A Guide to Amsterdam’s Music Venues and Concert Halls

Amsterdam has one of the world’s great concert halls, two arena-sized stages and a dense cluster of late-night music bars into a city you can cross by tram in half an hour.

This guide sorts them by what you are going for, and links every music venue in our directory.

Classical, contemporary and jazz

Concertgebouw

The Concertgebouw stands at the far end of Museumplein and is home to the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.

Its main hall is famous for its acoustics, and there is a concert of some kind almost every day.

More than 10,000 Google reviews put it at 4.8, the highest of any large venue in this guide.

Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ and Bimhuis

These two share a building on the Piet Heinkade, a short walk east of Centraal Station along the IJ.

The Muziekgebouw programmes contemporary, classical, early, electronic and world music, plus concerts for young audiences.

The Bimhuis, the black box on the same building, is the leading jazz stage in the Netherlands and books adventurous improvised music as well as jazz.

NedPhO Koepel and Splendor

Two smaller classical addresses are worth knowing.

The NedPhO Koepel in the Indische Buurt is the home base of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, a converted church where it rehearses and gives concerts.

Splendor, in a former bathhouse on the Nieuwe Uilenburgerstraat, is run by a collective of musicians who play there almost every night.

The big stages

For the biggest touring names, head to Zuidoost.

Ziggo Dome on De Passage and AFAS Live on the Johan Cruijff Boulevard stand next to the Johan Cruijff ArenA, a few minutes’ walk from each other.

Ziggo Dome carries more than 30,000 Google reviews, more than any other venue in the city.

Closer to the centre, Paradiso on the Weteringschans is a former church that became one of the best-known pop venues in the country, with a main hall and a smaller room upstairs.

Melkweg sits around the corner on the Lijnbaansgracht, so a night near Leidseplein can take in either.

Further out, Gashouder, the round former gasholder at Cultuurpark Westergas, hosts concerts and big club nights, and Q-Factory on the Atlantisplein in Oost combines a concert hall with rehearsal studios.

Late-night live music around Leidseplein

A handful of small music bars within a few hundred metres of Leidseplein keep live music going late.

Jazz Café Alto on the Korte Leidsedwarsstraat has live jazz every night and more than 3,000 Google reviews.

The Waterhole, on the same street, is the rock bar, with bands most nights plus pool tables and darts.

Bourbon Street on the Leidsekruisstraat does blues and rock, and Maloe Melo on the Lijnbaansgracht has been the city’s blues café for decades, with bands in the back room.

A short walk away on the Amstel, Mulligans Irish Music Bar has Irish music sessions and live bands.

Smaller and independent stages

Bitterzoet on the Spuistraat, near Centraal Station, is a club and stage with something on every day, from DJs to bands.

De Nieuwe Anita in Oud-West feels like a living room and mixes live music with film and comedy nights.

OCCII on the Amstelveenseweg, by the Vondelpark, has been an independent home for underground music since 1992.

Beyond the centre, ZOJazz Stage on the Bijlmerplein brings jazz to Zuidoost, Swing Philosophy on the KNSM-Laan is where the city’s swing dancers meet, and P60 on the Stadsplein is the pop venue for Amstelveen.

Before you go

Times, prices and ticket sales change from show to show, so check each venue’s own agenda, linked from its listing.

Most of the smaller bars need no ticket at all, while the big halls sell out for the best-known names.

Our full list of music venues and concert halls shows them all on a map.

If your evening leans towards drama, comedy or dance, see our theatres, and for talks and mixed programmes, the city’s cultural centres.