jun, Amsterdam ArenA, 20.30, various prices CYCLE TOUR AMSTERDAM Looking to explore Amsterdam and its outskirts by bike? Then get ready to ride! Now in its fifth edition, this trek leads cyclists past many of the highlights of the Netherlands’ capital city, as well as the option to tour areas of Noord-Holland and Flevoland. This tour features four new routes meaning there’s something perfect for people of all ages. Sun 14 Jun, Restaurant Had-

dock, Zeeburgereiland (start & finish), www.cycletour amsterdam.nl. Various times & prices ICAN TRIATHLON Triathletes from all across Europe and beyond will take to the roads, parks and waterways of Amsterdam during this event. In addition to both a full Olympic triathlon and a half triathlon, the exposition will also feature events for athletes of all ages. There will also be a sports fair located near the finish line offering products, food and much more. Fri 26-Sun 28 Jun, various locations, www.icantriath lon.com

of Amsterdam. Enjoy a fun and safe event for beginners, or a more challenging climb for experienced rock hoppers. Various courses are available. Dijksgracht 2, www.deklim muur.nl. Various times & prices GLOWGOLF AMSTERDAM Presenting ‘Back to the future in 15 holes’, this glow-in-thedark indoor mini-golf centre makes for an entertaining day out with friends or family. 3D glasses are available for €1.25 and add a whole other dimension of fun! Prins Hendrikkade 194, www. glowgolf.nl/amsterdam, open Sun-Thur 11.00-20.00, Fri &

Highlight sports

BEACH VOLLEYBALL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2015 It isn’t so common to be picking the sand out of your shorts in the centre of Amsterdam – although if you ask around you’re sure to find a specialist nearby who can help you out with that. Fortunately the international beach volleyball stars who’ll be competing throughout the Netherlands this month are used to diving around in the dirt to make spectacular saves and set up ferocious spikes. As well as the drama of the professional contests, be sure to check out the associated entertainment and side programmes – and maybe even try out the sport for yourself. From 27 Jun, Dam square, http:// netherlands2015.fivb.org. Various times, €10-€30

LOCATIONS BLEEKMOLENS RACE PLANET Burn off some steam and rubber at this indoor go-karting track. Minimum age for karting is eight years old, minimum height is 1.4 metres. Helmets and protective clothing are included. There’s also a large indoor playground, bowling alley and restaurant. Herwijk 10, www.raceplanet. com. Mon-Fri 13.00-23.00, Sat & Sun 12.00-23.00; €15.75 for karting, various packages available KLIMHAL AMSTERDAM The perfect place for the beginner and the advanced climber. Its main wall is 21 metres high, with a climbing surface of more than 2,300m2. Naritaweg 48, www.klimhal amsterdam.nl. Various times & prices DE KLIMMUUR Rock climbing in the centre

Sat 11.00-23.00; adults €8.50, children (under 11) €7.50, family packages available KNIJN BOWLING Ten-pin bowling for everyone: suitable for family events, 50+, beginners or competitive players. One of its most popular occasions is Disco Bowling. Scheldeplein 3, www.knijn bowl ing.nl. Various times & prices LASERCITY AMSTERDAM Less painful than paintballing, but certainly no less fun, the laser gaming adventures on offer here are perfect for large and small group outings. VOC-kade 14, www.laser gamenamsterdam.nl. Various times & prices SKI INN AMSTERDAM Whether you’re looking to warm up for a winter vacation or just curious to try your hand at a spot of skiing or snowboarding, you can do just that in the heart of Amsterdam. The indoor rolling slopes are adaptable for all skill levels.

WG Plein 281, www.ski-inn.nl. Various times & prices SLOTEN GOLF COURSE This nine-hole golf course on the outskirts of Amsterdam features both wooded and water areas. Head on to the fairway or practice your swing at the driving range. Day memberships are available. Sloterweg 1045, www.golf baansloten.nl. Open Mon-Fri 08.30-18.00, various prices

WELLNESS THE CITY STREET SPA British expat Chantal Naughton’s powder blue boutique spa is a favourite with the city’s Canal Belt clique and discerning expats, but the aestheticians at this urban retreat make everyone feel welcome. The OPI Pedicure soothes tired shopping feet and the ‘non-surgical facelift’ performs miracles. Prinsengracht 764, http://thecitystreetspa.com KOAN FLOAT If gently submerging yourself in warm salt water sounds like heaven to you, then head to Koan Float in the city centre. Here you can leave the real world behind as you experience the tranquillity of a floatation tank or a wide variety of massage sessions. Herengracht 321, www.koan float.nl. Various times & prices THE ORIGINAL DR FISH The feeling of fish nibbling at your hands and feet may feel a little strange at first, but you’ll soon discover just how relaxing it is. It’s the ultimate treatment for clean, soft hands. Van Baerlestraat 45, www. the original-drfish.nl. Various times & prices SAUNA DECO AMSTERDAM Enjoy the lounge rooms, pleasant atmosphere and all the facilities you require for a day of luxury. And as you can guess from its name, the sauna is styled in historic and beautiful art deco pieces, transporting its guests to a bygone era. Herengracht 115, www.sauna deco.nl. Various times & prices SENTO SPA AND HEALTH CLUB At Sento you can find complete professional supervision and personal training for every requirement. Enjoy the spa and beauty facilities or go for a swim in the pool. Marnixplein 1, www.sento.nl. Various times & prices SPA ZUIVER With facilities including saunas, baths, hammam treatments, relaxation chambers, sports, swimming pool and dining and hotel options, it’s perfect for anyone looking to relax and recharge. Please note: clothing is not obligatory. Koenenkade 8, www.spazuiver. nl. Various times & prices

may & jun 2015

KIDS & FAMILY VENUES AMSTERDAM DUNGEON The Amsterdam Dungeon brings 500 years of dark history to life with 11 shows, seven actors and one terrifying experience! The tour takes 80 minutes. Are YOU brave enough? Rokin 78, www.the-dungeons. nl. Open daily 11.00-17.00 (last tour); €22, ages 4-15 €18 ANNE FRANK HOUSE This is the hiding place where Anne Frank wrote her diary during World War II. Quotations from the diary, photographs, films and original objects – including Anne’s diary – all serve to illustrate the events which occurred here. Suitable for children over ten. Prinsengracht 267, www.anne frank.org. Open Mon-Fri, Sat 09.00-22.00, Sun 09.0021.00; €9, ages 10-17 €4.50 ARTIS ROYAL ZOO Admire the tropical fish in the Aquarium and travel through time in the Planetarium. See giraffes galloping amongst the zebras and wildebeests. Surround yourself with hundreds of fluttering butterflies in the Butterfly Pavilion or stroll through the historical park. Plantage Kerklaan 38-40, www.artis.nl. Open daily 09.00-18.00; €19.95, ages 3-9 €16.50 COBRA MUSEUM OF MODERN ART Daring, colourful, adventurous, huge paintings adorn the walls at this museum which is home to a collection of key works by artists from the avant-garde Cobra art movement. In addition to presenting interesting exhibitions of modern and contemporary art, the museum also offers a free Children’s Studio. Sandbergplein 1, Amstelveen, www.cobra-museum.nl. TueSun 11.00-17.00; adults €9.50, ages 6-18 €6; Children's Studio, Sun 11.00-13.00, free HORTUS BOTANICUS One of the oldest botanical gardens in the world, featuring a palm and a butterfly greenhouse, beehives, temporary exhibitions and a café. Ask about the children’s programme, which includes a biodiversity catalogue. Plantage Middenlaan 2A, www.dehortus.nl. Open MonSat, 10.00-17.00; €8.50, ages 5-14 €4.50 KINDERKOOKKAFE The ‘Kids Cook Café’ is a delightful and unique restaurant located near the Vondelpark. Here children (ages five to 12) do absolutely everything to help run the restaurant, including cooking, serving, tidying up and running the cash register. Vondelpark 6B, www.kinder kookkafe.nl. Open daily 10.0017.00; various prices MADAME TUSSAUDS AMSTERDAM Step into the amazing world of Madame Tussauds. The col-

lection of wax figures include the gorgeous Brad Pitt, the outrageous Lady Gaga and the brilliant Einstein. Dam 20, www.madametus sauds.nl. Open daily 10.0018.30; €22, ages 5-15 €18, under-5s free MIRANDABAD SWIMMING POOL Subtropical swimming pool complex with a beach, palm trees, several indoor and outdoor pools, and wave machines. Other amenities include squash courts, a solarium and cafe. De Mirandalaan 9, www. mirandabad.nl. Various times & prices PANCAKE BOAT A cosy boat, all-you-can-eat pancakes and a view of Amsterdam’s canals make the Pancake Boat a great activity for all ages. Ms van Riemsdijkweg opposite nr 38, www.pannen koekenboot.nl. Various times & prices SCHEEPVAARTMUSEUM (NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM) Het Scheepvaartmuseum has a variety exhibitions designed just for kids. Sal & Lori and the Circus at Sea is an underwater fairytale for the youngest visitors, while older children will enjoy The Tale of the Whale or See You in the Golden Age. Moored just outside the museum is the Dutch East India Company ship Amsterdam. Kattenburgerplein 1, www. scheepvaartmuseum.nl. Open daily 09.00-17.00; €15, ages 5-17 €7.50, under-5s free SCIENCE CENTER NEMO NEMO introduces young and old to the world of science and technology. Five floors are filled with exhibitions, theatre performances, films, workshops and demonstrations. Smell, hear, feel and see how the world works. Everything is interactive! Oosterdok 2, www.e-nemo.nl. Open daily 10.00-17.30; €15, under-4s free STEDELIJK MUSEUM The Stedelijk Museum offers audio tours (in Dutch and English) and art workshops for six-12-year-olds (in Dutch). There’s also a newly renovated Family Lab in which young and old are encouraged to build bold artworks on the walls. Museumplein 10, www.stedel ijk.nl. Open Mon-Wed, Sat & Sun 10.00-18.00, Thur 10.0022.00; €15, children free TROPENMUSEUM JUNIOR Created especially for children from ages six to 13, focused on non-Western cultures. The interactive exhibits introduce children to new cultures in a playful way that sparks their curiosity. Linnaeusstraat 2, www.tro penmuseum.nl. Open Tue-Sun 10.00-17.00, Mondays during public and school holidays

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Highlight OBA

OBA LINNAEUS: ANOTHER STORY There’s plenty for kids to do at OBA. With the free youth pass (up to 19 years old), they can borrow a wide selection of children’s books, audiobooks, CDs, DVDs, e-books and games – not just in Dutch, but also in English, German and French. Children also receive a 50 per cent discount on all OBA activities, including a monthly youth theatre performance. And have you met Sam and Julia before? They live together in the Mouse House in the Central OBA. Every time you look at their beautiful home, you’ll see something new. For the current range of activities in all 26 OBAs, see the agenda at www.oba.nl/ activiteiten.

STORYTELLING IN ENGLISH FOR INFANTS AND ODDLERS Every Thursday morning there’s an English-language reading and singing hour for the smallest members, in the Central OBA. Studies show that a child’s vocabulary is vastly improved by reading aloud. Doing so for just 15 minutes a day, a child learns about 1,000 extra words every year. Lauren Holgate hosts the session. Having worked for ten years as a nanny, she has a lot of reading experience with children. Every Thursday morning from 10.30, Central OBA, Oosterdokskade 143. Reservations not required, admission free 10.00-17.00; €12.50, ages 4-18 €8, under-4s free. TUNFUN An indoor paradise for children under 12. Under adult supervision, kids can enjoy hours of fun in a huge 4,000m2 indoor playground. There’s soft slides & mini-ball pool for babies and infants, and trampolines and jungle gyms for the older kids. Mr Visserplein 7, www.tunfun. nl. Open daily 10.00-18.00; ages 1-12 €8.50, accompanying adults free VERZETSMUSEUM JUNIOR The Dutch Resistance Museum (Verzetsmuseum), details the history of the Dutch resistance in World War II during the country’s occupation by Germany from May 1940 to May 1945. A Junior building shows young visitors (nine-14 years) how four peers lived during wartime. Verzetsmuseum, Plantage Kerklaan 61, www.verzetsmuseum.

org. Open Tue-Fri 10.00-17.00, Sat-Mon 11.00-17.00; €8, ages 7-15 €4.50, under-7s free WIND ’N WHEELS This large-scale urban ‘land yachting’ park is set up on Zeeburgereiland, in the east part of the city. Also known as blokarting, all it takes is a sail, three wheels, some wind and loads of adrenaline. Zuiderzeeweg 1, www.windn wheels.nl, Opening hours & prices vary

EVENTS KERMIS (FAIRGROUND) Whether you’re one for being flung around high above the city, racing around in the dodgems, being spooked in the haunted house or simply sightseeing from the top of a Ferris wheel, the fairground is guaranteed great fun at any age. 2-17 May, various locations, www.iamsterdam.com

SUNDAY MARKET A great day out for the whole family. Artists, designers and craftspeople flog their wares and delicious food & drink is on offer to fuel your shopping frenzy. There is always some form of entertainment or crafty workshop on and plenty of kids clothing and toy stalls to browse through. Free entry. Sun 3 May, Sun 7 & Sun 28 Jun, Westergasfabriek, Haarlemmerweg, www.sun daymarket.nl. 12.00-18.00 THE IMPRESARIO Two ‘prima donnas’ battle it out in this satirical and amusing story of fame and vanity. Composed and – in this case – performed by a marionette version of Mozart himself. Sun 3 May 15.00; Sun 10 May 15.00; Sat 6 Jun 20.30; Amsterdam Marionette Theatre, www.marionettentheater.nl. €15, under-14s €7.50 VONDELPARK OPEN AIR THEATRE During the summer months the Vondelpark welcomes a wide variety of entertainers to a special stage known as the Vondelpark Open Air Theatre. It’s an especially popular spot on the weekends and extra kids fun is planned in on most Wednesday afternoons. May highlights include the KinderBevrijdingsfestival (‘Children’s Liberation Day festival’) on 5 May, Summer Breeze Latin Festival on 7 May and Sissy-Boy Summer Market on 30 May. From 5 May,Vondelpark, www. openluchttheater.nl. Various times, free HEMELTJELIEF FESTIVAL This family festival steals the show every Ascension Day with live music, theatre, DJs, crafts, workshops and activities. Bound to be tons of fun for young and old, this year’s theme is ‘monkeying around’! Thur 14 May, NDSM-werf, www.hemeltjelieffestival.nl. 11.00-23.00, €12.50/€15, under-12s free ZOOMERAVONDEN During ZOOmeravonden (‘Summer Evenings’) visitors to Artis Royal Zoo learn all about what their furry and feathered friends get up to after hours. Activities include special guided tours, face painting, scavenger hunts, puppet shows and animal talks. You can even book a ready-made picnic to collect at the gate. Sat 6, 13, 20 & 27 Jun, Plantage Kerklaan 38-40, www. artis.nl. 17.00 till sunset, €19.95, ages 3-9 €16.50 THE HOUT FESTIVAL One of Haarlem’s biggest outdoor fests offers a blend of world music, delicious food and summertime fun. With four stages, the free festival has something for folks of all ages, including playful, interactive family-oriented shows in a special family tent. Sun 21 Jun, Stadspark de Haarlemmerhout, Haarlem, www.houtfestival.nl. Free

PART IV THE A-LIST.

GAY & LESBIAN ZONDERBROEK GAY MOVIE NIGHT – or who would like to be – an afternoon of spanking, caning, Every Friday and Sunday night Nurse your hangover in the OTK (over the knee), flogging and every first Saturday of the dark, while enjoying a screenMELLOW MONDAY month, drop all your pretences ing of the gems of gay cinema. and all types of corporal punishRecharge after your busy weekand dance without pants at end with free foot and shoulder Club Church in Amsterdam. massages, free snacks, free The dress code is strictly endetox scrubs, dry and steam forced: briefs and jocks are saunas. welcome; swimming trunks, Every Mon, Sauna NZ, 19.00, boxers, sports shorts or going €18, under-26s €10 commando are also permitted. Board shorts, Bermudas or othNAKED SWIMMING er streetwear prohibited. The Marnixbad pools contain Every Fri & Sun, Church, much less chlorine than most – various times, €10 which is good news since you’ll GAY PUB CRAWL be exposing your sensitive bits. Every Tue, Marnixbad, 21.00, Does exactly what it says on the various prices tin, taking in ‘Gay Street’s finest drinking establishments. TUESDAY BLUESDAY Every Sat, departs Taboo, 20.00 Same Place café hosts a club IT’S SHOWTIME FOLKS night with a special focus on blues, soul and contemporary It’s show time almost every music. While there’s no ennight at Lellebel, the most trance fee, you are asked to outrageous drag show bar in spend at least €10 at the bar town, but Saturdays are espeAMSTERDAM FETISH PRIDE when you’re a single man, or cially fabulous, with the bar’s the same amount if you’re most glamorous stars coming In a city famed for its long-established tolerance, its a couple. together for a supernova of legendary Pride fest and dedicated ‘Homomonument’ Every Tue, Same Place, 21.00 cabaret fun. commemorating gay war victims, you may be forgiven Every Sat, Lellebel, 20.00 for thinking there are no boundaries left. But the city’s DRINK & COCKTAIL fetish community found one – and promptly demolished EVENING BUBBLES & BITES it. Celebrating fetish life out and proud, the third edition Every Thursday, enjoy a Free bites from 17.00-19.00; mouth-watering cocktail at cheap bubbles – just €2.50 – of Amsterdam Fetish Pride will include a Mr Leather drag show bar Lellebel on the all night. Amsterdam contest as well as a suitably wanton clothing corner of Rembrabdtplein. Every Sun, Prik, 16.00 market, debates and lectures, ‘Kink Academy’ workshops Relax in the pleasant company and of course plenty of parties. Polish your chaps and DOUBLE HAPPY HOUR of your hostesses Miss Saphira, hose down your pleather: this one’s not for the faint of Electra Shock, May ButterBecause why wouldn’t you want heart. 14-18 May, various locations, www.amsterdam cream and Ginger G-Spot. Get to start the working week with fetishpride.com. Various times & prices a taste of Sugi’s Mojito, May’s a hangover? Line up for barMango or Electra’s Sunrise… gain-priced cocktails and shots. And yes, those are cocktails, Every Sun, Taboo, 18.00 ment. No dress code. Men only. cheeky. Wed 6 May & 3 Jun, Pathé de LADY GALORE’S DRAG Sun 17 May, Church, 16.00Every Thur, Lellebel, 20.00 Munt, 21.00, €10 NIGHT 20.00, €10 BLUE EUROSONG TRAVESTIVAL Come and join Lady Galore and HORSEMEN & KNIGHTS Kooky clubbing with Amsterher wonderful assistant Annie Celebrating 60 years of Europe’s Big willy gay sex party. Dress dam’s drag supremo Jennifer Alcohol along with some guest kitschiest singing fest, the ladies code: naked or underwear. Hopelezz. Drinks are just performers and surprises. of Travestie Cabaret perform Drop ’em and if you measure €2.50. What could go wrong? Every Sun, Amstel Fifty Four, their favourite numbers. up, entrance is free. Every Thur, Church, 22.00, €5 20.00 Sun 10 May, Winston KingSun 17 May & 21 Jun, The dom, Warmoesstraat 129, www. THE PONY CLUB SUNDAY CAROUSEL Warehouse, 15.00, €8 travestiecabaret.nl. 19.00, €15 If you want to quit horsing Be transported to exotic climes UNDERCOVER NETHERBEARS AT THE around and get serious about with Arabian and Turkish QUEEN’S HEAD Hot naked mask only party! starting the weekend on Thurs- music courtesy of old and new Masks supplied at door (5 euro day (and who doesn’t?), you divas from Lellebel, with Miss Bi-weekly get-together by deposit) or bring your own. couldn’t ask for a better place Rini leading the charge. Netherbears, the slightly less Sat 23 May, Church, 22.00 than The Pony Club. Three Every Sun, Lellebel, 22.00 stocky bear men (according to floors of DJs spin an energetic their website). TOPPERS IN CONCERT mix of pop, disco, house and Sun 10 & 24 May, 14 & 28 The biggest sing-a-long show electro alongside performances Jun, The Queen’s Head, www. ONE-OFF spectacle in the ArenA stadium. to lift your spirits. Arrive before netherbears.nl, 19.00 EVENTS Expect camp, glitter and glammidnight and get in for free. SONG FESTIVAL SING our, ’70s disco and Eurosong. Every Thur, Club NYX, 23.00, MEMORIAL DAY LONG Sat 23-Sat 30 May, Amsterdam €5, free before midnight During the National RememHonouring the kitscher-than- ArenA, http://toppersinconcert. THANK GOD IT’S FRIDAY nl. 20.30, €45-€75 brance of all Dutch war victims kitsch Eurovision Song Contest, Celebrate the weekend with (especially those who died a sing-along celebration feaXXX LEATHER LOS tunes, nibbles and drinks. After during in World War II), gay turing live performances from Lust on Sunday: a spin-off a week of hard work, unwind victims are also past stars. with a drink, some snacks and remembered. Fri 15 May, Ziggo Dome, www. party from the infamous XXXLeather parties. Dress code: tunes by the resident DJ. Mon 4 May, Homomonument, eventim.nl. 20.00, €34-€75 rubber, leather, army, uniform, Every Fri, Engel van AmsterPrinsengracht, 19.30-20.30 GARBO FOR WOMEN skinhead. Men only. dam, 17.00, free LIBERATION DAY Sun 24 May, Church, Single ladies strut their stuff at THANK GODDESS, FESTIVAL 16.00, €10 this regular ladies-only meetIT’S FRIDAY Amsterdam’s Homomonument up. Celebrating its ninth anniLGBTQ OOSTERPART & Welcome the weekend with will once again be the place to versary in 2014. LGBTQ CAFE live performances and an be on 5 May. Join the party and Sat 16 May & 20 Jun, Strand Low-key neighbourhood drinks open stage. Start the weekend dance for freedom at this free West, 18.00, €8 in the east of the city. celebrations with your hostess Liberation Day Festival. A variFURBALL Fri 29 May & 26 Jun, Eden Miss Sugi La Ri accompanied ety of DJs are on the line-up to Amsterdam Manor Hotel, by stars such as Ginger G-Spot, keep the crowd moving. Names The Amsterdam hairy men 21.00, free May Buttercream, Electra include Tranny 4/7, Faux Coudance party for the butch & Shock and more. And if you ture, Mc Divine, Miss Bunty bears. No dress code. Men only. GAY & LESBIAN SUMMER want to become a star yourself, and The G-Team. Sat 16 May, Church, 22.00, FESTIVAL the open stage is there for you Tue 5 May, Homomonument, SPANK! Screening the very best new gay to shine. Prinsengracht, and lesbian films examining Every Fri, Lellebel, 20.00 15.00-23.00 For those who’ve been naughty

REGULAR EVENTS

Highlight LGBT

various aspects of same-sex relationships. There’s the traditional film marathon giving you a second chance to catch every single film featured in this year's festival. Summer (dates to be confirmed), RIALTO, Ceintuurbaan 338, www.rialtofilm.nl I BELIEVE I AM GAY The two talented Amsterdam-based photographers Hadas Itzkovitch and Anya van Lit have joined their talents for an exhibition that explores themes of religion and sexuality. the exhibition consists of 37 photographic portraits of religious homosexuals currently living in the Netherlands. It features lesbians and gays that also happen to be practising Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists. Among those portrayed include ministers and rabbis. Until 14 Jun, Bijbels Museum, (Bibles Museum) Herengracht 366-368, www.bijbels museum.nl ADDRESSES Abe Amstelstraat 30 www.clubabe.com Amstel Fifty Four Amstel 54 www.amstelfiftyfour.nl Church Kerkstraat 52 www.clubchurch.nl Eden Amsterdam Manor Hotel Linnaeusstraat 89 www.lgbtqoosterpark. blogspot.com Engel van Amsterdam Zeedijk 21 www.engelamsterdam.nl Hotel Arena 's-Gravesandestraat 51 www.hotelarena.nl Lellebel Utrechtsestraat 4 www.lellebel.nl Marnixbad Marnixplein 1 www.hetmarnix.nl Melkweg Lijnbaansgracht 234A www.melkweg.nl Club NYX Reguliersdwarsstraat 42 http://clubnyx.nl Pathé de Munt Vijzelstraat 15 www.pathe.nl Paradiso Weteringschans 6-8 www.paradiso.nl Prik Spuistraat 109 www.prikamsterdam.nl The Queen’s Head Zeedijk 20 www.queenshead.nl Same Place Nassaukade 120 www.sameplace.nl Sauna Nieuwezijds Nieuwezijds Armsteeg 95 www.saunanieuwezijds.nl Strand West Stavangerweg 900 www.garboforwomen.nl Taboo Reguliersdwarsstraat 45 www.taboobar.nl The Warehouse Warmoesstraat 96 www.warehouse amsterdam.com

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FREE or DISCOUNTED entrance with your I amsterdam City Card:

STEDELIJK MUSEUM THE OASIS OF MATISSE, Until 16 August

The first survey exhibition of Henri Matisse in the Netherlands in over 60 years transports visitors through the presentation of the permanent collection, enriched by more Matisse works than ever shown together in any Dutch museum. The exhibition shows paintings, sculptures and work on paper by this master in dialogue with the Stedelijk collection. FREE entrance with your I amsterdam City Card

DE NIEUWE KERK

A city of remarkable history and culture, Haarlem is just a short hop from Amsterdam. With spectacular monuments dating back almost 800 years, a rich association with GoldenAge painters, two worldleading museums plus unique shops and convivial café culture, Haarlem makes a great mini-break.

ERIK EN PETRA HESMERG

ÅSA SJÖSTRÖM, BARONCEA, MOLDOVA

HENRI MATISSE MEMORY OF OCEANIA, 1952-1953

HAARLEM

FREE entrance to the Frans Hals Museum and Teylers Museum with your I amsterdam City Card

VOLENDAM Situated on the edge of the Zuiderzee, a former inland sea now separated into the IJsselmeer and Markermeer by major dykes, the authentic character and charm of small-toen harbours Volendam and Marken has survived intact for centuries. The Volendam-Marken Express ferry services connects the two towns. FREE journey on the Volendam-Marken Express with your I amsterdam City Card

WORLD PRESS PHOTO, Until 5 July

The winning images from the world’s largest and most prestigious annual press photography contest begin their world tour in Amsterdam. A reflection of trends and developments in photojournalism, it not only presents the reality of events on the world stage, but also the beauty of life, sports, art, science and nature. EXHIBITION SURCHARGE €3.50 with your I amsterdam City Card

THE I AMSTERDAM CITY CARD INCLUDES: • Free entrance to over 40 museums • Free public transport • Free canal cruise and more 24 hrs – €49 | 48 hrs – €59 | 72 hrs – €69

The I amsterdam City Card is available at I amsterdam Visitor Centres, hotels, canal cruise companies and GVB Tickets & Info offices. For more information, see www.iamsterdam.com/citycard

THE AMSTERDAM & REGION DAY TICKET Discover Amsterdam and the surrounding area with this special 24-hour public transport pass valid on metros, trams and buses operated by GVB, Connexxion, Arriva and EBS. Purchase the Amsterdam & Region Day Ticket for the special price of €10 with the I amsterdam City Card. www.iamsterdam.com/citycard Offer exclusively available at the I amsterdam Visitor Centres at Central Station and Schiphol Airport.

GE OUT T TOW OF N BU PASS S

+ €10

CLOSING

BEYOND

A’DAM

Get out of town for these don’t-miss attractions beyond the city limits.

beyond amsterdam

‘AND TULIPS, CHILDREN LOVE TO STRETCH THEIR FINGERS DOWN, TO FEEL IN EACH ITS BEAUTY‘S SWEET NEARER.‘ SEE WHAT ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING WAS TALKING ABOUT, AT KEUKENHOF FLOWER GARDENS.

text Megan Roberts

KEUKENHOF The centrepiece of Holland’s ‘bulb strip’, the Keukenhof is the world’s largest flower garden. For eight weeks only, the Keukenhof bursts into a kaleidoscope of colours as the gently rolling grounds are carpeted with blooming flowers, planted in extraordinary patterns. From the days when the humble tulip cost a small fortune, Holland’s love affair with the flower continues: a staggering 7 million have been planted across the 32-hectare park, set to be admired by 800,000 international visitors. Until 17 May Stationsweg 166A, Lisse www.keukenhof.nl

GETTING THERE: The easiest way to reach Keukenhof from Amsterdam is with the All-In Arriva Combi-Ticket, including bus transport from the city centre or Amsterdam Airport Schiphol plus entrance to the park. The All-In Combi-Ticket can be purchased at the I amsterdam Visitor Centre across from Central Station Amsterdam.

BEYOND FESTIVAL The Netherlands’ answer to Burning Man, where human interaction trumps headlining acts, Beyond Festival seeks to take revellers outside their comfort zone – and rewards them with intimate moments and connections. So, no main stage, no Wi-Fi, no timetable and no cell phones; instead, interactive performance ‘villages’ hosted by creative communities, a ‘Losing Point’ where festivalgoers can make new friends and plenty of Hu-Fi (human fidelity). This may just be the future of the festival… 16 May Velsen Valley, Spaarnwoude www.imagine-beyond.nl

GETTING THERE: Shuttle buses will operate between Amsterdam Sloterdijk Station and the Beyond Festival grounds. See the website for details.

FOTOFESTIVAL NAARDEN This biannual photo fest presents an overview of developments in Dutch photography at diverse locations around Naarden, including on the city’s famous ramparts. New talent is presented alongside established names – with one eye on tradition and the other looking toward the future. This edition takes ‘water’ as its theme, riffing on centuries of artistic inspiration and the unique role water has played in the history of the Netherlands. 14-21 June Various locations, Naarden http://fotofestivalnaarden.nl

GETTING THERE: From Central Station, take the sprinter train to Naarden-Bussum (direction Amersfoort Vathorst; journey time 30 min). Bus 151 (direction Almere Haven) takes you to the edge of the city in a few minutes, then it’s a 10-minute walk to the city centre.

‘THE “TOTAL OVERPAINTINGS” DEVELOPED... THROUGH INCESSANT REWORKING. THE ORIGINAL MOTIF PEEPED THROUGH THE EDGES. GRADUALLY IT VANISHED COMPLETELY.’

‘BE YOURSELF, EVERYONE ELSE IS ALREADY TAKEN.’ THE WORDS OF OSCAR WILDE INFORM THE ETHOS BEHIND BEYOND FESTIVAL.

MID-ZOMMER ZAAN FESTIVAL Celebrating the summer solstice, the Mid-Zommer Zaan Festival presents different forms of art and various styles of music (think: classical, jazz and fado) at monumental industrial heritage sites in the Zaan region – including the former Verkade biscuit factory and the windmills of museum village Zaanse Schans. A fun family-friendly day out in the heart of an important piece of Dutch industrial heritage. 20 & 21 June Chocoladefabriek, Westzijde 168–188 Zaandam www.midzomerzaan.nl

GETTING THERE: From Central Station bus 391 takes you directly to the Zaanse Schans. Journey time approx. 50min.

ontwerp: van Lennep Amsterdam | foto: Elspeth Diederix

Terschelling Terschelling • 12 • - 12 21 -juni 21 juni 20152015 • oerol.nl • oerol.nl

ontwerp: van Lennep Amsterdam | foto: Elspeth Diederix

JIMMY NELSON, HUKA FALLS, NORTH ISLAND, 2011

CATCH ARNULF RAINER’S PROCESS IN PRACTICE, AT AMSTELVEEN'S COBRA MUSEUM.

Typhoon

OEROL FESTIVAL A2_Oerol.indd 1

stichting

Dioraphte

A2_Oerol.indd 1

ARNULF RAINER Austrian artist Rainer gave new substance to European Expressionism in the latter half of the 20th century with his over-painted photographs. Self-portraiture with a manic twist, his distressed photographs represent the ultimate in narcissistic comedown. Amstelveen’s excellent Cobra Museum presents works completed within the last 15 years (which have rarely been exhibited in the Netherlands). The artist himself will attend the opening. 3 May-30 August Cobra Museum of Modern Art Sandbergplein 1, Amstelveen www.cobra-museum.nl

GETTING THERE: From Central Station, tram 5, metro 51 and buses 170 and 172 all go to Amstelveen, journey time approx. 40min.

Typhoon

stichting

Dioraphte

30-03-15 10:00

The whole world may not technically be a stage, but never did that maxim ring more true than during the ten days of the Oerol Festival. A showcase for theatre, dance, street theatre, art and music, Oerol takes over the entire island of Terschelling in the Wadden Sea (Oerol literally means ‘overall’ in the local dialect), using the natural landscape – beaches, woods, dunes – as backdrop. 12-21 June Terschelling http://oerol.nl

GETTING THERE: Book a place on the bus from Amsterdam Central Station to Harlingen Harbour at http://festivalbussen.nl

CLOSING

THEN AND NOW

then & now

BUTTERFLY OPERA, 1969 Tracing the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history, one image at a time.

MILKSHAKE FESTIVAL Feel-good music fest with a deliberately inclusive vibe.

NDSM-werf 19 July www.milkshakefestival.nl

The best international contemporary dance. Various locations 1-31 July www.julidans.nl

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 PLUK DE NACHT

‘Seize the Night’ at this annual outdoor film fest, language no problem.

AMSTERDAM GAY PRIDE

Het Stenen Hoofd August www.plukdenacht.nl

One of Europe’s biggest, most vibrant LGBT celebrations.

GRACHTENFESTIVAL Ten days of classical music on city’s 400-year-old waterways. Various locations 14-23 August www.grachtenfestival.nl

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Various locations 25 July-2 August www.amsterdamgaypride.nl

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13 March-12 July Amsterdam City Archives Vijzelstraat 32 www.stadsarchief.amsterdam.nl

JUL & AUG 2015

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COR JARING: PHOTOGRAPHS 1965-1975 In the Swinging Sixties, as Amsterdam awoke from a political and social indifference, the countercultural Provo movement was born. These provocateurs organised a series of socially progressive demonstrations demanding everything from free white bicycles to statesupported squatting. This movement is known outside the Netherlands largely due to the work of Amsterdammer Cor Jaring (1936-2013), who was the defining photographer of this period. Less well known are his images of the Provos’ legacy, including the Deskundologisch Laboratory (‘Laboratory of Expertise’) and its offshoots the Insects Sect and the Breakfast Club. With their soft protests against water- and air-pollution and their care for the earth, this motley crew of progressives was way ahead of its time, laying the foundations for the modern environmental movement. Pictured here is a member of the Insects Sect performing in a Vlinderopera (‘Butterfly Opera’) in protest at declining insect numbers believed to be the result of widespread pesticide use. See Cor Jaring’s iconic images in the Amsterdam City Archives.

NEXT ISSUE

CLOSING

ON THE WAY

OUT

We asked people leaving Schiphol Airport for their Amsterdam advice.

text & photos Zlatka Siljdedic

on the way out

PAUL COOPER (21) & TOM CULLARN (22), WORK IN RETAIL, FROM MANCHESTER, UK ‘You‘ve managed to make us smile – even though we‘re sad to leave Amsterdam. We spent a fab five days here, staying at Hotel Arena. We‘re amazed at how chilled-out people are here, totally the opposite of the stressed-out vibe in Manchester. We loved wandering around the city and popping into the Red Light District and the Heineken Brewery, and watching Dutch people cycling in such a cool, controlled manner.‘

MALIN HYLLAND (21), HORSE GROOM FROM SWEDEN ‘I worked as a horse groom in Asten for a few weeks. When I went to Amsterdam I liked the fact that it has a big city feeling, but the cosiness of a small town.‘

RACHID SAHIB, AKA D-RASHID (38), HOUSE DJ FROM AMSTERDAM We spotted Rachid checking the flight info – a delay, unfortunately, but that gave us time for a chat. He‘s on his way to play a set in Tangier, Morocco. As a DJ he‘s been to many places, but wouldn‘t want to live anywhere else: ‘Never a dull moment in Amsterdam.‘ You can dance to his tunes at club Escape.

ELENA SANDONIS (58) & GEMA ALVAREZ SANDONIS (34), OWNER OF A BIKE SHOP & WORKS AT RENFE TRAIN INFO, FROM BILBAO, SPAIN We couldn‘t resist these ladies travelling with their bikes. Elena & Gema spent a week cycling from the south of Holland to Amsterdam, from the Hague to Haarlem, gazing at the bulb fields in bloom all the way to Amsterdam. Making miles was their goal; passing picturesque villages, amazingly kind people and Old Masters at the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh made their trip.

FRANCESCO SISCA (32), WORKS IN FINANCE, FROM FLORENCE, ITALY ‘I‘ve been based in Rotterdam for the last five months, and really noticed a difference in the vibe: Amsterdam has a more international state of mind, an overall more energetic, lively atmosphere.‘

editor-in-chief Bart van Oosterhout art director & basic design Loes Koomen designer Zlatka Siljdedic copy editor Megan Roberts contributors Lauren Comiteau, Veerle Corstens, Floor van Dijck, Karin Engelbrecht, Elisah Jacobs, Inger van der Ree, Bregtje Schudel, Mark Smith, Monique Wijbrands/Saltystock listings EdenFrost (Tamar Bosschaart & Steven McCarron), Christiaan de Wit cover illustration Robin White & Marloes Oomen

www.gassan.com

THEOASIS OF

DANKZIJ DE DEELNEMERS VAN DE