Amsterdam takes live music seriously, and has done since the 1960s. Two former counterculture venues - Paradiso and Melkweg - are still the beating heart of it, and a night at either is one of the best things you can do in this city. But the scene runs much deeper, from a world-class jazz hall to free gigs in tiny cafés.
Here is how to see live music here, and which tickets are genuinely worth buying.
Paradiso
Paradiso is the pop temple of Amsterdam, housed in a former church just off Leidseplein on the Weteringschans. The main hall holds around 1,500 people under stained-glass windows and two balconies, and the acoustics and sightlines are excellent. Upstairs is a smaller room where newer and rising acts play, and there is a basement stage too.
The programme runs almost every night and spans everything - indie, hip-hop, electronic, club nights, the lot. The upstairs shows are where you catch bands before they get big, often for under 20 euros.
Melkweg
A few minutes away, just off Leidseplein, Melkweg ("Milky Way") occupies a former dairy factory. Like Paradiso, it is split into multiple spaces - a main hall of around 1,500, a more intimate 700-capacity room, plus a cinema, gallery and smaller stages.
Melkweg is the place to catch international acts on the way up. The two venues effectively share the city's touring circuit between them, so check both websites for the same dates.
A note on both: Paradiso and Melkweg charge a small monthly membership fee on your first ticket each month. It is a few euros, it is unavoidable, and it dates back to when both were members-only clubs in the 1960s.
Jazz and improvised music
- Bimhuis - the city's premier jazz venue, in a striking black box cantilevered out from the Muziekgebouw on the IJ waterfront. International programming, superb sound, and a foyer bar with a huge window over the water.
- Café Alto - a tiny brown café on the Korte Leidsedwarsstraat with live jazz most nights and no cover charge. Standing room only when it is busy, which is most of the time. Arrive early for a seat.
Classical and contemporary
- Concertgebouw - one of the best-regarded concert halls in the world, on the Museumplein, built in 1888. The acoustics are the reason to go. There is a free lunchtime concert most Wednesdays - get there early as the queue forms well ahead.
- Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ - a modern hall on the waterfront focused on contemporary, classical, jazz and electronic music. Over 250 concerts a year.
Bigger shows and arenas
For arena-scale acts, the city has AFAS Live and the Ziggo Dome, both out by the Bijlmer ArenA station in the southeast - easy to reach by metro or train in about fifteen minutes from Centraal. They are functional, large rooms; go for the artist, not the venue. The nearby Johan Cruijff ArenA also hosts stadium concerts in summer.
Smaller venues worth knowing
- OCCII and OT301 - former-squat venues by the Vondelpark with cheap tickets and a raw, underground feel; good for punk, experimental and noise.
- Bitterzoet - a small, central club-and-venue near Centraal with an eclectic programme.
- De Nieuwe Anita - a living-room-sized venue in the Frederik Hendrikbuurt for low-key indie shows.
How to plan it
Decide between artist and atmosphere. If you want a guaranteed good night regardless of who is playing, just book whatever is on at Paradiso or Melkweg the night you are free - the venues themselves carry the evening. If you have a specific act in mind, check both venue sites plus the Bimhuis and Concertgebouw, and book direct. Skip resale sites; Dutch venues price fairly and resale only costs you more.
For other ways to spend an evening, see our guides to culture after dark - theatre, comedy and cinema - and to Amsterdam's best bars for a drink before the show.
