THE SOUL OF AMSTERDAM

Change is an iconic musical project founded in 1979 by Italian producers Mauro Malavasi and Jacques Fred Petrus. By blending European elegance with an American groove, the group grew into a cornerstone of soul and disco. Featuring the legendary voices of Jocelyn Brown and a young Luther Vandross, their debut album The Glow of Love (1980) became a worldwide success. Classics such as "A Lover’s Holiday" and the title track marked a golden age in which the band released six albums and eleven hit singles in five years, including the later smash hit "Change of Heart".

Although the tragic death of Petrus in 1987 brought an era to a close, the musical flame continued to burn under the leadership of bassist Davide Romani. After a successful comeback in 2018 with Love 4 Love, the latest album Embrace, sung by Tanya Michelle Smith, was released in 2025. This release received the official blessing of co-founder Malavasi, continuing the timeless journey of Change. For Dutch fans, there is a chance to relive this history: on August 4, Change will play live at Paradiso.

Tickets and more information are available via https://www.paradiso.nl/en/program/change/2860031 and https://tickets.paradiso.nl/f2a7bb486325451db3cf289b8533f3c0/offsale

Frou-Frou is Tristan’s eighth studio album, a journey where creativity and dedication take center stage. The band feels stronger than ever and has rediscovered the joy of writing and recording new music.

Tristan’s core band — drummer Sebastiaan Cornelissen, bassist Frans Vollink, and keyboardist Coen Molenaar — worked with singer Irma Derby, whose voice has been compared to that of Randy Crawford and Chaka Khan, and guitarist Glenn Black on this album. The record contains twelve new songs that offer ample room for improvisation and evolution. Their soulful style, influenced by funk, soul, and R&B, seamlessly complements their live energy. Coen Molenaar’s collaboration with Incognito underscores the band’s connection to the British soul scene. After more than 80 shows supporting their previous album, SEVEN, the band will embark on a new international tour in April 2025, with performances in the Netherlands, Germany, Japan, and the UK, among other countries.

It is hard to sit still when listening to the Dutch R&B band Tristan. The quintet has a keen sense of classic soul, funk, and pop, bringing great energy to every song on their consistently enjoyable albums (according to SoulTracks USA). Funky rhythm guitars and vintage keyboard sounds — including Hammond, Fender Rhodes, and synths — are backed by a rhythm section that has been performing together for decades, delivering the solid grooves and tight, punchy arrangements that have become their trademark.

All of this is supported by the stunningly soulful vocals of Irma Derby, taking listeners back to the warm sound of the ’70s while maintaining a fresh breath of contemporary influences. While Tristan’s music may evoke bands such as The Crusaders, Tower of Power, Snarky Puppy, and classic acid jazz acts like Incognito and the Brand New Heavies — all known for their energetic grooves — what sets this group apart from their contemporaries is the high quality of their compositions and arrangements.

Tickets and more information are available via https://www.cpunt.nl/agenda/tristan

In 2024, OGENE returned to the spotlight — back after essentially never having been away. In March 2025, they released Garden of Hera, a new album by sisters Lisa, Amy, and Shelley, featuring a mix of R&B, soul, and smooth ’90s pop.

OGENE, formerly known as OG3NE, became known throughout the Netherlands when they won the fifth season of The Voice of Holland in 2014. The sisters represented the Netherlands at both the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2007 and the Eurovision Song Contest 2017. Their new music is partly the result of the sisters’ personal journey of growth. For the first time since stepping onto the stage almost twenty years ago, they are now fully charting their own course.

Tickets and more information are available via www.luxorlive.nl/agenda/ogene/

Secret Rendezvous creates a mix of soul, pop, and R&B. They previously impressed the Vorstin during "Patat Met Soul" (our evening for new talent), and now they're returning with a headline show! Secret Rendezvous draws inspiration from artists of the '80s and '90s (Prince, Minnie Riperton) as well as contemporary names like Cleo Sol and Lucky Daye. Their singles received airplay on KCRW, Beats 1 with Pharrell, BBC 1Xtra, 3FM, Radio 2, and Sublime, among others. The album "For Real" was well-received by the press, including OOR, and their music can be heard in TV series like Love Island Australia and The Rookie: Feds. Their cover of "At Your Best (You Are Love)" has already racked up over three million streams. They perform live with a full band and have already performed on stages in the Netherlands, Germany, England, Belgium, and France. With their new album, "In Between Dreams," they're back on stage..

Tickets and more information are available via https://vorstin.nl/event/secret-rendezvous-02-10-2026/

Mica Millar is back! After a sold-out show in 2024, one of the most striking voices in British soul returns to Rotterdam — this time with new music. And yes, you’ll want to hear it. Saturday, October 3rd at LantarenVenster. Mica made her name with her debut album Heaven Knows. Recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios, it is filled with soul, blues, gospel, and jazz — music that goes straight to the heart, exploring love, inequality, spirituality, and everything that makes us human. She won the Jazz FM UK “Soul Act of the Year” award, toured with greats like Lionel Richie, Gregory Porter, and Gladys Knight, and even Jamie Cullum is a fan.

A voice with soul. A show with feeling. A collaboration between BIRD x LantarenVenster. This is a standing-room-only concert with limited seating on the balcony. Seats are sold separately via LantarenVenster.

Tickets and more information are available via https://bird-rotterdam.nl/event/mica-millar-03-10-26 and https://www.lantarenvenster.nl/programma/mica-millar-26