Paradiso, located near Leidseplein in the vibrant heart of Amsterdam, as seen from the side, Amsterdam, September 6, 2020. Visitors in cue come to see a Sunday morning show of Michelle David & the Gospel Sessions.
A Paradiso security guard waits behind a protective plastic screen for visitors of a Claw Boys Claw concert at Paradiso, Amsterdam, August 28, 2020.
Before allowed entrance, all visitors are requested to fill out their contact details at Paradiso, Amsterdam, August 25, 2020.
Visitors for a show of Michelle David & the Gospel Sessions wait in designated areas that allow for the required 1,5-metre distance at Paradiso, Amsterdam, September 6, 2020.
Visitors have their tickets scanned by security behind protective plastic and can disinfect their hands at Paradiso, Amsterdam, September 6, 2020.
A disinfection point at the side entrance and reception where non-visitors, including bands, enter Paradiso, Amsterdam, September 6, 2020. All non-visitors such as staff, crew and office workers are required to sign in with their name, date and time of arrival.
Upon entry, visitors are met by Paradiso staff that explain rules and regulations before a concert of Dutch rapper Donnie at Paradiso, Amsterdam, September 11, 2020. One of the rules states visitors must remain seated at all times, though visits to the toilet and to pick up drinks are allowed. This means dancing is prohibited.
Someone heads for the backstage area, now one-way because of the small hallways, located underneath Paradiso, Amsterdam, August 28, 2020. Reminders to keep 1.5-metre distance, the Paradiso COVID rules, and direction signs have been printed and spread throughout Paradiso.
A Paradiso staff member cleans a door in the backstage area at Paradiso, Amsterdam, August 25, 2020. Multiple times a day, staff clean all surfaces and objects such as doorknobs and handrails.
Visitors walk through Paradiso’s iconic main entrance, where stickers have been placed to remind them of the required 1.5-metre distance at Paradiso, Amsterdam, August 28, 2020.
The band Classic Water waits in the new backstage area before their show at Paradiso, Amsterdam, August 25, 2020. The new backstage is the old basement cafe and the smallest stage. The backstage rooms normally used are too small because of the requirement of keeping 1.5 metres distance.
Visitors wait between shows in the main hall during Cafe Paradiso 15 Jaar at Paradiso, August 25, 2020. Cafe Paradiso is held annually and during the evening, several bands play for half an hour.
A sign saying ‘PLEASE DISINFECT YOUR HANDS’ at the reception desk at Paradiso, Amsterdam, September 6, 2020. Similar signs and disinfection points are spread out throughout Paradiso.
Photographer Willem Schalekamp photographs a Claw Boys Claw concert at Paradiso from a distance, Amsterdam, August 28, 2020. Photographers are not allowed to shoot front of stage anymore, as this would put them between a seated audience and they cannot keep 1.5 metres distance. This means they must now shoot from the side of the room or the back.
The supply closet filled with sprays with disinfectant at Paradiso, Amsterdam, August 25, 2020.
A sold-out Claw Boys Claw concert at Paradiso, Amsterdam, September 6 2020. Sold out during COVID-19 means Paradiso sold tickets for all 260 available seats. Before COVID ‘sold-out’ meant that 1,500 visitors could come to see a show.
Rapper Donnie asks his seated audience to light up the room with phone lights during his sold-out show at Paradiso, Amsterdam, September 11, 2020. On January 25 2020 Donnie also sold out the main hall. He then played before 1,500 people.
“This is the most exceptional part. We never did this before COVID and we won’t be doing it again after COVID,” says Santiago de la Mata (not in picture), floor manager, while observing staff as they clean chairs and surfaces with disinfectant between two concerts of Donnie at the same night at Paradiso, Amsterdam, September 11, 2020.
A Paradiso staff member cleans chairs with disinfectant between two Claw Boys Claw shows at Paradiso, August 28, 2020. All surfaces and objects are cleaned after every event. Disinfectant is made of 70% alcohol which means the main hall smells heavily of disinfectant at the end of cleaning. Paradiso began to book two shows a night during COVID-19, a unique set-up to Paradiso and most bands, to allow for a larger group of people to see a band while keeping to rules and regulations like the mandatory 1.5-metre distance.
From the first balcony, visitors overlook the main hall and the pop-up market during Parafanalia at Paradiso, Amsterdam, August 30, 2020. Parafanalia is a bring & buy jumble sale that attracts all sorts of visitors.
A man waits as his drink is being prepared by Paradiso volunteers at the Parafanalia pop-up market at Paradiso, Amsterdam, August 30, 2020. Some stalls are manned by Paradiso volunteers, staff members or employees, selling a range of products with the proceeds supporting Paradiso.
A Paradiso staff member instructs a portion of still seated visitors to leave the main hall after a concert of Donnie at Paradiso, Amsterdam, September 11, 2020. After each show, visitors are divided into smaller groups and asked to wait until told they are told to leave.
A Paradiso staff member asks a group of visitors lingering in the main hall to move outside after a sold-out Claw Boys Claw concert at Paradiso, Amsterdam, August 28, 2020. Despite staff trying to control the flow of exiting people by sending them out in smaller groups, the main entrance does get too crowded sometimes. This is why staff stand by and ask people to move outside.
The walking route for a visit to the toilets is marked with colourful red arrows at Paradiso, Amsterdam, September 8, 2020. All throughout Paradiso walking routes have been marked with arrows for directions to ensure one-way routes which allow for 1.5-metre distance.
Punk Pizza takes over Paradiso, Amsterdam, September 1, 2020. Utrecht based pizza restaurant combines forces with Paradiso and temporary change Paradiso into a restaurant for four nights. Visitors are treated to a selection of pizzas and live music and DJs. Groups are limited to six people to ensure enough room to keep a 1.5-metre distance. Staff serving pizzas dress up as delivery couriers—with helmet and all (right).
The programming team, among other things responsible for the programming of live music, has assembled for their weekly ‘new style’ meeting in the smaller stage room on the second floor at Paradiso, Amsterdam, September 6, 2020. Every other week the teams of different departments meet live. The other week they conference via video online.
The main hall, as seen from the first balcony, after staff have cleaned all chairs and surfaces and put slightly moved chairs back into their original position to allow for a 1.5-metre distance, between two Claw Boys Claw shows at Paradiso, September 28, 2020.
All staff members are required to wear face masks in line with new COVID rules at Paradiso, Amsterdam, October 13, 2020. Paradiso staff have been given their own ‘Paradiso face masks’.
Also required to wear face masks is the audience at Paradiso, Amsterdam, October 13, 2020. Visitors are told to wear their masks when walking and are allowed to take them off once they’re seated.
Two Paradiso staff members watch the press conference that will determine whether or not the venue can remain open at Paradiso, Amsterdam, October 13, 2020. Staff watched impatiently as the conference dragged on. A partial lockdown was instated again and no more than 30 people were allowed indoors anymore. This meant that Paradiso had to close its doors again.
Night falls and the doors remain closed at Paradiso, Amsterdam, October 14, 2020. Paradiso had to close its doors once again until November 11 at least, but it is suspected the partial lockdown that forces venues and other cultural sites to close will continue beyond that.
