Rock Music in Amsterdam

Information and tickets are available at the Amsterdam Uitburo or at the venues, but for large pop concerts you can also telephone the Ticketlijn on tel 0900-300 12 50.

Arena Stadium
(tel 311 13 33, Arena Blvd 1, Bijlmermeer).
This ultimate stadium venue seats 52,000 and produces shows that are big on lights, screens and production - crowd-pulling performers like the Rolling Stones, Back Street Boys and Bon Jovi. Operas like Carmen and Aida are also staged here as are mega-dance parties like 'Sensation'.

Heineken Music Hall
(tel 409 79 79, Arena Blvd, The Corridor 9, Bijlmermeer).
A steady stream of international acts (St Germain, Linkin Park, Manic Street Preachers) perform at this new, mid-sized entertainment venue which is praised for its high-quality acoustics and amazing lights.

Korsakoff
(tel 625 78 54, Lijnbaansgracht 161).
Still grungy after all these years, this hard-rock and alternative-music venue attracts a young clientele for lashings of punk, metal and goth.

Melkweg
(Milky Way; tel 531 81 81, www.melkweg.nl, Lijnbaansgracht 234A).
Melkweg's a cinema, art gallery, cafe, multimedia centre and a superlative pop and rock venue. There's live music almost every night (everything from Afro-Celtic to thrash) and an always impressive, eclectic international line-up: expect performers like Afrika Bambaataa, Jeff Beck, Aimee Mann and Weezer, sometimes within the same week!

Paradiso
(tel 626 45 21, Weteringschans 6).
This large former church has been the city's premier rock venue since the 1960s. Big-name acts like PJ Harvey, John Cale, Sonic Youth and David Bowie all come here to strut their stuff.

Westergasfabriek
(tel 586 07 10, Haarlemmerweg 8-10).
This former gas factory hosts two or three rock concerts a year in the old, round gas-holder, as well as other arts events and raves. It also used to host the brilliant Drum Rhythm Festival (acts included DJ Herbert, Jazzanova and Black Eyed Peas) before this moved to the Java Eiland.