The Bent Guide is the most up-to-date and comprehensive gay guide ever written about Amsterdam. Chock full of information about the main gay and lesbian tourist traps as well as essential insights into Amsterdam’s lesser-known traditional and alternative queer crowds, The Bent Guide is an extensively researched guide to "everything that’s not straight in Amsterdam.”

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March 2008

Well, as predicted, in less time than it takes the Spears family to announce a pregnancy, plan for the new baby, eventual messy custody battle, even messier public breakdown and re-book the rehab centre, Amsterdam has witnessed a few upheavals on the gay & lesbian scene of it’s own. And all without having to actually shave it’s head, expose it’s pink bits getting out of a limo or blame the whole sorry story on drugs (well, actually, there’s quite a bit of all three of those still happening around town!).

So here’s a brief update on the scene since we printed the Bent Guide last year.

COSTUME CHANGES

Amstel Fifty Four – Amstel 54
www.amstelfiftyfour.nl

It’s sad that after 40 years one of Amsterdam’s grand dames has passed away. But after you get used to the name change (not a reference to an infamous NY disco), stylish renovations (still freakishly new after the old Amstel’s musty charm), brighter lighting thanks to a chandelier that looks like it used to hang in Liberace’s loo (and opening up the windows to the actual Amstel river) and the hideous concept of whatever the hell a ‘video bar’ is – you’ll notice that the same friendliness still remains (not to mention a few of the old crowd).

April

Still under renovation (thank god, that Apres Ski theme was so O.V.A.H.!!!), this revolting…er, revolving bar on Regular-divorce-straat is due to open late Summer 2008 (late Summer??? Have they not heard of a little gay event called PRIDE in August?!!!) Who knows if the revolving floor will be like Gloria Gaynor and still survive.

Playgrounds – Lexion, Overtoom 65 Westzaan
(NOT Amsterdam)
www.leatherpride.nl

After doing little more than move back to the same venue that little brother XXXLeather had passed over and then staged a party last year that had boys in chaps & harnesses lined up outside for well over an hour in NOVEMBER due to a disaster in security and coat check, the leather shops that back Amsterdam’s biggest party decided they needed to actually do some work to gain their reputation back. So they are staging not one but two parties in 2008 – with their first Playground during the Queensday festivities. With all that orange around should this party be a Jaffa theme? Sadly, guess where they’ve chosen for the party? The same sad out of town venue that almost all who attended last year’s debacle swore they would never step foot in again. Good luck guys!

XXXLeather – Club JvG, Jan van Galenstraat 24
www.xxxleather.eu

Well, the good news is that after being homeless for most of last year XXXLeather seems to have finally found a permanent (well, as permanent as any fetish venue can be in Amsterdam) home. Unfortunately, the bad news is that the incestual merry-go-round that is finding a fetish venue means it’s one of Club Trash’s sloppy seconds. However, at least the XXXL boys know what they are doing and seem to be able to create a decent horny night out just about anywhere.

GONE – BUT NOT FORGOTTEN (yet)

Stablemaster Hotel and Bar

A victim of the city’s relentless pursuit of turning Amsterdam into Disneyland, the city council decided to take things into their hands after they heard punters at the nightly JO parties were holding more than their drinks in theirs. Both the bar and hotel have closed down, after their rental contract had expired and the owners decided not to fight the council for refusing to renew its license.

Custom Caf� Sugar

A victim of Amsterdam’s lackadaisical lesbian scene this brave (and oh-so-sweet) Sapphic venture started off so well, but suffered (like so many before it) from the tea-cats-couch syndrome that is proving to be the death of Amsterdam’s women’s scene.

You II

Yet another victim of a lack of lesbians. Bought by the former owners of Arc, it reopened as Club Roque late February. Hopefully, it (alongside the refurbished Amstel 54) might re-energise a gay strip that lost its glory long before Donna Summer dissed us sisters. We wait and see. Early rumours have it that it’s still pretty much the same ol’ crowd of young diesel weasels & kinda confused lesbians so just slapping up some new wallpaper doesn’t seem to be tempting in a new crowd yet.

NEW KIDS IN TOWN

CHURCH - Kerkstraat 52
www.clubchurch.nl
Fantastic new venue catering to the cruise crowd. Two floors of dance and play areas, including showers! Theme parties 4 night a week, from naked to kinky. Super friendly staff with clean and hygienic facilities make it definitely worth checking out.

Bear Necessity – @ Club More Rozengracht 133   
www.bear-necessity.eu

Great new bear party for big and hairy men that together with Furball puts Amsterdam back on the bear map. Parties often held on the Saturday following Furball in the beautiful Odeon club, in the center of Amsterdam.

Candy Milkshake – @ Escape DeLux (entrance on Amstel 70)
www.escape.nl

Regular dance party in the small fish-tank upstairs area of Escape. R&B, Hip Hop, Club/Latin house & Vocal house

Club Roque –Amstel 178
www.clubroque.nl

Former owners of trendy Arc – let’s see what wonders they can do to reinvigorate this tired strip, but initial reactions seem to be that they need to try MUCH harder for a new image. Holding a few muscle-mary after parties hasn’t managed it so far…

Club Stereo – Jonge Roelensteeg 4
www.clubstereo.nl

You know how stereos have been getting ever smaller over the years? Well this place isn’t much bigger than an iPod – but can fit in just as much fun. A small (mostly men) gay bar in the same narrow laneway as Supperclub

(Z)onderbroek – @ Club La Kerkstraat 52
www.gala-amsterdam.nl

Cutely combining the Dutch words for both underwear & not wearing any pants at all, this is a great new initiative from the boys behind SOS and the funky parties on the Westermarkt for guys who want to expose much more than just the waistband of their over-priced Calvins, AussieBum or Bjorn Borgs. Drop your pants and dance every 2nd and last Saturday afternoon of the month. Briefs, boxers & jocks (no streetwear shorts). 4-8pm