What is the Boom Chicago blog?

The Boom Chicago blog is KlagenNietKlagen.nl, an English-language Amsterdam city blog written by Andrew Moskos, co-founder of Boom Chicago. It covers Amsterdam life, culture, and city commentary through a witty, honest, insider lens — the kind of perspective you simply cannot get from a tourism website or a mainstream media outlet. Below, you will find answers to the most common questions about the blog, what it covers, and who it is for.

Who writes the Boom Chicago blog?

The Boom Chicago blog is written by Andrew Moskos, co-founder and co-owner of Boom Chicago, the legendary Amsterdam comedy theatre he launched with Pep Rosenfeld in 1993. Andrew introduced improvisation theatre to the Netherlands and has spent over three decades building one of the most influential and innovative theatre companies in Europe.

Beyond the stage, Andrew is a sought-after host, speaker, and coach at international conferences. He has worked with some of the biggest names in Dutch public life, including coaching Prime Minister Mark Rutte and co-writing what has been called Rutte’s most successful speech ever. That mix of comedy, entrepreneurship, and cultural fluency is exactly what shapes the voice behind the blog: sharp, personal, and earned through genuine experience rather than a press pass.

What topics does the Boom Chicago blog cover?

The blog covers Amsterdam city life in all its contradictions: culture, neighbourhood politics, Dutch social norms, expat experiences, overtourism, things to do in Amsterdam, and the daily reality of living in one of the world’s most visited yet genuinely complex cities. The editorial backbone is a classic Dutch tension captured in the blog’s name: klagen (to complain) versus niet klagen (counting your blessings).

That framework keeps the content honest. Amsterdam gets praised when it deserves it and criticised when it does not. You will find long-form essays on why Amsterdam works, opinion pieces on why it sometimes does not, and cultural commentary that goes well beyond the usual list of things to do in Amsterdam that every travel blog recycles endlessly. The blog treats the city as a living, breathing place full of contradictions — not a postcard.

Who is the Boom Chicago blog written for?

The blog is written for anyone who wants a genuine, intelligent, insider take on Amsterdam rather than a polished tourism pitch. That includes English-speaking expats who have moved past the honeymoon phase of living here, culturally curious international visitors who want to understand the city beneath the surface, Boom Chicago fans who already trust Andrew’s comedic and cultural instincts, and internationally minded Dutch people who are tired of sanitised city guides.

What unites all these readers is a hunger for honest commentary. They are educated, opinionated, and perfectly capable of handling nuance. They do not need Amsterdam explained to them like a first-time tourist — they want someone with real skin in the game to tell them what is actually going on.

How is the Boom Chicago blog different from other Amsterdam blogs?

Most Amsterdam blogs fall into one of two traps: they either cater to tourists with generic “top 10 hidden gems” content, or they publish in Dutch and lock out an international audience entirely. The Boom Chicago blog does neither. It is English-language, long-form, opinion-driven, and written by someone who has genuinely built something in Amsterdam over more than thirty years.

There is no advertorial pressure, no tourism board influence, and no attempt to keep everyone happy. The Klagen / Niet Klagen framework is not just a clever name — it is an editorial commitment to honesty. When something about Amsterdam is worth celebrating, the blog says so. When something is worth criticising, it says that too. That independence is rare, and it is exactly what makes the perspective impossible to replicate.

Where can you find the Boom Chicago blog?

The blog lives at KlagenNietKlagen.nl, where all articles are published and archived. It launched in 2026 and publishes regular long-form essays and cultural commentary in English. The full archive is available online and free to read.

How Klagen Niet Klagen helps you get more out of Amsterdam

Whether you are looking for things to do in Amsterdam, trying to make sense of Dutch culture, or simply want a smarter take on the city than any guidebook offers, Klagen Niet Klagen is the place to start. Here is what the blog brings to the table:

  • Honest, independent commentary free from tourism board influence or advertorial pressure
  • Long-form essays on Amsterdam life, culture, and city politics written from over three decades of lived experience
  • An English-language platform that fills a genuine gap in Amsterdam media
  • The Klagen / Niet Klagen framework — a clear editorial lens that keeps the content balanced, funny, and real
  • Insider perspective from someone who has built, performed, and lived in Amsterdam since 1993

Explore the full blog archive and find the Amsterdam commentary you have been looking for.

Of course, the best way to experience Andrew Moskos’s take on Amsterdam is live on stage. Boom Chicago has been making audiences laugh, think, and occasionally squirm since 1993 — and the shows are still running. Check the current shows and agenda and come see what thirty-plus years of Amsterdam comedy actually looks like in person. If you have questions or want to get in touch, the contact page is right there waiting for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often does the Klagen Niet Klagen blog publish new content?

The blog publishes regular long-form essays and cultural commentary, though the focus is firmly on quality over quantity. Rather than churning out short-form posts to feed an algorithm, Andrew prioritises in-depth pieces that are worth your time — so when something new goes up, it is genuinely worth reading. The best way to stay up to date is to check the archive at KlagenNietKlagen.nl directly.

Is the Klagen Niet Klagen blog useful if I am just visiting Amsterdam for a few days, not living there?

Absolutely — in fact, it can completely change how you experience a short trip. Rather than following the same recycled tourist trail, the blog gives you the cultural context and honest local perspective that helps you understand what you are actually seeing. Even a single long-form essay can reframe a neighbourhood, a Dutch social habit, or a city debate in a way that no guidebook will.

Can I read the Klagen Niet Klagen blog if I do not speak Dutch?

Yes — that is precisely one of the things that makes it unique. The entire blog is written in English, which fills a real gap in Amsterdam media where most locally grounded, opinion-driven content is published in Dutch and effectively invisible to international readers. You get the insider perspective without the language barrier.

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