Rotterdam isn't the world's loveliest city (it was bombed flat in World War 2 and badly rebuilt), and I've known better halls than the De Doelen there. BUT…it provides plenty of space to sit down before a concert (unlike the Albert Hall), and in foyers blissfully uncluttered by people running small businesses, dealing in drugs, begging for money, or practising rap routines to the accompaniment of ghetto-blasters as happens in the shabby bazaar that is now the South Bank Centre.
What's more, De Doelen Hall provides its audience with free tea and coffee, not only during the interval but after the show – encouraging concert-goers to stay, and meet, and talk about the music they've just heard. How civilised the Dutch can be, compared to us.
Michael White (no relation)
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