April March

With the French pop music of the 1960s back in vogue in the virtual era, it was bound to happen; April March may sound a lot like Françoise Hardy or France Gall singing melancholy, sighing ditties about hopeless love in French and English, but she's actually from LA and has turned something of a gag into a fine lounge act. Her third album, 'Chrominance Decoder', was produced by the Dust Brothers, and the faux-French chanteuse is now gracing all of Downtown's most in-the-know record collections.

Sail Ruigoord

Just outside the city, in the artist's village of Ruigoord. Although it was established 20 years ago, its future now looks bleak. Indeed, it may be your last chance to experience this unique cultural hot-spot as the village hosts its own 'Sail 2000' as an alternative to a similar event taking place in Amsterdam the following week. Would-be visitors are advised to 'come with anything that floats'.

Grachten Festival

It began as a single free concert by an orchestra floating on a pontoon in front of a hotel, but now the Canal Festival involves over 70 chamber concerts in 20 different canal-side locations, along with a coinciding Children's Canal Festival. The line-up balances larger international names with local youthful up-and-comers. Not to be missed - especially the Prinsengrachtconcert outside Hotel Pulitzer at 8.30pm on August 19.