Tomorrowland Today 2023 | Incredible Saturday

Finally, friends; finally, we are at home again. And home, this year, is a city amidst skies and clouds, a metropolis that chose to stay hidden for centuries, but has now opened its gates to you: Arcadiana. Yesterday, as you crowded the Holy Grounds along with many thousands of feathered, friendly souls, the clouds broke, and the community of guilds revealed itself under Amare’s watchful eye. Truly, you had arrived. Oh, how it feels to have the magic of this place caressing your skin! To see with your own two eyes the avian grace of the Windriders, gliding down from the skies on the Ateliers’ winged

contraptions! And then, after all that spectacle, you faced a very difficult choice: where to roam next in this city’s vast domain? Across the expanse to the engineering marvel that is the Freedom stage? To the Library, the Crystal Garden, or one of the other open-air arenas? Fortunately, you will have all the time in the world, today, to explore every nook and cranny you haven’t seen yet. Be sure to go out there, friends, and make Arcadiana your own. Roam around, ride the currents of the wind, and remember the wonders you encounter – forever.

Another morning in Arcadiana means another array of musical marvels – which stage will be your favourite today? Classic hotshot names like NERVO, Steve Aoki, Armin van Buuren and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike populate the Mainstage today, accompanied by deep techno heroes Tale of Us and versatile electronic music vocalist John Newman. Techno heads will be well excited by Maceo Plex and Adam Beyer playing a no doubt incredible b2b at Freedom. Stick around a little longer at the stage for Reinier Zonneveld’s pounding, acid-tinged live-performance before moving on to Atmosphere for a classic set by the Italian hero of heavy beats, Enrico Sangiuliano, or pay a visit to Rise, where catchy dance mavericks Gorgon City are set to do their thing.

Are you both fitness freak and lover of loud music? Then make sure to join Q-dance’s infamous Warrior Workout at the Mainstage, 14:45 today, and get down and sweaty!

The DreamVille Marketplace is the place where all needs are met: from food to clothing, from tattoos to jewellery, from hairdressing to phone charging and repair… Head on over if you need anything!

A WORD OF GRATITUDE

We absolutely love putting together every single issue of Tomorrowland Today, and it wouldn’t be possible without all of the fun-loving, welltravelled ravers that we meet every day. You are a unique, ever-smiling bunch of people who tell us the very best newsworthy stories. Thank you!

WEATHER REPORT

Get set for a delightful day! Temperatures will rise to 24°C with friendly clouds playing hide-and-seek with the sun. Keep your face towards the sunshine, and the shadows will follow the beat of your dance moves.

YOUR TIPS FOR TOMORROW

Did you witness, experience or do something newsworthy, then contact us! Think unforgettable highlights, tales of friendship or invaluable festival knowledge. Simply send an email to your daily gazette at today@tomorrowland.com!

THE TALES OF THE GUILDS

Thanks to the magic of Amare, the Golden Aurics and all the other birds, Arcadiana is held aloft in the sky, light as a feather forever. But the thing that makes this soaring city tick is its guilds: five associations of expert craftspeople working together to provide each other with food, housing, art, and all the other ingredients of a meaningful life. Now that you are welcomed into this harmonious domain, it’s decision time… How will you contribute? Which guild will you call home? Today, the Ateliers’ and Weavers’ Guilds make their case for you to join them.

“Holding on to what we find We don’t want to lose this fight You, me, and gravity (And gravity, and gravity)

Brave enough to give it all Knowing that the faint will fall You, me, and gravity (and gravity)”

HIGHLIGHTS

TOMORROWLAND TODAY

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DREAMVILLE

It's a bright new day and you looked the part.

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DAILY WISDOM

Get the latest news from Arcadiana’s most dependable outlet!

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Arcadianan society, and even the world at large, is like a great machine, and without the proper tools and parts, none of it would run. This is what we of the Ateliers’ Guild tend to: the appliances and automatons upon which our fellow citizens depend. The great balloons, the instruments of craft, the infrastructure of the city: it all originates from our workshops.

We Ateliers are inventors and engineers. We recognise the beauty of the practical: to us, a well-oiled machine is as beautiful as the highest work of art, and we find the sublime in new solutions to age-old problems. In our work, we are guided by the corvids, birds of great intelligence and cunning, who provide the blueprint for our mechanical métier.

If you have the wits to wield the hammer, the wherewithal to create new wonders in our warren of workshops, then you might soon earn your very own atelier. Come and create the very future of Arcadiana with us.

May your inventions ever be in service to our city,

The Ateliers’ Guild

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To all colourful, extravagant birds out there,

Like the strands of a tapestry, all the world is connected, woven together in a symphony of colour and sound. Therefore, to create art is the most natural activity imaginable, and to appreciate beauty is as essential as breathing air. That is the belief that we of the Weavers’ Guild embody.

We need not look far for examples: beauty abounds in the avian world, especially amongst the weaver birds and songbirds that we so admire. Their nests and hymns inspire us to create ever-greater marvels of artistry, livening up the city with kaleidoscopic hues and resonant tones. Through our work, Arcadiana communicates its legends and its creeds, recording them for all of history.

Are you proficient with the needle, and confident enough to use it for creations of the highest splendour? Then you are the one we are looking for. Muster all your artistic spirit, and join us in the everlasting celebration of beauty.

May we meet you threading the fabric of this world,

The Weavers’ Guild

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LOCKERS

No one wants to carry a lot of stuff around on the dance floor and, of course, there is no need to. You can find the locations of the lockers on the floorplan in the app.

CLAPTONE

House history and the point of a golden mask, explained.

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VEGETARIAN TREATS

Find out how great ‘live and let live’ can taste!

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LOVEBIRDS’ STORIES

Falling in love all over again at the Holy Grounds.

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FOCUS ON THE MUSIC

• Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike

• Timetables

• Artist Bios

FIRST AID

Medical emergency? Look for the ‘First Aid’ signs or find First Aid locations on your floorplan. There is always a doctor with every team. To bring medication onto the grounds you will need a doctor’s certificate.

KOVEN & Crystal Skies – You Me and Gravity

To all resourceful, problemsolving birds out there,

Does

LOOKING BRIGHT FOR A BRAND NEW DAY

At DreamVille, the morning greets campers with a gentle warmth as the sun rises, spilling its molten gold across the horizon. Raindrops from the night sky become dew-kissed memories, unable to dampen the spirits of the People of Tomorrow. Having come from all corners of the world, you spent the first day at DreamVille forging bonds of friendship that felt like family. That set the enchanting campsite abuzz with anticipation on the first festival day, with spirits soaring even higher than the fireworks last night at the Gathering. Amidst this atmosphere, everyone shook off last night’s rains, akin to a flock of birds alighting after a long journey, showing off their wonderful plumage. DreamVille – we love your wake-up looks!

“We came here with one of the Tomorrowland flights from Zurich,” says Jennifer. “Our festival experience started early yesterday. I did feel pretty tired last night, so recharging with lots of vitamins is the way to go, I think.” Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, people!

After her yoga lesson is over, we wait a few minutes to approach Laura, as she still seems to be in a different dimension. “I just got into yoga three weeks ago, but I already love it so much! You can get in touch with your inner self before going out there into the crowd.” Let your spirit soar, Laura!

Laura from Spain

Harley from Australia

this dude scream Australia or what? We catch Harley sitting with his kangaroos on his porch, reading the paper and sipping some Solo Vida. “The little one is called Shazza and we need to let her know about all of the crazy things we experienced yesterday,” he says. And some morning bubbles never hurt anyone, right?

Jennifer from Switzerland

Karla from California, USA

“When we woke up this morning, we were greeted by our neighbours. Seeing how kind they were already made my day,” Karla says while checking out her look in the mirror. “I came here with so many outfits already prepared, but I’ve decided to just wing it and wear what I feel like in the moment.”

Juan-Pablo from Ecuador

“When we built up our camp yesterday, we immediately got along great with our neighbours. They did start another party at 4 in the morning though, so I am a bit tired.” Juan-Pablo jumps under the shower, and we can see him brightening up and regaining his energy. “Just what I needed!”

A GAME OF PADEL

At the Padel courts introduced last year, you can rent a court for an hour, with part of the proceeds going to the Tomorrowland Foundation. Rafa from Spain is there trying it out when we drop by. “We went hard last night at The Gathering,” he says, “so our muscles are a bit stiff and sore. A nice round of Padel seems like the right thing to get everything working again.” As he walks back onto the court, Rafa looks ready to make sure his friends know who’s the real deal.

Rafael Nadal, is that you?

Johnny from Ecuador

“For my first ever day at Tomorrowland, I wanted to recreate the face paint my ancestors would have worn to an event like this,” Johnny says before looking in the mirror, inspecting every stroke of the brush on his face. “I really want to feel connected to my roots when I am here.”

Jasmin and David from Australia

“I tried not to see spoilers for the Mainstage from the first weekend, but it was impossible. Tomorrowland is just everywhere!” Jasmin doesn’t seem sad at all though. David adds: “I am sure when we are actually standing in front of it, we will be surprised by its magnitude anyway.” You betcha!

Salome from Switzerland

Salome is relaxed as ever when we meet her in the pool at the Montagoe area. “The vibe here is simply incredible. Everybody feels so special being here, it creates an atmosphere unlike anything I have ever experienced. And to soak in all of that here at the pool… awesome!”

“All of us have dreamt of coming here ever since we were kids and now it is finally happening. I feel like I could fly!” Karina is obviously beaming with joy. “We got here super late and sadly missed the Gathering. But watch out Tomorrowland, we’ll come swinging by soon enough!”

Vitalij, Oleg, Karina and Katia from Latvia

FIRST, LET’S TAKE A SELFIE

WISDOM

SWITCH FOR TOMORROW

Next week, when the dust has settled, your heart has fallen back into its regular rhythm, you’ve taken a nice hot shower at home and slept in your own bed, there will be some time for reflection. Think ahead and take a deep breath now, think about all the wondrous things you’re experiencing this weekend; think about how, maybe, they’re changing you into someone new. Will you be someone better than the you that arrived at this festival before the weekend? Are there any resolutions or changes you’re thinking of? For yourself, for tomorrow, for a better future? If this

is you – if you’re thinking about quitting smoking, cutting out the carbs, asking your partner to have a cat together, finally putting that crosstrainer you bought for Christmas to good use – head over to the Switch for Tomorrow elves at the Tunnel of Hope located on the One World Bridge. The artists present will immortalise your wishes and desires on the serpentines hanging over the tunnel. Eternalise your commitment to yourself, say your wishes out loud, and with just a little bit of that magic Tomorrowland sparkle, they will come true!

WHERE CAN I FIND THIS NEWSPAPER?

Take a little stroll in the morning to visit your local District House and pick up your daily copy of Tomorrowland Today. Look out for the real-life newspaper hawkers who will personally hand you a mint copy to bring along to your home camp!

Sure, taking a selfie at the Mainstage or the LED walls of the Freedom stage are essential to your Tomorrowland experience – have you even been to Tomorrowland if you haven’t struck those off your list? But this year, make sure not to stop snapping yet, as a couple of even more pleasing places to take a picture have been added to the festival grounds. Take out your phone, dial in #Tomorrowland, conjure a smile upon your face and take a picture in front of the big golden Tomorrowland letters in between the Rise stage and the Cage, give your lover a kiss underneath the banners of the Tunnel of Hope located on the One World Bridge, or take a ride through the skies on the Ferris wheel behind the Freedom stage. The real daredevils amongst you might even take a picture kissing the Rose Garden’s dragon – at your own risk, of course! Lights, camera, smile!

RISE TO THE OCCASION

Who here will be the next big star at Tomorrowland? Have you always dreamt of playing on one of the sixteen stages of the festival, or are you curious about what buttons all your favourite DJs and artists are pressing all the time up there? Then head over to the Coke Studio, where Coca Cola has lined up a battery of DJ gear and turntables for you to take a test drive. Take some basic lessons from renowned DJs in how to work the material, play your first track and maybe slip in a loop or a special effect! If you’re more comfortable on the other side of the DJ booth, never fear: you can step inside the kaleidoscope for a dance with your own doppelganger. And if you’re a bit tired, there’s even a booth where you can let other people’s legs do the dancing for you, and an opportunity to take a panoramic picture from the rooftop. As an extension of the search for talent in the Coke Studio, the line-up at the Rise stage by Coca Cole features up-and-coming talents throughout the weekend. Curious? You can find the Coke Studio just across from the Rise stage, next to the Cage.

OTTO KNOWS’S ESSENTIALS

We know Otto Knows from his hit ‘Million Voices’, which is already 12 years old in 2023. The man has not stood still in the meantime, and released the essential track ‘Be Somebody’ with Alex Aris on Tomorrowland Music in May. It packs some powerfully emotional dancefloor energy for this summer. But what are Otto’s own Tomorrowland essentials?

What’s essential at Tomorrowland and what’s the best moment to use it?

“I love seeing so many flags from all these different countries. It’s such a beautiful moment when you are standing on stage and people are waving them at the same time, creating a big ocean of different colours and patterns. It’s a moment of unity I really embrace.”

What song is essential in your set, and why?

“My song ‘Million Voices’ is synonymous with Tomorrowland for me. I’m bringing a new version of the track to Tomorrowland this year, but you’ll definitely recognise it.”

What’s essential within the group of friends who are joining you to Tomorrowland, and why?

“Good festival stamina, as there are so many great talents playing on different stages all day, so there is no time to catch your breath while you’re there!”

Listen to Otto Knows’s essential track ‘Be Somebody’ by scanning the code!

CRAFTING CLOUD NINE: THE CREATION OF THE MAINSTAGE

As you surely know by now, Arcadiana moves and vibrates around a mighty center, a city with the dancefloor of all dancefloors lying at its feet: the magnificent 2023 Mainstage. With your favourite artists giving it their all under the spread-out wings of the most mystical of all the birds, it might seem like a challenge to focus on all of its intricate detail. But believe us when we say it’s just as easy to get lost in the Mainstage’s magisterial shapes as in the madness just below it. While we have no doubt that it has already captivated you from the moment your eyes were first graced by its glory, a deeper understanding of what it takes to create it will likely only intensify that feeling. So without further ado, let’s dive deep into the creative process behind the place that is home to the biggest bass drops, the brightest fireworks, and the most touching displays of love and unity out there.

GLORIOUS GOTHIC MARVELS

This year’s Mainstage is the embodiment of Arcadiana, the flying city where skilled guildspeople have woven magic into every fiber of its being. With its sky-scraping towers, pointed arches and tumbling waterfalls, it truly makes you feel as if you’re amongst the clouds, with gusts of wind blowing through your feathers. Designed in a mostly late gothic style with hints of renaissance architecture shining through, it combines a design philosophy moved by a sense of discovery and craftsmanship with the eternal might of nature itself. Can you feel the moment of Ascendo nearing?

FROM SKETCH TO SENSATION

Never has the process of designing the Mainstage been more time-consuming. Two years have gone by since the first sketch of the 2023 Mainstage saw the light of day. Since then, a team of in-house artists and modelers has been busy crafting and sculpting every single visible element, inspired by hundreds of concept sketches and artworks by Tomorrowland’s own talented designers. Throughout the creative process, it slowly but surely grew into what it is now: more natural elements were added to the design, the importance of the connection between humans and birds was incorporated, and the flying nature of the stage was distilled into the addition of 12 balloons that make it rise and strive towards the sky beyond –figuratively, of course.

THE GREAT LIBRARY STUDIOS

SPLENDOUR IN STATISTICS

Height: 43 meters

Width: 160 meters

740 square meters of LED tiles

1050 lamps

230 speakers & subs

30 lasers, 48 fountains

50 days to build

Has the story of the Mainstage’s creation captured you thus far? Then come on down to the Great Library Studios, located along the big food court behind the Mainstage itself, and discover sketches from the long and meticulous, yet fulfilling and fruitful design process. All the sketches displayed there are available for purchase in very limited numbers. Want to get a print of the final sketch of the Mainstage? Well then, you’d better come down sooner rather than later, because only 20 are available in total. But no matter if you want a piece of Arcadiana history to take home with you or not, a visit to the Great Library Studios is really a must. There is no place where you can dive deeper into the story and all the elements and artifacts of our flying city.

laptone

Representing so much more than just one particular sound, the golden wonder that is Claptone is loved by some for his catchy melodic tunes, and by others for his stomping dancefloor-oriented tracks. It’s the height of the summer right now, and the artist finds himself touring like there’s no tomorrow with limited time to produce, so he is only working on his bare necessities: the kind of brand-new bangers for the club that are always needed. A true jack of all trades, Claptone got to play them out on two vastly different stages in just one day. Time to get together, consider the differences, and dive into house music history.

THE MOST-SEASONED DAYBREAK DJ

“I’ve probably played more Daybreak Sessions than anyone else,” says Claptone as he jokingly starts leafing through his copy of ‘The Rise of Adscendo’, as if expecting to find the evidence right there, in Tomorrowland’s first ever fantasy novel. These sessions, which return to the festival every single year, are the ultimate warm-up format where international DJs are challenged to play the kind of timeslots they used to when they first started their careers. Claptone: “These sets really are a different ballgame, as people still need to get into the vibe, so I play a little more groovy than usual – even if, of course, playing groovy stuff is what I’m generally known for.”

Amidst the bombastic, drop-centered music we’re used to hearing at the Mainstage, Claptone seems the odd one out, being a house DJ at heart. That doesn’t bother him, however: “My music as I played it this morning is easy to follow for everyone, and as accessible as Timmy Trumpet’s or Steve Aoki’s, as far as I’m concerned. That said, I do always take it a little deeper during my nighttime sets. For my set at Crystal Garden this evening, I will skip the type of easy-going tunes that I started my first set with, and go right into the more energetic stuff, as people will surely be totally hyped up by then.”

FOCUS ON THE MUSIC

Claptone’s golden mask is one-of-a-kind, but he isn’t the only one DJ’ing undercover. Deadmau5, Boris Brejcha, Mad Mike of Underground Resistance, and Marshmello all at some point decided to do the same thing. What is it that made him decide to hide his human face in the booth? “I love the history behind it and the fact that you can project a lot of your own images on it,” says the producer. “If you want it to be a sexual thing then that’s what it is, but gold is also often associated with hip-hop, for example. The way I see it, the

“Playing groovy stuff is, of course, what I’m generally known for”

mask just has a lot of potential. It’s up to the viewer to fill things in. Due to its openness to interpretation it’s almost like you invite people to become part of something. Besides, I also think wearing a mask helps people focus on music rather than personality. It just makes it easier to have a good time dancing, and that’s what it’s all about for me.”

HOUSE MUSIC IS A FEELING

“The key distinction between EDM and house – a broad term for the club stuff that I love – is that house is relentless music,” says Claptone. “It doesn’t travel from peak to peak. It’s designed to evoke a certain type of emotion instead, where people from different social classes or even from various music scenes connect through music. This type of dance music has a long history and it derives from a club named the Warehouse in Chicago. There was no such thing as house music at the time, but DJs like Frankie Knuckles and Larry Levan would merge various types of music into one thing and then at some point it was called house music, something people could endlessly dance to. In my opinion, the genre is still very much alive and kicking, with people like Fisher and Oliver Dollar doing things very differently compared to originators like Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley and Farley ‘Jackmaster’ Funk, but still essentially in the same spirit.”

NEW MATERIAL ON GOLDEN RECORDINGS

‘Charmer’ came out in 2015, ‘Fantast’ in 2018 and ‘Closer’ in 2021. Can we extrapolate this rhythm into the future and conclude that we will have a new Claptone album by 2024? “No,” says Claptone. “Because I can’t keep up. I was able to work on ‘Closer’ because I couldn’t tour and now

I’m playing gigs back to back again.

I have started writing songs, but I still need to do a lot of production on those tracks and I also need more time to write. What I need right now is tracks for the clubs. My recent track ‘Euphoria’ is one example of such a tune. ‘Flashdance’, a collaboration with electro producer Man Parrish, is another one, based on his tune ‘Boogie Down Bronx’. We laid new production under it and sped it up quite a bit. You can actually find an interview I did with Man Parrish on YouTube. He’s an incredible guy from New York, who casually coined the terms techno and electro, and who used to hang out with people like Andy Warhol and David Bowie. I’ve got a few more club tracks in the pipeline, which will all be released on my new label Golden Recordings. The first upcoming track, ‘Big Easy’, is out on August 11th. It has distinct summer vibes and will put smiles on people’s faces for sure. The next one is a little darker, more ravey, and might be released in October. None of these tracks have the vocals that people who listen to my albums might know me for, but this is just what I feel like doing right now.”

With such deeply rooted historical references for his music, and such impressive collaborators working with him, it’s clear that behind the golden mask, Claptone is indeed hiding a deep affinity for music rather than personality. And those who were there at the Mainstage and Crystal Garden will confirm: it’s a shame that there’s no new album coming up yet, but the touring does in fact make up for it. Here’s to hoping Claptone will be back for much more of this next year!

GOING GREEN, EATING GOOD

TASTES OF THE WORLD

One of the easiest ways to contribute to a healthier planet is also one of the tastiest, and it’s fast becoming more easy: eating meatless meals. No matter how much you love it, there is no denying the impact that eating meat has on the environment; a future in which we eat less of it is simply better for Mother Nature, and thus for us all! But never fear: gone are the days of bleak, tasteless meat replacements – enter a new era of gorgeous, world-class vegetarian and vegan cooking, making the difference unnoticeable. At Tomorrowland, there are plenty vegetarian dishes to choose from, in every corner of the festival, and from all the corners of the globe. Join us, then, on a vegetarian tour of the Holy Grounds, in which we sample the very best Peruvian, Vietnamese, Thai and Middle Eastern dishes. Read on for some highlights.

Voted the best vegetarian dish of Tomorrowland 2022 by the authoritative Gaunt & Millau, the tomato salad served at Veggies & Fermented Fries in the MESA Garden clearly isn’t as simple as it looks; it contains five different species of tomato, a tasty tomato marinade, and pickled red onion, and is stylishly topped off with a healthy dose of chillies and basil cress.

All the way from Thailand comes Chef Ton, who runs the Asian Streetfood stall at the MESA Garden. “This is a popular streetfood dish from the north of Thailand,” he says. “It normally contains meat, but I’ve changed the recipe to make it suitable for vegetarians. I took the egg noodles with me from Thailand. They come with creamy coconut milk, turmeric and fresh chillies.”

Possibly our favourite veggie food comes from the Peruvian Food stall. Not your regular Peruvian deli, this one serves so-called Chifa food –Chinese-influenced dishes, which are popular in cosmopolitan Lima. To this particular dish, the chef has added fermented cabbage and quinoa. Hence the name Aeropuerto, as it is at airports that global influences famously come together.

One of the undisputed non-European evergreen delicacies are of course the chickpea-based tempura balls called falafel, which you will find near the Freedom stage. Originally Egyptian, falafel is also very popular and traditionally made in nearby countries such as Lebanon, Jordan and Syria and so is houmous, which – curiously – is also based on the humble chickpea. Dip it in deep for the fullest flavour!

TOMATO SALAD

CHINESE-PERUVIAN AEROPUERTO

VEGGIE YELLOW CURRY

HOUMOUS FALAFEL PLATTER

TEMPEH BAGUETTE

Probably the most filling of all the dishes we sampled is Banh Mi’s tempeh baguette. The tempeh, made from fermented soybeans, is again fermented in a secret mushroom sauce before it lands on your crispy bread. Add to that fresh carrots, cucumber and coriander (optional), and that’s you sorted for the next few hours. Find it behind the Mainstage.

DELICIOUS VEGAN BALL

Balls & Glory, located on the impressively long food stall strip behind the Mainstage as well as by the Freedom stage, serves a truly delicious vegan ball that fills you right up, especially if you take it with ‘stoemp’ – a traditional Belgian mash. Photographed here is the even healthier version with a watermelon salad that also includes red onion, cherry tomatoes, and feta. The cheese can be left out if you prefer your dish to be vegan!

JACKFRUIT BURGER

From the mind of star chef Bart de Pooter, whose dishes are often based on plants, comes this delicious pulled jackfruit burger. It comes with the ‘pulled’ adjective not because of its striking similarity to meat but due to the fact that it actually breaks down during the simmering process. The burger is served with a touch of homemade ketchup, mixed salad and crispy tempura onion. Does this sound right up your street? Then look out for the “Food” signs near one of the entrances to the Mainstage.

TOMORROWLAND BURGER

The official burger of your favourite festival is freshly made near the north entrance of the Mainstage as well as at other locations around the grounds. The tasty oyster mushroom-based patty is served on a high quality bun with iceberg lettuce, red onion and chilli mayo. Skip it and you’ll have to wait until next year, as this one is really only served here in Boom, for the duration of our beloved festival.

TEL AVIV ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

Feeling like sharing a wonderful vegan dish with one of your fellow guildspeople? Then look no further than PLANT’n & WILD’n by Bart de Pooter Stories. Their Tel Aviv roasted cauliflower, served with oriental herbs, hummus, pomegranate, lemon, and some freshly baked pita is simply to die for, and enough for two. No wonder this smoky-creamy goodness and other wonderful dishes have earned the chef a Michelin Green Star.

PAK

When Tomorrowland asked River Kwai for something special, the staff knew just what would hit the spot: a vegan cucumber salad. Tam Taeng Pak combines cucumbers with mango for some sweetness, tomatoes for texture and carrots for some colour. It’s all brought together with a sauce that the staff has been perfecting for ages, made of chili, soy sauce and lime. It will bring freshness into your life unlike anything else… if you can deal with the heat, that is!

MORE TO EXPLORE

Although you can find a lot on these pages already, there are a lot more vegetarian offerings to be found across the festival. From simple fries, pizzas and fully decked-out hotdogs, to loaded nachos and tacos, there is a lot more to explore. If you wish to explore all of the options, pull up the Map on your festival app, then go to the ‘Food’ tab on the top. When you click a food stand, it will show you the menu. Bon appétit!

TAM TAENG

OMDAT HET KAN & AVERAGE ROB

KEEP ON SHTAMPING IN THE FREE WORLD

Belgian boys through and through, DJ Jasper Donkers aka Omdat Het Kan and MC Average Rob celebrate life in the silliest way imaginable, to the sound of 135 BPM-and-over ‘shtamp’ beats. But what on Earth is shtamp? Definitely not to be confused with the nation’s vegetable mash dish, carrot ‘stoemp’, shtamp is slowly but surely turning into the new hot sound of Belgium. It’s been a while since we’ve seen a new genre of dance music emerge, let alone propel its chief figureheads to a gig at the Library in next to no time at all, so yesterday was the ideal time to go and find out what these two silly boys have got to say about it.

How did the two of you start working together?

Rob: “We met while working for a satirical magazine called Humo. We made lots of funny videos together during our time at the company, including many skits here at Tomorrowland. Jasper was always the guy behind the camera and I was just a persona doing the jokes. We were beating large brands with their corporate videos in terms of views, like we cracked some kind of code.”

Jasper: “Then one day I asked Rob if he wanted to be an MC during my DJ performances. We don’t remember much of our very first gig, except that it felt good and that we wanted to continue doing it.”

Tomorrowland’s crowd is fairly international, so tell us: what does Omdat Het Kan stand for?

Jasper: “We do a lot of silly things and people often ask us: Why are you doing this? And our answer is always the same: ‘Omdat het kan’, which literally means ‘because it’s possible’.”

What kind of silly things are you referring to?

Rob: “We play every single genre over the course of one hour, except reggaeton, simply because it’s not fast enough. We play music that people have recently started calling shtamp – not just us, but many others in Belgium as well.”

Jasper: “A lot of it is related to hardstyle, but it can also be drum & bass. We play a lot of tracks everyone is familiar with, and then put a very intense hardstyle or drum & bass kick behind it.”

Besides the music you Belgians also switch between languages a lot. Can you please explain what’s going on to the international ravers who read this?

Jasper: “It's nice to find common ground in this country. We’re often so divided because some of us speak French while others speak Dutch. It's through music, football and food that we unite. I think we are able to connect with people because we are good at bringing cool music and dance vibes.”

You played the Gathering on Thursday and the Library on Friday. What was it like?

Rob: “Well, Thursday was rainy to start with, but when we came on the sun started shining. I think it’s the beats that literally broke through the clouds. Then today we played the Library at 16:00. It’s hard to fill up that stage in the afternoon, but we’ve done it two weeks in a row now”.

Jasper: “I love doing sets on big stages early in the day. There’s no competition from the Tiësto’s of this world, so everyone just comes to us to have a good time and they party hard, I can tell you that. It’s because we don’t give them a break and keep shtamping!”

“It's through music, football and food that us Belgians unite”

Jhon Muriel

Venezuela and Slovenia

“I had a dream last night that I was flying over DreamVille, high above the clouds and onto the festival site,” David tells us with a smile reaching from ear to ear. “Being here with Jhon makes me feel just as free as in the dream.” You can tell that these two truly carry the spirit of Tomorrowland in their hearts.

Filip

Spain

Dancing on the hills surrounding the Mainstage to the vibes brought to them by Matisse & Sadko, we find Muriel and Juan from Spain. “The moment I met her, I knew she was the one I had to bring to Tomorrowland. Life is a celebration when we’re together,” says Juan. Going to Tomorrowland together in unity – we are all here for it!

Sabina

Czech Republic

When asked about their Tomorrowland love story, all Filip can say is, “It’s all thanks to her!” Sabina quickly explains: “Usually Filip doesn’t listen to electronic music – but the second he was here, that didn’t matter one bit. I am so glad I convinced him to come, I couldn’t imagine this entire weekend without him.”

BIRDS OF A FEATHER,

Kelly Angi

David Juan Cam Lukas

New Zealand Germany

“Kelly is just such a source of energy for everyone – I mean, look at her.” And Cam is right. Just as he finishes his sentence, she is already dancing with her friends, singing along to the songs and raising her cups to a crazy day. “Cam and I just love to dance until the sun comes up,” we manage to catch her shouting. “What more do you need?”

You can tell these two didn’t just meet at the Gathering. “We’ve been together for almost 10 years, actually, and we’re still very much loving every second of it,” Angi lets us know. David adds: “We really look forward to seeing the Eric Prydz HOLO show – I imagine it’ll feel like diving into another dimension with my girl.”

Germany

We find these two lovebirds walking towards the Mainstage and can’t help but notice their vibrant energy. Mind you, they have some great stories to tell as well. “Every year, Tomorrowland gives us such a wonderful atmosphere to celebrate life and to celebrate us in. It’s like a beautiful frame for the pictures we want to create.”

Joey

Thomas

Mckenzie

The Netherlands and New York, USA

Belgium

This couple’s energy is undeniable! “We love living life to the fullest. And how could you do that if you don’t have someone by your side?” Thomas looks into the crowd and sees that Riet has already danced off to be with her fellow partygoers. His parting words say it all:

“You all need to find yourself someone like her!”

“Tomorrowland is all about uniting people with different backgrounds from all over the world – and that’s us.” With that introduction, Joey has us hanging onto this wonderful couple’s every word. “We met while working on a cruise ship. We knew we wanted to be together immediately. Eventually, I moved to Amsterdam – and now we’re here!” Mckenzie adds. Aaawww!

ALWAYS TOGETHER!

Pierre Laurens

Marie Riet Nadra Luka

Switzerland

“I’ve been coming here for quite some time, but for her it’s her maiden visit to Tomorrowland. We become a couple at the end of last year. So when the tickets went on sale, we weren’t together for very long yet, but it didn’t matter at all! I knew we needed to go.”

Pierre really is a man on a mission!

Belgium

“My family has been part of the Mainstage build-up crew for years now and I always try to bring as many of my friends as possible,” says Laurens. “One year I had one ticket left – and decided to bring my friend Luka.” And who wouldn’t fall in love with such a generous soul? “Ever since then, we haven’t just been friends. Tomorrowland made ‘us’ happen!”

Ann-Kathrin

“Tomorrowland inspires me to be the best version of myself, and to pass this inspiration on to others.”

PEOPLE OF TOMORROW

“For me, Tomorrowland is the definition of freedom. You can be who you want to be in whatever way you want to, and people will love it!”

Sasha, 24, Russia

Akon, 40, Benin

LIVE FROM THE HOLY GROUNDS

All eyes are on the Holy Grounds this weekend – thanks to the comprehensive Tomorrowland Livestream, brought to you by One World TV! Capturing the magic on both the Mainstage and the Freedom stage, the broadcast will no doubt reach millions of people worldwide again this weekend, and make this celebration a global phenomenon. Make sure your friends and family are watching the livestream so they can spot you and your fellow People of Tomorrow explore Arcadiana together. More Tomorrowland fun for everybody!

APP-TASTIC

At Tomorrowland, there’s so much to discover, so many places to spread your wings and build your nest. Don’t fret, though – accessing all information regarding this wonderful festival is easy peasy, lemon-squeezy, with the official festival app!

Use the Line Up function, for instance, to come up with your perfect Tomorrowland must-see list, and make sure not to miss any of the artists you have been dying to see for so long. Want to see what’s going on at any given moment? Just check out the Schedule feature and decide what’s next for you. Thanks to the incredibly detailed map, you can discover Arcadiana from its lowest valleys to its highest peaks without missing any of the countless food options, experiences and stages this city has in store for you. And last but not least, the app will help you find all the lastest minute-by-minute information so you’re in the know about everything that’s going on around here. What are you waiting for?

WISDOM

JOYHAUSER THE POWER OF UNITY

Belgian techno duo Joyhauser have just released a new album, ‘In Memoro’: a great result of a team effort. This year more than ever, Tomorrowland is all about teamwork, about the five guilds joining forces to achieve greatness. That’s why, ahead of their performance at the Freedom stage yesterday, we felt it was only right to ask Joyhauser what makes a good team tick!

ABSOLUTELY IMMERSED

Life’s a party, Tomorrowland’s a party, so why not liven it up with a visit to the fully immersive Absolut experience? If you have the courage, take a leap forward, lift the curtain and step into this Absolut bottleshaped world where video projection, lights and visuals swirl around your head and under your feet. This is a deep dive in a colourful world that leads you through a garden of Absolut delight, through a path with LED walls and down a real-life slide on your way out. Every half hour, there’s a high-energy party scheduled, featuring lights, flashes, cameras, a countdown and a unique, Tomorrowland-styled Absolut cocktail. So get yourself to the food area behind the Mainstage, right across from the Atmosphere stage, locate the Absolut booth – you can’t miss it – and find your passage into one of Tomorrowland’s hidden worlds. You’ll make some cherished memories during this experience, but always remember to drink responsibly as well!

Alright guys, you’re the experts on teamwork. What works best: Splitting up the tasks or doing everything as complete equals?

Joris: “For us what works best is splitting up at first and then bringing the other person into the process later.”

Stijn: “Usually I start with our new tracks in the studio, while Joris takes care of a lot of PR and community management. We all have our strengths and weaknesses and that’s a good thing!”

PLANT

TREES WHILE YOU PAY

Bonzai may be a world-famous Tomorrowland-associated record label, but this weekend, you’ll also be encountering Bonsai, a brandnew payment application. The app has fast become a widely accepted method of payment. It is, for example, very easy to use it to exchange euros for Pearls, Tomorrowland’s official currency. Of course, Bonsai wouldn’t live up to their name if they didn’t care for trees. For every ten payments made by one person, a tree is automatically planted and added to an official Tomorrowland forest. That means you can live your life, do your thing, feel good, dance, rave… all while helping Bonsai reach their goal of planting as many as 100.000 trees. Caring for the environment and reducing global CO2 was never this easy. Ready to pay, plant and party? Visit tomorrowland.paybonsai.com to find out more.

If you were here as guests – who would be in charge of what?

Joris: “So I’d be in charge of getting the tickets and booking our trips here – probably building the camp as well. But Stijn would make up for it by getting us the best drinks and awesome food.

Stijn: “Sounds about right! Luckily, we always agree when it comes to what music we want to listen to, so we don’t need to delegate that to anyone.”

Joris, you were flirting with a career as a professional soccer player for a while. Who on the line-up would you pick for your team?

Joris: “Easy! Joris Voorn as the creative and versatile midfielder, 999999999 on attack, because Italians know how to score goals, and then on defense…”

Stijn: “Lilly Palmer! She always has our back.”

NEXT-GENERATION ART LOOKS GOOD ON YOU!

Based on drawings created by the children of the Tomorrowland Foundation x Ek Tara Music & Arts School in India, the Foundation Bucket Hat is a blessing for your own look as well as the next generation: all proceeds of this collection will be donated to the projects of the Tomorrowland Foundation. Get yours at the Official Tomorrowland Stores or store.tomorrowland.com.

ADSCENDO, ARISE!

The story of Adscendo is also the story of Ro, Ameris, Tomas, and their mythical winged friends – the main characters in ‘The Rise of Adscendo’, the first ever full-length Tomorrowland novel, which records the events leading up to Arcadiana’s present society. This weekend, every day, we reveal a few pages of the book’s first chapter. If you want to experience the whole epic story – all 374 pages of it – the second printing of the book can be ordered through the online or onsite Tomorrowland Store, while copies last. And rumour has it this is only the first of many Tomorrowland Tales…

Part 3/4

CHAPTER ONE

The debris had torn through the material of the envelope, destroying the air valve so the whole thing had just dropped out of the sky. Then it had pulverised the gondola underneath. The balloon had come down in a tangle of material and wood, spewing its cargo and passengers across the plain beneath.

The medics triaged survivors and arranged airlift to the nearest infirmary, where the Birdsingers specialised in healing would help with the more serious injuries. Then there wasn’t much left to do.

With every crash, every earthquake, every flood event, every catastrophe on the islands, the Windriders were called to the scene to pick up the pieces as best they could.

It was a thankless task.

They catalogued the dead, removed the bodies in much the same way as the living, although with less urgency.

The members of Ro’s crew were soon the only ones who remained. They searched through the wreckage, matching items found to inventory so that it wasn’t just spirited away by any Guildless who might happen upon the scene. They were notorious for picking through crash sites, often despatching survivors to cover their tracks. Another reason why it was so critical to reach them in time. And why the Windguards went in first.

Sometimes, the rumours went, the Guildless would cause accidents in the first place, just for looting opportunities.

But now all that was left was inventory.

Ro kept her head down and helped haul the remains of cargo and belongings from the broken balloon, prepping it for transport and ignoring the fact that the others barely included her in conversation

beyond the necessary. If she wasn’t used to it by now, when would she be?

One broken box spilled out a selection of tapestries, the colours so bright and beautiful that she couldn’t help but pause to look at them. They were master works of the Weavers’ art. She reached out to stroke the soft threads and unrolled one on the ground to get a better look.

The bird portrayed there was like nothing she had ever seen in real life. It was the blue of a cloudless sky, its wings splayed wide as it came in to land on top of a waterwheel. Its long tail split in two, a huge V with trailing feathers on either side, just like the symbol of the Birdsingers’ Guild. It glimmered with golden threads and the eyes glittered in the sunlight. They were little pieces of amber, she realised, stitched into the embroidery. It looked as if, at any moment, it would rouse itself from its world of thread and stitches, and take off, soaring high above them all.

A Golden Auric, one of the most beautiful depictions of one she had ever seen. The myth of the great birds who lived on the furthest of the soaring isles, the High Eyrie, was one every Windrider grew up hearing. So did everyone in her world, she supposed.

Ro had dreamed of them all her life, but never seen them. No one had except fools and liars. The stories said they were the children of Amare, birds of legend, creatures formed of magic and joy.

Even when she was little, before her brothers left, before her parents died, especially back then, when she still had hopes and a future, when she still believed in stories, she had dreamed of them, dreamed of flying alongside such beautiful creatures. Silly fantasies perhaps, but they had shaped everything. All her life, those dreams had been so real.

To be continued...

FOCUS ON THE MUSIC

HEAR THE SINGING OF THE BIRDS

STAGE HOSTINGS

The birds of Arcadiana sing loudly from many different nooks and crannies. Every day, we explore three of them here, telling you about what sort of song to expect at which stage.

CRYSTAL GARDEN ANJUNABEATS

Originally founded in 2000 simply as an outlet for newly formed UK trance duo Above & Beyond’s music, Anunabeats was originally a trance label. Label heads Jono Grant, Tony McGuinness and Paavo Siljamäki had the acumen to rapidly branch out into other styles as the tastes of electronic music lovers diversified as well, staying ever just ahead of the curve. Now, Anjunabeats is a veritable musical empire, with hundreds of releases across various sublabels. At their Crystal Garden hosting today, they bring some of their best artists, including versatile producer Mat Zo, big-room trance crowdpleaser Andrew Bayer and the label originators themselves.

ELIXIR

LONELY

AT THE TAP BY FEESTDJRUUD

In the Netherlands, there is only one DJ who is synonymous with ‘party’: FeestDJRuud. ‘Feest’ means ‘party’, after all! This legendary DJ and producer rose to fame with his 2012 single ‘Gas op die Lollie’, and solidified himself as the party animal of party animals, releasing dance hit after dance hit and building a reputation for making any floor explode. Every track he has ever put out has partying as its central theme, so we know exactly what to expect from his ‘Lonely at the Tap’ hosting at the Elixir stage. Expect FeestDJRuud and his DJ friends all day, playing party anthems in all styles and flavours, confetti, inflatable animals, and more. May the party be with you!

RISE DEFECTED

What do major global dance music hits such as Bob Sinclar’s ‘Love Generation’, Dennis Ferrer’s ‘Hey Hey’, and CamelPhat & Elderbrook’s ‘Cola’ have in common? They were all released on Defected Records, a powerhouse of house music which will hit its 25th anniversary next year. Over the years, Defected have built up an enormous portfolio and ample experience in organising relatively intimate events from central London to Ibiza to Croatia. Rise is the ideal venue for one such sunny get-together for house music heads, with Gorgon City, Mambo Brothers, Ferreck Dawn and many others laying down beats that you can dance just as well as lounge to.

MAINSTAGE

FOCUS ON SATURDAY INCREDIBLE

FREEDOM

DAYBREAK SESSIONS

LAIDBACK LUKE PRESENTS WAYBACK LUKE

MAINSTAGE | 12:00

A huge soundsystem, plenty of space to ease peacefully into the day or jump around as you like, and one of the most knowledgeable and skilful DJs on the planet to provide you with the soundtrack... that’s today’s Daybreak Session with Laidback Luke for you. Laidback Luke’s love for electronic music goes a long way back, and he’s kind enough to teach us a little rave lesson today at Tomorrowland’s magical Mainstage.

Probably the most admired EDM DJ among underground music heads, there’s a reason for the peculiar position between the mainstream and indie scenes that Laidback Luke holds. He first started getting into dance music during the early nineties when various genres of electronic music including techno, trance and house were championed at the very same raves. The sounds soon started to become associated with different scenes and fan bases with widely diverging lifestyles and views on life. Not a fan of these pigeonholing practices, Luke never lost the old, versatile approach to loving and playing music, so when EDM came along, he also embraced the grandness of that sound. Due to his extensive musical knowledge, Laidback Luke’s sets are stuffed with goodies from all genres and eras, with various intensities and tempos. Too experienced to be bothered about going with the latest trends for the sake of it, Luke plays whatever he sees fit. Luke’s love for electronic music is stronger than ever, and that’s why this performance is set to be a one-of-a-kind Daybreak Session that is not to be missed.

THE ROSE GARDEN

PROGRAMME SATURDAY 29.07.2023

YOUPHORIA

Q-DANCE

WARRIOR WORKOUT

MAINSTAGE | 14:45

Do you believe dancing to hardstyle is the perfect way to keep your body in shape? Then we’ve got some great news for you: Q-dance is bringing its infamous Warrior Workout to Tomorrowland. Head to the Mainstage at 14:45 on Saturday and prepare to sweat your pants off to the sweet and distorted sound of the hottest new hardstyle tunes. And gym rats beware – all of this is going down under the professional guidance of a music freak who also happens to be a personal trainer.

CRYSTAL GARDEN

CAGE

RAVE CAVE

THE

ATMOSPHERE | 16:00

ALL EARLY BIRDS COME TOGETHER

imitri Vegas & ike Mike

DJ’ing is a trade of entertainment, and Dimi and Mike understand this principle like no other. They avoid sticking to any particular genre of EDM in order to always keep their sound interesting. Besides incorporating touches of house, electro and big room in their music, they are also influenced by hip-hop and reggaeton, to name but a few genres out of the ordinary. Looking at their consistent delivery of dancefloor anthems throughout the years, it makes total sense that Tomorrowland is unthinkable without prime-time performances by the Thivalos brothers. We talked to them about musical progression, their club night in Ibiza and - importantly - where to get Greek food on Tomorrowland.

How does it feel to still be doing this: the Tomorrowland Mainstage in 2023, after so many times?

Dimitri: “What can I say, it’s always amazing. Every year we’re both blown away because Tomorrowland never fails to impress and if anything, it just gets better with age.”

Mike: “It’s always the wildest show of the summer for us. There’s this tangible energy about Tomorrowland that starts to build in anticipation months before the festival happens, and then once it finally arrives, it’s just insane.”

Looking back on the past ten or twenty years, how do you feel the sound of music has evolved genre-wise, energy-wise? In other words: what worked back then and what works well right now?

Mike: “Our shows have always been a diverse mix of sounds. Go back ten years and we were right in the thick of the big room era, and even before that we used elements of progressive, electro and house music. But a lot of these styles still appear throughout our sets today.”

Dimitri: “Yeah, we’ve never stayed in just one lane when it comes to genres. You only have to look back and compare tracks like ‘Liquid Skies’ and ‘Momentum’, then later ‘Mammoth’ and ‘Find

Tomorrow (Ocarina)’ to see that. In more recent years our sound has broadened further still with influences of hip hop, pop and reggaeton creeping in. All of it has worked well for us – and now we have travelled back again to the early days of our careers with a lot more up-tempo, rave-era sounds and beats.”

How do you see the sound develop in the near to midterm future?

Dimitri: “We’ll definitely be diving deeper into the 1990s-inspired rave sound we’ve been messing around with. I think people might be quite surprised when they hear our set this year. We’re also working on an album that will be very ‘90s inspired – we’re having a lot of fun with it!”

Techno is becoming more and more popular.

DJs like Hardwell, Nicky Romero and Afrojack are all keen on the genre. What are your thoughts on techno?

Mike: “There’s a pretty wide spectrum of what people consider techno. For some, it’s a super uptempo interpretation of the older harder styles, for others it’s leaning more towards trance and progressive sounds and even towards psytrance. I think in the past the world placed everything from big room to electronic dance, house, progressive and electro under the umbrella of EDM. Currently most of the slightly less mainstream genres are being called techno or melodic techno.”

What’s your favourite food at Tomorrowland?

Dimitri: “We have our own Greek Gyros stand called ‘Lemoni’ on the festival grounds… I would 100% recommend it!”

Can you explain to people who have never seen you perform before why they should definitely come see your set?

Dimitri: “Nothing compares to Tomorrowland. The energy and spectacle of the Mainstage is an intense feeling of emotion, joy and craziness. Prepare to be blown away, because every year, we always try to make it a bigger and better show than ever before, and this year is going to be the biggest one yet.”

Like always, you guys are curating a weekly club night at Ushuaïa Ibiza together with Tomorrowland. What’s the concept for the night, what can people expect?

Dimitri: “The concept for our Ushuaïa parties is to bring the Tomorrowland vibe to Ibiza. As everyone knows, Tomorrowland stands for next-level production and we stand for a next-level party… so you know what to expect when we bring all that to the craziest outdoor club in the world! We push the boundaries at this insane outdoor stage and our Wednesdays have become one of the busiest nights on the island. Ushuaïa truly is an amazing venue and the perfect playground for us – we have a blast every week!”

“It’s always the wildest show of the summer for us.”

FOCUS ON SATURDAY INCREDIBLE

REINIER ZONNEVELD

FREEDOM | 22:30 - 00:30

Reinier Zonneveld, aka the Dutch king of heavy-duty acid techno, has fast become one of the most in-demand artists within the genre. Originally a bedroom producer like any other electronic music geek, Reinier spent years studying piano before he acquainted himself with the rave scene. Too wild for traditional concert halls, Reinier realised he felt more at ease at illegal raves. Following this life-changing discovery, he spent most of his student allowance on synthesizers. And the rest is history… Reinier has now collaborated with household names of all sorts, including Carl Cox, Angerfist, Speedy J and Armin van Buuren. His exquisite music taste, extraordinary performance skills and likeable personality have taken his career to an unprecedented level. Techno heads and general music fans alike have incorporated his slogans – most famously, ‘karren maar’ – into their day-to-day lives. Reinier’s label Filth on Acid, meanwhile, has blossomed into a noteworthy source of great music by himself as well as lots of peers. Highlights on the imprint include ‘Amnesiac’ by Slovenian techno legend Umek, CJ Bolland’s ‘The Return’, ‘This is Our Time’ – a collaborative project with Carl Cox and Christopher Coe – and an official Reinier Zonneveld mix of Jones & Stephenson’s classic, ‘First Rebirth’. Just halfway into 2023, we’ve already seen two incredible collabs on the label: ‘Samsara’ (Reinier Zonneveld X HI-LO) and ‘Keine Liebe, Kein Rave’ (Renier Zonneveld X Kiki Solvej). Give them both a spin in the morning, so you can hum along to them once they come on! With an energetic and colourful stage presence unlike anyone else on the scene, Reinier’s set today will be heaven for the dancefloor animals among you, as well as a great introduction for anyone looking to be introduced to the acid techno genre.

NETSKY

THE LIBRARY | 00:00 - 01:00

A producer who sits in the premier league of the liquid drum & bass genre, Netsky is one of the few superstar DJs at Tomorrowland playing breaks. Born and raised in Belgium, this producer entered the liquid breaks scene with a bang over a decade ago with now classic anthems such as ‘Pirate Bay’ and ‘Iron Heart’. Due to a large amount of collaborations with a wide and diverse range of peers including Ed Sheeran, Jessie J, Plan B, Dua Lipa, and Swedish House Mafia, Netsky has managed to reach a broad audience throughout his career with his catchy beats, vocals and melodies. Yet at the same time, Netsky has never forgotten his roots in underground club music, so expect the best of everything in his set today.

LOST FREQUENCIES

THE LIBRARY | 22:00 - 23:00

The life of Felix de Laet, more widely known under his Lost Frequencies moniker, is like a rollercoaster, in a good way. Nicely dividing his gigs between live performances and DJ sets, Felix gets to enjoy the best of both worlds so it never gets boring. With a decent number of hits and collabs to his name, he loves writing catchy, airplay-friendly stuff, but also more creative and edgy cuts which are likely to come out as album tracks. As if making music isn’t a big enough job, Felix also runs his very own label Found Frequencies, with releases by more than thirty artists to date. DJ sets by Lost Frequencies never fail to be euphoric and full of energy and are not to be missed!

JOHN NEWMAN

MAINSTAGE | 19:25 - 20:25

British singer, songwriter & producer John Newman is first and foremost a pop artist, having collaborated with electronic artists like David Guetta, Calvin Harris and, most prominently, drum & bass heroes Rudimental. His best-known solo track is the emotional ‘Love Me Again’, dating as far back as 2013. After a well-deserved break from music from 2020 to 2022, he is now fully back with more energy than ever. His recent singles ‘Waiting for a Lifetime’ and ‘Holy Love’ come with a lovely life-enhancing house sound that reminds a little of Sigala’s ‘Sweet Lovin’; it’s irresistible! For his Mainstage set today, expect Newman to come completely reinvented.

SING LIKE A BIRD

What on Earth are those beautiful sounds emanating from unexplored corners of Arcadiana, you ask? As it happens, a key skill in our flying city’s world of sound is the ability to recognise any bird by ear. To help you identify and sing along to all those wonderful kinds of song, we help you get started with one style of music everyday – and there’s no tomorrow without yesterday, so today we dive into rave music history with Bonzai.

MOSLEY JR

Discovering new music is one of the most fun things in life and we can highly recommend Mosley Jr, a brand new project by highly talented Belgian producers Niels Blondeel and IJsbrand de Wilde. Loved by early adopters for their warm and meticulously crafted minimal music, the two push the boundaries of electronic art and have rapidly carved out a unique space for themselves within the genre. Mosley Jr’s highly anticipated debut album was released on June 30th on CORE Records and we’re guessing they may be keen to give you a peek into their brand new work during their CORE set today. If deep and polished electronic sounds are what you’re into, then most definitely go and see these guys.

HONEY DIJON

Growing up as part of a music-loving middle class family in Chicago, Honey Dijon started to get interested in clubbing from her mid-teens. Chicago being the birthplace of house music, she could have been in a worse place considering her love for nightlife. During her time in Chicago, Honey was closely connected to and mentored by producers like Derrick Carter and Mark Farina before being introduced to house guru Danny Tenaglia upon moving to New York. Having grown up on a diet of house and disco, Honey can also do a mean techno set, so expect the unexpected.

A record label that becomes a music style of itself: it’s rarer than it sounds. Cast your mind back to 1992, when in a small corner of the Blitz Record Store in Antwerp, Christiaan ‘Fly’ Pieters was on the verge of creating a record label that would take the world by storm. He wanted to create a place for DJs and crate diggers to not only find new records, but to release and record their own music, which would ultimately be distributed all over the world and put Belgium on the map as leaders in the rave scene. Bonzai Records was born.

Literally hundreds of releases followed, success came fast, and various sublabels were formed to cater for the different genres on offer from the multitude of artists queueing up to be signed, to be part of the Bonzai momentum. Bonzai stands for a blend of what is now known as trance and hardcore, with some psychedelic soundscapes sprinkled on top; and what we now have difficulty describing in contemporary terms made perfect sense in its day, when electronic music wasn’t so ‘genrefied’ yet.

Even today, some of the biggest names in electronic music explicitly cite how much of their present success they owe to Bonzai Records. Some of the big names coming out of the immensely creative pool of talent were Yves Deruyter, DJ Ghost, Franky Jones and Jan Vervloet, who soon dominated the rave scene, bringing with them this fresh new sound which they pioneered.

Throughout the nineties and into the early 2000s, the Bonzai brand was responsible for defining an era and bringing to life new genres of music. They were at the forefront of the trance explosion and lifted the acid techno scene right into the new millennium. So there you have it: a small company of like-minded souls that defied all marketing logic and stood the test of time, going back to the future at Tomorrowland’s Rose Garden with a retro sound that nevertheless feels fresher than ever.

TALE OF US ANAMĒ

Berlin-based duo Tale of Us have slowly but surely crafted an incredible career around their deeply emotional strand of pulsating, hypnotising techno. Citing artists as diverse as krautrock legend Holger Czukay, neo-jazz group Cinematic Orchestra and Italian singer Paolo Conte as their influences, Carmine Conte and Matteo Milleri approach their own music from lots of different angles. Having initially released on world-famous techno labels such as M_nus and R&S, they are now most widely known for ruling their very own sonic imperium. Their imprint Afterlife has become the go-to place for anyone looking for new cutting-edge music for the spaced-out dance floor.

Formerly part of progressive house collective Gardenstate, Marcus Schössow and Thomas Sägstad are now best known as anamē. Still a fresh production duo, the two have been living together in the southern Swedish town of Helsingborg, producing music against the backdrop of the country’s exciting electronic music scene. Having released their first material only last year, anamē found a home at Britain’s tasteful trance imprint Anjunabeats, where they’ve released two records in 2023 already: ‘Anywhere’ and ‘Light for Me’ are two gems and massive tips for anyone into trippy, mind-bending trance. One hundred percent unique and a brand-new name on the scene, we’re expecting anamē to bring high energy beats, catchy melodies and otherworldly vibes to Crystal Garden today.

“THE LANGUAGE OF THE FEATHERED ONES: MUSIC FOR THE HEART, BALM FOR THE SOUL.”

LET’S FLY FURTHER INTO UNITY!