Lab Grounds, Rotterdam

Grounds introduces Lab For the month of June, we’ll be taking a deep dive in our fresh new concept. What changes does it bring to our place known formally as New Grounds. Let’s start with the core. The reason why we do this and how we change visions into vocations.

Lab is a dynamic music stage where emerging artists can develop, experiment, and connect with the community. You can find our music stage on the second floor of the HBS in Rotterdam West 🧪

This is what’s happening at GROUNDS this May! This Friday, we welcome Rim Akandoh Jnr. & Amamere, an exciting new music project from Cape Coast, Ghana, bringing a fresh breeze to the highlife tradition by blending the signature guitar highlife of the ’70s with an Afro-funky vintage style. Looking for something new? Let us introduce you to Melina. She is a refreshing voice experimenting with traditional Greek sounds. Drawing from her roots, she carries this heritage through her voice, rich in melismatic ornamentation and emotional depth. And what is a GROUNDS program without Tamikrest? When you think of desert blues, you hear them already. With scorching guitar riffs, danceable rhythms, and hypnotic vocals, they take you on a sonic journey straight to the heart of the Sahara. And of course, we have many more amazing artists and events lined up for the coming months. Be sure to check out our full program at grounds.nu, where you can also grab your tickets. We can’t wait to see you there. See you soon!

This is what’s happening at GROUNDS this April! This Friday, we kick off the month with Omar Dahl, bringing a hypnotic blend of Middle Eastern–infused organic house that’s guaranteed to move you. We will welcome the enigmatic Swedish post-psych outfit Den Der Hale to GROUNDS. Expect a hypnotic live show where kraut-inspired rhythms, raw psychedelia, and expansive post-rock that blur the line between chaos and control. Later this month, we’re excited to welcome back the one and only Mega. She’ll be debuting her new EP, a powerful, rhythm-driven journey rooted in African sounds and themes of empowerment. And of course, we have many more amazing artists and events lined up for the coming months. Be sure to check out our full program at grounds.nu, where you can also grab your tickets. We can’t wait to see you there. See you soon!

Coming to Lab: PARKER MILLSAP Born and raised in Purcell, Oklahoma, a tiny town with a huge sky, Millsap learned early on how to express gratitude through song while playing gospel in the church band. At the same time, he also became fascinated by the honest lyrics of Townes Van Zandt, the fingerpicking of Mississippi John Hurt, and classic albums like Graceland and Rumours. Millsap’s early career recordings displayed these influences through character-driven storytelling and minimalist instrumentation. Be Here Instead (2021) shows a glimpse of his wild side while exploring newer, more personal songs. And his newest album, Wilderness Within You, is a natural step in Parker's evolution which interweaves threads of his musical past and newer influences to gorgeous effect. This has already earned him some impressive accolades. For example the numerous nominations he received for several of his albums, his appearance on CONAN, and the honour to share the stage with Elton John at the Apple Music Festival. So get ready to be blown away by his masterful talent at Lab Grounds. 16th of May 📍 @labgrounds

CULTURE UNLIMITED FESTIVAL: MERAL POLAT & CHRIS DOYLE Meral Polat is a renowned actress, singer-songwriter, and theatre maker in the Netherlands. A graduate of the Amsterdam University of the Arts, she specializes in drama and contemporary music theatre and has developed a multidisciplinary career spanning theatre, film, and music. In this intimate duo setting, Meral Polat is joined by guitarist and pianist Chris Doyle. Together they present a stripped-down yet powerful musical dialogue in which voice, poetry, guitar, and piano meet. 2nd of April 📍 @labgrounds

Coming to Lab: DEDE PRIEST & JOHNNY CLARK Dede Priest & Johnny Clark have built an international name for themselves through years of relentless touring and steadfast publication of original roots music. Crossing genres, they have developed a unique and recognizable sound that blends Rock, Soul, Blues, Gospel, Folk and Country. Their high-energy performances deliver a loaded atmosphere, and audiences are moved by their honest and straight-forward interaction. They will present their songs in a duo – unplugged style, still combining their signature sounds, but in a smaller, more intimate setting. 26th of March 2026 📍 @labgrounds

🎤 Meral Polat Singer, songwriter, and theatre maker Meral Polat is one of the most powerful voices connecting contemporary music with the musical traditions of Anatolia and Kurdistan. Born in Amsterdam and raised between cultures, her work moves freely between folk, blues, soul, and global music, creating a deeply expressive and personal sound. Her songs often draw inspiration from poetry written by her late father, forming a musical language that reflects themes of identity, memory, resistance, and belonging. With her intense stage presence and distinctive voice, Meral Polat has captivated audiences across Europe. Through her music, she creates a space where ancient traditions meet contemporary expression, building bridges between cultures and generations. ✨ As part of Culture Unlimited Festival 2026, Meral Polat will present two special concerts. More info: /events/meral-polat-chris-doyle/ /events/meral-polat-chris-doyle-2/ #MeralPolat #CultureUnlimitedFestival #CUF2026 #GlobalMusic #LiveMusic WomenInMusic DenHaag WorldMusic

CULTURE UNLIMITED FESTIVAL: STEVEN KAMPERMAN’S THE ADVENTURES OF PRINCE ACHMED Composer and alto clarinettist Steven Kamperman has created a new original soundtrack for Die Abenteuer des Prinzen Achmed, the legendary animated film by Lotte Reiniger. Made in 1926, it is considered the first full-length animated feature film in cinema history. Using the film’s narrative as a guide, Steven Kamperman composed a richly layered new score inspired by Middle Eastern musical traditions, drawing on decades of experience with Turkish and Arabic maqams. As in all of his work, the music unfolds across multiple layers: lyrical melodies intertwine with contemporary composed textures and vivid improvisations, creating a colourful and constantly shifting sound world. 18th of March 📍 @labgrounds

This is what’s happening at GROUNDS this March! This Sunday we’ll be dancing to highlife grooves with Ghana’s supergroup Santrofi. Blending their highlife roots with a fresh touch of funk, expect irresistible rhythms and infectious, danceable energy on stage. Later this month, we’re excited to welcome back the swinging Vaudou Game, who had the entire venue dancing last year with their brilliant mix of afrofunk, soul, blues and voodoo. Over at @labgrounds , we’ll host the duo Dede Priest & Johnny Clark, bringing brooding blues songs, touches of folk and truly mesmerizing vocals. And of course, we have many more amazing artists and events lined up for the coming months. Be sure to check out our full program at grounds.nu, where you can also grab your tickets. We can’t wait to see you there. See you soon!

Just Confirmed: MEHMET POLAT QUARTET Renowned ud (oud) player and composer Mehmet Polat brings together three exceptional talents from the jazz and world music scene in his latest project: the Mehmet Polat Quartet. Together, the quartet explores a distinctive blend of jazz and global musical traditions, continuing Polat’s journey through musical crossovers that are deeply contemplative, emotionally rich, and rhythmically complex. 23rd of May 📍 @labgrounds

Coming to Lab: YIP At 14 years old YIP picked up the guitar and started writing songs in their small town bedroom, they haven’t stopped since. Inspired by their surroundings, nature and other art forms such as painting and ceramics the 25 year-old artist always finds new things to write about. In 2024 they released their debut EP Waiting To Bloom about the struggles of growing up and entering adulthood. YIP will be performing their work The World In Blue together with their band at Lab Grounds. In this music performance they showcase the stories and experiences of people diagnosed with autism at a later age. With dreamy indie folk songs and a sensitive performance, the audience enters the world of someone with autism. How do you grow up? And how do you learn to live with yourself? Both before and after the diagnosis. 21st of January 📍 @labgrounds