Music Guide (August 2026)

FESTIVALS & PARTIES

Editor’s Pick: ZeeZout Festival

If you like: Excellent electronic curation

Curated, boutique and always welcome, Zeezout is one of Amsterdam’s smallest but most formidable festivals. From obscure disco to percussive techno, you’ll find a little slice of everything in a program that features established names and ones on the rise. This year marks 10 years, so expect it to be as seamless as ever, with homegrown names like Carista and Identified Patient, alongside international acts like Mall Grab on the roster. 

29 August | Tuinen van West | buy tickets 

Pride x World Pride 2026: Opening Weekend Parties

If you like: A little bit of everything

Come the first weekend of August, don’t miss out on World Pride, which ends on 8 August. Some standouts of the first weekend include the Canal Parade, Herrensauna at Tilla Tec, Spielraum x Lofi and Pon di Pride - Amsterdam’s longest-running Black LGBTQI+ Caribbean club night, which goes bigger with a massive party celebrating the whole Queer Afro-Caribbean diaspora. 

You’ll find a roundup of our best picks here.

1-2 August | City-wide | Explore WorldPride Amsterdam 2026

World Pride Closing Parties incl. Tropikali by Night

If you like: Mediterranean beats

Close out World Pride with a range of events, from the official closing concert to more curated tastes. One of those options is Tropikali. This festival – which usually happens every June – turns up in Paradiso on 8 August bringing back a Pride staple, ROSARIO, born from the sunny dances in Vondelpark and now reimagined indoors. An LGBTQI+ focused party, expect anything from Latin house to Balkan and SWANA (Southwest Asia and North Africa)-influenced pop in what is a truly global celebration.

8 August | Paradiso | buy tickets

Loveland

If you like: Lakeside festivals

Now running for over 30 years, Loveland takes over the lush green Sloterpark (Amsterdam’s largest park) in August for a two-day weekend celebrating its many decades on earth. House and techno are the main genres here, but you can expect a crowd that’ll put you at ease, whether you know the songs or not. Expect heavy hitters this weekend with the likes of Fat Boy Slim, Freddy K, Joris Voorn and Stephan Bodzin all on the lineup. 

8-9 August | Sloterpark | buy tickets

Lowlands

If you like: Big stages, bigger names

A festival that needs little introduction, Lowlands is the Netherlands’ very own Glastonbury. Taking place yearly deep in the corners of Flevoland, it attracts some of the world’s biggest acts and names, with this year’s edition featuring the likes of Tyler the Creator, Lorde, Parcels, Celeste, Geese and Kneecap. Weekend tickets are the only things you’ll get, including camping for the brave – though glamping’s on offer for those that can afford the good and easy life. 

21-23 August | Flevoland

CONCERTS & GIGS

Wilco + Hovvdy

If you like: The Shins, José González

One for everyone who veers a little more toward summertime sadness than summertime celebrations, Wilco, with support act Hovvdy, brings a heady mix of wistful melancholy and melody. Wilco’s live performances are canon, where rock meets country and indie, while Hovvdy bring an emotional sucker punch to every stage they grace. 

18 August | doors open 19:00 | Paradiso | buy tickets

POLIÇA

If you like: The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Wet

Minnesota-hailing band POLICA are on their seventh album (eighth if you include their collaboration with Stargaze in 2018) and their sound still remains hard to describe. Fluttering distorted vocals and choppy, dark synths make for a seductive sound that’s earned them something of an underground following. Catch them at Tolhuistuin if you’re ready to join the movement. 

29 August | doors open 19:00 | Tolhuistuin | buy tickets

Peaches

If you like: Goldfrapp, Sleigh Bells

Long having secured icon status within LGBTQI+ circles over a 20-plus-year career, Peaches takes a deserved place in Melkweg's World Pride programming. Brash, unashamed and transgressive, Peaches’ brand of electroclash channels her frustrations through soaring synth lines, pulsating bass and even a little humour.

7 August | doors open 19:00 | Melkweg | buy tickets

A$AP ROCKY

If you like: Kendrick Lamar, Childish Gambino

Grammy award winner, fashion muse and now actor, is there anything ASAP Rocky can’t do? We’re not at liberty to answer that, but his August stint at Ziggo Dome looks to further cement his modern icon status. Known for his ability to blend critical appeal with commercial success, and for his deft use of samples and collaborations, his latest album is a testament to that, not least “I Smoked Away My Brains,” which samples Imogen Heap and Clams Casino’s trip-hop sleeper hit “I’m God” to beautiful effect.

27 August | doors open 18:00 | Ziggo Dome | buy tickets

Grachtenfestival

If you like: Classical music on the canals

With Amsterdam’s iconic canal belt as its backdrop, the 10-day Grachtenfestival spotlights the best of classical and jazz, performed in extraordinary locations from ARTIS Planetarium to Fabrique des Lumières. Watch an intimate string quartet inside a historic canal house, or groove along to a jazz performance on a pontoon floating over the city’s idyllic canals. As the country’s major stage for emerging talent in classical and jazz music, the Grachtenfestival brings Amsterdam’s watery heart to life like no other. 

7-16 August | citywide | buy tickets

Prinsengrachtconcert

If you like: Atmospheric classical 

Don’t miss the Prinsengracht, which rolls into town too – otherwise known as the Netherlands’ biggest open-air classical concert. It draws in thousands of people on boats along the water who come together for gorgeous classical music in a magical ambience. Better yet, it’s free.

22 August | Prinsengracht | more information

Summer Concerts at the Concertgebouw

If you like: Unparalleled acoustics

Presiding over the famed Museumplein, it's hard to miss Amsterdam's Concertgebouw. With its beautiful neoclassical façade, the building is an architectural landmark, but it's the venue's unrivalled acoustics for which this concert hall is best known. Each summer, the Concertgebouw opens its doors for an accessible programme of performances spanning classical masterpieces, chamber music, jazz and contemporary works. Inside this world-class venue, seasoned concertgoers brush shoulders with those looking to dip their toes into the world of classical music, with many performances paired with pre-concert talks and relaxed post-performance drinks in the building's elegant spaces.

Summer Concerts at the Concertgebouw | All summer long | Het Concertgebouw

*If you've missed out on tickets, don't sweat – TicketSwap is a safe and reliable resale site where you can source tickets for events that have sold out.