International Music Day + Amsterdam Dance Event

Electronic dance music has increasingly become one of The Netherlands’ biggest cultural exports. The upcoming Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) from 19-23 October is a key player in the field when it comes to networking, innovation, and creating a hub for development. In the spirit of international cultural cooperation this International Music Day on 1 October, DutchCulture is shining the spotlight on some exciting ADE collaborations and events that showcase the best of the Dutch and their international partners.

With the recent re-opening of De School in Amsterdam, it’s no wonder Club Night SPIELRAUM is teaming up with Bassiani, hailing all the way from Tbilisi, Georgia for a legendary ADE collaboration. It’s going to be cool, queer, and serious techno with a line-up boasting names like AFRA, KI/KI, Polly F, and Yazzus.

De School, which used to be a technical school, also has a concert venue, a restaurant, a café, an exhibition space and a gym. The nightclub has a capacity of 700 and is located in the school's former bicycle storage area.

Note that this is a queer event, and people from the LGBTQIA+ community have an absolute priority to enter.

Green Events and Nachtlab Agency join forces in organising the 8th Edition of ADE Green, the pioneering conference on sustainability, innovation and social change within the music industry. The programme features international keynote speakers, food for thought in combination with practical hands-on workshops and a range of panels on different topics. This year, recurring themes include climate justice, accessibility, circular event management, single-use plastics and reusables, innovation, adaptation and resilience. The conference will take place at Huis Vasari and Felix Meritis.

The Hague festival darling The Crave and iconic Berlin based streaming platform Hör are reuniting at RADION for ADE. After a first-rate collaboration at the last edition of The Crave Festival (Hör’s very first festival appearance), their ADE event will no doubt be another quality night of diverse underground sounds.

RADION is located in the former ACTA dental centre in New West, better known as the ACTA breeding ground. It defines itself as a cultural free haven looking for the boundaries and interfaces of experimental and already established projects where young talent is given a stage and both artists and promoters are given a stepping stone.

Uganda’s Nyege Nyege Festival, first staged in 2015, is one of the biggest and boldest festivals sounding out from East Africa right now. Having worked with a plethora of international clubs and festivals since COVID-19, Nyege Nyege Festival returns to Amsterdam this October for another intimate collaboration with Garage Noord.  

Garage Noord on the Gedempt Hamerkanaal is where you can dine in the evening and dance at night. The programme is diverse, from electro to punk to reggae. The common denominator? Alternative music that works well in a small space.

Amsterdam’s Rush Hour Music has cultivated its allure to be more than just a record store and label. In the ten years since its conception, Rush Hour has become a hub for music lovers everywhere. With their understated approach to releasing music, it makes sense they’re collaborating with Tokyo’s Rainbow Disco Club at LOFI this ADE. Equally dedicated to high quality music and innovative productions, this event is a real treat for electronic music connoisseurs.

LOFI is a multidisciplinary location with weekly programmes consisting of events revolving around music, food, creativity and art. The warehouse in Sloterdijk has a raw and industrial feel: what used to be a workplace for machinerie and cars has been transformed into a creative space for dancing, listening, eating and drinking.

For big house names with even bigger sounds, head to Circoloco x Loveland at Mediahaven on the ADE Saturday. Circoloco’s classic Ibiza sound combined with Loveland’s established Amsterdam house foundation can only make for an exemplary house programme with dance music’s hottest stars.

Mediahaven Amsterdam is a three-room location in the Houthavens with first-class facilities. The rooms vary from a 12-meter-high ceiling to a basement with a grungier feel, all with state-of-the-art sound systems.

The German label Giegling has previously organised concerts, parties, and exhibitions internationally, and will be taking on the last day of ADE with Yellow House, concocting a day programme in the beautiful Houthavens district of Amsterdam.

To get an overview of Dutch international electronic dance music activities in the past years, check DutchCulture's database.