Looking for something to do in Dallas? Don't forget Jazz Night at The Amsterdam Bar!

There are a lot of great jazz clubs in Dallas, Texas, but if it's Monday night, there is only one choice: on Monday nights The Amsterdam Bar hosts the best jazz in Dallas, Texas. Here's what the Dallas Observer had to say:

Some jazz clubs in Dallas offer live music on the weekends; most of the better ones serve it up every night. But [The Amsterdam Bar] in Exposition Park, beats the competition even though it hosts live jazz only on Mondays. Still, there's more than a quality-to-quantity ratio involved in this one. To us, jazz isn't about pristine tablecloths, expensive martinis and a bunch of old farts sitting around and ignoring the music. The best jazz is the stuff made in dark, casual clubs like New Amsterdam, where local players as hot as Shelley Carrol and (on occasion) Earl Harvin set up on the floor in front of the bathrooms and improvise some of the best bop-era jazz in town. On occasion, the tunes get rough--after all, the floor is open to all brass-wielders--but cheap martinis, lounge seating and a chill atmosphere make up for the occasional weak sax solo.

And that pretty much sums it up.



The lineup is based on the members of The Shelley Carrol quartet, but the lineup changes weekly as individuals take a night off and friends and guests sit in for a set or even for the entire evening. Here are some of the musicians we've seen recently:

Shelley Carrol - Tenor Saxophone
Brad Leali - Alto Saxophone
Gary Granger - Drums
Jonathan Fisher - Bass
Scott Bucklin - Piano
Jay Jennings - Trumpet

Join us every Monday night for the best jazz in Dallas, Texas!

Amsterdam Brothel closings have no impact on local bar

We are happy to announce that the following story will have no impact whatsoever on The Amsterdam Bar:

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands — Amsterdam unveiled plans Saturday to close brothels, sex shops and marijuana cafes in its ancient city center as part of a major effort to drive organized crime out of the tourist haven.

The city is targeting businesses that "generate criminality," including gambling parlors, and the so-called "coffee shops" where marijuana is sold openly. Also targeted are peep shows, massage parlors and souvenir shops used by drug dealers for money-laundering.

"I think that the new reality will be more in line with our image as a tolerant and crazy place, rather than a free zone for criminals" said Lodewijk Asscher, a city council member and one of the main proponents of the plan.

So no worries. I fyou want a great beer or mixed drink, you can still come to The Amsterdam Bar in Dallas, Texas.

Scenes from a Friday night at The Amsterdam Bar

A few pictures to capture a moment in time: Friday November 21, 2008.

Imagine if we could train them to drive . . .

The KüL to play The Amsterdam Bar November 8th

We are very excited to announce that The KuL will be playing The Amsterdam Bar this Saturday, November 8th!

About the KüL:

The KüL is a band on a musical journey of expression, freedom, and experience. A willingness to explore and create a sound of hope and awareness for the masses, who are blinded by a cloud of paranoia, blending soul, blues, funk, and rocknroll. The KüL has created a sound and style that is unique and all their own.

The Voice of the KüL: Adrian Brackens aka (Johnny Lenix) is a classic throwback to 70s soul singers similar to Al Green, Sly Stone, and James Brown. With his energetic showmanship and poetic writing Johnny Lennix uses his gospel, soul, and funk roots to evoke spiritual and free emotions in the masses. Formally a member of the Grammy award winning gospel group, Gods Property featuring, Kirk Franklin, this multi-talented musician has performed across the country and overseas with the award winning group.

The Sound of the KüL: guitarist Dane Manshack, a Blues Master in the making, takes elements of the past and conjures up a spellbinding electric sound of psychedelic peace, love, sex, and happiness. This young cat harkens to the 60's with bell-bottoms and bare feet playing stoner blues and rock with a punk groove from the dirty south.

The Pulse of The Band: drummer Ross Martinez and bassist Max Townsley are both grounded in music theory, Ross is the heartbeat that drives the band to new horizons in sound, with his blending of jazz, soul, and rock drumming. The bass player is our resident genius Max, a multi-talented musician lays down the funk and gives a new meaning to the word bottom man with his unique style of play.

And now with addition of female vocalist Taylor Rea, with her sultry, soulful sound, influenced by Bonnie Rate, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, and many more...makes a perfect addition to an already musical masterpiece. JAM!

Truly the KüL is a band with a sound thats all their own. With each members collective talent and desire this band is on their way to a place in rock history.

The KüL bring an amazing energy to their stage performance. There can be no doubt: on Saturday November 8th, The Amsterdam Bar is the place to be!

This weekend we're having an Oktoberfest party!

The dust is settling from the remodel, & we're ready to have some fun & get into the season.

Pumpkin Carving Contest: Beginning today, you'll get a free Pumpkin with the purchase of an Oktoberfest, or Dogfish Head Pumpkin Beers. The Winner gets a $50 Tab, 2nd is a $25 Tab.

We'll fire up the grill for Brats as well around 2:30

Saturday Night's Bands are:

Beauregard, Plexus Loom, and DJ Dave!

Mission Accomplished!

We are now a much bigger bar!








We've pretty much finished our renovation and we've reopened! Oh, there are a few fine touches to be put on, some painting and some cleanup, but our renovation is complete, our bathrooms have been moved and upgraded, and we're ready to show Dallas a good time!

Poor Sheldon: he seems overwhelmed by all the new space!

Don't freak out! It's just a makeover!

We're Shutting down Sunday 10/12 to Thursday 10/16. We' will be doing some major remodeling, fixing some things that need a little more time than over night (like painting the floors), & getting rid of the maze to the patio.

We aren't going the way of Expo Park Cafe, Bar of Soap or Meridian Room. We've been planning on this for a bit, & the last week of the fair is usually a great time to close momentarily for major work.

We'll be open for next weekend, & come see what we've done! We'll be doing an Oktoberfest special next Friday - Sunday.

Watch the Vice Presidential Debate at The Amsterdam Bar

Watch this historic debate and share a few beers with your friends at The Amsterdam Bar on October 2, 2008, as Senator Joe Biden and Governor Sarah Palin meet in their single vice presidential debate. This will be a great debate watching party with good friends and great beer.

Here's a tiny preview of what we can expect from the debate.

Laura Palmer and the Tah Dahs to play the Amsterdam September 13th

Saturday, September 13th, Laura Palmer and The Tah Dahs will play The Amsterdam Bar. Sadly, this will be Laura Palmer's final show in Dallas before the band moves.

Tickets are $5 at the door and the show should start sometime after 9:30 PM.

Read a fantastic interview with Laura Palmer at The Sub-Rosa.