Hello Dutch readers (and those nearby):
Since some of my favorite music comes from Belgium and the Netherlands, I
hope to "find" the music scene while I am visiting there. I will be arriving
in Amsterdam on the afternoon of July 30th, and will have about 5 days before
I need to be in Paris. I'll probably stop for some time in Rotterdam and/or
Brussels if someone can convince me that I'll find things to do there which
involve good music.
I hope to meet some fellow music geeks, maybe even some of the local music
makers. If there are any live or dj shows the first week of August, then
please let me know! At the very least, I should stop in all the record shops
that stock IDM and ambient (noise or techno) while I am there - unless
everyone tells me that the discs are somehow cheaper as imports than in their
country of origin :-)
I'm open to visiting other cities - please make suggestions. If you can
offer opinions on car rental vs. rail passes, and recommendations for good
local cuisine, I will listen to private responses (I have my system redirect
IDM list messages directly to their own folder, so I may miss responses which
aren't private).
Obligatory musical content: Has anyone heard the "Sound is Sound" release
from PHI on Belgium's NOVA ZEMBLA, circa 1994? It's really more ambient than
IDM, I guess, but a danceable (?) beat makes its way into many of the songs
much like the classic Microgravity by Biosphere. NZ008CD
P.S. I'm not into drugs/smoking (which is what everyone here seems to think
I'll be doing in Amsterdam). No offense to anyone who enjoys those vices, but
my only addiction is music, and there is no room for other substance (except
chocolate - I'll be visiting Switzerland, too).
Brian Willoughby