Newspaper #AMF2014

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AMSTERDAM ARENA

|18.10.2014 |

FREE EDITION

WHAT A MASSIVE NIGHT!

HARDWELL THE NUMBER ONE SPECIAL: PAGE 06

TOP 25 DJS ARMIN VAN BUUREN MARTIN GARRIX ADE EVENT REPORTS


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INDEX

BRINGING THE WORLD TO

AMSTERDAM MUSIC FESTIVAL NEWS

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VISITORS AROUND THE WORLD

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THE ARENA WAS ON FIRE!

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THE STREETS OF AMSTERDAM ARE BUZZING. OUR FLAGS ARE WAVING PROUDLY ON EVERY STREET CORNER, GREETING A COLOURFUL AND BEAUTIFUL CROWD THE CITY ONLY SEES ONCE A YEAR. THE AMSTERDAM DANCE EVENT HAS TAKEN OVER ONCE MORE, WITH THE AMSTERDAM MUSIC FESTIVAL AS ONE OF ITS MANY HIGHLIGHTS. TOGETHER WE CAN LOOK BACK AT ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL EDITION OF ADE. After 19 years of hard work, with many ups and downs along the way, ADE is now going stronger than ever. Making ADE into what it has become, we’ve shaken so many hands that our fingerprints are all but worn off, and met enough people to fill an entire country. There are so many things that contribute to this week, yet so few words can describe how the end result feels. Out of all the ingredients, we believe the people themselves, the visitors, make up the appeal of ADE. They may be just passing through, enjoying one of many parties each night. They may also be beginning producers in search of someone to help them out, or even big label bosses. All are equally welcome in Amsterdam.

ALL ABOUT THE ARTISTS THE TOP 25 LIST

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ALL ABOUT THE WORLD’S #1 DJ

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MARTIN GARRIX

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‘Proud’, that may be the best way to describe our own feelings and thoughts on ADE. Proud of the city itself for hosting over 350,000 people during the events. Proud of all the artists gathering here and sharing both knowledge and music for everyone to enjoy. Proud of everyone, both in politics and in the organization itself, who has put everything they’ve got into making ADE into the wonderful event it is. And then there’s the suppliers, hotel owners and everyone else who’s contributed to this year’s edition – as well as all the musical talent that came to the capital in search of a listening ear. We are proud of them too, just like we’re proud of you, the crowd that ultimately brings the big ADE adventure to life. From the both of us, on behalf of the city as well as the ADE organization, here’s a big ‘thank you’. This paper is a little gift to make sure you have something tangible to remember ADE and AMF by. It is full of photos, interviews and event reports that show how the whole world has descended upon Amsterdam last week. We hope you have fun reading it. Have a safe trip home, and we’ll see you again next year, of course!

EVENT REPORTS

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AMSTERDAM

ARMADA NIGHT

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SPINNIN’ SESSIONS

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SEXY BY NATURE

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Kajsa Ollongren City Councillor Richard Zijlma Director, Amsterdam Dance Event

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NEWS

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GRAB SOME MERCH!

If you didn’t get the chance to buy something at the merchandise store amidst tonight’s festivities, head on over to selectedlabels.com. Click ‘Amsterdam Music Festival’, and order your favourite piece of merch. It’s an ideal reminder of the madness that you were a part of tonight -and everyone will know how much you loved it!

DUTCH DJ STAMPS AMSTERDAM MUSIC FESTIVAL

THE 2014 COMPILATION

Amsterdam Music Festival is, for all intents and purposes, a musical playground for the most prominent and celebrated artists that the EDM scene has to offer. And obviously, with each of these names, a specific tune springs to mind, a favourite that reminds us why we love their style. The Festival’s official compilation, selected by Armada Music, combines all those precious thoughts and memories, collecting the dance floor anthems that have brought musical colour into your life this year. It serves as tonight’s official soundtrack and takes you from Hardwell to David Guetta and from Martin Garrix to Wildstylez. The performing artists’ most precious gems make an appearance, creating a disc that is hard to ignore. And if you desire to hear the songs melted together instead of in their separate beauty, there’s the ‘Full Continuous Mix’ to cater to your appetite. It’s the perfect reminder of a night to never ever forget!

ADE HEADPHONE GIVEAWAY Do you want to keep enjoying the cool tunes from ADE, even after tonight’s festival is long over? Amsterdam Music Festival News offers you a chance to win one of the special ADE x Urbanears headphones. These custom made cans, based on Urbanears’ Zinken model, offer a clean and detailed sound and are designed for everyday wear. Tell us what your favourite EDM track is using the hashtag #adeheadphones and maybe, just maybe, you’ll win a pair of these awesome headphones.

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This year’s ADE was very special for five of the biggest Dutch DJs. Afrojack, Hardwell, Armin van Buuren, Dash Berlin and Tiësto were honoured with their very own Dutch post stamps. The DJ’s were extremely happy with their portraits, Hardwell told us: “To see Dutch dance music and its artists being celebrated in a national way is a huge moment in our scene’s history. For myself to be a part of this is something truly inspiring.” The stamps are designed in typical ADE style, with bright colours, completely in style with the vibe of the week. If you scan them with the Cee app on your phone, you get to listen to a piece song by the DJ pictured on it. So if you want to send someone an old fashioned letter, surprise them with an original Amsterdam Dance Event stamp – and your favourite tune!

HARDWELL 2013: #1 | Check page 06 for a special interview

AMSTERDAM MUSIC FESTIVAL RENOVATES CHILDREN’S FARM Who needs sleep after a party? Well, the party people of Amsterdam Music Festival sure don't. On Saturday the 4th of October, a large group of volunteers came together and rebuilt children's farm De Gliphoeve in the east of Amsterdam. After forty years of hard labour, farmer Floor Doll is now in retirement in Germany. His children's farm in Amsterdam still stands and was in need of large-scale repairs, to make room for its growing herd of animals now tended to by farmer Thijs. "It is truly fantastic that

10.000 HOURS and AMF came to the rescue,” he tells us happily. “It has been a struggle, but with the help of these 70 party people, we see a brighter future ahead of us.'' 673 hours of volunteering have gone by and the farm is now lit up with new material, birdhouses and a garden for the animals. And last but not least, this project saw 10.000 HOURS’ total hours-of-work count pass 20,000! With the help of the people of Amsterdam Music Festival, we hope many tens of thousands more are to follow.

2013: #6 Check page 45 for a special about Tomorrowland

DIMITRI VEGAS & LIKE MIKE

2013: #2 Check page 23 for a full-length interview

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THE AMBITIOUS YOUNGSTER “The poll helped solidify that vision with the knowledge that the fans are into what I’m doing and supporting me on this journey.”

WHAT HAS REACHING FIRST PLACE IN LAST YEAR’S DJ MAG TOP 100 MEANT FOR YOU? HAS IT OPENED MANY DOORS OR DONE THINGS YOU’D NEVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE? “It was a huge moment in my life. A dream come true! Of course it has opened many doors, it put me on the radar with many new fans and helped my name and music cross over into other areas of music. The poll just helped solidify that vision with the knowledge that the fans are into what I’m doing and supporting me on this journey. I’m eternally grateful for their backing and passion.” WHAT GAVE YOU THE BETTER FEELING – WINNING THE TITLE FOR THE FIRST TIME OR PROLONGING IT THIS YEAR? “Well the first time was very much a shock. I mean, I’d dreamt about it for over 10 years, so it was such a shock when it finally became a reality! Last year’s win was a whirlwind, but this year’s win feels different. Holding on to the title feels like it has been an even bigger challenge. I’m very blessed to have such an amazing fanbase.” UNTIL THIS YEAR, YOU’VE HELD THE EXACT SAME POSITIONS AS YOUR EXAMPLE AND MENTOR, DJ TIËSTO (24, 6, 1). DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOUR FUTURE WILL SEE YOU SURPASS HIM? “For me, as a fan and a fellow artist who respects his music and achievements, Tiësto is the ultimate electronic music artist. He’s one of the biggest pioneering artists the scene has ever seen. My career has a long way to go to surpass his iconic status. I’m just happy making my own path and sharing my music with the fans.” WHICH OF THE ARTISTS LOWER ON THE LIST DO YOU RECKON ARE YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGERS FOR NEXT YEAR? “Well, it’s impossible to avoid the global impact guys like Avicii, Steve Aoki, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Martin Garrix and Calvin Harris have had on the scene in recent times. Add to that the success of Dyro, Dannic, W&W, Alesso and many others, and it’s really exciting to see how much our scene is flourishing right now. It will not be an easy victory, whoever may win it.” ON A DIFFERENT NOTE – YOUR I AM HARDWELL TOUR IS COMING TO A CLOSE, HOW HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED IT? “The tour has been incredible! The adventure on the road has been wild and has really opened my eyes to the places we’re taking this scene and to the passion for the music. Since we first kicked off at the Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam, in front of 6,000 people back in April 2013, everything has been mind-blowing. From there on we went to cities like Jakarta and Vancouver and the tour will culminate in New York at Madison Square Garden!” WHAT WAS THE MOST IMPRESSIVE SHOW YOU GAVE AWAY, TO WHAT PLACES WOULD YOU LIKE TO RETURN? “My India tour was wild! The show in Mumbai had fans dancing in the car park because they couldn’t get into the venue. The gig had sold out in advance. I was amazed when the promoter told me they were partying in the parking! But the show that stands out the most is I AM HARDWELL Guatemala. I’ve never seen anything like it. I do believe you should ask me again after Madison Square Garden, though. I’ve been dreaming of that show ever since I first hit the international scene.” THIS LAST YEAR HAS BEEN A THRILLING RIDE FOR HARDWELL. NOT ONLY DID HE REACH THE NUMBER 1 POSITION ON THE DJ MAG LIST, HE ALSO RELEASED BIG FLOORFILLERS ON HIS RECORD-HOLDING LABEL, REVEALED RECORDINGS. WE SAT DOWN WITH THE AMBITIOUS YOUNGSTER WHO – ONCE AGAIN THIS YEAR – MADE IT TO THE FIRST PLACE OF THE WORLD’S MOST RENOWNED EDM RANKING.

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“The show in Mumbai had fans dancing in the car park because they couldn’t get into the venue. The gig had sold out in advance. I was amazed when the promoter told me they were partying in the parking!”

YOU’RE 26 YEARS OLD NOW, AND HAVE BEEN MAKING MUSIC FOR MORE THAN 10. WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL BE DOING 10 YEARS FROM NOW? “Exactly what I am doing now. I’ll never stop making music, this is my life, this is what I’ve always dreamt of doing and what I will continue to do for the rest of my life. It’s a passion!” WHAT DO YOU THINK IS MORE IMPORTANT: TO WIN AWARDS, OR TO MAKE MUSIC THAT YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT? “Make music you believe in. Winning awards is a very gratifying experience, as an artist it helps to build confidence in what you are doing, but I’ve never let the awards or accolades interfere with my music. I make music because I believe in it and hopefully the fans do too.” SPEAKING OF MUSIC YOU BELIEVE IN, WHAT’S YOUR VERY FAVOURITE TRACK OF LAST YEAR? “My favourite track of the year is Coldplay’s Sky Full of Stars. I was invited by the band to remix the record and it was such a special occasion for me as a producer and also as a fan of their music.” AND LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE, WHAT CAN WE EXPECT OF HARDWELL’S REVEALED RECORDINGS IN 2015? It’s no secret I am working on my first ever artist album, which is planned for early 2015. I’ve spent much of the year working on the album, alongside touring heavily. It’s all but finished, and I’m extremely excited to be delivering something that is going to showcase the full sound of me as an artist. It will be a truly unique insight into my music.

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MARTIN GARRIX

THE NETHERLANDS 2013: #40

7

DAVID GUETTA

FRANCE 2013: #5

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13 THE NETHERLANDS 2013: #71

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As the head of his popular Protocol Recordings, Nicky Romero has been one of the guys who set an example for the talents to come. With David Guetta as his mentor, Nicky has grown from spinning house and R&B in his early years, to headlining the biggest stages in the world and producing some of the biggest hits in the scene. With Toulouse as his breakthrough, he now provides music for the likes of Rihanna and made a track with Dutch rockstar Anouk. It seems to us Nicky has few more barriers to break in his promising future.

THE NETHERLANDS 2013: #4

9 As a former #1 on the list, Tiësto knows what it is to stay on top for years. The release of A Town Called Paradise in 2014 made him someone to keep an eye on once again throughout last year. Tiësto is more than just a DJ. He paved the way for current superstars by making a global brand out of his name. Whereas he gained his fame by producing groundbreaking trance, nowadays he is all about the platform he made with Musical Freedom. It’s his very own musical outlet for new talent, which in turn keeps Tiësto fresh and ready for the next challenge.

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AVICII

SKRILLEX

US 2013: #11

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It is hard to believe Blasterjaxx are just 4 years in the business. Thom and Idir are pushing the borders between electro-house, latin and that delicious big room sound. With a shared passion for music, they’ve been taking the world of dance by storm since 2010. The boundless energy these guys display on stage easily seduces crowds to dance to tracks like Koala, Rocket and Legend Comes To Life. That last title might just be one they can live up to, if they keep on going around the world the way they’re doing now.

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STEVE AOKI

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21

DEADMAU5

CALVIN HARRIS

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AFROJACK

ZEDD

GERMANY 2013: #24

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It has been a wild ride for Calvin Harris, starting out as a singer in a band and ending up a world famous DJ. With Feels So Close and Bounce he set the standard for a new type of house track, with which he gained his fame. His newly earned status allowed him to start his own label, Fly Eye Records. Over the years Calvin made big smashers like Sweet Nothing, Under Control and C.U.B.A. and with his upcoming album Motion, it’s safe to say mr. Harris is set to continue being one of the most talented producers out there.

NERVO

AUSTRALIA 2013: #16

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SCOTLAND 2013: #15

THE NETHERLANDS 2013: #9

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ALESSO

CANADA 2013: #12

SWEDEN 2013: #3

Is there something in the air in Sweden, or is it just luck? Megastar Avicii made his fame with his alter ego Tim Berg’s song Bromance in 2010. His name was made and the track became a massive hit when the vocals of Amanda Wilson took it to perfection. Speaking about perfection, does Levels ring any bells? It was only the beginning of a groundbreaking career which lead Avicii to be one of the biggest EDM stars in the list. We guess it’s only a matter of time before we see him recovering from his hiatus and taking home the award.

DVBBS

Like a real Tsunami, the earth shook when DVBBS dropped their track with Borgeous for the first time. It has become the biggest hit for the Canadian-Dutch duo, and the hit-machine kept working when they met Martin Garrix and Sander van Doorn for what we now know as the smasher Gold Skies. During their sets they’re all over the place, from trap to hardstyle to electro to house. Continuing their story with We Are Young and Déjà Vu, DVBBS are a duo to keep an eye on. If only they gave you the time to look around at all during their sets, that is!

DASH BERLIN

SWEDEN 2013: #13

US 2013: #8

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DEORRO

CANADA New entry

THE NETHERLANDS 2013: #7

TIËSTO

19 MEXICO / US Highest new entry

NICKY ROMERO

Check page 30 for Martin’s interview

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BLASTERJAXX

One of the true rebels in the EDM scene must be deadmau5. Creating his very own style, he still is one of the biggest names in the scene. With Strobe, Some Chords and The Veldt being some of his biggest and beautiful hits, he seems to make it his life’s work to be influential and an inspiration for the artists to come. His latest album, while 1>2, set the standard for the upcoming deadmau5 years and we can’t wait to hear what the future has in store. Oh yeah, and he likes fast cars with colourful cat pictures on them too – what’s not to love?

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R3HAB

THE NETHERLANDS 2013: #58

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ANDREW RAYEL

MOLDOVA 2013: #28

SHOWTEK

THE NETHERLANDS 2013: #27

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W&W

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ABOVE & BEYOND

ENGLAND 2013: #17

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Most popular hashtags besides #AMF2014: #ade14 #top100djs

#amsterdam #djmagtop100

Facts & figures: - More than 300,000 views worldwide on the livestream - #AMF2014 was trending in more than 20 countries - More than 70 nationalities twittered about #AMF2014

60637 PICTURES MENTIONING AMF

85034 TWEETS MENTIONING AMF

#AMF2014 35781 POSTS MENTIONING AMF

Juan Camillo Cuervo @kmilo_cuervo Finally The day has come, today we will all know who the number 1 is. Thanks @AMF2014 #ADE14 Marco Vega @SirRayel #AMF2014 365 Days and 23 hours and 25 minutes waiting for this amazing festival!

GET INVOLVED, GET SOCIAL Youtube.com/amsterdammusicfest Facebook.com/amsterdammusicfest Twitter.com/AMFestival2014

Nowadays, a true festival experience goes beyond the venue itself. It continues online! Tomorrow, when you’re remembering tonight’s thrilling festival, check out our social media online to keep enjoying the best festival pictures, quotes from the biggest DJs and lots of other things. On this page, you can find the facts and figures surrounding the online side of Amsterdam Music Festival. Share your best pictures online using the hashtag #AMF2014 and see what others talked about!

Myriam B @MyriamBouarrouj I wish I was in Amsterdam right now @ AMF2014 is on fiiiire! #DJMagTop100 geleden Manfreak @Manfreak23 A Good saturday with the good music of @Dashberlin @AMFestival2014 @ DJmag #AMF2014 Yassine Mouhafry @ DjYassinos @AMFestival just amazinggg the crowd the musiccc wooow <3 Gianella @tuehuyk10 #AMF2014 @AMFestival2014 The stage is amazing, greetings from PERU! Carlos Antonio Lima @carlosantoniol6 @AMFestival2014 woooooooowoowowowowow el evento esta super un saludo desde bolivia para la radio beat? Jessica @pandagirl88 THIS IS THE BEST MUSIC FESTIVAL EVER! ONLY HEADLINERS #AMF2014 Sharon @sharonralvz Hardwell #1 He did it! @Hardwell the number 1 RoundHead @NickyZullu 2nd night #AMF2014. the Storm came, and we rode the lightning. I thank you so much again.

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TABITHA NEUDORF CANADA “To be in Amsterdam during ADE has been a dream of mine for a while. I have always admired the way Europe respects dance music, The Netherlands especially. I can create this impossible-to-deny vibe that makes everyone around me feel accepted and happy. I thrive on other people’s happiness, so being able to be responsible for other people having a great time is what I live for.”

JOSE LUIS GARCIA MEXICO “For me, The Netherlands is the most representative nation in dance music, so I expect the best party ever. I hope I can find party warriors that I’ll get to enjoy every single moment of AMF with. I’ve come here to have the best party of my life. I’m the one who starts the party and finishes it. I don’t stop laughing and dancing until everyone around me gets into the party vibe that we all love!”

AMBASSADORS

AT THIS EDITION OF AMSTERDAM MUSIC FESTIVAL, THERE WERE FOUR VERY SPECIAL GUESTS TO WELCOME. THE AMF AMBASSADORS PARTICIPATED IN AN ONLINE CONTEST AND WON EXCLUSIVE TICKETS FOR ADE AND AMSTERDAM MUSIC FESTIVAL. THEY ARE HERE TO SHOW US WHY THEY ARE KNOWN AS THE PARTY ANIMALS OF THEIR COUNTRY. MEET JOSE FROM MEXICO, DENISE FROM THE NETHERLANDS, JO FROM BEAUTIFUL BRAZIL AND TABITHA FROM CANADA – THE FOUR HIGHEST-JUMPING, HARDEST-DANCING, LIVELIEST-LAUGHING RAVERS IN ALL OF TONIGHT’S CROWD.

JO MACHADO BRAZIL “It’s my first time at AMF. I want to feel the passion of others throbbing along with mine, and I’ll be sure to come back next year. I love dance music because it makes me feel light, it exorcises evil thoughts and makes me feel alive, pulsing with the rhythm of the music. Music is my oldest, strongest and eternal passion.”

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DENISE VAN DE REE THE NETHERLANDS “Dance music has been my greatest passion since I was 14, so I’m looking forward to Amsterdam Music Festival a huge deal. With such a line-up, this year’s edition has got to be next level. And I’m secretly hoping for Hardwell to keep his first place in the DJ Mag Top 100. It would make my night if that happened. Because this guy has been my number one for seven years!”

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TOP 100 DJS AWARD DINNER Of course Hardwell was the man of the evening tonight, but he was not the only winner! Other prize winners in DJ Mag’s poll were honoured during a special charity dinner and auction for ID&T’s cause, 10.000 HOURS. Among the winners and attendants were Deorro (highest newcomer), Angerfist (best hardstyle) and Ummet Ozcan (highest climber).

UMMET OZCAN “This is such a great night to see DJ’s and friends from all over the world. Let’s raise some money and party tonight!”

HARDWELL “I’m super-excited for tonight. This night is always special for every DJ and as the #1 it’s something extra, of course. Especially with the good food and the nice people.”

DUNCAN STUTTERHEIM “For me it’s very nice to be at a party in the ArenA where I’m not dressed in white. Amsterdam really needed AMF, a party with so many DJ’s that matter here. This night will be legendary.”

JOHNNY CALVIN “This is a prestige night where all the top DJs are present, so of course everything is buzzing right now! It’s extra special that we’re raising so much money for a good cause, 10.000 HOURS.”

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DATE LOCATION

15.10.14 HEINEKEN MUSIC HALL

EVENT REPORT

NAME: ARMADA NIGHT ORGANISATION: ALDA EVENTS GENRE: TRANCE

ARTISTS:

ANDREW RAYEL ARMIN VAN BUUREN COSMIC GATE DASH BERLIN GAIA KEVIN DUANE KRONO MARLO ØRJAN NILSEN TUBE & BERGER

ARMADA NIGHT’S BIG MYSTERY

ARE YOU READY FOR...

“People practically flew inside when Armin started.”

JULY 4 2015 TH

AMSTERDAM ARENA sensation.com

An Armada night is always an extraordinary night, but this ADE’s edition turned out to be more special than most. DJ duo Gaia gave their very first live performance in Europe, and it was by far the most impressive set of the evening. Their raw, dark sound wasn’t the only reason for that. In between the stage’s many video screens, a number of bright beams of light were aimed at the DJ booth. Against this bright backdrop, mysterious silhouettes took shape: two human forms, dressed in monks’ robes, unstirring behind their laptops. They’d donned large cowls to cover their faces, and no one could see who they were. Very sparsely, every now and then, they raised their arms towards the crowd without so much as looking at each other. All along the dancefloor, there were whispers and discussions about the mystery men’s identity. It is rumoured that one of them is Armin van Buuren himself – but these rumours would not be confirmed tonight. The enigmatic hoods stayed on even as the onstage flamethrowers raised the temperature significantly.

After Gaia’s mysterious performance, Dash Berlin altered the evening’s course radically. He jumped onto the booth right after being announced, clapping and waving and enticing the crowd. As he gestured for everyone to raise two fingers into the air, John Legend’s smash hit All of Me was started in and the Heineken Music Hall sang along lustily. And so, Gaia’s dark and brooding set was followed up by heart-shaped balloons and paper cutouts. Dash Berling mashed up hit after hit with his well-loved trance selection, even managing to incorporate a U2 song. But the true highlight of his time onstage was the moment he was joined by his friends, W&W. Together, they turned the music up a notch. The HMH got an extra floor as fans all over the room climbed on top of each other’s shoulders, waving about shirts and flags. Where there was fire on stage before, there were sparklers and confetti guns now. It was a party.

When Dash Berlin was done, it was time for Armin to take the helm. In a beautiful pre-recorded message, he explained what music means to him personally. It was a moment of reflection for everyone present. To Armin, music is a religion, something that connects people and brings them into a certain state of mind – a state of trance, to be precise. And trance was exactly what the crowd came for. The large hallways outside the main room were entirely empty. The crew at the food court had hardly anything to do for a change, commenting that it was unusually quiet. “You could see exactly when Armin’s gig was about to start,” one of them told us. “People practically flew into the room.” The evening’s main act gave his fans another moment to remember when he played Coldplay’s Sky Full of Stars, turning the HMH into a starry sky with the help of the fantastic stage. Although not all of the music was technically trance, one thing’s for certain: if there was ever a crowd in a state of trance, it was on Wednesday night in the Heineken Music Hall.

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“We embrace the dance movement and try to facilitate it as much as we can”

DIRTY DUTCH metamorphosism 07.02.2015

ADE, AMF & KLM:

A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN

WHAT’S THE LINK BETWEEN FLYING AND DANCING, YOU ASK? WELL… WE MANAGED TO SPEAK TO FRANK HOUBEN AND ALBERT-JAN PREVOO FROM KLM AIRLINES, JUST BEFORE THEIR PRESENTATION AT THE DANCE & BRANDS SESSION FOR ADE. KLM AS A BRAND, THEY TELL US, HAS A LOT IN COMMON WITH THE DANCE MUSIC MOVEMENT – MORE THAN YOU MIGHT EXPECT AT FIRST GLANCE. KLM IS MORE THAN JUST A CARRIER FOR THE WORLD’S BEST DJS. THIS YEAR, THEY HOST THE CEREMONY FOR THE #1 TOP 100 DJ DURING AMSTERDAM MUSIC FESTIVAL. THEY ALSO PROVIDE THE LIVESTREAM ON YOUTUBE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY CAN SEE IT AT HOME – EVEN THE PEOPLE WHO DIDN’T CHANCE TO BUY A TICKET. BUT THERE IS MORE. CURIOUS ABOUT THE EXACT NATURE OF THE COOPERATION BETWEEN KLM AND THE DANCE INDUSTRY, WE DECIDED TO ASK THEM WHAT THE BOND IS ALL ABOUT.

What moves KLM to pay so much attention to dance music in the first place? “We try to create or intensify a bond between the customers of KLM and dance events like AMF, using our own services and media channels. We try to bring huge international events, the world’s best DJs and their fans together. Not only by flying them to Amsterdam from all over the world – we also want to do something for the people who don’t get the chance to come at all. Our main goal is to give people the opportunity to be a part of those events, and we try to do that in every possible way. Not only by providing as many flights as possible to make sure that a lot people can come to Amsterdam this weekend -- we try to use our media channels as well. We provide a live stream on YouTube during the award show they give for this year’s number 1 DJ. We are working together with Amsterdam Music Festival for the second year in a row, and this year we also started a partnership with Amsterdam Dance Event. The spirit of Dutch artists is very similar to the spirit of KLM, which gives a great opportunity to combine our strengths.” What do you guys mean by the ‘spirit of Dutch artists’? “Well, the pioneering spirit. The pioneering spirit of Dutch musicians has made Dutch music a major export product. The same spirit made KLM the major international airline it is today. Our main destination is Amsterdam, the city where most Dutch dance brands started. That creates a strong bond, in our opinion.”

Is KLM just sponsoring the Amsterdam Music festival, or do they actually help organize the event? “We’re not just a sponsor who finances the AMF event; we are a partner, so we work together as partners. This means that we also helped design the concept, just like we did last year. We worked together with ID&T, Alda and DJ Mag to create the whole event. It’s a unique opportunity to increase our brand awareness in a very natural way. We embrace the dance movement and try to facilitate it as much as we can, to help this culture grow even bigger than it already is.” And is this campaign only for ADE, or are you planning to use this philosophy for more events? “We are currently trying to find new ways to work together with major events like this. The organizations and brands with which we cooperate with are mainly Dutch, of course. They are spreading their music on every continent; our goal is to move along with them, because we share that international vision. We want to create a sort of total package to make events like AMF and ADE easier to visit. We’re still trying to find the right balance and fit everything into our company vision. Thinking of what we want to do here, Heineken is an example of a brand that we call a ‘partner on the dance floor’. They try to provide their products on the events itself. We try to use our strength get the people to Amsterdam and we give the opportunity to watch it at home. We want everybody to be a part of these unique events.”

DIE-HARD PRESALE STARTS NOVEMBER 21ST . DIRTY-DUTCH.COM HEINEKEN MUSIC HALL AMSTERDAM

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DATE LOCATION

15.10.14 DE BRAKKE GROND

EVENT REPORT

NAME: ADE GREEN ORGANISATION: ADE & ID&T GENRE: CONFERENCE

SPEAKERS:

KUMI NAIDOO POLLY HIGGINS DUNCAN STUTTERHEIM CARLIJN LINDEMULDER JACOB BILABEL MARIE SABOT PHIL CUMMINGS DEDE FLEMMING CHIARA BADIALI HOLGER JAN SCHMIDT CARINA KORNFEIND MAARTEN VAN HUIJSTEE NICKY ROMERO THECLA SCHAEFFER CHRIS JOHNSON LYKE POORTVLIET MATHIAS LENAS ENTERPRISES LINNEA SVENSSON PAUL SCHURINK NINA HILLEKUM ROMAN DASHUBER

ADE GREEN

A WHILE BEFORE THE PARTYING STARTED, ADE FILLED IN ITS FIRST COUPLE OF HOURS WITH GREEN, THE CONFERENCE THAT FOCUSES ON SUSTAINABILITY IN DANCE EVENTS. ITS SECOND, SOLD-OUT EDITION WAS SET UP BY ADE IN COLLABORATION WITH SFX AND ID&T. WATER, ENERGY, WASTE: THERE’S NOT A SINGLE EVENT PROMOTER WHO CAN AFFORD NOT TO THINK ABOUT THESE TOPICS. DURING THE CONFERENCE, THE PUBLIC WAS INTRODUCED TO SPIRITED SPEAKERS WHO PRESENTED THEIR BEST PRACTICES WITH ONE GOAL, AND ONE GOAL ONLY: TO TEACH PEOPLE TO THINK GREENER.

A WAKE UP CALL FOR FESTIVALS Kumi Naidoo, executive director of order to do so, he presented a threefold plan: to Greenpeace International and introduced as a raise awareness, to incite participation and to put ‘true thought leader’, worded things beautifully an accent on having fun while saving the world. in his impassioned speech that called for more “Campaigning is becoming sexy again!” awareness and involvement: “Everybody keeps on talking about ‘saving the Earth’. But you should In agreement with Greenpeace’s ideals, realize that the planet will subsist. With all the representatives from ‘green’ festivals brought in scars we’ve left, of course, but she’ll continue to interesting ideas. Marie Sabot of the French ‘We be here. We won’t, if we do not do something Love Art’ festival emphasized the importance now. And it might be too late already.” Naidoo of entering partnerships with municipal waterset the tone for a works companies. discussion in which The city of Paris “We need to reach out to the non-commitment – whose adminyounger generation and touch was no longer an istration is, just option. In just a like Amsterdam’s their conscience” couple of slides he mayor Eberhard indicated how Mother Earth is doing right now: van der Laan, in favour of handing out free not very well at all. Rising sea levels, ocean drinking water at festivals – takes care of the pollution and their effects on plant as well as tap water supply at We Love Art. The result: animal life are unnerving, to say the least. Govern- goodwill from all of the festival’s visitors. That, ments and large, polluting corporations conspire in turn, is of high importance for the value of a against regulations, leaving future generations to festival brand, according to Maarten Huijstee of deal with the consequences. But what can the Delight Agency: “Those who invest into visitordance industry do about all this misery? Naidoo as well as eco-friendly solutions and cultivate was crystal clear about it: “Our first and foremost goodwill with them, invest into the future of hope lies in motivation and activation of the their company in the long run.” Festivals such younger generation. There is no group who can as Welcome to the Future, which sell refilldo so better than the promoters gathered here. able water bags with their logo on them, are Reach out to them and touch their conscience!” In creating ‘brand value’, as the marketing people

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call it. The positive feedback that these environmentally friendly initiatives generate in social media will eventually pay off economically as well. Besides water, there’s the subject of energy. Events these days are unthinkable without a battery of generators, but are they really necessary? Chris Johnson, of Shambala festival in England, pleaded for a ‘smart power plan’ that is able to reduce electricity usage by up to 40 percent. How? By looking very closely at the whole chain of suppliers and taking out its weakest links. Those who aren’t prepared to innovate and reduce power usage will have to move over. One of the results is that Shambala’s generators now run on recycled vegetable oils and are supported by solar energy. As Johnson puts it: “To say you’re reducing your ‘carbon footprint’ is a hollow cliché. To do something concrete instead – that’s change.”

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ARMIN VAN BUUREN STILL GOING STRONG ARMIN VAN BUUREN, NUMBER 3 IN THIS YEAR’S TOP 100 AND GODFATHER OF THE GLOBAL TRANCE FAMILY, HARDLY REQUIRES ANY INTRODUCTION. HE IS WELL-LOVED BY FANS, AND HAS THEM IN THE HIGHEST PLACES – EVEN KING WILLEM-ALEXANDER OF THE NETHERLANDS HAS STOOD ON STAGE WITH HIM. WE SAT DOWN WITH HIM EARLIER FOR A CHAT ABOUT PAST EXPERIENCES, ADE AND FUTURE PLANS.

ARMIN, THE LAST YEAR HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY, TRAVELING THE WORLD WITH YOUR ‘INTENSE’ TOUR. WHAT WERE YOUR PERSONAL HIGHLIGHTS? “Every Intense show was a highlight, because most of the shows were sold out and I love playing 6 hour sets, including the vinyl after set. There's something special about Intense, I really love doing something extra for my fans, who have been supporting me for so many years. Other than that, Tomorrowland, EDC, all the ASOT 650 shows and my new residency in Ibiza in Ushuaia have been major highlights.”

They spent months and months on the visuals for the Intense show and I went over there to look at the developments. I was simply blown away when I saw it! Some of the best 3D work I ever saw! I made a joke to Carlo, one of the leading programmers and visual designers. I said we should make a contrast to this by making something extremely simple and 2D, like the first ever tennis videogame from the 70’s, ‘Pong’. I had already had this idea for the ‘Mirage’ show but never got around to doing something with it. Carlo loved the idea but said I had to deliver the master for whatever idea I had within a day (!) because it would take him a few weeks to finish the visuals in time for the rehearsals. I drove home and started working and finished the track the next day with Benno, my studio partner. I sent it to Carlo and he loved it. I actually forgot about the track ‘till the day of the show came around. The funny thing was that when I arrived in Den Bosch to do the rehearsals, the whole crew was talking about Ping Pong. It quickly became a big hit with them and didn’t expect that at all. After the show in the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, the videos from visitors went viral on YouTube and we decided to release it because there was such a huge demand for it.”

WHAT THINGS, BESIDES YOUR FAMILY, DO YOU MISS ABOUT THE NETHERLANDS WHILE YOU’RE ABROAD? “I love eating a good ‘hutspot’, haha. Seriously though, it's the small things I miss the most. And my studio!” WITH ALL THE NEW PRODUCERS IN THE SCENE, FROM WHOM DID YOU LEARN THE MOST, DEVELOPING YOUR SOUND THROUGHOUT THE YEARS? “Dutch master mixer Ben Liebrand. He was sort of my mentor in many ways.” ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC HAS BECOME A MELTING POT OF MUSICAL STYLES. DO YOU THINK TRANCE HAS CHANGED IN A GOOD OR IN A BAD WAY DURING THESE YEARS? “In a good way, although I will always cherish that classic sound. There are many more tracks that I want to put into my radio show every week now. It's a lot harder to pick my choices since there are so many great tracks. I think the way we produce electronic dance music now has changed the sound as well. Trance used to be made with one big mixer and a lot of outboard gear. Mixing ‘in the box’ changed it all, in a good way I think!” WITH ALL THE CITIES YOU'VE BEEN TO, WHICH CROWD MADE THE MOST IMPACT? “Mexico must be one of the most outrageous crowds out there. Their passion and love for trance inspires me to keep making music and keep performing for crowds as amazing as

the Mexicans. It’s no coincidence that during the Armin Only show in Mexico City, we play the acoustic version of Zolaco. It’s a song I wrote as a tribute to my Mexican fans. Mexico truly gives a whole new spin to the meaning of celebrating music and partying. But in general, the fans are everything. It’s very simple. At the end of the day you’re nothing without your fans.” LAST YEAR, AS THE FORMER #1, YOU PRESENTED THE DJ MAG AWARD TO HARDWELL. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR POSITION THIS YEAR AND HARDWELL PROLONGING HIS TITLE? “Music is not a competition. Some people

like to make it a competition, and there are good things and bad things about that. It's good that people have an opinion. I like to see my fellow DJs as my colleagues, not competitors. It should be more about mutual respect.” YOUR TRACK 'PING PONG' WASN'T THE STYLE MANY EXPECTED OF THE TRANCE GENRE. HOW DID IT COME TO BE? “The track initially wasn’t even meant for release, but just for the Armin Only show, as a contrast to the rest of the music and tracks. A few weeks before the try-out shows of Armin Only in Den Bosch in October last year, I drove to Eyesupply in Eindhoven.

WHAT NEW THINGS CAN WE EXPECT FROM THE ASOT 700 TOUR? “It's time for a new chapter in the history of A State of Trance. I want to celebrate episode 700 in a different way this year. A State of Trance will no longer be a world tour in 2 or 3 months but a festival with several stages, spread throughout the year on various locations. We're moving to the next level with different festivals on different continents where the radio studio will get a more prominent place than ever before. We're all looking for that special State and hope to reach it with different artists and music, and by giving new talent a platform to perform as well. The interaction with my fans is key to me, that’s why ‘Together in A State of Trance’ will be the theme this year. We still want to celebrate episode 700 with a celebration weekend in 2014, too, and that will take place in Australia this year.”

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DATE LOCATION

16.10.14 HEINEKEN MUSIC HALL

EVENT REPORT

NAME: HARDWELL PRESENTS REVEALED ORGANISATION: ALDA EVENTS GENRE: HOUSE

ARTISTS:

ARSTON DANNIC FUTURISTIC POLAR BEAR HARDWELL HEADHUNTERZ JAGGS JEFF DOUBLEU JOEY DALE JORDY DAZZ JULIAN CALOR KENNETH G KILL THE BUZZ MANSE RALVERO SICK INDIVIDUALS THOMAS NEWSON

A PARTY THROWN BY THE WORLD’S NUMBER ONE DJ IS A PARTY WITH THE #1 DJ’S FANS. AND THERE HAPPEN TO BE A LOT OF THOSE. A FANATIC LOT. HARDWELL PRES. REVEALED, LAST THURSDAY’S EVENT IN THE HEINEKEN MUSIC HALL, WAS THE FIRST ADE NIGHT TO SELL OUT COMPLETELY – MORE THAN TWO MONTHS IN ADVANCE. At pole position in the DJ Mag Top 100, you’ve got a reputation to keep. Two nights ago in the HMH, Hardwell delivered on that promise by a wide margin. Revealed turned out to be an overwhelming spectacle with hyper-enthusiastic performers and an abundance of confetti, lasers, visuals, smokescreens, fireworks, and very happy fans. Hardwell’s loyal followers got what they came for and more.

HARDWELL & FRIENDS

REVEAL THE BEST OF ADE It being his label’s night, and not exclusively his own, the 26 years-old superstar DJ gave his crew a stage and a room full of readyto-rave attendees. But of course, there was only one name on the flyer that really sold out Revealed’s HMH spectacle, and it was ‘Hardwell’. He had a bit of good news for his fans on Thursday afternoon already: in January, his first full artist album will be released and the accompanying world tour will begin in Amsterdam’s infamous Ziggo Dome. At night, he gave a toppedoff HMH a sneak peek at his latest work – as well as an introduction to his new friends.

on top of, the DJ booth. And after having traveled the whole wide world for the past year, the night’s party animal was happy to be able to speak his mother’s tongue to the crowd. “Als je het naar je zin hebt, maak eens wat lawaai!” If the boys and girls in attendance wondered about the somewhat sweaty fellow who presently came on stage at first, their doubts were soon put to an end. If his booming voice, flung into the HMH at high speed and volume, wasn’t enough

Being the most popular DJ in the world allows you to get things done. Fatman Scoop’s sweat had barely dried when Harrison Shaw paraded onto the floor. He was the voice behind David Guetta’s smash hit, Ain’t a Party, and will soon come out with a single made by Hardwell. Because that one’s not finished yet, they performed the French dance star’s song, and the people in the room didn’t mind it one bit. Finally, after an hour and a half of surprise upon surprise, the Dutch prodigy closed off his historic show with a banging excursion towards his teenage love: hardstyle. “Amsterdam, open up your mind. Please welcome the legend: Headhunterz!”

“Amsterdam, open up your mind. Please welcome the legend: Headhunterz!”

After a ground-shaking couple of sets by his labelmates, the ‘man of the year’ appeared on stage at 2 a.m. exactly. “Amsterdam, are you ready to party!?” Even before Hardwell added that it was now time for everyone to put their hands up, the entire room had their arms towards the ceiling already. They couldn’t reach any higher for all the devotion in the world. A number of razor-sharp and nimbly performed mixcuts later, the DJ thought it was time for the first surprise of the night. He dragged British singer Chris Jones onto the stage for a live version of their new single Young Again. The two celebrated their achievement brotherly in front of, as well as behind and

of a clue, then the iconic Be Faithful (Put Your Hands Up), which Hardwell started playing, surely did it. Fatman Scoop had come over from the US especially for Hardwell’s party. “None of you have probably ever seen this man live in the Netherlands,” he commented through the microphone, over the moon with his very special guest. W&W, Hardwell’s good friends, also appeared and before anyone knew it, the crowd got to hear an exclusive preview of the four men’s new collab.

It seemed that Hardwell, with his highly exclusive show full of novelties, genuinely wanted to thank his thousands of followers for the continuous love and support he has received over the past year. (And for their DJ Mag votes, of course.) And the fans paid him back in full: with a lot of ‘hey-hoo’, non-stop cheering, many hands up in the air and, here and there, a cheeky little heart, this will be a night the world’s number 1 DJ won’t soon forget.

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TOO MUCH TO SAY. NOT ENOUGH TIME. HE’S THE HOST OF TONIGHT’S TOP 100 DJS AWARD CEREMONY AND ONE OF HOUSE MUSIC’S MOST LONG-TIME VETERANS: THERE IS HARDLY ANYONE MORE QUALIFIED TO DISCUSS ITS HISTORY THAN MC STRETCH. HE’S SEEN THE RISE AND FALL OF ALL THE POPULAR SUBGENRES AND STILL MC’S THE MAINSTAGE OF THE WORLD’S VERY BEST DANCE FESTIVAL, TOMORROWLAND. HERE IS HIS TAKE ON THE LATEST TRENDS IN DANCE.

COLOFON: THE-REPORTERS

Editor in chief: Maaike van der Linden Designer: Bram Schinkel Lead editor: Ole Thijs

Editors: Milan de Wijs, Cindy van Veen, Edo van den Berg, Anker Warmerdam, Mark Verhoeckx, Joeke Berg, Sarah Strijker-Ottow, Denise Mosbach, Pim Dijkgraaf, Bonita van Lier & Erin Gabriël

Social media editor: Koen Bluijs

Kevin Verkruijssen, Christ Clijssen, Frank Emous

Photographers: Joni Israeli, Lisa Wals, Joey Timmer, Marc van der Aa, Rutger Geerling, Igor Roelofsen, Lesli Taihuttu, Heidie Duteweert, Julie Lynne Weber,

Marketing manager ALDA Events: David Wagemaker Chief bringing in the cool people: Francois Maas

AMSTERDAM MUSIC FESTIVAL NEWS IS POWERED BY:

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JUSTINCASE

R

The last 10 years of dance music has seen an incredible change. I have lived in Holland for nearly 13 years now, and coming from the days of rave in the UK to what we are all part of now is phenomenal. I never in a million years would have foreseen the culture of House to become the biggest driving force of love, unity & respect we see, and yet it is the logical conclusion when you look back over the last 25 to 30 years. The rise & rise of the DJ culture, especially in the last decade, has seen bedroom producers become pop stars, underground DJs become festival headliners and established old heads become icons. I am lucky to have been a part of the growth of our culture and hosting for Tomorrowland I have seen it up close & personal. What strikes me most is that the American youth now controls the world’s market and fees. But yet you still have legends like Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson, Curtis Jones, Roland Clark, Victor Simonelli, Dope & Vega not getting the recognition they so rightfully deserve in their own countries. These guys are my heroes and are celebrated throughout Europe, year in year out. So I hope that in the coming decade praise is given to the pioneers, and maybe this new breed of Electronic Dance Music enthusiasts will collaborate together. Wishful thinking, no doubt, but I have always been a dreamer. And on that note, hats off to the ADE team for recognising the influence of Frankie Knuckles and paying tribute to the man who will be missed by so many! His contribution to (ware)house music is second to none. I am a fan of dance music, in all its forms, including the current trend that has been given the tag ‘EDM’. It would seem everybody has an opinion about it. What is clear in my eyes is the influence that Trance & Hardstyle have had on it of late. That's good and all, but the soul of the music has been missing for a while and I see that, in the

crowds, as they fist pump and jump up and down at the biggest events in the world, beginning to question the repetitive set lists from their favourite DJ. Personally, my only moan, without wanting to sound like a knob, is why does every new kid on the block think swearing and calling people motherf*ckers during their set is the thing to do? Please, stop that. It is ridiculous and you sound like a screaming lunatic and a possible substance addict. We don't need to know the name of every track either, your PR company will take care of that for you! (And you could always contact Dimitri for MC bookings.)

Most importantly, and as a part of a new company called Airborne Artists, I have to mention one more thing: the method of turning young talents into unapproachable superstars. Why oh why would you do that? Don't do it, management, it’s wrong and will only lead to problems later down the road. Money is the root of all evil, make no mistake. Yes, you have to keep a roof over your head and put food on the table, but stay true to the person your parents brought you up to be, and not to some money hungry company! Don't go after the money. Study the guys & girls that got us this far, use their influence, create your own sound, not one that is the current no. 1 in the charts. The cream will always rise to the top... Who exactly I’m saying this to, I don't know, but my culture was never about the money, it is and always will be about the party. The days of going back to a sweaty, smoke-filled room with strobe lights and repetitive beats might be long gone but I say, what goes around comes around... MC Stretch

WWW.FLYERMAN.NL

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MARTIN GARRIX

THE MEET & GREET IS ALMOST OVER. ABOUT 20 YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN ARE SWARMING AROUND THE 18 YEAR-OLD DJ, HOLDING CAMERAS AND ASKING QUESTIONS LIKE ‘WHAT’S THE GREATEST PARTY YOU’VE EVER PLAYED?’ CONDENSED SWEAT IS DRIPPING DOWN THE WINDOWS OF THE PACKED LITTLE ROOM. UNTIL A KIND PR LADY SENDS AWAY THE BUSYBODIES, THAT IS, SO THAT MARTIN CAN HAVE SOME QUALITY TIME WITH AMF NEWS.

TO SUPERSTAR HOST

He’s performed four times this week. ADE is a home game for Martijn Garritsen – yes, that’s a normal name in Dutch – from Amstelveen. “ADE feels like a big old family gathering to me. Usually, you run into the same people all across the world, and now everyone’s in Amsterdam. I feel like a host to them. I’m having lots of fun showing other DJs Amsterdam’s little back alleys.”

preparation? No. Not set-wise, at least. “I simply play that which comes up to me as I go along,” Martin says. “I did make a couple tracks ‘playable’, if you will. A couple new songs that I want to tease a little. They have to be completely perfect, because the whole world is listening. You know, blogs and stuff. But also a lot of friends and family. I do want to prove myself to them.”

So ADE is a cosy get-together of the global stars of dance music. But it is also a place for young DJs & producers to show off their skills. Garrix says he tries to remain modest, though. “Do what you like to do, make the music you want. But don’t bother people too much. Once you reach a certain level, labels and producers will find you.”

He’s done 250 gigs over the past year. Before ADE, he performed in Atlanta, Bangkok and Tokio – all within three and a half days. But Garrix never gets used to it. “After every show, once I get off the stage, I think to myself: what the fuck just happened!? It takes a long time before I’m able to fall asleep then.”

FROM BEDROOM PRODUCER “I’m having lots of fun showing other DJs Amsterdam’s little back alleys”

This Thursday, Martin had his own ‘Martin Garrix & Friends’ night in club Escape by the Rembrandtplein. DJs with whom he’s made music over the past year – MOTi, Oliver Heldens and others – stood side by side with him. On Friday, it was time for the RAI and HMH, but of course Amsterdam Music Festival would be the icing on the cake. An 18 year-old between international superstars… did that require any additional

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“I want to prove myself to my friends and family”

A team of 40 people is at work on the Martin Garrix brand non-stop. Once the music is finished, the plane is ready and waiting. Play, fly, repeat. Still, Martin does not feel like his life is lived for him. “I am included in every decision and I always have the final word. I’m very thankful for that.” On the other hand, he is going to take it a little easer next year, he continues. “A little less travel and a little more time for making music.” There’s about a hundred shows planned.

DJ Mag’s number one DJ in the world is announced during ADE every year. Last year, Garrix came in at #40. Rumour has it that he’ll be number four this time. “I didn’t send a single tweet saying ‘vote for me’. I’m incredibly happy that all these people voted anyway. But it does put a lot of extra pressure on me, it makes everything a bit more surreal. That helps to stay focused, though. To have one more look before finishing a track, to make sure everything sounds perfectly right. It’s a challenge.” But the question remains: how do you make a track that hits home from here to Tokio, and everywhere in between? “Sometimes, I just hear it,” Garrix tries to explain. “A rhythm, a melody. From nowhere. I try to record those with my phone.” He made his smasher Animals by going back to songs he liked to listen to as a kid, and suddenly the melody that would go on to be world famous hit him. Where that happened, you ask? In the place where he still produces his tunes – his bedroom in his parents’ house. In a sleepy suburb in Amstelveen.

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A STATE OF TRANCE IS AN ESTABLISHED PHENOMENON WITHIN THE TRANCE SCENE AS WELL AS BEYOND ITS BORDERS. AND BORDERS ARE DEFINITELY BEING CROSSED BY THE UNDISPUTED KING OF DANCE-FOCUSED RADIO SHOWS. WITH A TOTAL AMOUNT OF 107 STATIONS IN 70 COUNTRIES, A STATE OF TRANCE SPREADS ITS SOUND CONTAGIOUSLY TO ALL KNOWN CORNERS OF THE GLOBE, SERVING TRANCE LOVERS WITH THEIR PRIME NECESSITY. EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, IT’S TIME TO CELEBRATE THE SUCCESS OF ASOT, AND WHEN ASOT CELEBRATES, THEY CELEBRATE BIG. TOGETHER WITH THEIR WHOLE FAMILY. WITH A COUPLE OF THESE LARGESCALE CELEBRATIONS COMING UP, ADE PROVED TO BE THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO GET THE NEWS STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH. WE SAT DOWN AND HAD A CHAT WITH RUBEN DE RONDE, WHO IS ONE OF THE MEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL STATURE OF A STATE OF TRANCE.

ASOT’S GLOBAL JOURNEY NO LISTENERS, NO SHOW

Sometimes you wonder how much more a movement can grow. This is probably the exact thought that keeps the team behind A State of Trance busy. With a smile on their faces, of course. As Ruben tells us: “Internationally we’re still growing, still expanding. Recently we’ve added Jamaica to the list of countries where we broadcast our show. Not the first country you would think of, but bit by bit these countries start to catch the fever too.” To which he adds: “And each week again we’re trending topic on Twitter. Trance lives.” A strong aspect of the show is the way in which listeners and fans can get involved. “Recently we had Aly & Fila on the show and people had the opportunity to fire their questions at them. Our fans are immensely important. No listeners, no show.” Apart from the international recognition, there is plenty of appreciation within ASOT’s home country, The Netherlands. And the ultimate example of that is that A State of Trance has been nominated for the ‘Gouden RadioRing’, a Dutch award for the best radio show. “It’s an honour. And, actually, it’s one of Armin’s dreams to win one,” Ruben tells us about it. Social media were used to spread the word and

get people to vote. Speaking about the extensive international reach of the show, Ruben adds: “I’m actually not sure if international votes count.” Well, we feel sorry for the other nominees if they do. 2015 will be the year A State of Trance takes its events to the next level, starting with a celebratory weekend in Australia, on the 6th of February in Melbourne and the 7th of February in Sydney. “We have a huge fanbase over there. And we haven’t returned since A State of Trance 500. It’s their turn.” Shortly after Australia, the kick-off of ASOT’s festival concept will take place in the Jaarbeurs, Utrecht. The date is February 21st. Various continents will be visited in the period after that, with each festival being broadcast live. Expect bigger stages, more artists, and more talents you’ve never seen live before. Arisen Flame and Hazem Beltagui are but a few of the online favourites who’ll make their appearance. And Ruben adds, “there will also be an anthem, but I can’t tell you anything about that yet.” The theme? ‘Together in a State of Trance’. Back to the essence. Join in the experience. And whatever you do, listen to A State of Trance Radio to stay fully up to date!

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DATE LOCATION

17.10.14 HEINEKEN MUSIC HALL

EVENT REPORT

NAME: SPINNING SESSIONS ORGANISATION: E&A EVENTS, ID&T, SPINNIN’RECORDS

ARTISTS:

BLASTERJAXX FIREBEATZ GREGOR SALTO JAY HARDWAY JULIAN JORDAN MIKE MAGO MR. BELT & WEZOL MARTIN GARRIX OLIVER HELDENS QUINTINO SAM FELDT SANDER VAN DOORN THE VOYAGERS YELLOW CLAW

SPINNIN’ RECORDS WORKS SOME MIRACLES WHEN THE LARGEST DANCE LABEL IN THE WORLD TAKES ALL OF ITS DUTCH STARS AND PUTS THEM ON A POSTER TOGETHER, WHAT YOU GET IS CALLED A KILLER LINE-UP. AND WHEN THE PARTY TO GO WITH IT IS ORGANIZED BY THE COMBINED FORCES OF E&A EVENTS AND ID&T, IT’S GOING TO BE A SPECTACULAR NIGHT FOR SURE. IN A SOLD-OUT HEINEKEN MUSIC HALL, SPINNIN’ RECORDS PROVED ONCE AGAIN WHY IT IS THE LEADING NAME IN THE HARDER HOUSE GENRES, WITH AN EXCLUSIVE EDITION OF SPINNIN’ SESSIONS. Spinnin’ Records’ live event has been a big success at the Miami Music week for several years now. This summer, the Hilversum-based label first brought Spinnin’ Sessions to The Netherlands, resulting in a night of madness in club AIR. Apparently, that one was such a pleaser that it was given an upscaled repeat performance at the HMH. Spinnin’ Records went next level. Trouble nor expenses were spared to make an impression; lights, lasers, head-spinning visuals, enormous illuminated balloons and many pounds of confetti went up into the air. Eventually, however, the night came down to one thing: ‘it all starts with good music’, Spinnin’s motto.

The uncontested stars of the evening were Spinnin’ Records young miracle workers, Martin Garrix (18) and Oliver Heldens (19). With their high horses Animals, Gecko and Koala, these teenagers turned the place into a veritable zoo. They didn’t start without first paying respect where respect is due, though; ‘good old’ Sander van Doorn had been working the crowd up into a party mood since midnight. But minutes before Garrix was set to take over, cameras and phones started going up in the crowd already, eager to capture the young maestro. Over the following hour, Martin proved why he’s come to be one of today’s most successful DJs. Firing his track selection from the speakers at a punishing pace, the crowd went wild for him as he worked the mixer like his life depended on it. True to his craft, he remained focused on the decks even as a surging mass of people danced themselves in to a sweat at his feet. Luckily, there was no need for him to distract himself with the mic, as the excellent MC at his side was easily able to get everyone onto their knees for a good old sit-down. Martin himself only took over at the very end of his set, for a simple “Thank you guys so fucking much!”

Meanwhile in the crowd, two twenty-somethings are looking at the show with their eyes wide open. They flew to Amsterdam from Switzerland the night before. With a small detour, though: they had to travel via Copenhagen because they missed their direct flight. “So we found ourselves and our hungover heads in Denmark all of a sudden,” one of them laughs. “But it was certainly worth it! We come to Amsterdam for ADE every year. We don’t get these kinds of parties back home.” When Garrix is done, most of the audience suddenly leaves the main hall, opting for the upstairs room instead. It turns out that Oliver Heldens is throwing a party in a room much too small for his quickly expanding fame. The surging crowd is blocking hallways and doorways and the stairs towards Oliver’s room even have to be closed off for a short while: it is simply too full. A shame for those who didn’t get to see the miracle producer – but characteristic of a mad, mad Spinnin’ night.

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DATE LOCATION

17.10.14 ESCAPE CLUB

EVENT REPORT

NAME: SEXY BY NATURE ORGANISATION: ALDA EVENTS

ARTISTS:

DUBVISION JAZ VON D KILL THE BUZZ MICHAEL BRUN HAITI RANDY VICIOUS SUNNERY JAMES & RYAN MARCIANO

Imagine the following: the beautiful club that is Escape – because it is undeniably a very pretty place – with its DJ booth manned by the energetic DubVision brothers, showing off their recognizable melodious sound with a solid visual effects backdrop… it’s a good start to a night. The club slowly fills up – and that’s exactly where the trouble starts. While DubVision is building up towards the height of their set and the audience is waiting excitedly for the night’s main act, it becomes much too busy on the floor. Then the moment finally arrives: Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano take their places behind the decks and kick off with a delicious track. Everybody wants to dance, but the place is too packed too move. It leads to annoyance amongst the audience. A shame, because the DJ duo certainly isn’t to blame. Whereas they performed for a sold-out Heineken Music Hall last year, this time James & Marciano wanted a more intimate setting. And they certainly got that, because the night was nothing if not intimate. As we are used from them, the DJs played a mix of deep and funky house, mixed creatively with soulful and sometimes exotic sounds. Squeezed into the front row, up close and personal, it became properly visible how well-adjusted these two friends are, thoroughly familiar with each

THERE’S NO ESCAPE FROM SEXY BY NATURE

YOU WOULD SAY SUNNERY JAMES & RYAN MARCIANO AND THEIR SEXY BY NATURE CONCEPT ARE A GUARANTEE FOR SUCCESS. AND THERE CERTAINLY WASN’T ANY FAULT WITH THESE TWO GENTLEMEN LAST NIGHT. IT CERTAINLY WAS A GOOD NIGHT, BUT WHETHER THE ESCAPE WAS THE BEST PLACE FOR IT IS NOT ENTIRELY SURE.

other’s style and always complementing one another. The energy they put into their set, each other and the audience is phenomenal. And they are indeed sexy by nature. After an hour or two, the night’s headliners made room for Kill the Buzz. He replaced the exciting beats of Sunnery & Ryan with a sound that might be best described as a harmonious mix of electro and hardstyle. The energy in the club, however, slowly began to wane. Perhaps the people had given too much during the previous two sets. It certainly wasn’t for lack of skills on Kill the Buzz’s part, as he played rather well and had warmed up excellently for Hardwell in the HMH the night before. Escape, however, took its name a tad too literally yesterday night. It was so packed that initially, to escape was all that many people wanted to do. The club itself is beautiful and extremely suited to a event like this, but they had simply sold too many tickets. Despite that, however, Sexy by Nature was very personal and sexy night indeed. It’s a concept that goes against the bigger-is-better festival trends of today, and is all the better for it. We’re looking forward to next year’s edition!

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DATE LOCATION

18.10.14 HEINEKE MUSIC HALL

NAME: HARD DANCE EVENT CONFERENCE ORGANISATION: XXLERATOR, Q-DANCE MATRIXX, BASS EVENTS, ART OF DANCE, B2S GERNES: HARD...

ARTISTS:

ACTI ADVANCED DEALER AEROS ALIEN-T ALPHA² ATMOZFEARS AUDIOTRICZ BASS MODULATORS BLACKBURN BODYSHOCK CHAIN REACTION CODE BLACK COONE CRISIS ERA CYBER D-BLOCK & S-TE-FAN DA TWEEKAZ DARK PACT DEEPACK DEETOX DELETE DIGITAL PUNK DV8 DYPRAX E-FORCE EXIT MIND FESTUCA FURYAN GECK-O HARD DRIVER (POINT BREAK SHOWCASE) JACK OF SOUND K96 LIVID LUNA MAIN CONCERN MISS K8 NOLZ OUTBREAK PHUTURE NOIZE RADICAL REDEMPTION SOUND RUSH STEREOTUNERS SYNTHAX THE ANARCHIST THE PITCHER THE PROPHET THERA THYRON TITAN VILLAIN WASTED MIND WAVERIDER ZANY

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EVENT REPORT

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DATE LOCATION

16.10.14 MELKWEG

CONFERENCE REPORT & INTERVIEW

NAME: HARD DANCE EVENT CONFERENCE ORGANISATION: XXLERATOR, Q-DANCE MATRIXX, BASS EVENTS, ART OF DANCE, B2S GERNES: NETWORKING, WORKSHOPS, TALKS & DEMOS

“Hardstyle fans are a fanatic and dedicated crowd”

WILDSTYLEZ MOVES UP THE RANKS

A LEADING FIGURE OF THE HARDSTYLE MOVEMENT, AND A PRODUCER WHO POSSESSES THE SECRET RECIPE FOR CREATING EUPHORIC RECORD-BREAKERS. THESE ARE SOME OF THE WAYS YOU COULD CHARACTERIZE JORAM METEKOHY, BETTER KNOWN AS WILDSTYLEZ. AFTER HIS MONSTER HIT, YEAR OF SUMMER, EVERY DAYTIME RADIO LISTENER HAD SUDDENLY HEARD ABOUT HIM. BUT THERE IS MORE TO THIS ARTIST, AS HIS LONG-TIME FANS WILL FERVENTLY AGREE. EVER SINCE HARD DANCE EVENT WAS FIRST HELD, IN 2010, WILDSTYLEZ HAS ATTENDED THE CONFERENCE YEARLY AND HAS SEEN IT DEVELOP INTO WHAT IT IS NOW. A PERFECT OCCASION TO ASK HIM ABOUT THE EVENT AND TO START A CONVERSATION THAT WILL TAKE US TO TOPICS LIKE AMSTERDAM MUSIC FESTIVAL, THE DJ MAG TOP 100 AND MUSICAL DIRECTIONS.

It’s Thursday and an exciting milestone is on the doorstep for Wildstylez. Next Saturday, he will be the closing act of the Amsterdam Music Festival, right after artists like Armin van Buuren and David Guetta perform in the very same booth. It is something special, to say the least, and Joram is excited for it. But first, it’s time to visit SLAM!FM and Hard Dance Event at the Melkweg. “The first edition of Hard Dance Event was at the ID&T office. It was a new phenomenon for us and there was only a selected group of people present,” he says. These days, the conference enjoys a much higher attendance. “It serves as a platform for the hard dance scene, but is also a way for us artists to catch up with each other and with promoters. And I contributed to a panel once, which was interesting.” An insight that Joram adds is that hardstyle always used to be a misfit in dance music. “But now that we’re being accepted, it would be nice to see if we can evolve from being labeled as an outsider, to being an integrated and assimilated part of Amsterdam Dance Event itself.” The recognition of hardstyle in the world of electronic dance music is an interesting topic, and it’s causing some shifts in the music’s global hierarchy. One example is Wildstylez’ appearance at Amsterdam Music Festival. “I’m not the hardest producer around and I have the ambition to do this kind of booking,” he elucidates. “I’ve played at a couple of houseoriented events before, but now I have the opportunity to play at the biggest venue there is in The Netherlands.” About his role during this night, Joram says: “I will be bringing a refreshing hardstyle sound and I will ask the people for their last bits of energy.” Yet another proof of the rise of hardstyle is the composition of the DJ Mag Top 100. Wildstylez has been moving up the list since 2011 and now finds many of his colleagues on the ladder. “Hardstyle fans are a fanatic and dedicated crowd. They will take the time and effort to support their

favourite artists online, which explains our presence.” Even though Wildstylez didn’t do much promotion this year, he obviously wishes to be part of the 100 again. “It’s an honour to be in it, each year again. I keep my expectations low, though. We’ll see on Saturday.” Moving up the ranks – it can be done in many ways, but at the end of the day it’s about the music, and the music only. About his musical direction, Joram tells us: “I personally strive to bring hardstyle in a broader fashion. I actually want to create my own genre, at a lower BPM. The trend in hardstyle is to go harder and harder. But why not go the other way? The sound will keep evolving, let’s see how far I can take it.”

“It serves as a platform for the hard dance scene, but it is also a way for us artists to catch up” 18.10.2014


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DATE LOCATION

15.10.14 ESCAPE CLUB

EVENT REPORT

NAME: BASJACKERS & DYRO ORGANISATION: ALDA EVENTS

ARTISTS:

DYRO BASSJACKERS COONE KENNETH G UMMET OZCAN SHERMANOLOGY BALI BANDITS

IT IS ONLY THE FIRST NIGHT OF ADE, BUT THE ATMOSPHERE IS THERE FROM THE START. IT DOESN’T MATTER TO MOST THAT THE DOORS HAVE ONLY JUST OPENED. HALF THE ROOM IS DANCING AS IF THEIR LIVES DEPEND ON IT. RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE DJ BOOTH, A BUNCH OF FRENZIED BOYS JUMPS UP AND DOWN AND UP AGAIN; JAY HARDWAY HAS NO TROUBLE GETTING THE DANCEFLOOR GOING. “LET ME SEE THOSE FUCKING HANDS” IS THE MESSAGE CONVEYED EARLY ON THROUGH THE ESCAPE’S SOUNDSYSTEM. AND HANDS, ELBOWS AND A COUPLE OF CUPS FLY STRAIGHT TOWARDS THE CEILING, JUST LIKE THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO. THIS IS THE TALE OF THE X TOUR! As we arrive at the venue soon after opening, a group of friends is dancing merrily at a short distance from the larger crowd, slightly less enthusiastic than the hardcore fans. “I always need a while to get into it,” one of the ladies confides in us. Then again, it is only 12 o’clock, so there’s no shame here. But for some, it’s more about the location. “I’m more of a festival person, so a club like this takes some getting used to. But the ADE is a fantastic way to make it through the winter, of course,” says the dame. In the meantime, Jay Hardway takes it up a notch. “Everybody fucking jump!” The middle of the room goes absolutely insane, and they’re almost overheated already when a good-humoured half of Bassjackers takes over the decks. And he knows how to make an entrance.

Bassjackers are aware what their fans came for: to dance. “Everybody fucking jump!” A piece of music straight out of a horror movie draws a tension across the room. The fans grow quiet for a bit, until a voice starts: “Ten. Nine.” Suddenly, everyone is counting along as though it’s five seconds to 12 on a New Year’s Eve. “Three. Two. One,” the voice goes on, and streamers are flung across the room with a loud bang. Here and there, a surprised face gasps at the festoons now draped all across the club. It’s shaping up to be a wild night, and Bassjackers are obviously aware what their fans came for: to dance! The tempo starts off high and club Escape is slowly becoming busier. As the floor fills up, there’s even more movement going on than before. In between a group of friends, one girl is having a good time. Her feet won’t stop moving for a second. Her outfit is a perfect representation of tonight’s atmosphere: a little black dress to go with Escape’s chic

character, with a pair of bright pink sneakers on her feet. “With these DJs, I simply can’t do anything but dance all night,” she laughs. “And you can’t jump or dance wildly on high heels. So why not just put my sneakers on, I thought. It’s no option to stay calm with this music.” Bassjackers’ streamers are still hanging from the Escape’s large chandeliers when Dyro jumps onto the stage. The festival-minded lady who needed time to warm up before is now entirely into it as well. “Finally!” she exclaims. “I came especially for Dyro. I think he is really, really good.” And the man lives up to her expectations. “This was a great warming-up! The rest of the week, we’ll be dropping by some other parties with the AMF on Saturday as a climax. Hopefully, it’ll be just as much fun as this!”

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DATE LOCATION

15.10.14 CLUB AIR

CLUB REPORT

NAME: ADE AIR ORGANISATION: AIR EVENTS Nightclub AIR has been one of the mainstays of ADE for several years now. They’re always up for a surprising showcase, an all-out party or an early morning after that makes the most out of the night. Styled with an eye for detail and located in a historic building, the club can often be recognized by a long line of people waiting to get in. And during ADE, their programme attracts even more visitors than it usually does.

HOSTING:

DOORN RECORDS LABEL NIGHT ALL GONE PETE TONG DEFECTED IN THE HOUSE FAT KIDS CAKE SPECIAL BIRDHOUSE XL

DJ, producer and label boss Sander van Doorn was invited to show clubbers the gems of his label, Doorn Records, at the high-profile venue by the Amstelstraat on Wednesday. During his showcase, Danny Howard (who replaced Bassjackers at the last second), DubVision, Firebeatz, Jay Hardway, Julian Jordan and a number of others took the decks. Of course, the grandmaster did not fail to make himself heard either, and was joined for a while by his buddy and rising star Oliver Heldens.

N O W H E R E ’ S A H E A D S TA RT T O T H E WEEKEND! AMSTERDAM DANCE EVENT 2014 WAS KICKED OFF WITH, AMONG OTHER EVENTS, A COMPLETELY SOLD-OUT DOORN RECORDS LABEL NIGHT AT AIR. DURING ADE, SUCH THINGS ARE NO PROBLEM, NOT EVEN ON A WEDNESDAY. AND IT WAS ONLY THE START TO A VERY EVENTFUL WEEK FOR AIR.

ADE GOES SKY-HIGH AT CLUB AIR

One day later, the illustrious Pete Tong did a reprise of last year and took over all of AIR’s three rooms with his traveling circus called All Gone Pete Tong. Besides the iconic DJ himself, Heidi, Tube & Berger, Waze & Odyssey, Amine Edge & DANCE, and Jaymo & Andy George were just a few of the many greats on the line-up. Tong’s enormous battery of LED screens and video projections turned AIR into a dance Valhalla straight out of a fairytale. During this 19th edition of ADE, AIR offered more than just music, as clubbers were offered an exposition by party photographer Katja Rupp called ‘From Within’. A series of portraits of Oliver Weiter, shot by the artist from Den Haag over the course of this summer, graced the walls of the club especially for this occasion. And there was something special outside the walls of AIR as well: together with sponsor Samsung, the next-door Rembrandtplein was decorated with a large see-through pavilion. Apart from ticket sales, it offered info, merchandise and an opportunity to take a breather on one of its comfortable couches. Visitors could also visit ADE Radio’s live broadcast or, if they were lucky, score an instant meet ‘n greet with one of the many artists hanging around. Back inside the club, Defected Records made known why their ‘Defected in the House’ nights are a resident concept at AIR. Their ADE special on Friday night saw, among others, Hercules & Love Affair (with a live show), FCL, Oliver $, Noir, Franky Rizardo and Sam Divine take the stage. And as expected, they sold out the house way in advance. Saturday night became bass night as Fat Kids Cake brought their selection of UK house, 2step and garage. On the line-up were DJ EZ, T. Williams, Hannah Wants, My Nu Leng, Gomes and melodic Dutch prodigy GANZ. Last but not least, ADE at AIR will be closed off by Birdhouse, the club’s standard Sunday party. But although it will be as relaxed as ever, this XL edition is far from standard with FS Green, Geza Weisz, Weslo, Plan de Champagne, Nicky Bizzle and Ekte on the programme. If you’re looking for a way to wind down in style – here it is.

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TOMORROWLAND TEN YEARS OF MADNESS OBVIOUSLY, YOU ARE READING THE AMSTERDAM MUSIC FESTIVAL NEWSPAPER. WE REPORT MOSTLY ON ADE EVENTS AND TONIGHT’S FESTIVAL IN THE ARENA. THERE IS ONE OTHER FESTIVAL, HOWEVER, THAT IS CERTAINLY WORTH A LOOK. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TOMORROWLAND: CELEBRATING ITS 10TH BIRTHDAY THIS YEAR, THE BELGIAN WONDER CHILD HAS BEEN THRICE CROWNED BEST MUSIC EVENT AT THE IDMAS AND IS MORE POPULAR NOW THAN EVER. HERE IS THE HISTORY, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF THE BEST DANCE MUSIC FESTIVAL IN THE WORLD.

It all began in 2005, one decade ago. The grounds of De Schorre, which meander lazily alongside the usually quiet town of Boom, Belgium, lit up with a festival that was meant to be magical. Tomorrowland’s masterminds, the brothers Beers, had a vision of an event that would offer quality music with an equally strong backstory. A story told by a variety of creatures, from 8-foot-tall giants to the tiniest fairies, summoned to De Schorre for a single day. Because that’s all the festival was for its first two editions: a single day, a couple stages, relatively high production values, enthusiastic DJs and a crowd that slowly warmed up to the concept. A second festival day had been added in 2007 already, but it was the over-the-top 2009 edition that definitively put Tomorrowland’s name on the international festival map. A massive but detailed mainstage, intricate decorations everywhere, and a roaringly enthusiastic crowd to boot: for the first time, Tomorrowland took its now-familiar enormous shape. The following years brought more prosperity. A third day of festivities was added, and the total number of visitors eventually grew to a whopping one hundred and eighty thousand. By that time, the first International Dance Music Award was squarely in the pocket, too. All in all, there was more than enough reason for an extraordinary 10th birthday celebration. Accordingly, Tomorrowland was held two weekends in a row, allowing twice as many people to partake in the grand fairytale it had become. All visitors received their own Key to Happiness, and together they started a machine that fabricated more madness than ever. The first weekend witnessed a tropical heat wave, the second was figuratively just as hot. Internationally acclaimed DJs, including residents Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, hotshots like Hardwell and Guetta, as well as the smallest underground talents, made it two weekends to never forget. And

Tomorrowland’s vision is squarely set towards a future of worldwide enchantment. Besides TomorrowWorld, the North American spinoff that has been successfully held twice now, a Brazilian edition has been planned for 2015. One thing’s for certain: the land of Tomorrow is more real now than ever!

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