An estimated 6,000 people watched the band triumph at the Mathew Street festival on bank holiday Monday as part of the first leg of the Takin’ on the World tour.

Full reports from the gig are yet to emerge, but the full set ran as follows:

Takin’ On the World
The Journey
Nostalgia
Joe’s Kiss
Love Phenomenon
Raid the Palace
The Glorious Day
Does this Train Stop on Merseyside?
You’re a Phoney

The boys put in a storming 40-minute set in the most beautiful festival setting imaginable in Scarboro’ on Sunday night. Delayed because the tide refused to go out quick enough when Amsterdam finally hit the stage, the whole festival seemed to move up another gear.

Over 3,000 people witnessed the show, which was helped on by giant video screens for those at the back.

It seems that the band have been the talk of the town ever since and they were asked back next year within 30 seconds of leaving the stage by the organisers, who said: “We just wanted to congratulate (and thank!) you for a storming set at Beached, you really made the festival for a lot of people. We’ve had a lot of feedback from punters, who thought you were fantastic.”

The next show is this Monday afternoon at 3 o’clock on the South stage at the Pier head in Liverpool as part of the Mathew Street Festival.

The Pier head is down by the River Mersey in front of the Liver Buildings.

The boys are to release their third single and much-loved Amsterdam classic Takin’ on the World on Monday 3 October.

This two-minute fifty slice of rockin’ pop music is often seen as Amsterdam in a nutshell and is a big live favourite. Obviously the gang are hoping this one will make the biggest splash yet.

The single will be available in three formats. The CD will feature the title track plus two fab tunes. First is You Can’t Trust the People, a belting rocker that is a duet between Ian and Paulie and sounds like The Clash in about 1978 according to our heroes.

The second song is the lost classic The Time of Your Life, which is made widely available here for the first time ever. It’s actually the first song the band ever recorded and is much heralded by those that have heard it.

The limited edition collector’s 7″ vinyl single this time will definitely be autographed and will feature an absolute gem as an extra track. Career Building is just Ian, a drum machine and a little Johnny Barlow resulting in a recording of great charm.

Band producer Tony Kiley decided to leave this as a simple version with a view to returning to the song as a full band track in the near future. ‘It’s a hit single in the waiting’ was the producer’s instant assessment.

Finally the single can also be downloaded this time via Pinnacle/Napster. This is obviously a new and very important way of receiving music nowadays with many record companies only bothering to release singles via this method.

Thankfully Beat Crazy Recordings are still allowing the boys to use the traditional method to get some new songs out there. The extra track you will be able to download will be the boys bangin’ version of Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves.

To promote the single the boys will head out on their fourth tour of the year! The Takin’ on the World tour will be having extra dates added but so far visits:

Liverpool – Carling Academy – Fri 23 Sept
Glasgow – Barfly – Thurs 29 Sept
Preston – 12 Bar Cub – Friday 30 Sept (tbc)
Wolves – Little Civic – Monday 3 Oct
Cambridge – Man in the Moon – Tues 4h Oct (tbc)
London – Islington Academy – Wed 5 Oct
Sheffield – Fez Club – Sun 9 Oct

Keep your eye on the forum in the next week to see other dates be added so you can organise yourselves to come and experience the UK’s very best live band! Don’t forget Amsterdam’s first date of the summer is at the Beached festival in Scarborough on 21 August.

Those interested in the press release for the single and tour can download the Word file.

The boys will shake off the cobwebs before the prestigious Mathew Street festival slot with a secret warm-up show in Little Sutton, Ellesmere Port.

The show will take place at the Red Lion venue on Wednesday 24 August and support will come from The Garys and The Prodigal Sons. Entrance is £5 on the door and tickets can be reserved by phoning the Red Lion on 0151 339 2496.

This is the first time Amsterdam have ever played in Little Sutton, Ian’s home, and only the second time in 13 years Ian has done a home town gig.

The venue is situated on the A41, 25 minutes from Liverpool in a car and two minutes walk from Little Sutton railway station. It is also on the main bus route between Liverpool and Chester. There will be no guest list.

The stage times are confirmed as follows:

The Prodigal sons 8:30pm-9:00pm
The Garys 9:15pm-9:45pm
AMSTERDAM 10:00pm-11:00pm