Amsterdam Dance Event 2018 Concludes With Record-Breaking Success

With the eyes of the entire dance music community in Amsterdam, the beautiful capital city of the Netherlands certainly did not disappoint.

Amsterdam Dance Event brought over 400,000 people from around the world for a dance music experience like no other. ADE is a high-powered business conference and music festival weaved into an action-packed five days. There were more than 450 night and 600 daytime events spread over 200 locations, with over 2,500 performing artists and around 600 speakers participating in keynotes, workshops and master classes on a variety of topics.

This marked my second time covering the event in person, and my experience was nothing short of mind-blowing. Upon arrival, my first move was to Laidback Luke‘s Mixmash Records night. His event was unique in that he clearly made the effort to bring in the young minds on Mixmash for the label night. A lot of artists will just book their friends who have nothing to do with the label, but Mixmash clearly put in the effort to have their label properly represented during their party.

Thursday was a busy day of meetings and networking, as I spent plenty of time at the DeLaMar Theater center as well as the Andaz hotel. That networking turned into a great time at De Bajes, where artist Pete Dash threw a fun and intimate afternoon party. The artists who were booked threw down awesome house tracks, and the venue allowed artists and attendees alike to mingle. The event was well-attended by some very well-known artists, and the energy in the room was impressive for a small venue.

Friday brought about a trip outside of the city of Amsterdam, as I trekked to the Defected Records party. They custom-built a massive tent venue to house their party, which had a massive stage and even bigger lineup. Killer house tunes were blasting through the place all evening, as a star-studded lineup with the likes of Todd Terry, Danny Howard, Sam Devine and more brought their best to the stage. The event went off without a hitch, which is impressive when you factor in the star-power involved and the custom venue. That night, I had the privilege of watching Bob Sinclair play a set at a tribal house party hosted by Daddy’s Groove. The man brought the house down, with great song selections and use of the classics. I think hearing “World Hold On” played by the man himself is one of the best moments I had during my time in Amsterdam.

The last day I spent in the city was another fantastic and unique experience. British DJ/producer Kryder, who recently moved his services from Sosumi Records to the Spinnin-affiliated Kryteria Records, threw a party around the upcoming God Save the Groove compilation on a rented-out three level boat. The boat cruised all around the city of Amsterdam, showing the city’s unique quirks and sublime beauty from an angle that brings a different perspective. The lineup for this event was stellar, bringing massive grooves from around the world onto one boat. The main room on the bottom floor was perfectly tuned for a rowdy and entertaining atmosphere. On the top deck, a ‘silent disco’ setup allowed the DJs on that level to bring listeners into their own world. Both experiences were incredible in their own ways, and Kryder really nailed the concept of having two parties within a party on the God Save the Groove cruise.

When it was over, it felt weird to return to a normal life schedule. No parties, no meetings, just fantastic memories. Amsterdam Dance Event is forever special because it really unites an industry that’s spread out all over the world. It was an incredible privilege to cover this year, and I hope I will be able to return to the Dutch capital for next year’s edition of ADE.