Paradiso (Amsterdam)

Among the most famous acts to have played Paradiso include Adele, David Bowie, Eminem, Kanye West, Jorel, Nirvana, Pink Floyd, Air, Prince and The Rolling Stones.

[3] The building which currently houses Paradiso was built from 24 May 1879 to 2 May 1880 by De Vrije Gemeente (English: The Free Congregation), a modern theologic religious group.

In 1965, De Vrije Gemeente moved to the Buitenveldert neighbourhood and sold the building, which was originally to be repurposed into a hotel built by famous Dutch architect Gerrit Rietveld.

[7] In October 1967, the building was squatted by hippie music fans, led by Willem de Ridder, Koos Zwart, Matthijs van Heijningen and Peter Bronkhorst, who wanted to turn it into a cultural venue.

[9] Less than two months after its opening, the English rock band Pink Floyd played the venue on 23 May 1968, not long after announcing the departure of Syd Barrett.

The 1970s were a grittier era for Amsterdam and Paradiso; a Rolling Stone report recalled how "dope, music and atmosphere were cheap and abundant" until August 1970.

[12] Drug abuse led to an aggressive atmosphere and declining attendance numbers, but the venue saw a "golden age" with the rise of punk rock.

[14] During a 1979 gig, American singer Iggy Pop was beaten up on stage at Paradiso by a Hells Angels biker gang which had become venue regulars.

[15]In 1974, hospitality entrepreneur Nicolaas Bouwes announced plans to construct a 49,000-square meter hotel complex on the Leidseplein, requiring the demolition of Paradiso.

In 2001, the Heineken Music Hall opened, and then in 2013, the Ziggo Dome, which replaced Rotterdam Ahoy as the arena venue for which large bands would play in the Netherlands.

[36] Nirvana's live album From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah featured performances of "School", "Been a Son", "Lithium" and "Blew" taken from the band's 25 November 1991 show at Paradiso, which was originally supposed to be held at the nearby Melkweg before ticket demand necessitated a venue size upgrade.

[40] Artists who played at the Paradiso include: On 23 May 1968, Pink Floyd performed a concert at the club venue containing songs from The Piper at the Gates of Dawn and A Saucerful of Secrets.

[50] Beth Hart's performance during the recording of the Live at Paradiso DVD on May 7, 2004, resurrected her music career in Europe after declining in the early 2000s, due to drug addiction and untreated mental illness in the United States.

The church windows of the Paradiso
Poster on the side of the Paradiso