The Cannabis Cup lives on in Amsterdam. In spite of many shortcomings, the venerable cup continues to hazily stumble on year after year, due to hefty subsidies from High Times magazine.

This 18th annual event will feature Patti Smith and her band, and the plan is to induct John Trudell into the Counterculture Hall of Fame.

If you are not familiar with John Trudell, or his band Bad Dog, you should be. According to his website, “Trudell, a Vietnam Veteran, served in the U.S. Navy from 1963-1967, attended college for a while and then dropped out. In 1969, Trudell participated in the occupation of Alcatraz Island by Indians of All Tribes, becoming a spokesman for Indians of All Tribes. After the Indians of All Tribes occupation ended in 1971, Trudell worked with the American Indian Movement, becoming national Chairman of AIM in 1973. Trudell was chairman of AIM from 1973 until 1979. In February of 1979, Trudell’s mother-in-law, wife and three children were killed in a fire of unknown origin.”

At that time he began to chronicle his experiences and his pain through music, and recorded a number of albums hailed critically by such artists as Bob Dylan. His material is a unique blend of poetry, Native instrumentation, blues and rock. With his new album “Bone Days” he has continued to try and raise the consciouness of all listeners to new levels of understanding.

The Cannabis Cup will be further enhanced with the legendary Patti Smith on hand performing her work. Patti Smith has been on the scene, literally, since the 1960s when she lived in New York City with famed photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. She worked in avant garde thater productions and visual arts, until she found her voice and the words to stir up the music scene, producing one of the first independent rock DIY albums, recorded in 1974.

Her career went on from there, with many bestselling albums including “Horses.” Patti Smith took a hiatus from 1979 thru the mid 1990’s, when she returned to the performing scene after the deaths of her husband and brother within a month of each other. Now she is a legend in her own right, showcasing the human condition with all its flaws and beauty through her music.

This year the Cannabis Cup will be held at the Melkweg, and the Sugar Factory. Finally the cup management wised up and found a spot right by the Melkweg to use for the displays and seminars, etc. that always accompany the music festival that is the heart of the Cannabis Cup.

The Sugar Factory was known as the Amuse Theater previously to this May, and its door is directly opposite the entrance to the Melweg.

The Melkweg and Sugar Factory are located right off the Leidseplein, which is easily reached from anywhere in Amsterdam by tram, taxi or foot.

Here’s hoping your Cannabis Cup experience is everything you expect it to be!

~Martin Trip