astraboy

A long weekend is never bad, esp. when its in Amsterdam, however the main downer was that it was during the weekend that was seeing Hardcore Heaven touch down at the Fridge. Lacking the funds necessasary to procure a private helicopter for a high speed run and landing on the roof of the fridge (and believe me I tried) Me and Jen made alternative arrangements. One thing I made sure of was to wear my Hardcore Heaven Tshirt for the night, let everyone know where we would be if we could. All the guidebooks recommended Escape, which is located in the Rembrandtplein less than 20 minutes away from our hotel. Saturday night is regularly hosted by a night called Chemistry. We were not really sure of what to expect, but we were determined to go out and not be stuck in the hotel so we set off.
We got to the square at about 10.30 and the club wasnt even open. Dutch clubs are apparently famed for not opening much before midnight and tonight was no exception.
There was one guy on the door though, so I went up and had a word. He was real friendly and told me about the night, said what I was wearing was okay to get in and even gave me a flier 8) However we still had an hour to kill so we hung back and repaired to a bar to pass the time.
During that hour we chilled out with a few bottles and watched the world go by. I came to the conclusion that the dutch have got a lot better social scene than the british. If that square had been in the UK it would have been full of rudies, throwing up, fighting and the police seperating them. Here people from all walks of life were chilling out and having a night out. no one was brawling, no-one was hassling anyone, the police were there but they were just hanging round chatting to the people. The whole atmosphere was amazingly chilled and relaxed. I wish we could have that in the UK.
At about 23.45 the queue was starting to get bigger, so we finished the drinks and went to queue up. As we were queuing, I noticed the sign next to the door. In huge two foot high letters was the slogan "YOU'LL NEVER DANCE ALONE" 8) The queue went fairly quickly and after a fairly strict search and handing over 14euro on the door, we were in.
we heard the music once we were inside, It was house, and fairly chilled house at that, but it was not cheesy **** so it was danceable.
We bunged our coats in the cloakroom for 1.29 euro and went to the main room. The main room was massive. it had obiviously been a converted theatre as it had a massive stage, huger dancefloor and a raised area up top. Similar to the stratford Rex but without the scumminess, it was a very nice venue. The production was nothing short of amazing as well. SERIOUS money had been spent kitting this place out and it showed. I especially liked the way the lighting engineer had some degree of reatraint and kept the light show appropriate to the night. Chilled but impressive was the order of the day and he delivered.
On the decks was Marcello. As this was the first saturday of the month, he was doing a solo set all night. Actually it turned out that it wasnt a solo set as he let another Dj, Dan Murcilago, have a few hours while he rested, but it was still all good. A nice, pure night where it didnt matter who was on the decks, but what he was playing. In this case it was house, I was promised techno by the doorman, but it never arrived. However the night was none the poorer because of it. I only recognised one tune, a house mix of Tory Amos "professional widow" The crowd made up for the lack of a favoured music style though.
Without doubt the crowd made the night what it was. Once again they were notably different from a UK crowd at a club night. These people were there for one reason, the music. It was as if they had imported ravers in for a club night. people were dancing and were not hell bent on getting wasted and pulling. The crowd was chilled, dancing and loving the music that marcello provided. Once again I found myself wishing that we could have that in the UK. I might be tempted to go clubbing again if it could happen. What made it more remakable was the variety of people attending the night. Some people had turned up in smart suits, some in Tshirts, Some were proper club kittens, some were dancers, Some were hanging round the bar, some were dancing hard all night. A complete range of people and everyone was chilled and relaxed. 8)
Things I liked:
Top notch atmosphere,
full on production,
chilled yet dancable tunes,
cheapish entry,
5am finish for a club night,
The bar staff getting into it and having sly tequilas all night! I saw ya lads!

Things I liked less:
Price of alcohol, 5.5 euro for a bacardi breezer!!!!,
The toilet attendent DEMANDING payment for me just taking a ****, not even having a squirt of deodorant as compensation.
No Techno when it was promised on the night.

If you're in the Dam on a saturday and you're stuck for something to do then I definitly reccommend Escape. Okay its not hardcore, but dont let the fact its a commercial club put you off as its more of a rave with commercial club facilities than the sort of night out you can expect in a UK club. Wholeheartedly reccommended.
astraboy.
Special shout to: Jen,x.
Shouts to all the party people, but especially to Gary, who I met on the night. What are the chances of meeting the engineer who used to keep Leeds Dream FM up and running at a house night in amasterdam? Respect to ya mate. 8)

Jamie2003

didnt put u down as a Techno man myself. for me its too boring to be honest not very interesting music. Over here in N Ireland the techno people have Shine syndrome (its a club where they think anything that aint techno is inferior and childish)
if u like techno i suggest u get Mixmag it had a funky techno set by Fergie. i liked it a bit and i'm not really a techno person.

have u ever been over to N I for a wee festival called Planet Love i went last year and im going this year again its small and amaturish compared to most festivals but its cracker

image doctor

That is never going to happen.

TopBanana

Techno's changed a lot over the last few years, used to like the detroit stuff but not sure how to define it now

astraboy

<didnt put u down as a Techno man myself. for me its too boring to be honest not very interesting music.>
I wouldnt say boring, I prefer the term minimalist. Techno is about the tunes being stripped back to their bare bones and keeping it simple. As a hardcore raver I like techno as it is similar in content to hardcore, but less frantic and easier to chill out to.
<if u like techno i suggest u get Mixmag it had a funky techno set by Fergie. i liked it a bit and i'm not really a techno person.>
Hmm, got a few issues with Mixmag and their slagging of the hardcore scene a while back. Fraid I'll have to take your word for it!
<have u ever been over to N I for a wee festival called Planet Love i went last year and im going this year again its small and amaturish compared to most festivals but its cracker>
No I havent mate, do they have a techno room then? whens it on?
astraboy.

astraboy

<did they have the bells and airhorns out this week Astraboy? >
no they didnt mate, but TBH I dint expect them to as it was a house night. what was the DJ playing when you went there?
astraboy.

Jamie2003

"No I havent mate, do they have a techno room then? whens it on?
astraboy."

last year they didnt but the year before that they had a Shine Tent but it wasnt too successful because as i said about the techno heads over here there not very festivally and wouldnt go because of the amount of spides.

heres what DJ's have been booked so far but i stress this is early days last year was a belter PVD Mauro Picotto Hixxy Anne Savage Pete Tong watever ya liked they had it for ya.

Eddie Halliwell
Dave Angel
Judge Jules
Jamie Anderson
Lisa Lashes
Benny Benassi
Scott Mac
Charly Lownoise
Woody van Eyden
Anne Savage
Pablo Gargano
Sharkey
Hixxy
Hemstock and Jennings
Slipmatt
Trix
Vertigo

saddley last year i really wanted to see Layo and Bushwacka do a live set, but some idiot stole there Mixer before they came on so they couldnt play. the guy was caught when he was leaving with the mixer under his arm lol

www.planetlovemusic.com
if ya want information about past and present events

astraboy

hey Sharkey's playing! I'm driving him down to a gig tomorrow! I'll ask him about this, looks quite good.
astraboy.

mj

whats a spides?

Jamie2003

spides are them people who go to see DJ sammy, wear sports clothes when clubbing in clubs! and have mustaches that look like barcodes cus there too young to grow a reall mustache. they drink such alcohol beverages as Buckfast and there main reason for going out is to start fights with people and peddle drugs. scumbags really