Top things to do in Amsterdam — week of 6 April

April in Amsterdam is when the canals stop smelling weird and the terraces fill up by 16:00 on a Wednesday. Plan your week around the weather — if it is sunny, drop everything and go outside.

I keep this list on Rifio because tabbing between Resident Advisor, Eventbrite and three Instagram accounts is exhausting. The Amsterdam this-week page is updated daily.

Monday: De School-style listening

De School is gone but its ghosts are everywhere. There is a small listening session at a record shop in De Pijp on Monday, free, 19:00, two beers and a guy who thinks too much about kick drums. Charming, in a way.

Otherwise: stay home. Monday is not Amsterdam's strongest day.

Tuesday: Café de Klos for spare ribs

The queue forms at 18:00. Get there at 18:15. The ribs are unreasonable, the bread is unreasonable, the bill at the end is the most reasonable thing about the place. Bring cash for the tip.

If you cannot face the queue, the steakhouse two doors down is fine, but it is fine.

Wednesday: Foodhallen midweek

Foodhallen is touristy on weekends but mid-week it is mostly locals from the area. Pick a stand, take a table by the bar, do not order three different things you will regret.

The natural-wine bar inside has a midweek special that is genuinely good value.

Thursday: Melkweg upstairs

Melkweg upstairs is doing a singer-songwriter night I am told to recommend. 12 EUR, doors at 20:00, four acts, one of them used to open for Bon Iver in 2017 which I only know because he tells you within thirty seconds.

Go for the second act.

Friday: Paradiso late

The 23:00 slot in the small hall has been the move every Friday this month. 16 EUR, in by midnight, the room is small enough that the band and the crowd actually see each other. Definately better than the main hall on the same night.

Saturday: Shelter

Best sound system in the city, full stop. 18 EUR door, no list, in by 01:00 or you will queue for an hour. Wear something you can dance in for six hours, leave the phone in the locker, do not take pictures of anyone — they will throw you out and they should.

If Shelter sounds like too much, the Cat in the Bag are doing a smaller thing in West that is the second-best room in the city this week.

Sunday: Foodhallen and a long walk

Foodhallen at 13:00 for late breakfast, then walk the Vondelpark, then a coffee at one of the Jordaan cafés that I keep writing about and you keep ignoring.

Light Sunday. You earned it.

Twelve things, one week, one neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood plan. Save what you fancy on Rifio — the free events filter is the easiest way to find things that do not bankrupt you.