7 editor picks in Amsterdam.
7 live music in Amsterdam our editors have drunk at, sorted by score. All Amsterdam nightlife.
Paradiso has run out of a former Vrije Gemeente church on Weteringschans by Leidseplein since 1968, programming rock, pop, electronic and experimental music across a 1,500-capacity main hall and a 250-cap small hall.
TipThe standing main hall has stained glass behind the stage; the upstairs balcony has the better sightline for taller acts. Doors typically open an hour before set time.
Melkweg occupies a former dairy factory on Lijnbaansgracht behind Leidseplein and runs a cinema, gallery and two concert halls, the 1,500-cap Max and the 700-cap Oude Zaal, across nightly programming.
TipEntrance is on Lijnbaansgracht, not the canal side; the bike rack to the right of the door holds 500 spots. Cinema screenings happen alongside concerts most nights.
Bimhuis has been Amsterdam's flagship jazz and improvised music stage since 1974 and now operates from a cantilevered box jutting off Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ on Piet Heinkade, with concerts most nights of the week.
TipWalk five minutes east of Centraal along the IJ; the cafe behind the hall has a free view of the room before the show. Late-night jam sessions on selected Mondays.
De Nieuwe Anita on Frederik Hendrikstraat runs an upstairs brown bar with eclectic furniture and a cellar room that flips between cinema, comedy, stage and dance floor depending on the night, capacity around 250.
TipDoors from the side; the basement stage is small enough that bookings sell out fast on weekends. Cash bar runs the upstairs while the basement is on.
OCCII runs a legalised squat venue facing the south gates of Vondelpark, programming punk, noise, hardcore and experimental music with a vegan cafe, rehearsal rooms and children's theatre attached.
TipCash bar; door usually 21:00 with a low cover. The Binnenpret complex around it adds a vegan kitchen and the MKZ collective dinner on selected weeknights.
Bitterzoet sits on Spuistraat a short walk from Centraal Station and runs as a bar, theatre and club under one roof, with live hip hop, soul and funk early in the night before DJ sets take over the floor.
TipDoors typically 22:30; lines move fastest before midnight. The upstairs balcony is where to stand for a clear view of the stage during live bookings.
Vondelbunker operates inside a 1947 nuclear fallout shelter beneath a bridge through Vondelpark, run since 2011 by a non-hierarchical volunteer collective as a free, non-commercial space for bands, DJs and film.
TipFree entry by donation; events listed on the website only. Acoustics are concrete-hard, so bring earplugs for louder bookings.
Guided tour · 4 hours
Don't miss out on this exclusive opportunity to explore Amsterdam's nightlife like never before. Tickets are limited, so secure your spot now and embark on an enchanti...
1h 30m
Shake, stir, and sip through 3 cocktails in AMAZE's immersive world of light, sound, and storytelling. Guided by expert mixologists in a small group - the most playful...
1.5 hours
Learn the art of cocktail making in Amsterdam. Enjoy a welcome cocktail and learn to craft 2 unique cocktails under the guidance of an expert mixologist.