Parallel opened its doors in the Tolhuistuin building in March 2022 and has since become a regular spot for those who want to go somewhere on a Friday or Saturday night where it doesn't matter what you look like or who you are. No strict door policy, no dress code that locks you out. But a dance floor where diversity is not a marketing term but just reality.
The musical direction is clear: futuristic electronica and techno, often on the experimental side. One of the recurring series that showcases this well is Terra, through which Parallel brings international talent to North. DJ Python, known for his mellow but expansive dance productions, opened the series. Kampire, the Ugandan-Scottish DJ who spins worldwide and has his own sound that is hard to describe but instantly recognizable, was also there. Two names that show Parallel is not just booking.
The building itself helps, too. The Tolhuistuin complex on the IJ has an industrial character that suits the music there. You get off the free ferry, walk in and you're there. No hassle with cabs or night buses. That the location is in North feels more like an advantage than a barrier: it gives the place its own world-feeling, a piece away from the center.
Those who want to dance without drinks or drugs involved can do so here without feeling like an outcast.
One thing that stands out in the offerings: through the account @soberclubbing, Parallel also offers a substance-free option. Not as an afterthought, but as a full part of the program. Those who want to dance without booze or drugs involved can do so here without feeling like an outcast. The club is operated by the Bolden Group, which runs more spots around town. Within that, Parallel feels like the most outspoken project: a club that takes a stance on what a nightclub can look like, and lives up to that stance every week.