Another year, another October of Amsterdam turning into the nucleus of electronic music for Amsterdam Dance Event. For five days, curated mayhem hums through every corner of the city, igniting a network of clubs, warehouses, basements, radios, takeovers, pop-ups, and secret after-hours. The real challenge isn’t finding a mind-blowing party— it’s choosing what to miss. This year I caught two label-driven showcases: One Eye Witness at Multipla and Nous’klaer x On Board at Borisov. In a week of musical abundance, both of these events cut through the noise and felt distinct. ADE’s influence also stretches beyond the dance-floor through exhibitions and installations that are part of the ADE Arts & Culture program. Door Open Space hosted The Grid X Club Cult + A Scan Through Rave culture, which explored the rich history of nightlife and rave culture. It featured an immersive audiovisual installation by Victor Dissel & Bram van Ravenhorst, in which light, sound, and movement intertwined; the ClubCult book launch and exhibition; and “Memorabilia: A Scan Through Dutch Rave Culture”— a project to which One Eye Witness also contributed, extending their impact and legacy from the booth to the archive.
With endless showcases and consistently high standards, it’s no surprise that ADE has cemented its place as a key component within the global electronic music scene. What once began as a small conference in 1996 has now evolved into a week-long sprawl and one of the most significant gatherings dedicated to electronic sound and culture. It doubles as a yearly barometer for the local scene, where labels, collectives and creatives come together to showcase innovative talent and taste. A place where major players and micro-scenes intersect— the city itself becomes a conduit for connection. The sheer scale of ADE can be overwhelming, and expectations run high, but it is also a reminder of how blessed the community is in terms of passion, quality, and quantity.
One Eye Witness’ event at Multipla was completely packed and buzzing, clearly attracting quite the crowd. Upstairs offered a smaller room dedicated to ambient and downtempo music with a more relaxed setting, featuring Abu Samer, Iggy P, Nelly, Kyra Khaldi and Lazergazer. Downstairs was stacked with an amazing nineteen-hour lineup including Mia Cecille B2B Lo Ds, Casio The Calculator, Sugar Free, Naone B2B Denial, Rey Colino B2B Zto, John Talabot, Byron Yeates B2B Hylke, Kia, and Roza Terenzi. With curation like this, featuring internationally hyped names and trusted local selectors, I don’t have much to say except they know what they’re doing and they do it well. Nelly’s track selection would be an honourable mention— a lovely deep dive, playing tracks like “Swampy” by Dregs, offering a switch from dancing to decompressing. The music throughout was a perfect blend of genres and rhythms— threading electro, acid, breaks and deep techno together and playing into bouncy, deep, and driving sounds that kept the the place in constant motion.
The next highlighted event is a collaboration between On Board Music, founded by Laura BCR, and the Rotterdam-based label Nous’klaer Audio, run by Sjoerd Oberman. The cross-label party featured an impressive lineup full of incredible artists, including Laura BCR, Martinou, Oceanic, Lenxi, Polygonia, Eversines B2B Marie K, Human Space Machine B2B Zara, Zemög B2B Vera Logdanidi, Oberman and Clarisa Kimski B2B Wata Igarashi. Oceanic’s set was a highlight, filled with captivating unreleased music. Polygonia, invited as a mystery guest and known for her organic, rhythmic and hypnotic style, delivered her set with precision that was a real treat for the audience. Hosting the event at Borisov, especially with no entry fee, was a thoughtful way to bring together those familiar with the labels’ curation while keeping it accessible to everyone — a community-minded approach and alternative to ADE’s commercial side.
ADE’s influence also stretches beyond the dance-floor through exhibitions and installations that are part of the ADE Arts & Culture program. Door Open Space hosted The Grid X Club Cult + A Scan Through Rave culture, which explored the rich history of nightlife and rave culture. It featured an immersive audiovisual installation by Victor Dissel & Bram van Ravenhorst, in which light, sound, and movement intertwined; the ClubCult book launch and exhibition; and “Memorabilia: A Scan Through Dutch Rave Culture”— a project to which One Eye Witness also contributed, extending their impact and legacy from the booth to the archive.
In January 2024, Amsterdam’s cultural incubator, and legendary nightclub De School closed its doors after more than eight years of functioning as a safe haven. From this spirit emerged Clubcult, an initiative by fashion label Johnny Blood and artist Daan Kneppers, created in collaboration with De School during its final 66 hours. Four photographers— Barrie Hullegie, Lonneke van der Palen, Jorre Janssens, and Tim Verhallen— alongside videographers Jelmar van Belle and Dorith Mous, captured over 200 visitors, turning these images into a 400 page book which documents those that are the very foundation of Amsterdam’s underground. Presented as an immersive installation with sound curated by Beste Hira, it reanimated the clubs impact through imagery and projections.
These archives serve as vital records of (Dutch) electronic music and nightlife heritage, tracing the lineage through design and documentation. They operate as living records of a scene and subculture that is constantly evolving, materialised through flyers, books, projections, and visual ephemera. Collections like these don’t just preserve but educate, contextualise and unify, reminding us that dance and music culture carry a long history of resistance, activism, inclusivity and collective liberation— values that remain essential and should be carried forward through the global expansion of electronic music.
