Indiestad
It's true, Amsterdam is an amazing place for seeing bands all year round - but for a little longer than a week in May, it gets even better. So mark your calendars for 14 to 22 May 2012, because that's when Amsterdam turns into Indiestad ('Indie City'). More than 60 bands joined in last year for the inaugural edition, playing at various locations across the city. And the icing on the musical cake is that you can visit all shows with a single pass!
Amsterdam: indie mecca
Indiestad is the brainchild of Amsterdam's Paradiso, and the venue's twice-yearly, hugely successful London Calling festival is part of the deal.
Other locations include the slightly more intimate club Bitterzoet, cultural centre De Balie, underground-y club for the cool kids OT301 and, for the romantics and the singer-songwriters, a trio of churches that are both visually and acoustically stunning: De Duif, Vondelkerk and Amstelkerk.
2012: the second coming
There's a lot going on and to make the most of each night you should visit the Indiestad website. But to get you on your way, listed below are just a few of the acts that you'll leave you kicking yourself if you miss out this time.
YACHT (pictured left): This American group, originally from Portland, have been a hard one to peg for a few years already, as they flirt dangerously with a host of genres and create massive multimedia spectacles. Yet as each album arrives, they sharpen their dance pop schtick. Their latest, Shangri-La, was released last year by DFA Records and it'll make you want to dance, whether you're sat at home or partying in a club.
Perfume Genius: The alter-ego of Seattle-based solo artist Mike Hadreas, Perfume Genius may be one of the quietest and most intimate performances of Indiestad 2012. He's recently released his second album Put Your Back N 2 It, which captures masses of lyrical vulnerability and sparse orchestration driven by melancholic piano melodies.
Siskiyou: A delightfully vibrant indie folk offshoot of the Canadian Americana specialists the Great Lake Swimmers. Siskiyou can play as quietly and calmly as their buddies, but also love to erupt into upbeat harmonies and indie bopping. They're still relatively unknown, but their second album Keep Away the Dead was released last autumn and deserves more recognition.
The Magnetic Fields: Stephin Merritt's alt-pop project has ebbed and flowed since the late '80s, inspiring many but always sounding effortlessly unique. Perhaps most famous for the three volume concept piece 69 Love Songs in 1999, in recent years he's re-embraced the nature of being a prolific songwriter, releasing a steady flow of albums - the latest being Love at the Bottom of the Sea.
Hauschka (pictured right): It's not easy to bridge the worlds of indie pop with contemporary classical music, but German musician Volker Bertelmann has certainly fired up listeners' imaginations with his cinematic compositions. Performing on a prepared piano and backed by drum loops and chamber ensembles, his songs sound appropriately unique.
Field Music: In their early days Field Music were mainly overlooked by the pop world that was so keen on their Northern England peers Maxïmo Park and The Futureheads. But the Sunderland outfit has remained extremely prolific in their efforts to create lyrically sharp pop that also remains indie disco friendly. New album Plumb is one of their finest to date.
An Indiestad pass will set you back 50 euros - a very decent deal for the sheer mass of concerts on offer. But those who lack the stamina or the funds need not fear, as single tickets are also available for all gigs.
Indiestad: 14 - 22 May 2012
Indiestad passes are only on sale at Concerto in Amsterdam (Utrechtsestraat 52 -60); single tickets are available via the usual channels. Visit the Indiestad website (Dutch) for more information and the complete programme .
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