Page 426 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - The Netherlands

424  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

the fact that the building in
which it is located used to
be a dairy. The programme
in both of these respected
venues changes constantly,
and all rock and pop
enthusiasts will eventually
find something to their taste.
Every Sunday in summer
there are free open-air concerts
in the Vondelpark, often with
renowned bands in the line-up.
Programmes are displayed at
the entrances to the park. In
June the world’s largest free
pop festival, the Haagse
Zuiderpark Parkpop, is held
in The Hague. Another
The Amsterdamse Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest performing annual festival which attracts
visitors from near and far
The Gelders Orkest makes used for experimental works. is the Pinkpopfestival in
regular appearances in the The Stadsschouwburg (see Landgraaf (Limburg).
Musis Sacrum concert hall p116) on the Leidseplein
in Arnhem. Another go-to is also host to a great deal Jazz
venue offering a rich of opera, although if
programme of music is experimental opera is your The foremost venue of the
the TivoliVredenburg. thing, the Westergasfabriek jazz scene in Amsterdam is
is probably the best venue. the Bimhuis. Although the
Another good venue to watch casual visitor might find the
Church Music
an opera is the Wilminktheater atmosphere a tad pretentious,
Of the many organs in the in Enschede. the music here is of top
Netherlands, that of the Grote quality, and the Bimhuis
Kerk in Elburg is probably the enjoys a reputation that
best known. Every year it is Rock And Pop goes far beyond the
used in the national amateur Two venues in country’s borders. There
organist competition. The particular have are good jazz cafés to be
instruments in the Oude Kerk established found all over
and the Nieuwe Kerk are the themselves as the Amsterdam, most
most famous of Amsterdam’s most important of them featuring
42 church organs. Organ rock venues in the local jazz bands.
concerts can also be heard Netherlands: Around the
at the Waalse Kerk and also Ahoy’ in Leidseplein are the
on Tuesdays at lunchtime Rotterdam and Alto Jazz Café and
in the Westerkerk. Vredenburg in Bourbon Street, which
The programme of the Utrecht, although is open until 4am on
17th-century Engelse Kerk international rock Hans Dulfer weekdays and until 5am
contains a wide variety of stars now perform in on weekends. Alto is best
music genres, ranging from many parts of the Netherlands. on Wednesdays, when the
Baroque to modern. In With a capacity of over 5,000, “godfather” of Amsterdam jazz,
the Domkerk in Utrecht, the easily accessible Heineken Hans Dulfer, performs. His
concerts are performed on Music Hall is Amsterdam’s daughter Candy, who has
a regular basis. prime rock venue. It has been gained international renown,
used for concerts by megastars sometimes plays in De
such as the late Michael Heeren van Aemstel. De
Opera Jackson and the Rolling Engelbewaarder is a venue
Established in 1988 in Stones. However, for locals, for Sunday jazz. Meanwhile,
Amsterdam, the Dutch there are only two real rock in Rotterdam, the annual
National Opera & Ballet is the venues: Paradiso and North Sea Jazz Festival takes
home of the Nederlandse De Melkweg. Paradiso, in place in the Congresgebouw.
Opera. One of Europe’s most a former church near the Dizzy jazz café has become
modern opera theatres, its Leidseplein, enjoys the greatest a household name among
stage has been graced by respect. The Melkweg (Milky jazz-lovers in Rotterdam,
many established international Way), which is also near the hosting over 100 jazz
companies, although it is also Leidseplein, owes its name to concerts every year.

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Practical template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.7)
Date 5th March 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm