MEMORIES

The saying ‘needs no introduction’ might be overused, but when it comes to somebody like Armin van Buuren, nothing less will suffice. Over the course of his illustrious career, Armin has gone from trance wunderkind to being one of the legends of the global EDM movement, blending the two worlds effortlessly whenever he gets the chance to. Ever since he played the very first edition of Tomorrowland in 2005, the festival’s story and his have been forever intertwined. To celebrate, Armin will follow up Saturday’s powerful Mainstage performance with a special 3-hour set at the Freedom Stage on Sunday. Situated just behind that stage is the Home of Amare Ferris Wheel by Brussels Airlines – where we took the A State of Trance mastermind for a short flight over Arcadiana and a quick chat, looking forward and reminiscing just before he was due to set foot on the Mainstage.

Armin, we’re beyond thrilled you’re with us! You weren’t here the first weekend, but it’s hard to ever escape the global spectacle that is Tomorrowland. What’s something you saw that caught your attention, and what are you looking forward to?

“I mean… how could I ever choose? But I think it comes down to three things: the Mainstage, the entire design and the story behind it. I just had a quick look at ‘The Rise of Adscendo’, the novel that tells it all, and I am blown away by the idea. I can only imagine how much time that took, how much thought went into every detail. But that is what makes it all feel so special and truly monumental. And I just saw all the action at the Freedom Stage – I can’t wait to be back!”

How will your sets on the Mainstage and on the Freedom stage differ from each other?

“In my set on Sunday, I can show a lot more diversity, I think that’s the main thing. The Mainstage set is a bit more ‘planned’ as it needs to sync up with the fireworks and the show we planned. The vibe is a bit more fast-paced, with big drops and big tracks chasing each other. Tomorrow, I get to be more of an old-school DJ, craft a good flow, build up tension, tell a story. I have a folder with a lot of new music and mashups that I’ve been saving for months already – and I guess we will have to see which ones I end up playing. I like to think of it like this: the Mainstage set will be like a great sushi meal before a night out, while my Freedom set will be like a big Christmas dinner with multiple courses and a nice and sweet dessert.”

Armin on the empty grounds of Tomorrowland during the pandemic, 2020

Something your two sets will definitely have in common is your newest song ‘Lose This Feeling’. Tell us about it!

“For sure. ‘Lose This Feeling’ is such a fun track! It is 150 BPM, has pitched vocals, and tons of energy. It really fits into a category with ‘Blah Blah Blah’, ‘Ping Pong’ and ‘On & On’ with its festival vibe. It’ll be at the end of my set, and I can’t wait to see the reaction. It’ll actually be the first time anyone has ever heard it.”

Let’s talk a bit about your history with Tomorrowland. Now that we’re high above the Holy Grounds and basically flying through Arcadiana, looking over all the stages with DreamVille in the background… what kind of memories come up?

“Tons! I mean, where would we start if not at the Mainstage, right? The memory of playing there in 2013 in the pouring rain and announcing the birth of my son at Tomorrowland will always be one of the most special moments of my career. Then in 2020 I visited the festival site on the weekend Tomorrowland was supposed to happen – but it was completely empty due to the pandemic, of course. It felt very surreal.”

“I have a really funny story from DreamVille as well, by the way. One year I stayed there for some glamping in a Dream Lodge tent and when I woke up in the morning, I had a hilarious encounter while brushing my teeth. When I spat out the foam and looked up, I saw Tomorrowland’s art director and one of the festival’s founders standing next to me. But it wasn’t planned at all, so all of us where totally surprised. Quite the wake-up party if you ask me.”

We have to ask: any more fun stories from backstage encounters?

“Oh yeah, there are a lot of those. Whenever I see Carl Cox, for instance, I end up cracking up. His tour manager Ian and my tour manager Sander look very much alike, so Sander is always pointing at them and saying, ‘that’s going to be us in 20 years’. If I still have that kind of career in 20 years, I’ll be thrilled, to be honest.”

Well, if your sets at Tomorrowland are any indication, there’s no doubt in our minds that that will be the case. Thank you, Armin, and have fun out there!

“Thank you, and I can’t wait to see all the beautiful people of Tomorrow – I mean, their faces are just too small to make out from up here!”

“The crowd is so enthusiastic, passionate about everything from hardcore to techno. It tastes like more”

People Of Tomorrow

“Self-expression is the only key to living freely with love and passion”