the last few days were extremely exciting – and things are still about the heat up even more.

quite literally, that is.

but before i step on yet another plane (i finally get to update the country counter in my about!) let’s have a short look at last night’s opening of the tivolivredenburg in utrecht.

this charming city, only a 30-minute commuter ride away from amsterdam, is in the middle of a huge remodeling. one part of that will see the canal in the city centre come back to life after being swallowed up by the sin that is concrete. while that is supposed to be done with in a couple of years, the other part of the urban facelift is ready to shine. and shine it does.

consisting of seven halls, interconnected by a mind-boggling system of stairs and escalators the architect refers to as a “monkey in the jungle grabbing for all kinds of fruits in the trees”, the tivolivredenburg will have something on display for pretty much everybody who cares for music at all: rock / pop concerts, full-orchestra opera, chamber music, jazz, electronica – you name it, they can do it.

and they did it. and people loved it.

a crowd of 4,000 to 6,000 people kept wandering around, experiencing gigs by pianist ralph van raat, amsterdam singer/songwriter dotan, or the rave-rock razzmatazz of ex-deus singer tom barman’s new band magnus (my highlight of the night). later that night, after i had an incredible dinner experience at firma pickles burger & wines (which will get its own “gastro greatness” soon!) electro-duo 2manydjs turned the crowd at the ronda, the most beautiful venue of the tivolivredenburg, into one smiling sweating mass.

for more pictures please

now, speaking of sweating: as i write this line, i just boarded the plane.

i am bound for malta. for the isle of mtv.