Nobody does it like the Dutch. Nobody.
Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) is an underground music lovers playground. In the last week, hundreds of parties have taken place. Thousands of meetings have been attended and cancelled. And even more Dutch locals have gotten annoyed at English people for failing to understand that if you stand in a bike lane, you're gonna get hurt.
This week's Blueprint follows on from last week's ADE Blueprint. Here is 0.0001% of what happened at the 2023 edition of Amsterdam Dance Event.
If you make it to the deep end let me know on Instagram. There is a free 45-minute coaching call for anyone who downloads the SpinVid App via their App Store and sends me a screenshot.
Reinier Zonneveld is the king of physical marketing
As the leading techno artist in the Netherlands right now. Reinier Zonneveld kicked off ADE by premiering his new album on a private tram ride around the city. His face was everywhere at ADE, on trams, billboards, posters on phone boxes, and even on the motorway as you left the airport.
Drumcode followed in KNTXT's footsteps
Charlotte de Witte label KNTXT dominated last year with a full-city takeover. You can read about it here.
Drumcode followed in their footsteps with a party at Awakenings and a 48-hour pop-up store for their audience to buy merch, hang out, and meet Adam Beyer and his team.
To explain what was happening, Drumcode collaborated with journalist Katie Knight, who explained what was happening with three videos across the week.
The Drumcode social team also sent their audience on a treasure hunt, leaving five vinyl at five places near their pop-up store.
Ki/Ki went back to back with Armin van Buuren
Ki/Ki is a Dutch artist on the rise. Her all-night long with unannounced special guests was the hottest ticket in town.
The closing slot back-to-back promised a special guest. The guest was trance legend Armin van Buuren. Trance has been an influence on artists like Ki/Ki. The back-to-back on paper makes zero sense. When you consider how much of an icon Armin is in Amsterdam, it totally makes sense.
The Blueprint: How Ki/Ki had a dream about a track in Berghain and then created it
An EDM rave happened at Ajax Football Stadium
Speaking of trance, some of you may remember Sensation White.
Sensation used to take place at Ajax football stadium. When I was 15/16, videos from Sensation on YouTube made me fall in love with trance and dream about going to raves in Amsterdam.
AMF invited the biggest names in EDM and trance to play under the roof. The event looks incredible. The videos are much better watched on mute.
Luuk van Dijk launched Get Closer
Dutch artist Luuk van Dijk used the last Amsterdam Dance Event as the perfect opportunity to create awareness for his album First Contact.
This year he launched Get Closer - his brand new event series where he played his new live set for the second time (the live launch was last weekend in London).
Slapfunk, VBX, and No Art focus on the dance floor
Friday night is when the meetings stop. And the parties really begin.
All the leading names in techno use ADE as a huge opportunity to scale their multiple revenue streams. This happens with more underground brands on a smaller and more intimate scale.
VBX, Slapfunk, and No Art did not stop, hosting events at city hotspots Shelter, Bret, The Loft, Levenslan, and De Hollandsche Manege.
With so many Amsterdam venues having 24-hour licenses. The leading Dutch promoters in minimal and tech can host events around the clock. A nighttime party leads to an after-party. Then it's time to do it again hours later with a different set of customers.
All roads eventually lead to Slapfunk at BRET on Monday, where the ultimate after-hours takes place from 6 AM until ??? with an unannounced lineup of artists.
Reiss announced he is seeking professional help
ADE is an intense week. Being a full-time artist has a lot of perks. There is also a dark side, not many people talk about.
Instead of announcing his ADE shows, VBX resident Reiss announced he is taking a break from touring to seek professional help for a drug problem.
I wanted to share this at the end of The Blueprint as there is another reason why Socially Sound is called what it is. This business is my journey to becoming the person I want to be.
Here is a small section of Reiss's statement:
"So today, Instead of a message full of ADE hyperbole I’m taking this opportunity for another type of message. One that, especially this time of year comes with mixed feelings, but most of all a sense of optimism for what lies ahead.
After more than a decade of regular substance use, it has turned into substance dependency issues. I strongly feel these issues are holding me back, most importantly as a person but, almost as important In my artistic pursuit as well.
At 35 I have decided to seek professional help and hopefully return with renewed energy as a 3.5 version of myself. On the 24th of October, I’m leaving for Castle Craig in Scotland, where I will receive therapy and other forms of treatment for the coming 10 weeks."
See you next week.
Andrew at Socially Sound
