Pick Of The Week
Don't miss these killer events at ADE
Amsterdam Dance Event 2010 is a veritable treasure trove of dance music brilliance. Now 14-years-young, the conference has expanded with each annum, growing from its modest beginnings to become arguably the most important European event in the dance music calendar.
As a business and networking hub, it’s unrivalled; as a place to learn production, DJing and label tips from established artists in one of its many seminars, it’s impossible to beat. But once the meetings and note-taking are done for the day, it’s time to unwind and let your hair down, and luckily, the variety and scope of the DJs, producers and acts performing across the five days is staggering. It’s a must for both industry types and ravers alike.
But how do you decide which clubs and events to go to, when the line-ups are so intimidatingly mahoosive? Come with us, as we guide you through the freshest that ADE has to offer...
Wednesday
1. OFFICIAL ADE OPENING PARTY D25
Wednesday 20th October, Studio 80
When ADE kicks off, they do it in style. What’s not to like about this phenomenal opening party? Packing most of the Detroit techno godfathers on one staggering bill — the innovators who’ve shaped electronic dance and continue to perennially push its boundaries — this event is unmissable. Try legends like Carl Craig, Derrick May, Juan Atkins, Kenny Larkin, Kevin Saunderson, Moodymann and Stacey Pullen on for size and don’t forget young firebrand and part of the next Detroit generation Kyle Hall, who’ll no doubt be busting his freshest bassy techno treats. Insane line-up.
Thursday
2. DECKED OUT, BNR & RAUW PRES SUPERRAUW
Thursday 21st Melkweg
Taking over arguably Amsterdam’s most infamous club Melkweg, this lip-smacking showcase of Alex Ridha aka Boys Noize and his roughneck electro label BNR — as well as a smattering of booking agents Decked Out’s finest protégés — promises to be absolutely rocking. Housemeister, Djedjotronic and Bart B More lock down the noisy techno, rubbery basslines and roiling dubstep beats, while more diverse discoid mutations come from the huge Aeroplane, Villa and Joakim.
3. SONIC BOOM PRES: DUBSTEP @BITTERZOET
Thursday 21st Club Up
It may be billed as a dubstep night, but the intrepid sonic explorers helming this event are already transcending that sometimes limiting tag. New York City’s Falty DL is perhaps the most exciting producer to hail from the Big Apple in yonks, blending two step garage, cosmic disco, hip hop and ravey house to blistering effect; SBTRKT has been hailed as a new underground hero, with his unpredictable techno, broken beat and bass propelled trax,; and Brutuzz is a Dutch ambassador for sphincter-rattling subs, describing his music on MySpace as “grime/samba/Chinese pop”. Patently untrue, but intriguing nonetheless!
4. PHAT ELEPHANT AND FINETUNES PRES ADE SPECIAL
Thursday 21st Hotel Arena
For those who like it deeeeeep, might we recommend this spectacular dive into the big blue? Featuring some of today’s very best selectors of those sublime bumping house rhythms, Room With A View’s Dairmount & Berardi head a line up which includes the disco loving Session Victim, legends Atjazz and the eclectic, inscrutable Rainer Truby, DJ Yakuza and DJ Yellow. Destined to go down as one of ADE’s top parties.
5. MADE TO PLAY
Thursday 21st Paradiso
As part of their fifth birthday celebrations, Made to Play and their crew of sleep-shunning hedonistic house heads come to the Dam’s hippest hangout for an evening of grooving, lights-out beats, running the gamut from disco-tinged jackers to gypsy rhythms, via party techno chunky drums. Label head and excellent DJ/producer Jesse Rose touches down alongside Italian sensation Riva Starr, the rising Round Table Knights, bass botherers Zombie Disco Squad and Oliver $, whose superb bootleg of Aloe Blacc’s ‘I Need A Dollar’ is currently circulating. Help them paint the town red!
Friday
6. DAVE CLARKE PRESENTS
Friday 22nd Melkweg
Teaming up with DJmag for the second year in a row, uncompromising techno king Dave Clarke brings together a crack squad of the biggest hitters from across the many shades of raw electronic dance. Northern Ireland’s superb melodic tech types Psycatron, NYC’s acid man Abe Duque, Chicago’s much-loved Green Velvet, minimal architect Robert Hood, Amsterdam’s Tom Trago (see feature p.44) Estroe and James Watts join Clarke himself for a grand shindig of the first order. Make sure you reach.
7. INTERGALACTIC FM ADE SPECIAL
Friday 22nd Bitterzoet
Cosmic electro, galactic house and zonked synth funk are just some of the delectable delights on offer at this party put on by the none-more-cool Dutch internet radio station Intergalactic FM and Clone Records top dog Alden Tyrell. Aroy Dee, Dexter, ‘Space Invaders Are Smoking Grass’ author I-F, Legowelt, and Space Dimension Controller head up one of the more diverse, far-out and interesting line-ups of the week. A bit like the radio station itself, then...
Saturday
8. MN2S SPECIAL
Saturday 23rd Studio 80
Long-running London house institution MN2S come to Amsterdam for their own epic hoedown, featuring the heavenly tones of house music’s most famous vocalist, Robert Owens (the voice of Frankie Knuckles ‘Tears’ and Fingers Inc), as well as the funky rhythms of Full Intention, Seamus Haji, Ron Carroll, the electro fidget funk of Bart B More and the trumpet tooting Alex Gaudino. Those who like their house classic, upbeat and bright will lap this up.
9. EVOTIONS PRES: COCOON GOES AMSTERDAM
Saturday 23rd Winston Kingdom
This is the big one! Uberlord of tech, Sven Väth brings some of the biggest hitters from his Cocoon crew to town. The brilliant Extrawelt plays live, sassy Cassy delivers the sultry, melodic tech house, Dutch don Darko Esser brings smoking nocturnal grooves, and “papa” Sven will be on hand to whip the crowds into a frenzy with his formidable tricknology behind the decks. Tip — don’t miss the enigmatic, highly original Guillaume & the Coutu Dumonts, who also perform live.
10. ELECTRONATION
Saturday 23rd Paradiso
Hopped up, heads down, no bullshit acid ‘n’ techno from a deliriously good line-up of acts affiliated with Marc Romboy’s Systematic imprint. A mere glimpse at who’s playing this night is mouth-watering indeed. Romboy himself, hot on the heels of his latest incendiary Blake Baxter collaboration ‘Musik’ is on the bill, plus one of DJmag’s favourites, Rob Acid, aka Robert Babicz, electrofunk addicts Spirit Catcher, the hotly-tipped Bulgarian beatsmith KiNK, deep don Gorge and many more. Killer!