h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Can anyone give me the name of good alternative clubs in Amsterdam. I'm not after the private party type, with free towels (what's that all about anyway?), but the true goth experience. I want Siouxsie, Bauhaus, Fields of the Nephilim, The Cure, Joy Division, etc etc. Most of these seem to be overpowered by industrial (not too bad sometimes, but not nearly enough arm-waving) or simple kinkiness (I don't want to spank you, I just want to dance).

Please give me a hint, if you know anywhere good. The Korsakoff is the nearest to it I've been to, but you can't smoke in there, which was a damn disappointment.

Amsterdam does, or did have, several places that cater to the sort of thing you are looking for. However, as the squatting movement died down in the 80's & 90's, so too did many of these places. I forget the names of these clubs, since alcohol and time have both ravaged my poor brain cells. However, the Korsakoff has its moments as a damn fine party palace. For example, the time I had a whole beer (admittedly, less than a pint but, then again, the Dutch have no concept of how to drink more than 200ml of beer at once!) poured on me by an unknown perp from the balcony above (oh, how we laughed! not...), or the time some poor fool made the mistake of inviting everyone present back to their place for an after-club party, and then wondered why all their possessions started to migrate out the door (or window)... But, I digress. Keep searching - Amsterdam never fails to surprise, or at least, that has been my epxerience. Lastly, you certainly can smoke in the Korsakoff, you just don't go around advertising the fact..!

Lol. Thanks for the advice Rorschach. I'm here now, so I've been able to find out the names of some places, if not the urge to go out to them yet... I was far too polite at the Korsakoff and actually asked if it was ok to smoke last time.. lol. I won't bother this time, just be discreet (my middle name by the way.. lol). However, I saw the protests on the news about Entrepodok recently. Do you know if Inrichting has been shut down? (My dutch is still bad, although I do try pathetically to always say my "Alstublieft"s and "Dank u wel"s... lol.) I've also heard that the Cave of the Satyr is on once a month.. if you, or anyone else, knows anything about these or any other good clubs in the Dam do please share with the group.. I want to go out and dance!! Thanks.

Beata, you'll have to forgive me, but I don't know what you mean when you refer to Entrepodok, or Inrichting. I guess that must make me very unhip or whatever, but I obviously haven't been hanging out anywhere near there! I *have* heard of Cave of the Satyr, but never been there, so you're obviously much more in with the in-crowd than I am! However, I do remember a good, grungy sort of place that I used to drink in when I lived over in the Jordaan when I had a houseboat there last spring. It's a dark, dingy place (at least, it is during these winter nights) called Café Soundgarden over at Marnixstraat 164. Hmmm, I recall someone bemoaning Amsterdam's lack of pinball machines (here on h2g2, I think, although my memory fails me), but this place has of couple of them inside, along with a bunch of other pub games you can play. I haven't been there (or at Korsakoff, for that matter) since last April, so I really should go back there sometime. My normal drinking hole these days though is Tig Barra, over on Overtoom. Nice friendly bar staff, pool table on the mezzanine floor overlooking the street, and there are always english newspapers to read for free while you're supping on your english-style (small head) pint (my idea of heaven!)... Me and a few others left there at 10:00am on New Year's Day after a solid 12 hour drinking session... hehe! I would stop and write more, but I'm using a colleague's PC while he's on his lunchbreak and he's due back any minute! Have fun, and if you see me round town, I'm the guy with the big sideburns...

Thanks for the tip again Rorschach. I've actually been to the Sound Garden. Lol. Actually that's a lie.. I almost went into the Sound Garden but an evil goth girl was so rude to me just outside it that I decided I wouldn't bother going in if it was going to be that bad. Lol. May well buckle and give it another go if I can't find somewhere else that plays alternative sounds though.. lol. I'm an ex-goth in perky recovery so I'm shunned by both sides of the line at the moment.. too much black worn for the happy chaps. Too many smiles and not enough make-up for the goths. Lol. No loss to me though. I'm happy being exactly who I am. So pants to the lot of 'em. *laughs* Oh yeah and it was me who complained about the whole pinball situation. I was most disappointed when I returned and found the arcades had turned into gambling only establishments.. but I have since found a few machines to while away some time and guilders on so I'm fine now. lol.