- A lot has been written in the past couple of weeks regarding the future of Amsterdam club Studio 80. News of its imminent closure arrived out of the blue, making it particularly hard to swallow for the venue's passionate staff and fans. Founder Duncan Stutterheim, who recently sold his events company ID&T to US conglomerate SFX Entertainment, decided to call it quits after falling out of love with the nightlife industry, a situation not helped by SFX's current financial problems.
On the day the news broke that Studio 80 would be closed as early as January, I made my way to the Rembrandtplein weighed down by a strange feeling. It didn't take long for these feelings to fade, though. Local institution Red Light Radio were celebrating their fifth anniversary, and they'd booked a lineup full of residents and foreign friends.
For me, Red Light Radio has always been about discovering new music from all over the world. I was immediately drawn to Dick El Demasiado (real name Dick Verdult), whose live show was unlike anything I've ever heard before: a mix of Central and South American folk with retro electronics. He is often credited with creating the genre experimental cumbia, which he initially named cumbias lunáticas (Spanish for crazy cumbias). The night was off to an interesting start.
The act I had most been looking forward to seeing, Syracuse, played live next. Up until then, the French duo had mostly played in their home country, save for the occasional gig in Spain and Italy. Liquid Silver Dream, their LP on Paris's Antinote, was one of my albums of the year. Their performance was enigmatic, striking a perfect balance between poppy electronics and experimental sounds.
As Syracuse's set wound down, I made my way to the second area where San Proper was playing disco with a flair only he possesses. Versatile Records boss Gilb'R was tasked with closing the main room, a set that promised plenty of curveballs. So broad are his tastes that you never know which Gilb'R will turn up behind the decks, which is part of the reason he's such a favourite with Red Light fans. He played tougher than usual, dropping tracks by Voiski, Chateau Flight and Pearson Sound. It was just the finale the night needed.
If I'm honest, for many years Studio 80 didn't really appeal to me. But since the layout changed and the organisers started booking more alternative parties, I've started going there more and more. Nights like this one showed the club at its very best. It's a real shame it won't be here for much longer.