Amsterdam The Sequel Vacation Highlight: Best. Show. Ever.

When I moved to Dubai, one of the things I knew was going to frustrate me is the lack of good live music options. If you've been reading this little blog for a while, you may have noticed that I'm a huge fan of music.
In Vancouver, Sarin and I were seeing shows at least once a month, sometimes more.

I was looking for an excuse to escape the desert, and during my regular 'who's on tour' search I came across Nine Inch Nails playing in Amsterdam. While I'm not a super fan, I had read how this tour was pretty amazing, and Amsterdam. I LOVE Amsterdam and will never pass up an excuse to visit the city.

The concert was held at Heineken Music Hall, which I had previously been to for Arcade Fire. The venue was built for music (hence the name, duh) and it was the perfect place to see a show as complex as this.

(image courtesy of Nine Inch Nails' Instagram feed)

The acoustics were perfect. The visuals were amazing. Trent et al were bang on. He said maybe six words to the crowd, and just got to it. I left the concert in awe, and thinking: this was the best show I've ever seen.

Seriously. If you have the chance to see NIN play, go. Just go.

Vacation Highlight: Wake Up Amsterdam

When I went to Paris, I was lucky enough to be there while the Avett Brothers were touring and was able to see a band I love, play a tiny venue, in a magical city. It was special, and such a great story.

The Avetts were on tour again while I was traveling, though I wouldn't be able to see them. I was, however, in Amsterdam while possibly my favorite band was playing -  Arcade Fire was performing in Amsterdam on my last night in the city. When I was finally able to confirm my travel arrangements, I found out the show was sold out. Boo!

I searched online, found nothing on Craigslist and couldn't figure out where Dutch people went to sell their goods online. During my OkCupid communication with one dude, he told me where to look. And magically, there were tickets!

I took a train out to a small Dutch town, met a man with the ticket, and squealed.

Yessssssss!

The show was held at the Heineken Music Hall, and housed 5000 Dutch hipsters. I grabbed a beer, settled in, found a great spot and danced my ass off.

Having seen them recently, I was familiar with their set, though Arcade Fire will always be an amazing show. They played for what seemed like a minute, but was actually a pretty long set. And they made the weird looks I was getting totally worthwhile.

My name is Iris, and even in foreign lands, I dance like a doofus.

SETLIST:
Ready to Start
Keep the Car Running
Neighbourhoods #2 (Laika)
No Cars Go
Haiti
Sprawl II
Empty Room
Rococo
The Suburbs
The Suburbs (Continued)
Month of May
Rebellion (Lies)
Neighbourhood #1 (Tunnels)
Neighbourhood #3 (Power Out)

Encore:
Intervention
Wake Up

So my adventure ended in the most perfect of ways: listening to Win & Regine serenade me with Wake Up. It was my idea of perfect.

Wake Up

Somethin' filled up
my heart with nothin',
someone told me not to cry.