Month: October 2022

Thousands of partygoers have been gathering for the Amsterdam Dance Eventfor several days in De Hollandsche Manege on the Overtoom. Nice for them, butthe neighborhood gets less pleasure from it. They experience nuisance, butwere not given the opportunity by the municipality to object to the eventpermit. It was published too late, much to the chagrin of local residents.”The municipality must abide by its own rules.”

You must apply for a permit for all major events. The municipality publishesthe applications and the approvals on a website. Once the permit has beengranted, Amsterdammers will have six weeks to object. In the case of the ADEparty in the Hollandsche Manege, the permit was only published after questionsfrom AT5 and NH Nieuws, and only after the event had already started.

“It feels like we have no right to speak,” says Wendy, who does experience alot of trouble from the party. She lives about ten meters from the ridingschool. “It’s like I’m in a disco in my own house.”

The Dutch Riding School

“Not one permit that I have seen has gone according to the rules”>> cees, local resident

Local resident Cees is also concerned about the party, but especially aboutthe communication from the municipality. “You have six weeks to object, sothat the municipality can also see if they want to reconsider the decision,but that is not possible now.” Cees has checked several event permits thathave been published and concludes: “With none of the permits that I have seen,it has gone according to the rules. The municipality must also adhere to itsown rules.”

Objection from last year still not dealt with

Communication about permits granted is therefore too late, and action is alsonot taken on time when a notice of objection is submitted. Last year a localresident objected, also to the event in De Hollandsche Manege. Last October13, she received a message that her objection has still not been processed.Residents therefore do not stand a chance themselves, if they can submit anotice of objection on time.

no art

“We want to do everything we can to minimize the pressure on the> neighborhood”>> organization ade party

Measures

The West district says that the municipality has entered into discussions withthe organization and the neighborhood prior to the event. Additional measureshave been taken on the basis of the discussion and the experiences of lastyear. For example, an external company is said to monitor the noise level,special speakers have been installed to reduce disturbance from the bass andtraffic controllers have been deployed to ensure that parking runs smoothly.

However, the municipality admits that an error was made in publishing thepermit. On October 14, the application was accidentally republished instead ofthe granted permit. ADE starts on October 19.

The organization of the party also emphasizes the additional measures and saysit is ‘extremely unfortunate’ that local residents experience nuisance. “Weinformed local residents in a conversation that we are doing everything we canto minimize the pressure on the neighborhood.” The organization has thereforedecided to hold the event until 11 p.m. and lock the visitors out per 150people.

‘Live and let live’

Local resident Cees thinks that the measures will be of no use. “You keepfeeling the music,” he says. “Don’t get me wrong, I get that they want to havea party here, because it’s a beautiful location. A pearl in the city, but it’sin the middle of a residential area.” Wendy agrees. “I’m all for live and letlive, but we have to take each other into account.”

19 new movies appeared on HBO Max last week. We highlight ten for you,followed by a list with the rest.

Sicario (2015)

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Direction : Denis Villeneuve | cast : Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro,Josh Brolin, Victor Garber

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Young FBI agent Kate Macy participates in a CIA operation to take out the bossof a Mexican drug cartel. Together with two mercenaries, she crosses theborder to eliminate him, but there they encounter a dangerous other world.Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018)

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Direction: Stefano Sollima | cast : Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin, Isabela Moner,Jeffrey Donovan

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The drug war on the US-Mexico border has gotten completely out of hand. Thecartels are now bringing terrorists across the border. To win the war, FederalAgent Matt Graver and the enigmatic Alejandro team up again.

Nelyubov (2017)

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Direction: Andrei Zvyagintsev | cast : Yanina Hope, Aleksey Rozin, Maryana Spivak,Marina Vasilyeva

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Boris and Zhenya are getting a divorce. They argue constantly as they try tosell their apartment. Boris is already preparing for a new life with ayounger, pregnant woman and Zhenya wants to marry a rich lover. Nobody caresabout their twelve-year-old son Alyosha. Until he disappears.

City of Ember (2008)

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Direction: Gil Kenan | cast : David Ryall, Ian McElhinney, Harry Treadaway, TimRobbins

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For generations, the inhabitants of the City of Ember have lived in abeautiful world filled with wonderfully glittering lights. When theinhabitants find out that these lights start to lose their power and the lightsource deteriorates sharply, a race against time begins. Two teenagers embarkon an adventure to discover the existence of the City of Ember and help allits inhabitants escape before the lights go out forever.

The Fastest Woman on Earth (2022)

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Direction: Chris Otwell, Graham Suorsa | cast : Jessi Combs, Kitty O’Neil

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About the extraordinary life of professional racing driver and TV personalityJessi Combs.

The Hunger Games (2012)

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Direction: Gary Ross | cast : Stanley Tucci, Wes Bentley, Jennifer Lawrence, WillowShields

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The Hunger Games is set in the distant future in which the United States isdivided into 12 districts, all under the control of a central government.Every year, this government forces each district to choose two children toparticipate in the live TV Hunger Games, a life-and-death struggle that, inaddition to honor and glory, also provides food for the winning district.Jennifer Lawrence plays the role of 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who causes afurore during The Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

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Direction: Francis Lawrence | cast : Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Jack Quaid,Taylor St. Clair

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Now that the Hunger Games are over, it appears that the central governmentstill has something in store for Katniss and Peeta. The 75th edition is comingup and all winners of previous editions must once again participate in theGames.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014)

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Direction: Francis Lawrence | cast : Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, LiamHemsworth, Woody Harrelson

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Katniss has done the impossible. She survived the Hunger Games for the secondtime. But there is no cause for joy. District 12 has been completely destroyedand Peeta is in the hands of President Snow. The rebel leaders have rescuedKatniss because they want her to be the face of the insurgency. Because onething has become very clear after the Quarter Quell: it is war.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015)

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Direction: Francis Lawrence | cast : Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, LiamHemsworth, Woody Harrelson

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With the nation of Panem in all-out war, Katniss (Lawrence) takes on PresidentSnow (Donald Sutherland) one last time. Along with a group of her closestfriends – including Gale (Liam Hemsworth), Finnick (Sam Claflin) and Peeta(Josh Hutcherson), Katniss embarks on a mission with District 13’s unit. Theyrisk their lives trying to kill President Snow. , who himself seemsincreasingly obsessed with killing Katniss. The deadly traps, enemies, andmoral choices that await Katniss in the Capitol are more challenging than anyarena she ever entered before the Hunger Games.

The rouille et d ‘os (2012)

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Direction: Jacques Audiard | cast : Marion Cotillard, Matthias Schoenaerts, ArmandVerdure, Celine Sallette

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When Ali seeks shelter with his sister in the south of France, he meets orcatrainer Stéphanie. Their lives have nothing in common, until disaster strikesand a special relationship develops. Stéphanie loses both her legs and becomesAli’s manager when he takes part in illegal battles to save her life.

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‘The Watcher’ has dominated Netflix’s top ten since the series was releasedjust over a week ago. But what not all viewers know is that the thriller,starring Naomi Watts (54) and Jennifer Coolidge (61) in the lead roles, isinspired by a true story.

Note: This article contains spoilers about The Watcher.

the watcher, Created by noted director Ryan Murphy, it centers on theBrannock family and their newly acquired dream home in a New Jersey suburbcalled Westfield. Dean and Nora put all their savings into the house only tofind out shortly afterwards that the neighborhoods are anything buthospitable. For example, the eccentric Pearl and her brother Jasper, who sneakinto the Brannocks’ house shortly after the move to hide in the food elevator.

Then there’s Karen, the real estate agent and an old acquaintance of Nora’s,who makes them feel like they don’t really belong. Finally, we have thecurious neighbors Mitch and Mo. The icy welcome that Dean and Nora receivequickly turns into a veritable hell when ominous letters arrive from someonecalling themselves The Watcher. It terrorizes the Brannocks to their breakingpoint, as the neighborhood’s sinister secrets come out step by step.

But how does the story from the series match the real Watcher house in NewJersey? Because yes, that exists.

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What’s really on The Watcher?

The story is based on Derek and Maria Broaddus. Three days after buying theirhome in Westfield in June 2014, they receive the first letter from someoneidentifying themselves as The Watcher. The letter reads, “Dearest new neighborat 657 Boulevard, allow me to welcome you to the neighborhood.”

But that friendly tone soon changed. The anonymous writer says the house “hasbeen the subject of the family for decades and as it approaches its 110thbirthday, he or she has been put in charge to look.” So similar to the storyin the series.

The Watcher also asks in the letter whether the new family is aware of thehistory of the house. “Do you know what lies within the walls of 657Boulevard? Why are you here? I’ll find out.’

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The letters

The Broaddus family is scolded in the letters for renovating the house and theanonymous writer threatens to kidnap the three children. Shortly afterwards,they learn that the selling party, John and Andrea Woods, also received astrange letter from someone who calls himself The Watcher. The couple thinksit’s a joke: in the 23 years they’ve lived in the house in Westfield, they’venever experienced anything like it.

Contrary to the storyline in the series, the police do take the Broaddusfamily seriously. According to Time Magazine searched the house and foundnothing in the walls – the writer suggests in the second letter that there issomething in the walls. The police also advise the family not to say anythingto their new neighbors about the letter, because they are suspects.

During the renovation work, the family does not yet live in the house. Withthe arrival of the second letter, they become increasingly concerned: howcould this anonymous person know so much information about their family? Theanonymous author even knows in which order the children were born. At thatmoment, The Watcher wants nothing more than to see the family move and wondersif the kids are going to play in the basement.

‘Or are they too scared to go down alone? I would be very scared if I werethem. It is far away from the rest of the house. If you were upstairs you’dnever hear them screaming.’ The Watcher also writes to visit several times aday, because 657 Boulevard is an ‘obsession’. The couple then decides not totake their children to the house anymore.

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Are they moving to their home?

The family decides not to move into the new house. Six months after purchasingthe $1.4 million home, they’re putting it back on the market, but finding abuyer is hard: Derek tells every potential buyer about the scary letters theyreceive. He does that because he can’t live with the thought of not telling.Derek says he doesn’t want to do the same to others, he tells New YorkMagazine.

In 2016 they make another attempt to sell the house, but it fails. Buyers findthe letters a no go. The family’s real estate agent’s proposal to tear downand rebuild the house is rejected. The neighborhood fears that their homeswill lose value as a result and that the aesthetics will ruin theneighborhood.

Months later, the family rents out their home, and it isn’t long before TheWatcher sends another letter. ‘You wonder who The Watcher is? Turn around,idiots. You may have even spoken to me, one of the so-called neighbors who hasno idea who The Watcher could be. Or maybe you do know and are too scared totell anyone. Good move.’

The tone of the letter is more aggressive than before. The writer is not happywith the media attention for the neighborhood and threatens Derek and Maria.“Maybe a car accident. Maybe a fire. Maybe something as simple as a mildillness that never seems to go away, but makes you sick day after day afterday after day after day.”

Surprisingly, the tenant decides not to leave the house. Instead, the Broaddusfamily has additional security cameras installed. In 2019, they sell the housethey never lived in for $959,000, making a $400,000 loss. The new owner hasnot yet received a letter from The Watcher.

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Derek also sends letters himself

As in the series, Derek sends ‘Dean’ in the watcher, even anonymous letterswith ‘Friends of the Broaddus Family’ as the sender. However, he sends it toneighbors who make fun of him on Facebook, another difference with the series.Moreover, that is almost three years after the writer contacted the family. Hehopes the letters will help clear his family’s name, but Derek ends up feelingworse.

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Who is The Watcher?

To this day it is still not clear who is behind the rest of the terrifyingletters. The police have suspected from the start that it is someone from thearea. At first they think of neighbor Michael Langford, but there is noevidence and he is never arrested.

When DNA tests later reveal that it is a woman, the police suspect his sisterAbby Langford, a real estate agent, and the previous owner Andrea Woods. Thereappears to be no match. They even take a closer look at Maria’s DNA, but shetoo is acquitted. A gamer who likes and plays dark games under the name TheWatcher – in the Netflix series that is 19-year-old Dakota – is also a suspectfor a while.

The neighborhood thinks that the Broaddus family is behind the lettersthemselves, because they can’t actually afford the house and are trying to getout of the sale, according to the neighborhoods. There are even rumors thatthe family hopes to land a movie deal this way – something that doesn’t seemright at first, as the family turns down several deals. But years later, theystill sell the rights to their story. So to Netflix.

In addition, they have specific requirements to guarantee their safety: theprotagonists may not resemble them and their real names may not be used. Inreality, the Broaddusjes also have three children, who are also younger thanthe two Brannock kids in the series.

The couple has announced that they will not watch the series and they say theywill not get rich either. They wouldn’t even be able to compensate for theloss of their home.

Singer-songwriter Isabel Usher (23) broke through on TikTok with Englishversions of well-known Dutch songs, and vice versa. her song I ‘m Coming HomeAgain about Amsterdam went viral among Ajax fans. Now there is a new version,for the whole of the Netherlands.

Sara LuijtersOctober 21, 202215:00

‘I’ll be back, I’ll be home again, because nothing is more beautiful than theAlbert Cuyp. I miss the light and sounds of the crowded streets of myAmsterdam. And I’ve been gone too long, I saw the world but still it remainedempty. So I’m coming home again, I know it took a long time, I never want toleave Amsterdam.’

With these lines, singer and lyricist Isabel Usher conquered the hearts ofmany Amsterdammers via TikTok this year. “I was walking in the supermarket andheard the song Coming Home by P. Diddy and Skylar Grey, my brain hit itright away. At home I wrote this text about Amsterdam in one go, I recordedthe song and posted it on my TikTok account. The song immediately went viral.”

The whole verse is only thirty seconds long, but it stirs up a lot ofemotions. “Ajax fans in particular put the song under football videos and theF-Side shared my clip via their social media channels. I even got all kinds ofmessages and voice memos from F-Siders asking me if I didn’t want to make asong specifically about Ajax. And on the terrace I was recognized by a girl.She told me that her father, a true Amsterdammer, is seriously ill. She hadshared the song in the family group app and everyone was emotional. The factthat I can touch people with my music is the best compliment I can receive asa songwriter.”

Rotterdam on request

After the song about Amsterdam, Usher also made a song especially forRotterdam and Groningen. “It was never my intention to make multiple versions,but I got so many requests from people from other cities that I did it anyway.The version about Rotterdam did not go down well with all Amsterdammers, Iunderstood that afterwards. “How could you do that?” Amsterdammers asked me.Other people reacted angrily to the songs because I’m not from those citiesmyself; I was born in England and grew up in Drenthe.”

With the idea to please everyone, she released a very last version, this timefor the whole country. “In the text I pay tribute to the Netherlands by JohanCruijff and Clarence Seedorf, by Peter R. de Vries, Ronnie Flex and Frenna.From Febo and Albert Heijn, saoto soup and speculaas.”

“It didn’t have to become a sweet song, I also mention the imperfect things ofthe Netherlands. Like that there is room here for everyone, but only if itsuits us. It is often the less pleasant things that you miss when you are farfrom home, so in my song in addition to all the beautiful things, it is alsoabout full trams, gray skies and sheltering from the showers, standing intraffic for hours and stolen bicycles .”

Bizarre experience

Usher started writing lyrics after graduating. “For my profile assignment Imade a film with a few friends about a girl with anorexia. I wrote the titlesong, a sensitive song, which I sang myself. That tasted like more, a teacheralso urged me to continue writing lyrics. When I was seventeen, I sent all themajor music labels a confident email offering myself as a songwriter andsinger. I could write and sing a dance track: Droeloe from Sunburn. The songbecame a hit in Asia, a bizarre experience.”

After HAVO, Usher hesitated between studying at the Herman Brood Academy andthe Communication and Multimedia Design course. “I chose the latter because Iwas afraid that I would lose the fun and originality as a lyricist during amusic course.”

Still, writing and singing did not let her go. When she suddenly had seas oftime during the corona pandemic, she decided to fully immerse herself inmusic. Usher again emailed managers of artists she wanted to work with, fromDavid Guetta to Martin Garrix. But the ball really started rolling when shedecided to approach the managers of Dutch artists. “I was soon allowed intothe studio. I wrote Stranger To Me for Sigourney K and Solo for Zoe Tauranand Bilal Wahib.” Both songs went gold and platinum and put both the artistsand Usher on the map.

Own sauce

“The more I wrote for others, the more I felt the need to start singing my ownsongs,” says Usher. “I find performing and the spotlight quite scary, but Inoticed that I also started to regret giving away my own sauce to others.”That ‘own sauce’ consists of emotionally tinted lyrics in which Usher playswith language. The rhyme schemes are inspired by the hip-hop tracks she’s beenlistening to since childhood.

Usher breaks through as a solo artist when she starts with her owninterpretations of existing hits. The very first song she records in herapartment and shares on TikTok is an English-language version of stardust_from The Youth of Today; it instantly gets her thousands of views. In thecomments Faberyayo even responds to the song: where is the translation of hisverse? “The song I recorded afterwards was a Dutch translation by Stromaes_papaoutai , it went viral instantly. Then I knew that this is what I want tocontinue to do for the time being.”

One hundred thousand followers

Usher now has 100,000 followers on TikTok and her songs are viewed andlistened to millions of times. It also gives her other work, such as writing asong for a movie on the Amazon Prime streaming channel. “I skip the offers towork with an anti-pimple cream or a teeth whitener, something has to reallysuit me. But when a great brand like Adidas calls me, I certainly don’t sayno.”

This summer she brought Sucker for Fame off, based on Suck for love fromThe Opposites: “They are my number one inspiration when it comes to Dutch hiphop. That both The Opposites and Mr. Probz have let me know that they arebehind my version of their song, I consider it a huge honor.”

That Usher’s version of I ‘m Coming Home Again about the Netherlands rightnow is no coincidence. “The World Cup starts in Qatar on November 20. I hopethis song also goes viral, just like my songs about the cities, and that itgets picked up on the radio and through social media just as well. How greatwould it be if football fans would sing it along in the stands during thematches of the Dutch national team!”

Hugo de Jonge joined the talk show again last night On 1 to tell you whatthe real situation is with the housing shortage. Or better: how ‘he’ is goingto have 900,000 new homes built and therefore 100,000 homes per year up to andincluding 2030.

We have news: Hugo de Jonge admits that this is a difficult task, which may ormay not be completely successful. The Minister for Housing and SpatialPlanning is thus giving a lot of advice. After all, as minister ‘of Corona’ hewas nicknamed #Hugokanniks.

Hugo de Jonge pulls the cart

It is clear that we have a housing shortage in the Netherlands. New homes aresimply needed, lots of new homes. The man who must and wants to lead the way:Hugo de Jonge. Not all people – to put it mildly – ​​have confidence in thatgiven his corona past. Just take that face mask deal. But Hugo de Jongeperseveres. For example, last month he started talking about 60,000 studentresidences in eight years. How does he himself view the future of our housingmarket?

minister @hugodejonge> is surprised that there is no planning in The Hague of how many people we> will live in the Netherlands in 2050. “That seems to be happening to us a> bit. I think we really need more control over migration.” #On> 1> pic.twitter.com/JE5ZC2rkZE>> — Op1 (@op1npo) October 20,> 2022

“We cannot afford the housing shortage that we now have, 300,000 homes, wecannot afford to drag on any longer,” the minister said in a statement. On1. With his well-known smooth speaking style: „So we will have to have a lotof houses built in the future. And so we will have to create certainties forthe future for all those big issues that come our way, whether it is theenergy transition or housing construction. Precisely if we want to counteractuncertainties and counteract polarization as a result of that uncertainty, wewill have to create certainties.”

How many houses are being built?

“Should the next coalition agreement state how many people are allowed to livein the Netherlands?”, wanted presenter Fidan Ekiz. Hugo de Jonge: “I think weshould arrive at a policy guideline for migration. I think it’s very necessaryto do that. We have set up a State Commission that will advise us ondemographic trends. Not only about growth, but also about the aging side of itand how we can prepare for it. Demography should become a much more importanttopic in The Hague, yes.”

Ekiz’ colleague Sven Kockelmann concluded with the question: „Give us a guidenumber. How many houses will have been built if you stop as a minister at theend of this period. Hugo de Jonge covered himself with a hand gesture of’don’t hold me to it’: “We are doing everything we can to achieve at leastthose 900,000 by 2030. With the uncertainties of today, that will be verycomplicated. Then it may well be that it will take longer to actually exceed100,000 homes per year. At the same time, we also have to tell ourselves thatwe don’t have the luxury of saying ‘we’ll just get off if there’s a headwind’.Then we have to pedal harder.”

You can still look back on 1.

“Why don’t you try a little acid?” my good friend Olha asked. We were going toa rave in a warehouse in London, and I’d just told her I wasn’t feeling welland didn’t want to take anything that would make me sick. She offered me abouta quarter of a paper seal of LSD (a seal of LSD contains around 100 mcg onaverage).

Pretty soon I became cheerful, cheerful and chatty. Once at the rave, Iexperienced the lights and sound more intensely, but there was certainly nohallucination. I felt a smile on my face that I couldn’t resist. But was Ireally happy? I became aware that I was trying to laugh at the uncontrollablefeelings that the LSD brought up. Two years of corona, two years of working onmyself and a broken relationship were hard for me. In a room full of ravers Isuddenly felt lonely. That wasn’t what I wanted to feel on the dance floor,but I decided to let it be. After a few hours something clicked and I realizedthat I was not lonely at all, because I always had myself. The following weekI didn’t have a hangover, on the contrary: I had processed something andhadn’t felt so good in ages. This way of going out felt like a revelation.

In the past six months I have regularly encountered people in clubs within theelectronic music scene who replace other drugs with psychedelics – aphenomenon known as ‘California sober’. What drives people to do this?

According to Ton Nabben, criminologist and drug researcher at the HVA, thereis indeed a growing interest in psychedelics within the Dutch club circuit.“That’s mainly because there’s been more intellectual interest in psychedelicsin general for a few years now. Substances have become more widely known amongthe public and there is much discussion about their therapeutic uses in booksand lectures. Secondly, the threshold for taking it in a club has becomelower. People used to be careful about that because of the trip effect. Butnow they are experimenting with psychedelics in micro and medium (meso) doses,which has taught them how to use them in other settings. In these doses, itcan also be combined with other drugs.”

According to Nabben, the increased use of psychedelics is partly due to adesire for something new. “Users are now familiar with the peaks and waves ofXTC. But the experience you gain with psychedelics can be much richer. It doeseverything with your senses and creates new contact moments in a socialsetting like a club.” But according to the drug researcher, it also sayssomething about the uncertain times in which we find ourselves. “A lot ofthings are coming at us. Psychedelics can also be a way to get answers toquestions you have, to better understand things in your own environment, or tosee connections between all kinds of things that are going on at a moreabstract level of thought.”

Isabel (29) is from Amsterdam, works for the Nachtburgemeester Amsterdamfoundation and is a UX designer. Gaining new insights and experiences is animportant reason for her to take LSD more often. “When I go out I regularlyuse a quarter to a half stamp. It makes me happy, I live more in the moment, Iexperience music and light more intensely, and I have valuable conversationson it. That is very different for me than when I use ecstasy. I am oftenwithdrawn from that. The following week I usually don’t have a physical ormental hangover and sometimes I even feel really good. That’s nice, because Ilike to go out a lot.”

Nick (28) from Amsterdam is a DJ and works in the music industry. For a yearnow, he often uses magic mushrooms or magic mushrooms drops in the club whengoing out. “My parents divorced when I was twelve, there was a lot of tensionat home and I already found my way out at that age by playing at Thunderdome.There was a lot of alcohol and drugs used there and I started copying thatbehavior at a certain point. Since I was still young, this was alcohol atfirst. Later on, substances such as coke were added, which had quite a mentalrepercussion. This went on until I was twenty-four. Then I went to therapy.”In addition to his regular therapy, Nick participated in ayahuasca ceremoniesas a way to “go to the root” of the problem. He also started microdosingpsychedelics and at some point decided to use these substances during clubnights. “Going out should no longer be a form of escapism for me. My wholelife is in the nightlife: it is my job, my outlet and the place where I meetmy friends. Psychedelics mainly help me to get in touch and stay in touch withmyself. It helps me balance my life and not lose myself in the nightlife.”

Ruby* (25) lives in Amsterdam, is a maker in the creative industry and iscurrently graduating from the art academy. For over six years she has beenusing various psychedelics such as 2CB, LSD, DMT, truffles & rapé when goingout. She notices that this allows her to relax better when going out than whenusing other drugs. “For the past three years I have mainly used truffles. Ithelps me get out of my head and feel more. I feel calm, content. I have morecompassion for myself and other people. In the club I sometimes tend to getemotional when I have to wait a long time for the toilets, for example, orwhen I end up in a conversation with someone who is draining energy. Withtruffles you can easily put this aside.”

For Ruby, the use of these various resources also has a deeper meaning. “I usepsychedelics for pleasure, but also for healing. Before going clubbing, I takea short moment for myself to check how I’m feeling and what I want to get outof the evening. Why do I want to go? Am I worried about something? How furrydo I want to make it? What do I want to ‘look up’ or avoid? I am open toreceiving answers or confirmations. So it’s about feeling, recognizing myneeds and desires and being critical.” Ruby says going out on psychedelicsgives her insights into her own coping mechanisms, and that she’s less likelyto smoke, for example. “I feel that the dance floor and the synergy with themusic in itself enhances the potential to ‘capture’ such insights. You have tolearn to deal with yourself, with yourself in relation to acquaintances butalso to strangers. Because of the awareness it gives me, I can choose to dothings differently than usual at that moment.”

So for people like Ruby, the dance floor is not only a place to escape, butalso to meet yourself and become a better person. In recent years there hasbeen a lot of talk in the media about “agenda hedonists” (or in the words ofthe police: the yoga sniffers), who take controlled turns in the club atcarefully planned moments in their lives. Journalist Tom Grosfeld recentlywrote a book about this phenomenon, in which he describes how not only ourworking lives but also our private lives are organized as efficiently,effectively and productively as possible. Aren’t the ‘California frugal’ userswithin the productivity-oriented society we live in then the next move towardsan experience that you have to get something out of: the nightlife assomething to experience as efficiently as possible?

“Of course I also like to get out of my tights every now and then,” says Ruby,“but there are different ways to do that. Sometimes I still combine LSD, thenafter six hours I sometimes add a little bit of ecstasy or MDMA and then I gocrazy. At the same time, I also have to go out more consciously. I have a busylife and truffles are often a good option, because it doesn’t give me a dip orhangover and it brings me a lot.”

That is also a reason for Isabel. “If you go out two or three times a monthand work five days a week it is mentally and physically untenable to use othersubstances, then you have to look at other options. The alternation withpsychedelics ensures that going out remains fun and varied and in combinationwith work it remains sustainable.”

“At least it’s not like I think I want to go to hell, but let’s do it in aconscious way so I can feel good about it,” Nick says. “Mushrooms make me feelbetter than other drugs and they don’t hangover me. It’s a very differentexperience, but that experience is also a lot of fun. I firmly believe thatpsychedelics are more drugs than drugs, it just depends on how you use them.They have been used by indigenous peoples in ceremonies for millennia. Therethey danced around campfires, we dance at raves and in clubs. Actually, thoseare also a kind of rituals, only we use them for more hedonic and escapisticpurposes, while they can also be used for deep insights and therefore personalgrowth.”

Professor Nabben emphasizes the danger of psychedelics in addition to thepossible positive experiences that you can experience as a result. “It remainsa psychedelic that can turn the world upside down. For example, you sometimessee in the news that someone gets psychosis and serious accidents happen. Sothat can happen. You may be overdosing and panicking. But on the harmfulnessscale, they are less harmful compared to substances such as coke and alcohol.”Ruby, who has also had negative experiences with LSD, calls these moments anordeal. “Afterwards you realize that it is a trip from which you also learnsomething. Everything you see or feel is in you. So some things can beexperienced as scary, while it reflects something deeper. What I learned fromthis is that psychedelics hold up a mirror to you.” Nick names another adverseeffect of psychedelics in the club. “When I’m at a party and it starts to wearoff, I really want to go home,” Nick says. “You get tired faster compared toother drugs.”

Good to know: psychedelics can be dangerous in higher doses and for peoplewho are prone to psychosis. The experiences described above are onlyexperiences of a handful of people. Never use alone. Not every body is thesame and drugs work differently for everyone. Therefore, always have yourdrugs tested to determine your dosage and do not take the experiences anddosages above as an example.

*Ruby is an alias, she only wanted to be interviewed anonymously for herprivacy. Her real name is known to the editors.

danse macabre , The swanlake , The Four Seasons : they are classicalmelodies that almost everyone can whistle along. Legendary music that has notbeen forgotten after centuries. But will classical music still be made in2022? And can these composers compete with names such as Beethoven, Mozart andBach?

By Danja Koeleman

“Mozart was actually one of the first freelancers in music,” says CarineLacor. The NPO Radio 4 DJ presented the Classical Top 400 last week, and sothe symphonies of famous composers such as Mozart, Tchaikovsky and AndrewLloyd Webber blared the air all day long.

“He organized concerts where non-aristocrats were also welcome and was one ofthe first not to be permanently employed by a court or king. His popularityfluctuated and it was not a big deal in terms of money – just like it is nowthe case for musicians and composers. But that he made something really goodhas proven itself: we still listen to it centuries later.”

Dominic Seldis knows why. “Classical music is the basis of all music,” saysthe British double bassist who works with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestraand is a jury member of the conducting competition Maestro. “Elton John,Lady Gaga: name any great artist and chances are they’ve studied classicalmusic. A good pop song can’t be written without going back to basics.”

The pop and classical worlds copy and inspire each other, says Lacor. “Theinfluence of classical music in the ‘contemporary world’ is noticeableeverywhere. Violinists performing at the modern electronic dance party ADE, anorchestra that plays at Lowlands: it happens regularly. That can really be away to discover the genre. “

Carine Lacor presents De Muziekfabriek on NPO Radio 4, in which youngclassical talent can be heard.

Photo: AVROTROS

‘Classical music can feel like the hand of God’

And although we still like to go back to old classical music, there is stillplenty of new classical music being made. Just think of film music, such asthe Lord of the Rings -soundtrack. Or the popular study playlists onSpotify. The piano music of the Italian Ludovico Einaudi (66) has a prominentplace in it. “This neoclassical music is relaxing, moves quite quickly andcertain melodies are recognizable and therefore addictive,” says Lacor.

People discover other classical music through such a playlist, explains theradio DJ. “From Enaudi they then go to Chopin and Beethoven: an unbelievablerichness that reveals itself to you.”

Seldis also believes that classical music can bring a lot. “Classical musictransports you to another place and manages to change your mood like no other.That can really be a religious experience. It can feel like the hand of God -without having to believe in a higher power. “

Classical music is often associated with a somewhat older target group. Nocoincidence, says Seldis. “When you are a bit older, you have your life inorder, you can think: what now? Then classical music comes into play, becauseit can provide answers to such questions. The music provides an inner peace toput things in a place. to give.”

Dominic Seldis at the shooting of Maestro.

Photo: ANP

‘A lot of classical music today is bad’

“People often think: classical music, pooh. I don’t know anything about that,so I don’t start there,” notes Lacor. “But the genre is very broad. So thereis a good chance that you will come across something that you find beautiful.There are very catchy melodies, cheerful baroque, sultry romanticism, but alsoalmost elusive music that you really have to sit down for. And also songs ofgreat rest and relaxation, such as the one Enaudi makes.”

Lacor also mentions 29-year-old Mathilde Wantenaar. “A young woman whoreceives assignment after assignment, writes for ensembles and orchestras andstormed into the Classical Top 400 this year with her night music. Mostpeople don’t have that in mind when they think of classical music.”

Seldis is not very enthusiastic about these artists. “I play a lot ofcontemporary classical music in the orchestra, also by contemporary artists,but most of it is pretty bad. I think Stravinsky (1882-1971) was the lastcomposer to make really good music. But also not everything Mozart made wasgreat. In fact, the majority were pretty bad or boring.”

Even though Seldis is not very enthusiastic about contemporary classicalmusic, he still thinks it is important to keep playing that work. “They arepeople who have devoted their lives to writing classical music. They will notbe discovered if their music is not played. Mozart was not equallyappreciated. And who knows, maybe one day we will find the new Mahler.”

It is understandable that Verstraeten looks back on the heyday of his clubwith a swoon. But he is far from alone. From this week on, nostalgics canindulge themselves not only in the cinema, but also in the nightlife. Becausealthough the disco closed its doors in 2002 and was irrevocably demolishedfive years ago, the Zillion will rise again from its ashes on 28 and 29October in the Antwerp Waagnatie for a grand party weekend organized byVerstraeten himself.

”

When you have to deal with a climate, refugee and energy crisis, it’s nice tothink back to a seemingly more carefree time. “

Corinne van der Velden

Author of ‘Ninety’

‘It’s very alive’, says Dave Lambert, resident DJ at the Zillion at the timeand responsible for the international bookings of the event. ‘Everything wasalmost sold out before we even started campaigning. Many old friends will bethere out of nostalgia, but also a lot of young people who have never been tothe Zillion and only know the club from parents, older friends or the wildstories from the media. We notice the same at the big reunion party of LaRocca later this month, also in the Waagnatie.’

Today, the Zillion and La Rocca look like faded glory. Yet even young peoplewho have not even (consciously) experienced the nineties experience a kind ofnostalgia for that period. Anyone who has recently dived into the nightlifemay have already noticed: the hip kids rave about the music and disco cultureof the 1990s. Charlotte de Witte regularly closes her sets with a Bonzaiclassic. The Dutch Job Jobse turned the HORST Arts & Music Festival upsidedown last year with an ecstatic trance set. Music center Trix and collectivev23 recently organized Trancegression for the second time, a party conceptthat harks back to the trance, techno and traditional costumes of yesteryear.And the Brussels rave pop duo Ascendant Vierge can best be described as anedgy Milk Inc. And yes, they might consider that a compliment.

But the nineties revival doesn’t just happen in the clubs. On TikTok, youngpeople are immersing themselves en masse in Y2K fashion. The new platformÉpoque archives the Belgian discotheque history. Jonas Govaerts had DimitriVegas cruise around in his new film ‘H4Z4RD’ to the sounds of Darude’s’Sandstorm’ and Tiësto’s ‘Adagio for Strings’. And Flemish artists such asChibi Ichigo, The Subs and Promis3 are increasingly reaching for genres suchas trance and eurodance.

‘The late nineties and early nillies are really everywhere’, says AndrasVleminckx, who forms the hyper-pop duo Promis3 together with Brent Dielen.’That was also noticeable at the festivals this summer. When we covered’Summerjam’ and ‘I’m blue (da ba dee)’ on Dour, the tent exploded. Sevdaliza,a Dutch artist who usually makes slow, introspective music, unironicallyjumped on Gigi D’Agostino, while the rapper Slowthai on Pukkelpop suddenlyadded ‘Barbie Girl’ by Aqua to his set. Music that has been uncool for a longtime. I also notice this evolution in myself: as a teenager I was more intothe drum and bass scene, where someone like Gigi D’Agostino was seen as flatkitsch. Only now do I realize what a good producer he is and I happily allowthat kitsch into my life.’

Parents who liked to show off their Good Taste in the 1990s may end up in anidentity crisis today when their teenager proudly returns home with a ‘DanceOpera’ compilation CD from the Kringwinkel. Today’s hip kids embrace justabout everything that the hip kids of yesteryear turned their noses at. Andthey mean it. Milk Inc. and Kate Ryan are cooler than dEUS and Gorki and theJohnny’s are the style icons of today. It says something about how much ourdance scene was underestimated at the time. It is a piece of belpop historythat was swept under the carpet until recently, but people came from far andwide to party in Destelbergen, Lommel and Halen.

Époque, an initiative of KNTXT (Charlotte de Witte’s label) and agency Andrea,wants to lend a hand by archiving Flemish disco culture and T-shirts inspiredby Cherry Moon, Boccaccio and co. to release. ‘We try to tell the club’shistory by translating the zeitgeist from then to today’, says Otis Verhoeve,who takes care of the graphic part and designs the T-shirts. ‘Belgian dancewas very influential back then. Think of Bonzai, which is stillinternationally known. A new generation seems to realize that more and more.’

‘Suddenly even Studio Brussel is paying attention to our scene’, says DaveLambert. “Back then you were either a rocker or a raver. And you didn’t meetrockers in clubs. Now everything is much less divided into boxes. Thanks tothe internet and Spotify, young people listen to everything at once, withoutthe prejudices of the past.’

Tipping point

An often-cited explanation for the revival is the twenty-year cycle, thetheory that everything resurfaces every twenty years and so every decadebecomes hip again at some point. In the nineties they were also inspired bythe seventies. The comeback of the rave could be attributed to the pent-upurge to bang after two years of pandemic. But it seems more complex than that.The nineties were a turning point in many ways. The internet was in itsinfancy, subcultures were alive and kicking, fashion was bold and futuristic,the new millennium was just around the corner, and while no one knew what toexpect, at least the future looked promising. Plus, it’s the first perioddocumented online, which makes it just that little bit easier to wallow innineties nostalgia.

”

Thanks to the internet and Spotify, young people listen to everything at once,without the prejudices of the past. “

Dave Lambert

Former resident DJ at the Zillion

‘The nineties also heralded the end of mass culture’, says Dutch journalist,political scientist and teacher at the Amsterdam University of AppliedSciences Corinne van der Velden, who two years ago brought together the popculture of the nineties in the book ‘Ninetig’. ‘We all watched the same TVshows, went to the same clubs and bought the same Top 40 CD, which we listenedto for months. Even if you were a goth or a gabber, there was no way you couldescape it. That’s why there’s something magical about the nineties. I canunderstand that young people are a bit jealous of that collectivist culturalexperience.’

Indeed, time has not stood still since then. Not even in the nightlife. Withexceptions such as Fuse, Versuz and Kompass Club, the nightlife has shiftedfrom the clubs to individual events and festivals. The smoke around your headhas literally disappeared. Like-minded people find each other faster onlinethan on the dance floor. And more and more organisers, such as the all-femalegabber collective Burenhinder, are consciously working on inclusivity,diversity, safer space and safe drug use. The latter in particular highlightssomething important: in many areas we are a lot better off in 2022.

‘We should not glorify the nineties too harshly,’ says Van der Velden. ‘It wasa prosperous and optimistic period, but everything was dormant. The gapbetween rich and poor was widening, the multicultural society was moredifficult than expected and globalization was not doing our climate any good.We just preferred to look the other way back then. Carpe diem must have beenthe motto of the nineties, but in retrospect that was somewhat naive. Today,problems are less obscured and young people are a lot more committed. At thesame time, that may just encourage nostalgia. When you have to deal with aclimate, refugee and energy crisis, it’s nice to think back to an apparentlymore carefree time.’

‘Of course we are only nostalgic for the good things that the ninetiesproduced: the music, the aesthetics, the fashion,’ says Vleminckx. “Maybebecause there’s so much mystery surrounding it for my generation. It seemslike a different, elusive world: jumping into your car with two people toomany on a Friday evening to drive to a dance temple in some Flemish village. Ialso remember a bizarre ‘Telefacts’ report about the Zillion, in which FrankVerstraeten lay at the bottom of his swimming pool. Images that quite appealto the imagination as a child. (laughs) After the bankruptcy, I even went tothe public sale with some friends to take a look at the building. It’s crazy,but when I see pictures of the Zillion or Boccaccio, with those big lightsigns on the facade, I get really nostalgic, even though I’ve never beenthere.’

Full screen display

Robin Van Keulen ©Christophe De Muynck

**Robin Van Keulen, 23, Lommel **

‘II’m really looking forward to the release of ‘Zillion’. I even bought anofficial T-shirt. And I’m in a Zillion fan club on Facebook, in my forties.(laughs) Flemish disco history already intrigued me because of my parents’stories, but during the lockdowns I really delved into it. It feels likedigital archaeology, with the internet as an inexhaustible source.’

‘The nightlife has changed enormously. At the time, you even had several dancehalls in Lommel and you just popped in somewhere at the weekend. Now you haveto plan where to go and every party is an event. With Trancegression, theparties that I organize with my collective v23, we want to bring the ninetiesvibe to the present and we mix trance with more internet-based sounds. Becausethere is also danger in nostalgia: if you cling too hard to the past, you losesight of the future.’

Full screen display

Vera Moro ©Christophe De Muynck

**Vera Moro, 23, Brussels ** “During the pandemic, I taught myself to DJ, like just about everyone else.(laughs) I usually play a mix of psytrance, acid and hyperpop. Then it isalmost impossible not to be inspired by the nineties. It was a tipping point,in terms of music as well as aesthetics and atmosphere. Or so it seems,because of course I wasn’t there myself.’

‘It’s funny that my generation experiences a kind of collective nostalgia forthat period, but at the same time we can be happy that a lot has changed sincethen. I don’t know if I, as a trans person, would have felt so welcome in aclub at the time. Today organizers are very busy creating a safer space whereeveryone feels welcome and young people are more aware of the effects of theirdrug use. In a way we are an improved, more inclusive version of the 90s club

Before even a millimeter film of the new season of The Crown has been shown,the controversy surrounding the Netflix series is growing by the day.Celebrated James Bond icon Judi Dench throws a new bat in the henhouse anddemands that Netflix post a disclaimer: “Cruel and harmful sensationalism”.

Fans of the series have been pining for the first trailer of The Crown. Butdespite the lack of images, there is no shortage of drama.

The next two seasons will therefore be about what was probably the mostdifficult period in the life of the British monarch. Not only will Diana’sdeath be discussed in detail, but Prince Philip’s alleged extramaritalescapades and Prince Charles’ cover-up plot to dethrone the Queen prematurelyhave already calmed the mood.

(Image:Netflix)

Reason enough for James Bond legend Judi Dench to sound the alarm.

James Bond actress Judi Dench on The Crown

In an open letter to the British quality newspaper The Times Dame Dench isconcerned about the thin line between fact and fiction on which The Crown isdancing.

“The closer the drama gets to the current era, the more The Crown is guiltyof crossing the line between historical accuracy and blunt sensationalism,”she points out. “No one believes in artistic freedom more than I do, but Ican’t just let this pass,” he continues.

Judie Dench as M in James Bond (Image:EON)

Judi Dench has achieved nobility thanks to her legendary role as M in eight(!) James Bond films, so it’s not surprising that she feels the need to stepin for her royal blue-blooded colleagues.

“The hurtful allusions in the series are both very cruel to the individualsinvolved, and very damaging to the institutions they stand for.” According tothe former James Bond actress, the streaming service must take action.

“The time has come for Netflix to introduce a disclaimer. As a mark of respectfor the family of a recently deceased monarch who has dutifully served herpeople for 70 years. Then they might be able to save their reputation in theeyes of the British public.” What now Netflix?

Netflix does not worry about disclaimer

According to The Times Buckingham Palace deliberately keeps very aloof, butare they concerned in royal circles about the effect of The Crown on thereputation of King Charles. The British royal family also wants to see adisclaimer introduced.

(Image: Netflix)

However, Netflix is ​​holding its ground. “ The Crown has always beenpresented as a drama based on historical events. The fifth season is afictional dramatization that attempts to imagine what happened behind closeddoors during this significant decade for the royal family. In doing so, wehave based ourselves on the work of many journalists, biographers andhistorians,” said a spokesperson for the streaming service. No disclaimer fornow so at The Crown.

More news about The Crown

In anticipation of the fifth season, you can already meet the new cast of TheCrown. Or check out why season four was also fraught with controversy.

• Haleigh Breest is suing Paul Haggis, who raped her at his apartment in 2013.

• In court Thursday, Haggis’ attorney said Breest is lying and that Scientologists may be behind her claim.

• Breest’s attorney said Haggis’ attorneys suggested his firm is being paid by the Scientologists.

A lawyer representing Paul Haggis’ rape accuser complained in court onThursday about the “outrageous” suggestion that his firm is being paid by theChurch of Scientology.

Haggis, the Oscar-winning writer and director behind the films “Crash” and”Million Dollar Baby,” left the church in 2009 and told the New Yorker twoyears later that the church would likely frame him in a scandal forretribution.

He’s currently standing trial in New York Supreme Court in a civil casebrought by Haleigh Breest, a publicist who alleges Haggis raped her at hisManhattan apartment in 2013. She’s asking the jury to award her unspecifieddamages. Haggis claims the sex was consensual.

In court on Thursday, Ilann Maazel, whose firm is representing Breest,complained that Haggis’ lawyers suggested while questioning Breest’s therapistthe day before that his firm is being paid by the Scientologists. Haggis’attorneys, Priya Chaudhry and Seth Zuckerman, did not immediately respond toInsider’s request for comment about the claim.

“It was outrageous for them to suggest that,” Maazel said in court onThursday. “We’ve received no money whatsoever from the Church of Scientology.”

“They are smearing my law firm — a preeminent civil rights firm in the city,”Maazel added.

Haleigh Breest, center, is pictured with her lawyers Zoe Salzman, left, andIlann Maazel, right, in New York court on October 17, 2022.Yuki Iwamura/AP

Maazel asked Judge Sabrina Kraus to stop any line of questioning suggestingthat his firm is being paid by the Scientologists. But in a pre-trial ruling,Kraus allowed Haggis’ lawyers to argue that Scientologists are behind theallegation. She reiterated Thursday that Haggis’ lawyers would be allowed tocontinue exploring that theory during the trial.

Story continues

“I’m not going to preclude them from asking about it,” she said.

In opening statements, Zoe Salzman, one of Breest’s lawyers, said Haggis hasalready admitted he doesn’t have any proof the Church of Scientology wasinvolved.

But Chaudhry pointed out that Haggis doesn’t have the burden of proof becausehe didn’t file the lawsuit.

Nevertheless, Chaudhry said the circumstantial evidence that theScientologists are involved will be “strong.”

“The Church of Scientology is very successful at destroying its enemieswithout leaving a single fingerprint behind,” Chaudhry said.

Salzman also asked if Breest had ever been a member of the Church ofScientology, had a family member who was, ever attended a Scientology event,or even been into on of the church’s buildings.

Breest answered “No” every time and also said Scientologists had neverencouraged her to come forward or offered her any support whatsoever.

In court on Friday, Salzman sought to finally put the Scientology question torest.

She had Breest point out on the stand that the firm representing her, EmeryCelli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel, hasn’t even been paid for their workyet. They were hired for a “contingency fee,” meaning they only get paid ifthey win the case, at which point they get a cut of the damages.

Karin Pouw, a spokesperson for the Church of Scientology, told Insider onFriday that “the church has nothing to do with the claims against Haggis nordoes it have any relation to his accusers.”

“I repeat: the church has nothing to do with Haggis’ accusers nor theirattorneys. The church has never been involved in any way, financially orother,” Pouw added.

“Haggis, a con man, continues to shop his scripted story to any who will buy