To mark 25 years of the Dutch classic, JOHAN's Jacob de Greeuw sits down for an intimate listening session in the Kleine Zaal at Philharmonie. The plan is simple and lovely: play Pergola from vinyl, from the first note to the last, and between the songs Jacob tells how each one came together. The story around this record is special and vulnerable, and there's no better way to feel it than with the music itself filling the room.

He won't be alone. Producer Frans Hagenaars (Excelsior Recordings), one of the people behind the sound of Pergola, joins the conversation, moderated by Menno Pot (Volkskrant). If the name Frans Hagenaars rings a bell, it should: we sat down with him back in 2024 for a session on the art of recording, and he's exactly the kind of guest who makes you hear a record differently.

And it's not only about Pergola. Alongside the album, expect to hear which music has inspired the band, run like a thread through their lives, and quietly shaped the way JOHAN writes and grows. After a handful of these sessions over the years, we know one thing for sure: the songs and the lyrics come alive that little bit more once you know what sits behind them.

25 Years of Pergola Listening Session
Date & Time: Sunday October 4, 13:00–14:30
Venue: PHIL (Kleine Zaal)
Language: Dutch spoken

Tickets (€7,50) are available via Stager, and access is free for JOHAN concert ticket holders, who can claim their ticket via Patronaat (Ticketmaster).

Access is also included in the Haarlem Vinyl Festival Weekend Pass.