I’m telling you, the day you start appreciating and anticipating autumn, is the day you move to Amsterdam. Because as soon as the first bunch of events start filling up on the Facebook timelines, you know the best is about to come… Amsterdam Dance Event. A week of the electronic dance music family, old legends, new-comers, the outcasts (subgenres) – all coming together to showcase the state-of-art electronic dance music.
It’s easy to lose track (or even head) with well over 450 events already scheduled, in around 100 clubs and venues all over Amsterdam welcoming over 2000 performers (no, really)! Thus as every year, we dive into the full agenda and cherry pick our top selections day by day, in attempt to provide a comprehensive guide on what not to miss out on.
ENTER. presents Experiences. at Loveland ADE | Mediahaven | Tickets
The best techno on Friday is to be heard at Mediahaven. A night curated by Richie Hawtin will showcase his ENTER. series and his own hand picked artists. What is particularly pleasing to the editorial’s feminist eye, is the ratio of female techno artists on this line-up. Four girls shall stand behind the decks: the amazing Maya Jane Coles; the BBC radio host and excellent mixer B.Traits; Berlin based Japanese artist Hito with her strict only vinyl policy; and Julia Govor, whose leap of career took her from the far lands of Russia to releasing on labels like Visionquest, Get Physical or Highway Records.
Line-up: Richie Hawtin | Recondite | Matador | Jon Gaiser | Julian Jeweil | TM404 aka Andreas Tilliander | Maya Jane Coles | B.Traits | Hito | Julia Govor | Fabio Florido | David Sidley (aka WHYT NOYZ) | Carlo Ruetz
ADE Life and Death | Thuishaven | Tickets
Arm your feet with some good pair of shoes, as Life and Death imprint in showcasing its very best at the Thuishaven Wintercircus. From the banging conceptual techno tunes of Fango, the melodic Leon Vynehall, the always off-the-charts performance by our favourite Bulgarian KiNK, and the label owner Dj Tennis himself, it’s gonna go full scale, Life and Death.
Line up: Axel Boman | Black Merlin | Dj Tennis | Fango | KiNK live | Lawrence live | Leon Vynehall | Margot | Michael Gracioppo | Nuno dos Santos | Red Axes | Tim Sweeney b2b Eric Duncan
Harvey’s Discotheque & ESP Institute | Marktkantine | Tickets
There’s no point in commenting what a beyond-belief steamy, exuberant and exciting the DJ Harvey‘s dimmed light disco parties are. What I want to highlight here is the types of behaviour expected from the Amsterdam’s public: leaking in alcoholic sweat, topless jacking, fourplaying with more than 3 people at the time, performing splits on the DJ decks at minimum. So please, Amsterdam night crawlers, step up your game, DJ Harvey‘s in town.
Meanwhile, next door to his 9 hour disco-only set, for the right balance, without too harsh contrast, a label from LA, ESP Institute, will be showcasing their sound. Behind the decks – the Amsterdam’s Rush Hour‘s very own Young Marco, Moscoman, armed with several excellent recent releases and remixes, of course the label owned Lovefingers himself, and a live set from the scot Lord of the Isles.
Line-up: DJ Harvey (9 hour set) | Lovefingers | Young Marco | Moscoman | Lord Of The Isles (live)
NGHTDVSN ADE Special – Day 1 | Het Sieraad | Tickets
Within such a short time NGHTDVSN has relentlessly earned its recognition in the city’s nightlife as a top standard event curator. Once again they open the doors of “Het Sieraad”, a fantastic monument of the Amsterdam School’s architectural style, built in 1924 as a trade school for the working class (sounds as dutch as it gets). This event’s line-up is particular for its trippy melodic techno fusions that connect the artists. Next to three live performances by Extrawelt, David Douglas and Sau Poler, the sounds of the night will include the excellent Max Cooper, the duo Kiasmos, not to mention Stephan Bodzin, who instead of his techno heritage prefers to call himself “melody man”.
ZeeZout ADE 2016 // Friday Special | Undercurrent | Tickets
Zeezout is about to host another 4-day extravaganza at the Undercurrent. According to us, the best in store in regards to the line-up Zeezout has prepared on Friday. Bringing together both international and local acts, probably best to describe for an local nightlifer as Dekmantel favourites. One of the most interesting shall be the back-to-back between Palms Trax and Midland, a match made in haven.
Dolly invites: Nightmares on Wax | Disco Dolly | Tickets
George Evelyn aka. Nightmares on Wax is best known as a prolific producer, who has dived into probably every genre and made his own twist every single time, fusing reggae, hip hop, jazzy elements with new wave or acid house. However, at this year’s Dimensions festival, where he performed at the main stage, we saw how easily he can hold a diverse crowd in his palm during a DJ set.
Meanwhile, Amsterdam’s Disco Dolly has been carving its rightful spot in Amsterdam’s nightlife as an open-door policy club with selective music curation. Thus Disco Dolly hosting Nightmares on Wax on Friday night is one of those times, when the frame fits the picture, since with such vast genre knowledge and an extended catalogue of own tracks summoned through his 25 years of music, you’re in for a treat for a good groove.
Line-up: Nightmares on Wax | Urvinho & Faya | Gurney-Champion
