Tuesday 17 February – Amsterdam, the Netherlands
I don’t like Amsterdam. Everybody’s stoned and no-one speaks Dutch. Upon exiting central station a waft of pot comes your way and sanity can hardly be found between the crappy souvenir stands and ‘coffeeshops’.
Right now it’s 7:30 on a Tuesday night and I’m sitting in a quiet casual cafe where an ugly middle aged man is dancing by himself, obviously smashed, declaring he’s been having too much sex. He’s still wearing his business suit and the bar tender advises he’d best get to bed. Meanwhile two ladies are elaborately making out in the corner, which is nice.
The city with no rules attracts people without boundaries. To the rest of the Netherlands, Amsterdam is like another country. If you ever find yourself in this city, I would suggest getting on the southbound train to get out at the very last stop, called Vlissingen. Take a stroll along the seaside where our finest sailors once boarded ships and ruled the world.
Currently a lady sporting a blue bathrobe drifts by the window, looking as if she’s searching for her hairdryer. They all appear to be having a jolly good time and in the end that’s all that matters, isn’t it?
PHOS
I attended the album release of Eveline Vroonland in Bitterzoet, Amsterdam, a tiny venue ten steps from central station. All lyrics, artwork and vocals on ‘Never Obsolete’ are hers.
She deserves better than this place half full of hipsters. Her body emphasizes the music she sing. Most importantly, she looks intensely happy as I float along with her tunes and lyrics. Afterwards the drummer dude tries to pick up on an audience girl. Excuse me, three audience girls. Oh what the hell, why be humble? You’re the drummer dude after all.
It sounded incredibly smooth for a live performance, just the way I remember her voice from ten years ago, when we were in high school together and did theater. She hugged me after the show and we were simply teenage friends.
Marjolein Goes to America 
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