Jam Bands and Hash Bars

Jam band concert in Amsterdam:

AmsterJam 2005
First Ever American Multi-Bill In Amsterdam, Holland

March 20, 21 and 22nd, 2005
Amsterjam featuring Umphrey’s McGee, Keller Williams, Particle, & Disco Biscuits
The Milkweg
Lijnbaansgracht 234a, Amsterdam

Tickets are $150.00 through October/$175 in March / Ages 18 + welcome

Complete travel packages are available from Madison House Travel.

It’s groovy, man:

Goodbye, muddy concerts in a field! Well, at least for three days next March. In searching for a unique event for Umphrey’s McGee to take part in, we hit upon the idea of hosting a concert in our favorite city in Europe, Amsterdam. As far as we know, no one has ever attempted to hold a multi-band, multi-day, mini-festival there, bringing American bands and their fans. Of course, due to the time of year and the unpredictable weather in the Netherlands, an outside concert was impossible.

We were aware of a venue called the Melkweg (Milky Way) that would be perfect for such a show. Not only did it have two concert venues under one roof, but also a restaurant, cinema, and art gallery. Located just off the Leidseplein, one of the hippest spots in the city and home to the Holland Casino, it has been in operation since 1970, when an abandoned milk factory was turned in to a concert venue. It has hosted everyone you can think of over the years, and evolved from one venue to two. The Max, which holds 1000 people, and the Old Hall, which holds 750, would give us the capacity to pull it off, yet be small enough to provide intimate participation in the show. We flew over to meet with the owners, and on top of being typically nice Dutch folks, they embraced the idea wholeheartedly. The founder, Cor Schlosser, told us stories of Jerry Garcia playing the Melkweg, along with many other famous bands. AmsterJam was to be a reality, now we just needed the bands!

Umphrey’s McGee was obviously the first band that agreed to take part, and Particle followed soon after. We announced the show officially at Umphrey’s epic late night sets at Bonnaroo, and were overwhelmed by the response. Once word got out about the show, other bands clamored to be involved. We only have room for four artists total, and we were fortunate enough to secure the Disco Biscuits, and Keller Williams to complete the synergy of the event. All of these bands have jammed together in some form, and we hope that will make this show all the more special.

Each band will play a long two-hour set each night of AmsterJam, in one of the two venues. There will be overlap, so that we can accommodate all attendees within the two rooms. Even though the total capacity is 1750, we only plan to sell 1500 tickets, so as to keep it very comfortable for all. With normal ebb and flow of the crowd, it should be no problem seeing your favorite group, up close and personal, without being elbowed or jostled.

So, as much as AmsterJam is about being an amazing concert, it will equally be a chance to drink in the culture of the Netherlands and it’s friendly, English-speaking natives. It is home to two of the world’s greatest museums, beautiful canals and bridges which define the city, architecture unlike anywhere else, and historical sites like the Anne Frank House and Rembrandt’s house. We hope you can take part in the fun, and maybe even take home a lesson in tolerance that helps make Amsterdam such a special place. But, first things first …. Go get a PASSPORT!

They also have a listing of Amsterdam sights and amenities, including special coffee shops