The Dukes of Harlem

De Taverne sits at the foot of the Ruïnekerk in the centre of Bergen, in Noord Holland. The building began life around 1800 as a drive through stable belonging to the inn De Rustende Jager, and the café now counts some 215 years of history. That origin as a coaching stable gives the place an unusual backstory for a music venue, and it has been a café with a long local reputation since 1962, when it began drawing the people who still define it: music lovers and the musicians who play for them. Live music is a weekly fixture rather than an occasional extra. The programme mixes up and coming bands with established names, and the sources mention acts such as The Cosmic Carnival and My Baby alongside Van Dik Hout, Nico Dijkshoorn, Frederique Spigt, Sjako!, Trio Bier, Gotcha!, Daniel Arends and De Raggende Manne. International singer songwriter Ken Stringfellow has played here, and the setlist archives also list Wild Romance, Senja Sargeant, Bartel Bartels, The Story of Harvest, Romanza Brava and the Pat McManus Band, among others. Concert databases record more than a hundred past shows, which gives a sense of how long and how consistently the room has been used for gigs. Sunday afternoon performances have also been part of the routine when circumstances allow. Outside of concerts, the Taverne works as a proper café. It serves food through the day, has a sunny terrace, and keeps a selection of specialty beers on tap and in bottles, plus wines and whiskies. In summer the venue also stages the Taverne Open Air Festival, with a 2027 edition announced for the beginning of July.