Music at the Amsterdam

Blue Petal played last weekend and was imply amazing, you should definitely check them out.

Nate Fowler's Elixir plays this Saturday at the Amsterdam.

Last night's Jazz Night in pictures

Last night the jazz at the Amsterdam Bar was especially sweet and lyrical. Many thanks to Scott Bucklin (piano), Jonathan Fisher (bass), Jaelin Washington (drums), Jay Jennings (trumpet), and all the guys who sat in for a night of amazing music.











Last night the jazz at the Amsterdam Bar was especially sweet and lyrical. Many thanks to Scott Bucklin (piano), Jonathan Fisher (bass), Jaelun Washington (drums), Jay Jennings (trumpet), and all the guys who sat in for a night of amazing music.

Robert Gomez live at The Amsterdam Bar May 16th!

We are very excited to announce that Robert Gomez will be playing live at the Amsterdam Bar on May 16, 2009!



From Allmusic.com:

If there has been something salutary about the evolution of the singer/songwriter genre over the years, it's been the way that those who work in the general vein have expanded its range beyond simply being solo guitar with arrangements, or painstaking re-creations of power pop bands jamming. Robert Gomez's 2009 album demonstrates this, with perhaps expected fragments of the art pop aesthetic from the Beach Boys meshing with crisp drum punches and even full-on rhythm attacks, which "Behind a Green Rosette" shows on this album in particular. If he doesn't really let himself be as completely loose as he could -- there's definitely an air of a lost '70s wonderland present from the start -- he has an ear for unsettled backgrounds and mood establishers, like the swirl of piercing piano and the roiling chug and tones starting "At Nemeli Bats," or the slow unfolding keyboard and skyscrape guitar howl that concludes "Open Your Eyes/Escape From." Gomez serenely whispers and soothes more than sings, with as much reverb on his voice as possible, but it suits the understated flow of work like "Hunting Song," all softly chugging but nervous tones, keyboards, and beats, and perhaps the most traditional guitar/vocal song, "A Paper Figurine" -- at least before the spare funk break kicks in.

This is going to be a great show.

You can find more details at Robert Gomez's website.

Lighter beers for the summer!

Well, for better or worse, the heat is back in Dallas, Texas. Here are some lighter, thirst-quenching beers we recommend for the summer time.

Amstel Light (Holland) – 3.5% ABV: Amstel Light pours a very light golden color with a short head and no lacing. The smell is very light, with just a little bit of grain and hops. The taste of this light lager is sweet and drinkability is superb. As its name suggests, Amstel Light is a very light and refreshing beer and is suitable as a session beer.

Blue Moon (Toronto, Canada) – 5.4% ABV: Blue Moon is a Belgian-style white beer brewed by the Blue Moon Brewing Company. The beer is orange-amber in color with a cloudy appearance because it is unfiltered. It is also spiced with coriander and orange peel in addition to the hops found in most beers.

Longboard Island Lager (Kona, Hawaii) – 5.0% ABV: Longboard is a light, slightly sweet lager that comes to us all the way from Kona in the Hawaiian Islands. This beer goes down nice and smooth on hot summer nights.

Pabst Blue Ribbon (San Antonio, Texas) – 5.0% ABV: Established in Milwaukee in 1844, this is the original Pabst Blue Ribbon beer. Nature's choicest products provide its prized flavor. Only the finest of hops and grains are used. Selected as America's Best in 1893.

Woodchuck Draft Cider (Vermont) – 4.0% ABV: A refreshing pear cider all the way from Vermont. This is a sweet and slightly tart refreshment when you are in the mood for something other than a beer or when you want an option with lower alcohol content.

Dogfish Head's Burton Baton available at The Amsterdam Bar

From left to right: Dogfish Head's 60 Minute IPA, Burton Baton, Red & White, and Indian Brown Ale.

The Amsterdam Bar has secured a small supply of a very rare beer: Dogfish Head's Burton Baton. This extreme beer is brewed in very small batches at irregular intervals, so there's no telling when we may see another shipment.

Burton Baton is a strong brew at 10% ABV. It's a complex blend of oaky english brown ale and Dogfish Head's signature 90 Minute Imperial Pale Ale. The result is a strong sweet beer with enough hop bite at the end to keep it in balance. Get to the Amsterdam Bar and enjoy a bottle of Burton Baton before the last of this extreme beer is all gone.

Monday Night Jazz at the Amsterdam Bar

One of my favorite things to do in Dallas is to stop into the Amsterdam Bar for the Bad Ass Jazz on Monday nights. There's no cover for this weekly event, but it draws a large crowd and features key players in the Dallas jazz scene. The band is slightly different every week, but is based around the members of The Shelley Carrol quartet. The lineup can be anything from a trio up to a quintet (and occasionally a sextet). Some of the musicians I've seen at the Amsterdam recently include:

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

The Amsterdam is also a great place to go for a cold beer.

Event: "Attack of the Designer Toy Show"

Just a quick post to let you know that one of our friends and neighbors--artist Eddie Ruiz--is having a show tonight at his studio and gallery just down the street from the Amsterdam Bar.  We'd like to encourage you to check out Eddie's show: "Attack of the Designer Toy Show" and then come by the Amsterdam afterwards for a delicious beer or mixed drink.

Check out Eddie's websites for more information about this show:

www.myspace.com/avenuearts

http://edwardruizart.blogspot.com

http://monstorbotstudio.blogspot.com

New Dallas Jazz Appreciation Group on Facebook

I was at a jazz event last night at Sandaga's Market and I was talking to host Darryl Thomas about some of the different ways we could help to build an audience for jazz in Dallas, Texas. One of the ideas I had was to start a new Facebook group to attract people who love jazz online. To that end, I have established the Dallas Jazz Appreciation Group on Facebook.

I'm hoping that this new group will serve as a place for Dallas jazz fans to share information about jazz artists, jazz venues, and upcoming jazz events.

Click Here to join the Dallas Jazz Appreciation Group.

Four Pictures of an Exit Sign

April 6, 2009 - The Amsterdam Bar - Dallas, Texas

Random Rock-a-Billy!

I walked into the Amsterdam on Wednesday of last week and this Rock-a-Billy quartet were playing. I have no idea who they are, but they seemed to be playing in honor of someone's birthday.

Remember: every Wednesday night is "Vintage Bike Night," a great night for lovers of classic European motorcycles to get together, enjoy a pint, and talk about their bikes.