Club Paradiso – A Mystical Fun Recipe for Live Concerts, Club Music, Culture, and More

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.