Paradiso

Paradiso, located in a former 19th-century church not far from the nightlife centre in Leidsplein, is one of Amsterdam‘s most popular alternative music venues.

The venue has been open since 1968, when an artists’ collective started offering a series of concerts and live events by independent bands and local artists. The opening was publicly funded, and the funding was at the centre of a real political debate in Amsterdam in the early 1990s.

This uproar was the subject of debate and put the venue into a major crisis, as it needed those subsidies to continue being open. Fortunately, the controversy soon subsided and the Paradiso was able to continue its normal operations.

Together with the neighbouring Melkweg, the venue soon became a symbol of the hippie counterculture and rock music of the 1970s: many internationally renowned bands played here, first and foremost the Rolling Stones, who claim to have played their best live shows at Paradiso.

Tickets for events at Paradiso

Ticket prices vary depending on the show. Tickets for all concerts and events can be purchased online on the club’s official website. A good tip is to always buy from the club’s website, as at the entrance the club’s security officers may not let you in with a ticket purchased on unofficial sites.

A small membership fee is included in the ticket purchase. In general, the doors open about half an hour before the start of the shows; especially for big concerts, it is advisable to arrive a few hours earlier if you are interested in getting the best seats for the show.

To find out about all the concerts and events held at the Paradiso and to purchase tickets, see the site below:

Inside the venue

The Paradiso is located on Weteringschans Street. Inside there is a main hall that seats up to 1,500 people, which is nothing more than an aisle of the former church, so in addition to being an atmospheric venue it also has excellent acoustics.

There are two rings of balconies and three large windows, typical elements of a church, which illuminate the stage itself. Upstairs is a small hall that hosts smaller concerts, usually featuring live performances by up-and-coming bands. Here there are no more than 250 seats available, so tickets must be secured well in advance. Finally, there is another secondary hall, located in the basement.

Events

Various evenings are regularly organised at Paradiso. Having somewhat left behind the original new wave and punk line-up, the venue now also offers other musical genres. For example, rock or pop concerts are offered on Thursday evenings, and indie music is usually performed in the smaller room. Paradiso also hosts theatre and classical music performances.