Helicopter studios, more than a rehearsal space
As you walk down the empty Helicopterstraat in Amsterdam-West, nothing much indicates the bustle of the rehearsal space residing inside. However, as you climb the stairs to the first floor, you are quickly met by a whole new atmosphere. The entire upper floor of this former warehouse is occupied by Helicopter. Turning towards the right, you see one of the two common areas of the space, the reception area with a small sitting area. Towards the left, down a small hallway, waits another wider space with a pool table, a large kitchen with a bar surface, with big couches lining the walls.
This already gives an indication of the atmosphere of the actual rehearsal rooms: decorative rugs on the walls, quirky paintings lining the hallways, and an elegant chandelier made of dozens of empty beer bottles. The rest of the space is divided up into two hallways, lined with a dozen or so rooms, ranging in size, style, and set-up. The comfort and coziness aspects of spaces seem to be kept in mind as much as technical, and pragmatic aspects of rehearsing band music. While sound equipment, drum sets, keyboards, microphone stands, and tangles of cables are present in every room, as well as sound-isolating material attached to the walls, the aesthetics are not neglected. As in the common areas, no surface area was spared from rustic carpets, couches, and the work of a local artist, Rupa, who himself rents a room at Helicopter. The biggest room boasts a wide stage, meant for hosting small live performances or jam sessions on occasion.
The founders
This impressive space came to be through the efforts of the three young founders of Helicopter, Vincent Polak, Sophie Neijts and Bernard van Veen, who created this special place out of their own passion for music and freedom.
Since their high school years, Vincent and Sophie have been part of the alternative band/music scene. One of the issues they often encountered was finding a space to practice their music and gather with friends and other musicians. The studios were often very rigid in their scheduling, were not very affordable especially for young students pursuing their musical hobbies, and overall formed a too restrictive structure, not giving them room for the creativity and freedom they craved. This is where the idea of a free space came to be.
They started out by renting their first-ever common space for music and art, a huge open space, under the anti-squat rules of the time. They first played music, and met with friends and fellow musicians here, developed a community atmosphere. This, however, was not ideal due to sound issues and other practical reasons. They soon had to move out of the space and went the opposite route a few years later, when they squatted a warehouse. But the new space had its own set of challenges, and they soon opted out of it as well. They met Bernard along the way, who was just as passionate about the music scene, and who helped them out in finding their final location: the top part of a warehouse just down the street, whose owner was willing to give out the space for their musical cause. Here, they managed to capture this atmosphere, of their first jam sessions, and community hang out from their first locations years ago: “That’s what we also wanted here, a safe place where musicians can meet, and play”, says Sophie.
“That’s what we also wanted here, a safe place where musicians can meet and play.”
A hobby, a passion, a home
Their passion for music and artistic freedom has translated into this space, making it like a second home to many of their guests and permanent renters. Even during the past two years, when lockdowns somewhat hindered the community spirit, the space continued to be a place of refuge, Vincent mentions, where he would sometimes go to get a change of scenery. Although the founders say it has felt quite tedious to enforce all the restrictive measures in their own space, it has been worth keeping everyone safe over these difficult times. But these quiet days seem to be far behind Helicopter, as they are now reopening to more people, more bands, and hosting more small music events.
Sophie and Vincent say they are more than happy with the space as it is currently, especially since the new expansion in 2020, giving them more opportunities to provide for the artists and performers they house long and short term. Although, they do have plans for taking this further, ever improving the space and making it more accessible and comfortable, but also ideas for expanding the functions of the space, such as potentially setting up some rooms to be able to record music. But these remain ambitions for the far-future, they explain. However, no matter how much they expand, how far their ambitions take them, the young founders of the place are adamant on keeping their place “feeling a bit like your own living room”: reflected in the homely decor of the former warehouse, but also in the cozy, community feeling. They hope to offer their guests and more permanent artists a space that they themselves wished for since their teen years.
Helicopter website // Insta