Every October, something extraordinary happens in Amsterdam. For five days, the city becomes the meeting point for electronic music from around the world. DJs, producers, record labels, managers, promoters and thousands of fans travel from every corner of the planet to take part in Amsterdam Dance Event, better known as ADE.
But ADE is much more than a festival. For those of us working in this industry, it is a chance to meet face to face with people we normally communicate with through emails, video calls or social media.
After all these years, I still feel the same way: it is incredible that a city can embrace electronic music like this.
What is Amsterdam Dance Event?
Amsterdam Dance Event began in 1996 and has grown into one of the most important international gatherings in electronic music. Every year, it brings together two closely connected worlds: fans who want to enjoy their favourite artists, and the professionals working behind the music.
On one side, there are hundreds of performances across clubs, venues and spaces throughout the city. From Trance and Progressive House to Techno, House, Drum & Bass and other styles, almost any electronic music fan can find something that interests them.
On the other, ADE acts as a major professional platform. There are conferences, workshops, music technology presentations, meetings between labels and producers, business meetings and educational activities.
The 2026 edition takes place from October 21 to 25 and marks the event's 30th anniversary. To get a sense of its scale, the organisers recorded around 600,000 visitors in 2025.
Dates and figures: Amsterdam Dance Event.
A city that breathes electronic music
One of the things that impressed me most when I first started visiting ADE was seeing just how deeply Amsterdam gets involved in the event.
From my perspective as a Spanish artist, it is remarkable to walk through a city and constantly come across references to electronic music: event advertising, label showcases, industry gatherings and club nights.
What makes it interesting is that your preferred style does not really matter. You might work in Trance, House, Progressive or Techno. During those days, we are all part of the same ecosystem.
The Netherlands has a long and significant relationship with electronic music. The country has played a fundamental role in the international development of many DJs, producers and record labels, and ADE captures that connection between culture, industry and entertainment.
There is also an organised structure behind the event, involving music organisations, businesses and local institutions. It is not simply about bringing lots of DJs together to throw parties, but about supporting an industry that creates cultural, professional and economic activity.
Networking: the most important part of ADE does not always happen in a club
If you are a music producer, one of ADE's biggest attractions is probably the chance to meet people from the industry in person.
Throughout the year, much of our work happens behind a screen. We spend hours in the studio, working in our DAW, preparing demos and sending music to record labels. You might have been releasing on a label for years without ever meeting some of the people who work there.
During ADE, that distance disappears.
Many labels organise their own gatherings, known as label mixers. These are meetings, usually in bars, restaurants or other spaces, where artists, A&R teams, managers and other professionals connected to the label come together.
Some gatherings are private or invitation-only, while others let you request access through a guest list or register in advance.
For a producer, attending one of these events can be a fantastic opportunity. It is not about turning up with a USB drive full of demos and handing your music to everyone. It is about meeting people, talking, sharing experiences and building professional relationships that can continue after the event.
Sometimes, a ten-minute conversation can help you make a connection that would have been much harder to establish by email.
Armada Music, A State of Trance and Black Hole Recordings
The gatherings organised by labels such as Armada Music and Black Hole Recordings are some of the best examples of what ADE is all about.
In 2023, I was invited to take part in the A State of Trance showcase during ADE, contributing a guest mix from the radio studios of Armin van Buuren's trance show.
It was a fantastic experience, not only because I had the opportunity to appear on such an important live radio show, but also because of everything happening around it. I was able to connect with the audience, talk to other artists and industry professionals, and have a conversation with Armada Music's A&R.
That is exactly one of ADE's greatest attractions: meeting the people behind the labels you release on, or the ones you would like to work with.
Another example is the Black Hole Recordings gatherings. Founded in 1997 by Tiësto and Arny Bink, Black Hole is one of the most important labels in Trance history and has played a fundamental role in the genre's international development.
During ADE, its mixers become a meeting point for many artists connected to the label and professionals from the scene. You can run into names such as Ferry Corsten, Markus Schulz, Paul Oakenfold, Cosmic Gate and many others.
What makes these gatherings so interesting is that they feel much more personal than a typical performance. You can say hello, chat and exchange experiences with other artists and professionals.
For those of us who normally work from our studios, that has enormous value.
My first experience: when the world behind the screen became real
My first visits to ADE were closely connected to an important stage in my career: when I was signed as an artist by Ferry Corsten's management team.
During those years, I worked with them on developing my music project. That relationship allowed me to see more closely how the international industry works and attend different professional gatherings.
I remember perfectly what it felt like to arrive in Amsterdam and find myself surrounded by so many people connected to the music I had spent years producing and listening to.
As a producer, you spend a large part of your life working alone. You sit in front of the computer, composing melodies, designing sounds, mixing tracks and trying to get your music to the right record labels.
You know the artists' names, listen to their tracks and follow their careers. You also know the labels, radio shows and professionals who make up that world.
Then, suddenly, you arrive in Amsterdam and all of it becomes real.
The people you have been emailing for years are right there. The artists whose music you have listened to for so long are just a few metres away. The people running the labels you send your productions to are attending the same gatherings.
It is a feeling that is difficult to explain until you experience it. For me, it was one of those moments when you truly realise that you are part of an international industry.
Playing at Panama Club: an unforgettable experience
ADE has also given me the chance to have some incredible experiences as a DJ.
Over several years, I have been lucky enough to play at Panama, one of Amsterdam's well-known clubs, sharing the booth with artists such as Ferry Corsten, Markus Schulz, Cosmic Gate and ATB.
For someone who has devoted so many years to Trance, performing in that setting and sharing a stage with artists of that calibre is very special.
But there is another aspect I value enormously: the connection with the audience.
At these events, you meet people who really know the genre, follow new releases and know the producers behind the tracks they listen to.
And when you discover that someone knows your music, has followed your journey or recognises your work, the experience takes on a completely different meaning.
Feeling valued as a music producer
There is a personal reflection that always stays with me when I return from ADE.
In Spain, I often feel that music producers do not receive much recognition outside specialist circles. You can spend years building a career, releasing music on international labels and earning support from major artists, yet for many people it remains a profession that is difficult to understand.
Sometimes, it seems that professional success is measured more by what someone appears to have than by the work they have done.
Of course, not everyone thinks that way, and Spain also has a community of artists and fans who value electronic music enormously.
But my experience at ADE has been different.
There, I have felt a very special recognition of a producer's work. Not only from major artists or industry professionals, but also from people who simply enjoy the music.
Meeting someone who knows your productions, knows which labels you have released on or appreciates your journey is an extraordinary feeling.
It is not about feeling famous. It is about feeling that the effort you put in every day in your studio means something to other people.
For a music producer, that means a great deal.
Is ADE worth attending if you are just starting out?
In my view, yes. But it is important to go with realistic expectations.
You do not need an international career or a deal with a major label to make the most of the experience. You can attend conferences, discover new tools, meet other producers, take part in educational activities and begin to understand how the industry works from the inside.
My advice is to research which labels and professionals will be there, check which activities require a pass, and try to arrange a few meetings before you travel.
If you have the opportunity to speak to someone from the industry, take an interest in their work and have a natural conversation. Do not turn every encounter into an opportunity to sell your music.
The most worthwhile professional relationships tend to develop through time, trust and respect.
Remember, too, that not all events are free and not every gathering offers guest-list access. ADE combines activities open to the public, private events and conferences that require specific passes.
ADE: much more than five days of music
After so many years of attending, I think the most valuable thing about Amsterdam Dance Event is not just its performances, visitor numbers or the number of artists taking part.
What makes it truly special is the way it brings an entire community together around something we are passionate about.
For five days, producers who normally work alone, labels operating in different countries and artists who spend much of the year travelling have the chance to meet, share ideas and build new relationships.
Personally, every time I return to Amsterdam during ADE, I am reminded of why I decided to devote my life to electronic music.
Because behind every track, every release and every performance, there is a huge community of people who share the same passion.
When you have the chance to experience that community in person, you understand that electronic music is much more than a musical genre.
It is a culture, an industry and a way of connecting people from all over the world.
