August 6, 2025 |
There’s a certain joy to stumbling across something wonderful that trumps the times that there’s heavy planning involved. Joy that is spontaneous in its origin has a distinct childlike energy that is usually dulled by the adultness of the researching and planning that usually comes part and parcel with most trips abroad. This past weekend, however, I had the pleasure of a trip to Amsterdam which was stocked full of spontaneity that all came together with a serendipitous twirl.
Heading to Dekmantel has been on my bucket list for a few years. Hailed as one of the best compilations of electronic music on Europe’s formidably stacked festival calendar, when the opportunity to cover it was presented at the start of summer, it was a bit of a no-brainer. The experience was something of a novelty as, personally, I’m a planner. For better or worse, my summer forays, especially festivals and holidays, are usually locked in no later than February. So, it was a welcome shift when the confirmation came at the beginning of May. Although what I got in spontaneity, I lost in time to sort my shit out, and that is the part my brain feels less comfortable with. I (of course) needn’t have stressed. Over the next few weeks, everything fell into place with the satisfying twang of finishing a 1000-piece jigsaw – Pride, hotel and festival included.
Pride
Unbeknownst to us until a week or so before we arrived in the capital was that it was Amsterdam Pride on the same weekend as Dekmantel. Also unbeknownst to us, until we came out of the train station fresh off the Eurostar, was how seriously the Dutch took Pride. The streets thronged with people, decked out in their finest rainbow clobber. There were penis balloons a-plenty, prosecco being popped on the streets and boats that floated down the canal stacked full with people blasting their favourite tunes. It was like the whole city turned out for the biggest street party I’d ever seen. Trans pride flags hung out of windows that were used as peepholes into parties, with people setting up their decks and mixing to crowds of people below. It was a Jubilee on steroids (or poppers for that matter) – more feral, more fun and more reason to fall in love with the city.
Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht
If being in Amsterdam for Pride wasn’t good enough, we also had the delightful chance to stay at the luxe lifestyle hotel Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht. Embracing the spirit of the city, the hotel was decked out from the lobby to the lights. Illuminated signs stating ‘Love is Love is Love’ and ‘Love Always Wins’ greeted you upon arrival, as did multicoloured feather boas that were handed out to guests excited to get involved in the madness. Just outside the hotel, two private areas were set up where guests could enjoy Prosecco and dance to DJ sets curated by the hotel. The following day, there was also an exceptional performance by Drag Race alumni Janey Jacke, who weaved in and out of guests enjoying a bevvy at the bar, singing all the feel-good hits beloved by all.
Even beyond Pride, staying there felt like reading a love letter to the city. Having worked with contemporary Dutch designer Marcel Wanders, every detail carried its own story. The ‘XXX’ that sits proudly in the centre of the Amsterdam flag inspired subtle wall art, while the interiors nodded to the city’s famed connection to tulips with ruby red chairs that took the form of the flower. The rooms paid similar homage. Wallpaper inspired by Holland’s classic earthenware style Delft Blue covered the toilets, whilst a grand mural sporting a fish head and tail in the shape of a spoon (a humorous nod to traditional Dutch cutlery used to serve fish) hovered above us as we slept. The perfect balance between style and comfort, the Andaz was the perfect staging area for our whirlwind exploration of Amsterdam’s arts and culture scene.
Dekmantel Festival
Now, for the reason we went to Amsterdam in the first place. Attending the final day in the festival’s five-day run, we headed to the leafy pastures of Amsterdamse Bos, a forest on the outskirts of the city that has acted as the stage for Dekmantel’s bass-driven theatrics since its inauguration in 2013. For one weekend, the park’s grassy tranquillity is swapped out for a showcase of the best sounds and selectors in electronic music. This year, Dekmantel built a lineup that sat legends like Richie Hawtin next to modern-day dominators like Shanti Celeste and buzzy up-and-comers like Mia Koden. The scope of talent on offer was vast and not something Dekmantel took for granted. Every detail, from the sound systems to the stage designs, worked together to paint a picture of who is driving music today. Having now had a sneak peek through the Dekmantel lens, it’s clear we’re in safe hands.
Our first stop was Radar, a smaller stage whose square shape was outlined by metal scaffolding. The design meant dancers could choose their vantage point, whether that be up top and looking down, or in the messy thick of it where arms and legs wrapped and unwrapped to the beat of the music. That industrial feng shui meant the experience had a depth not always on offer when the setup is on the simpler side. With stages like Radar, you could see numerous sets in the same place and never get bored. For us, we kicked off with the house-centric stylings of Dutch local Doudou MD, soaking up the atmosphere from the second floor. After a quick nip over to the willow-laden land of Selectors to catch Zip’s groove-heavy stylings, we headed back to Radar to see a masked Two Shell spin us through sparkling hyperpop and chugging thumpers, then over to Nest for Yaeji’s bouncing breaks. Next came time to discover one of the main characters in Dekmantel lore – The Loop. This was an engrossing, two-tiered orb that framed a rousing b2b from Sasha and Young Marco before a sensational close from Avalon Emerson.
As far as days go, it was pretty damn good. The wonderful thing about Dekmantel is that the programming is so strong, not one minute is wasted on a set that won’t command your attention, and this year’s edition was stuffed to the brim with delicacies, ready for discovery and primed for gorging. Having only had a taste of what Dekmantel has to offer, we were stuffed nonetheless. Whatever they’ve got cooking for next year, we want in.
Photography courtesy of Andaz and Dekmantel.
