Paradiso had a very cool atmosphere as it was built inside the church. Get tickets before for a…read morelower fee. We paid €20 on a Friday night and it wasn't crazy fun of a crowd. It was latin night where the salsa was fun but there weren't that many people.

This place is right along the river behind the Hard Rock Cafe. It's hard to miss this enormous…read morechurch looking building. My one gripe, which I expected because I've been to Amsterdam before, is the 4 euro membership charge for concerts. I'm sure it's well known among locals but beware that your ticket price will not be the only charge. The inside of this venue is beautiful. We were there to see Kevin Devine. He was playing in the smaller room upstairs. They had a full bar and a very intimate feel. Sound and lighting was great. Always an awesome time when I get to see KD.

We had a great time at Bitterzoet during our stay in Amsterdam. We asked a local friend for some…read moresuggestions and he recommended Bitterzoet for hip hop. I believe there is always a cover, but if you buy online it's a bit cheaper. There are two dance floors and one lower level with lockers/bathrooms. Lockers were a super convenient option for all of our coats/jackets. We started out on the first floor, but once it got crowded, we moved up to the second floor which was smaller, but less people. You can still see the DJ and first floor because it's kind of like a balcony set up. There's also a bar up here and a smoking room. I'd recommend coming here for a night out! but the crowd was a little younger.

I saw Wheezer here, which was great because hearing Americans sing American in Amsterdam in actual…read moreAmsterdam is hilarious. I enjoyed the venue as a whole, not too large not too small. There is an upstairs balcony area which is nice. Would definitely see other bands here, reminded me of places I used to go in Arizona when I was young.

Awesome hangout restaurant, cafe, event center, etc in the Noord area of Amsterdam. We were lucky…read morethat it was so close by to our Airbnb Apartment. Our server Tristan was just awesome--so personable, attentive and even gave us a short history lesson about the Netherlands. They have a snack menu you can choose from at any time and also a regular lunch and dinner menu. We ordered the celery and beet soup (delicious!!), bitterballens, lumpia, and nachos. All were very tasty and the prices were very reasonable. They have a full bar and we decided on getting a couple of the local beers.

This outdoor beer-garden offers wonderful views of the Amstel River, and is a great place for break…read morebetween gallery stops. There is a nice selection of beer, and the Meza plate was delicious.

This is amazing venue complex! I was here for Amsterdam Pride in August. The full venue was open…read morewith many difference buildings, including the massive Gashouder building. The old brick industrial complex gives a unique vibe, which fits in with Amsterdam's old and charming architecture. Staff were nice at directing us. It can be difficult getting to and from the venue since you have to walk through a park on a narrow paved road. It was hard to get an Uber after the event, and we had to walk several blocks away before we could get one, since so many people were exiting at the same time.

This was a SUPER cool music venue - one of the coolest I've ever seen. So this facility used to (to…read moremy understanding) be used to store gas... note that means it was NOT a gas chamber... very important distinction. But it was used to store gas. And the ceiling on it looks really cool. Whoever converted it to a music venue took care to preserve some of the details like these weird pipes that come out into the room. I don't know if they are decorative or they were once functioning details that have now been preserved. But it all looks cool as hell. Then you add in the fact that the domed ceiling has all of these cool lines that meet in the center of the roof and make a super cool pattern... add show lights to that and well, it is a pretty cool cavernous place to see a show. If you're like me and love indoor music because of the intimacy of the light show, this venue makes the light show really pop. Staff was generally pretty friendly and we found all the things we needed so no complaints! They also had this super cool locker system that I swear just made me feel like we do concerts wrong in the U.S. So essentially, you scan the QR code that was posted everywhere. You pay for a locker on your phone. The locker number and the combination code is then texted to your phone. You find the locker and you put your stuff in it. Could not be easier. What a great use of technology. We NEED these in Minnesota, where everyone always has to bring their coat because it's freezing!

The Waterhole is a fun little club a friend and I walked into while we were in Amsterdam…read more They had live music that was entertaining, good food (we weren't too hungry, but got some Biterballen as a late night snack), and a super fun vibe overall. If you're looking for some live music in Amsterdam, any night of the week, definitely check out The Waterhole!

Love this bar! The live music was amazing, drink menu is good, there's pool tables and that vibrant…read morevibe was the best thing about this bar!

Outstanding intimate live music venue with great acoustics and amazing seats…read more Website is tricky to navigate from USA- it would switch to Dutch and was confusing. Seats reasonable cost. Best seats are front row center which have most leg room, or the last ones with the cushy benches towards the back, or the tables on high. Seats are all stadium so views are all generally good. Don't get the front row on the sides as the viewing is limited / stick with the central area for best views. You can bring the food and drinks inside the seating area. Free coatcheck you just hang up your own stuff. Also bathrooms there. Elevator is the small one on the left that takes you to the top if you don't want the stairs. Get there early or don't be surprised that someone will be in your seat. Concerts start exactly on time. People are already seated before concert starts. It's very tight spaces so hard to get to your seat if everyone else already seated. If you are late, they will let you in, but be prepared to be in the standing area. 10 minute walk to Central Train Station or you can take a bus. Cab ride from central area is @ 30-35 euros each way. Highly recommended! We saw two concerts and loved both.

We visited their Tuesday night open-mic twice, and it was wonderful---great views, friendly staff,…read moreand affordable drinks. A highlight of our trip.

Nice bar for an outdoor afternoon, or a late evening. quite…read morelarge terrace in the sun until late. Nice cocktails and some bar food. They have live music inside very often. Nice owners.

Pretty decent food. Takes a really long time to cook it so if you come hungry you will be starving…read morebefore you get your food. But at least you will know it's fresh to order. Small inside. Mainly a bar. They do offer a small couch and table t play board games on. Me and my group tried the burger, the BLT and the "toastie" which is grilled cheese and. on the side ordered the red pepper soup. The soup was unusual. It was spicy yet it had mint in it. Did not care for the mint aspect. But the rest of the food was good.

Little-ass spot between the central train station and the red light district…read more There's like 5 bar seats, jazz music and a cozy couch area to get your eat/drink/romance on. It's such a different vibe than the other bars/restos on this street. Get the meat and cheese plate and a couple of Maes beers. Its a hip spot sans annoying hipsters. True.

Much to my enjoyment, there was yet another event happening right outside my door. Well, a hundred…read moremeters or so down to the south of me right on the Prinsengracht canal. Much of the year the canal near the Pulitzer Hotel is a serene strip of water with picturesque boats slowly gliding by. During the latter part of August is the Grachtenfestival. The area in front of the Pulitzer Hotel is closed off and a very large pontoon barge is assembled to hold a massive stage that various musical performances will be held on. The barge reaches all the way to either side of the canal and is probably about 30 meters or more deep. Suffice it to say large enough to hold an entire orchestra. The infrastructure is massive inclusive of all the necessary stage lights, spot lights, sound devices necessary to put on a major concert. The area in front of the stage where the canal is still visible is filled with boats full of festival goers who will enjoy the performances from their boats. These people will spend at least one night on the canal holding their spot up until the concerts are over. Prior to the concerts, a veritable party happens on the canal among all the boats moored there. The shore is also filled with festival goers and a festive atmosphere dominates with all the support people buzzing around directing traffic and people. The music starts later in the day so prior to that people mill about jockeying for better spaces from which to watch the show. The musical performances delight and enthrall the mass of people and command their attention with solid musical performances. If you've ever spent any time in Amsterdam you know how frequently it rains. Yes, it rained. People were prepared with umbrellas. Still, it rained. Regardless, the show went on. What a concert! It was magical with the lighting, the music and the weather all in sync unfolding a truly memorable show. In addition to this performance on the Prinsengracht canal there were other performances of varying sizes in other locations. One of which was a duet, a cellist and violinist, performing atop a houseboat located in a smaller canal a short distance to the south. It was a great weekend full of music and performances to remember.

F A B Amsterdam at its best (same as Pride and Koningsdag)…read moreDifficult to get close and impossible to get near on a boat unless you go in the morning But don't let that put you off - the concert is A-MAY-ZING!!