Vitor Kley

Tolhuistuin sits on the north bank of the IJ at IJpromenade 2 in Amsterdam Noord, directly across the water from the city centre. Its origins go back to 1770, when a tea dome and large garden were laid out on the site, making it a popular destination for Amsterdam residents who would cross the IJ by boat. The garden became one of the city's foremost entertainment spots through the 19th century, drawing well to do crowds with views over the water and offering a dance floor, bowling alley, shooting range and playground. Open air concerts were a regular feature from around 1870, though they stopped when the surrounding area industrialised in the late 19th century. The site then hosted large exhibitions, including the first Dutch shipping show in 1913 and the first Dutch aviation exhibition in 1919, after which the municipality redesigned the garden with a lawn and playground, novelties at the time. The modern chapter of Tolhuistuin began in September 2014 when the organisation behind Paradiso took over the complex and operated it for several years under the name Paradiso Noord. During that period the main performance spaces were the Concertzaal, Tuinzaal and IJzaal. From 2022 the Paradiso Noord name was dropped and the venue returned to being called Tolhuistuin, now with four distinct spaces: the Club, the Garden (Tuin), Zonzij and IJzaal. Today the complex functions as a broad cultural hub where concerts sit alongside theatre, exhibitions and other events. The music programming spans a wide range of genres, with acts such as Melody's Echo Chamber, Gilla Band and Iguana Death Cult appearing alongside singer songwriters and soul acts. Being in Amsterdam Noord means the venue carries a slightly different character from the city centre club circuit, with the IJ waterfront as its immediate backdrop.