Located
inside the mystical walls of a majestic 18th century old church building just
off the famous Leidse Square, the Paradiso Club provides you with the ultimate
music experience for a lovely evening adventure in central Amsterdam. The venue
is hosting some of the biggest names in club music, as well bringing in indie
and local artists while providing a diverse events genre for everyone’s taste.
Do not forget to check out the cultural activities that take place each week
ranging from theatre performances to poetry or film productions.
The famous Club Paradiso has long been a
synonym for diversity in musical styles, and live performances with artists
coming from the world’s four corners, and giving a show to remember inside what
used to be an imposing beautiful church built in the 18th century. It is a
venue where you can easily blend culture, history, and a lively wild party vibe
that will enchant you from the very first moment you step in.
Starting from as early as 1967, the
unique venue has held a lively and turbulent history, initially being the home
of hippies squatting the church in an attempt to transform it into a leisure
club. After the police ended the fun activities the same year, Paradiso was
opened by the city authorities into a youth entertainment centre in 1968 named
the Cosmic Relaxation Center Paradiso. Gradually, in time the venue became
associated with underground hippy counter-culture, and the rock music prevalent
in the 1970s. Inevitably, it became one of the first places in the Netherlands
where soft drugs selling and consumption was tolerated. Progressively, the club
has gone through literally all the major musical underground phases that
society has known continuing with punk and new wave music in the late 1970s,
and leaning towards rave and special dancing parties from the 1980s onwards.
Club Paradiso today is one of the most
important musical and cultural events venues in the whole of The Netherlands
with a large array of musical styles, theatre shows, stand up comedy nights,
and various concerts held by celebrities as well as new underground stars on
the rise. Due to its large diversity of genre, the club hosts a highly
heterogeneous audience which makes you feel welcome, and at ease right from
entering inside. The number of events are on the rise with more than 900 per
year giving everyone a large chance to choose based on their own liking.
The club is split into two areas, the
main hall having a capacity of 1500 persons while the small hall being able to
host 250 persons. The place is ideal for live dance mixing performances with
the DJ being placed at the centre of the dance area while the boundaries are
filled with inviting bars. The venue itself still illustrates its spiritual
legacy, the main hall displaying its church windows right behind the stage, and
two balconies overlooking down to the ground floor for an increased mystical
experience.
The venue is worldwide famous for three
major aspects: its animated live concerts, the dynamic dancing club DJ mixes,
and its cultural centre hosting a large array of activities of all kinds.
Artists who have staged performances here include the White Stripes, the
Rolling Stones, Sex Pistols, Joy Division, Lenny Kravitz, Nirvana, Jamiroquai,
Amy Winehouse among various other major musical players throughout time. In a
special praise to the club, The Roling Stones’ highly acclaimed guitarist,
Keith Richards mentioned that its concert here has been the best live show the
band has ever performed. Alongside prominent artists, the club is also a
gateway for new international indie musicians starting up here, many of them
breaking through to new heights after their performance at Club Paradiso.
In addition, the venue hosts five club
nights a week with world class DJs creating a special atmosphere ideal for wild
fun themed parties that go on normally till 3am. Such fun events require a
special admission ticket even if you have already booked your place for a live
gig prior to that, and cost normally around 6 Euros. One of the best attributes
of the club music events is the variety of music with the very popular
Noodlandin! night on Thursday where the
audience is entertained with rock, alternative or even pop hits or its
Wednesday’s classic party playing a great mix ranging from the 1950s to the
1990s in a stairway to musical heaven of all genre and times.
The Club Paradiso is also host to many
cultural events throughout the year where many non-musical interesting
initiatives are staged for the educated public. You may find here the occasional
fashion show, an alternative movie projection, or even a classical orchestra
playing Beethoven depending on the program. Check out the list of festivals
throughout the year that include events such as
Weerword which is a poetry display of various authors, the
Watch Too offering contemporary dance
performances or the
Night of the
Unexpected where you can enjoy the delicacy of some fine baroque music.
Since tickets are sold out rapidly due
the venue’s prominence worldwide, it is highly advisable to purchase them well
in advance directly from the club’s website. Please note the small membership
fee that you will have to pay once you enter the club venue for the first time,
and do take your time to come one hour and a half prior to a live concert given
the long queues which may develop when big names come out to play.
Finally, you may want to take advantage of the
central area of Amsterdam where Club Paradiso is located. A short walk around
the corner will lead you to the Leidse Square area famous for its vibrant
dancing bars, and lively outlook in the evenings. Here you can enjoy some
authentic Dutch beer on the terraces outside or put on some dance moves inside
the many inviting places surrounding the square. The famous Vondelpark is
nearby if you are keen in relaxing in the green while the highly entertaining
Anne Frank museum is found right in the centre of the park giving you the
chance to explore some contemporary art galleries or perhaps to watch an
independent film production.
The easiest way of getting to Paradiso from Amsterdam Central Station is by public transport. The following video contains useful tips on how to get around in Amsterdam using the city’s public transit system.
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