Image by ALexander Geijzendorffer

Slightly out of the center, it took me a while to go, but now I can confirm it’s a place worth visiting. The World Music Dance Center or WMDC is exactly what you’d expect when you read the name.

If you live in Rotterdam and you want a close encounter with playing world music or dancing more seriously, this is a good place to start. In collaboration with SKVR and the Codarts music school they organise workshops and lectures.

On the other hand, if you’re just around for a few days and you feel like meeting a lot of happy Spanish people over drinks and dance, this is ALSO the good place. The podium/cafe has recently seen a complete make-over and is now titled Grounds.

Grounds features an interior styled with recycled materials and a nice ambiance in which they serve drinks, but alsno snacks and a daily dish. Like mentioned in the article on Heidegger (check the Heidegger article), Rotterdam is lacking pop-podia for small artists sinds the fall of WATT so it’s great the Grounds is helping to fill up the gap.

A specific point of interest are the monthly Moonfests, where a wide variety of high quality bands from Codarts present their skills. Every group gets about half an hour, time between bands is hypershort, the music gets more dancy as it gets later (this has nothing to do with drinking) and the entrance is free! No reason not to try it out at least once.

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WMDC / Grounds | Art & culture, Bars, Music | Free
Pieter de Hoochweg 125 | Delfshaven | +31102444516
Mon – Fri 10.00 – 17.00 & during events

Image by leegsma.box.nl

The brown pub just around the corner from my old house. The beer is just beer, the coffee just coffee, the peanuts cost peanuts (they’re free to be precise) and the people that go there do so often. Rob and Coby probably know the names of 80% of their customers. Call me a sentimentalist but I think sometimes a bar should be just that.

Through the stained glass you can see the ceramic beer tap and Jugendstil interior. It took me while to realise the walls continue above conversation height and feature an array of brownish flower paintings that get slightly lost in the wallpaper and wood.

‘Tis a place you can easily visit by yourself and feel at ease. Somehow, they got me hooked to going there even now that I’ve moved to another part of town. It’s just my favourite example of an unpretentious and thereby always up-to-date place in Rotterdam. For every project I do with my catering group this is the starting point.

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Café Vanouds Vermeulen | Bars | Beer € 2.20
Nieuwe Binnenweg 332 | Delfshaven | +31104770596
Tue – Sun 10:00 – 00:00

Image by ALexander

Dek 22 is a small exhibition space I enjoy as much for the plans & enthusiasm as for the actual exhibitions. The owner Hoessein Bouziane is a short fellow with a long breath. He’s into art, architecture, music, hiphop, breakdance, theater, name it. He’s making a nice attempt to bridge the gap between a young street scene and more established crowd.

The works that make it to the gallery are often a bit more formal, while the events appear to be more fun and street wise. It’s directly visible in the location. Somehow the owner managed to get a big part of the building situated in the messy, yet city-council-stimulated Coolhaven.

Dek 22 is a bit out of the way but close to other attractions like De Machinist (acclaimed office space for successful entrepreneurs) the WMDC and the Pelgrim beer brewery.

Keep your eyes open for the developments. Soon they hope to fully utilize the basement with wild ideas for a project space that can be transformed from cinema to capoeira room to party floor. He seems to know the guys that can make it happen…

The cultural season is opened again and there are plans for more design, interiors and affordable good stuff. A short look on the site will show the amazing amount of events in the past. No telling what will happen in two months. 

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Dek 22 | Art & culture, Festivals & events, Music | Free
Willem Buytewechstraat 22 | Delfshaven | +31643708313
Thu – Sun 14:00 – 18:00 & during events

Image by L.V.M. van Daalen

Delfshaven, a very famous and authentic harbor in the Netherlands, had its annual ‘open house days’. And so me and my son ended up at the Pilgrimfather’s Church. This church was originally catholic, but now houses a Christian community, ancestors of the American pilgrims. Their arrival is still celebrated on Thanksgiving Day.

Because of this Catholic origin, the church is more decorated then most Christian churches. Well, they told me so, since I have not been in many churches. Especially their leaded lights are very pretty, showing scenes from the big book and some about the Pilgrimfather’s History. Especially two high leaded lights in the back which show the six days of creation are beautiful.

I haven’t been raised religiously and never went to any divine service. Still… I am a believer. I always wanted to go to a service on Christmas Eve and when I asked about it, I was invited to come on a Sunday too. My son and I were both interested, so now I do come on Sunday sometimes. The atmosphere is very warm and open. Besides the relaxed atmosphere which remind me of meditation, I very much enjoy the singing.

Because of it’s roots as being the ancestors of the American pilgrims, it’s kind of international. Although the services are in Dutch, they often organize an open house. They also have a big organ, which is played a lot during service and also special performances during the week.

Check the calendar for activities and open church.

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Pelgrim Vaderskerk | Art & culture, Relaxing | Free
Aelbrechtskolk 20 | Delfshaven | +31104774156
Sun 10:00 & 17:00

Image by Norbert Bayer

If you’re into the audiovisual experiment, then Worm is The Place to visit. I do volunteering work there as a bartender or ticket collector zombie twice every month. They have been homeless six months and now their new home it’s finisheeeed! Like their old location, it’s made with re-used parts from all over the place, like swimmingpool-lockers, airplane-shields, vintage train fake leather and even lightbulbs from Russia. It’s a co-operation between 2012 Architects and Atelier van Lieshout, two famous Dutch architecture/art-studios.

Worm is a center for everything around low-tech audiovisual experiments. Think workshops, super8 & 16mm film editing, studio recordings, a radio show, a mini-shop for music/books and just check the site for what else. Last but foremost: parties.

Sometimes, the bizarre noise-scapes by artists from Brugaslivanivostockcewitz can be a bit too much for me personally, but just the other day I was fascinated by a 1 hour movie about making bricks in different countries (professional distortion maybe). In the new location they claim to be no more commercial then before, though working on african funk yesterday till 5 in the night, I’m not sure. Definitely give them the benefit of the doubt. It’s all in the experiment.

What I like most is Worm’s ability to combine abstract sound & image with a very warm and welcoming feeling. It got me hooked from the first visit.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
WORM | Art & culture, Bars, Music | Entrance +/- € 5.00
Boomgaardstraat 71 | Delfshaven | +31104767832
Currently only for events, check site