A Short History of Paradiso
On March 30th, 1968 ‘Cosmic Relaxation Center Paradiso’ opened her doors to the public after some fight. It was a former church run by areligious group known as ‘Vrije Gemeente’, or the Free Community, and was used as a meeting hall for their members up until 1967 when fellow free-spirited hippies decided to squat the location.
There was a want (and a need) for a community building which hosts creative talents within the city of canals, and this is exactly what they fought for. After one year of attempting and failing, coming up against police and Gemeente, the original movers and shakers of Paradiso became victors in the sweet spring of ’68.
From this significant date, Paradiso became an underground music hub, artistic refuge and a cultural centre point, thriving now with over 50 years of entertainment experience.
On May 23rd ’68, the year they officially opened, Pink Floyd graced the stage with their presence at the infamous quasi-church, selling out the hall with over eleven hundred visitors. The audience and spectators were amazed at this experience of wild psychedelic rock whilst Pink Floyd inspired a whole generation. The early days paved Paradiso’s extensive future with performances from Dr.Feelgood, Sex Pistols, Blondie, David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Human League, and Prince to only scratch the surface.
Paradiso has published its archives for public viewing, they have a vast amount of interesting information about the history, culture and arts of the establishment.
All information was sourced from Paradiso Archives: https://www.paradiso.nl/en/about/archive/43602/
