The electrifying sounds from Amsterdam Dance Event are still echoing through the city of Amsterdam and the hallways of Vrij Paleis. From the 16th until the 20th of October we hosted another unforgettable edition of ADE together with our partner Inch By Inch from Leipzig that helped turn the venue into a pop-up record store. We will take you on a journey through this week filled with art, panels and various (live) DJ sets! Let's enjoy ADE a little bit longer together until the next edition. Did you miss out on our event? Keep reading!
The Grand Opening
We were thrilled to welcome talented musicians from around the world to our humble stage. On Wednesday, the ADE excitement kicked off at the Vrij Paleis gallery with a dynamic set from Gigstarter's very own DJ LLout. His beats, laughter, and infectious enthusiasm warmed up the crowd, setting a lively tone for the night. LLout was followed by Conoley Ospovat's and ended the night with with Move D, which you may remember from our previous edition in 2023. While the DJs warmed up the crowd, Lemonaid's organic soft drinks made sure to keep everyone cool and refreshed. Each bottle contains only the best organic ingredients and supports fair trade. At Gigstarter, we’re committed to making live music as eco-friendly as possible—whether through CO2 offsets or sustainable refreshments.
LLout setting the tone for the electronic event of the year
Starting The Weekend With Gigstarter's Electronic Art House
The DJs (Rawdio, Bruno Bar and Deleegenz) from House Cookin' records brought the Thank God It's Friday vibes to the gallery with their sets. The electronic duo Kiwi Club took over the stage right after and filled the gallery with atmospheric guitar layers with melodic techno beats, synths and loops, intruiging people passing by on the streets. Several minutes into their set, the venue started getting packed with music and art enthusiasts. It is not the first time Gigstarter's Kiwi Club has made an appearance in Vrij Paleis, during our ADE edition in 2021, the boys were one of the main acts and have since ensured they are an honorable mention whenever they take the stage.
Kiwi Club's second appearance at our ADE week
A Musical Journey through Asia
Apichat Pakwan entered the stage with distinctive masks, the audience was completelety silent and entranced by the duo, a show you won't forget anytime soon They played a diverse mix of tropical electronica, afrobeat, Latin, Thai soul and their own productions. With a unique touch, they were able to create a captivating environment through the event, engaging with the audience and making sure to keep the attention on their act. Although after almost an hour and a half it was time to leave the stage for this duo, one of the members continued with his solo act.
Hiss Sound is the electronic sound engineer behind Apichat Pakwan and joined us during ADE for one of his first live events. He created a fascinating fusion of world music and contemporary electronics. The music lies at the intersection of Western, electronic, and Asian influences, drawing inspiration from dub, hip-hop, and electro genres. With a combination of not only Indian instruments but also electric and acoustic guitar making the music much more personal and unique. The creativity and unlikeness of this artist added a special touch to this edition of ADE.
Impression of Apichat Pakwan's remarkable performance
Compelling Art
While being able to enjoy an extensive list of international DJs, Vrij Paleis transformed its hallways into a vibrant gallery filled with various art from amazingly talented artists from all over the world. Some pieces were even created specifically for this event! We made sure to capture these creations in case you missed out on the exposition.
FAKE (NL)
FAKE is an Amsterdam-based street artist and gained global recognition for his stencil work. For ADE 2024, FAKE created a series of three artworks depicting Greek gods as DJs, inspired by Charlotte de Witte's music. Titled Living Wild and Free, Feel the XTC, and Free Your Mind—from her track Overdrive—the pieces blend mythology with the energy of electronic music, capturing the gods/DJ’s in moments of freedom and transcendence.
Tony van Amsterdam (USA)
In Tony’s work, colour is king and the marriage between the painted surface and the backlit lighting components produce a myriad of colour experiences with each piece. ‘I take joy in the idea that my pieces, particularly the backlit work, gives options to the viewer. The composition and colours on the painted surface need to be right in my mind, that’s critical, but having the added experience of what backlighting does to the work is a fantastic surprise for the viewer, and even for me as the artist. I love that moment of ‘turning on’ a fresh piece for the first time, it’s so satisfying.’
Chinny Bond (COL)
While initially known for his precision in geometric compositions, Chinny has recently delved into the realm of controlled chaos. This departure manifests in his newest series, where accidental occurrences and the passage of time become integral elements in shaping the artwork. His artistic journey is an ongoing exploration of geometry and abstraction, evolving through various painting series. This exploration has led his work to involve the development of unique painting tools and techniques, such as employing self-made mark-making tools that teeter on the brink of his control. Chinny delivers pigments onto canvas or paper, often utilizing unconventional items like wire-adorned costume glasses turned pen-holders.
Ghetto Fever (DE)
Ghetto Fever is a German-based brand and platform that operates through a cultural lens, producing merchandise such as magazines, shirts, and prints, often centered on street art, graffiti culture, and urban lifestyle themes. Offering unique pieces of art as well as painting an entire wall with a lot of personality, they were able to add an underground touch to this event, making it even more memorable.
Barkie (NL)
Barkie created his own unique style through his travels around the world: "Life on Earth" art. The art is made about world wonders created on earth by humans and nature in the elusive universe. He documents life on earth through his art. Barkie’s colourful imagination and vision of following dreams are at the heart of his work.
"The artworks are made to stand out, to inspire and to reflect on the dreams you & I have during our only life on earth" -Barkie
Tycho (NL)
Tony uses art to address social issues like gentrification, housing inequality, and urban change. It often involves street murals, installations, and conceptual pieces that interact with the cityscape, reflecting themes relevant to Amsterdam's evolving identity. Through these projects, Tycho aims to raise awareness and provoke thought on pressing topics within the city, sometimes with a straight leg, sometimes with the necessary dose of Amsterdam humour.
"I take joy in the idea that my pieces, particularly the backlit work, gives options to the viewer. The composition and colours on the painted surface need to be right in my mind, that’s critical, but having the added experience of what backlighting does to the work is a fantastic surprise for the viewer, and even for me as the artist. I love that moment of ‘turning on’ a fresh piece for the first time, it’s so satisfying."
Industry Insights
While the hallways filled with art and electronic sounds, the venue also made space for various workshops and panels to attend. On Friday our guests had the opportunity to learn about how to build a label by Nico Pisano from digdis! On Saturday the seats filled up for a panel discussion on unlocking social media: how can independent record labels and distributors navigate through the world of socials. On Sunday, Oliver Bernstein from Inch By Inch wrapped things up with a hands-on workshop on the art of making records.
Impression of the various aspects of the week
Amsterdam Dance Event 2024 was another unique five-day experience of electronic music, art and meaningful panels. We hope to see you back at our headquarters in 2025 for another spectacular week of live music!
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