La Banda Fantastica

Maloe Melo is a small blues café on Lijnbaansgracht in Amsterdam, and it has called itself the "Home of the Blues" since opening in 1984. It sits on the edge of a canal in a residential neighbourhood, about six blocks from the Leidseplein, slightly off the usual tourist track. City guides rarely mention it, and it has long been the kind of place locals go to when they want to hear the blues rather than a spot visitors stumble upon. Over four decades it has gone through a slight relocation, a stretch of roughly four years when the lease was lost, and a thorough redecoration of the interior, and more than once it has seemed close to closing for good. It has kept going regardless. The room is intimate rather than polished. Reviewers describe it as not especially fancy, with a warm and friendly atmosphere, cheap drinks and a good stage area, and it welcomes people of all ages. The walls carry framed portraits of blues figures who have either sat in or played engagements there, which gives the place the feel of an informal hall of fame. Its reputation reaches well beyond the Netherlands, and it is known among blues fans and touring musicians as a place worth seeking out. Live music is on offer every day of the week. Blues is the core of the programme, including Texas style guitar playing and late night jam sessions where players take turns on stage, but the bookings also include rock, ska and country, as well as DJ nights. The venue's owner is regarded as a figure of Dutch music history, and the café has been part of the city's live music scene since the 1980s.