We landed in Amsterdam with the floor still wet from the night before but the sky wide open. That would be one of the last times we saw sunlight all week. As usual, ADE 2025 brought the entire electronic music world together — and also brought some of the most aggressive weather we’ve faced this side of October. Umbrellas flipped inside out. Socks soaked. But spirits? Still high.
This is the time of year when emails get faces, and collaborators turn into friends over beer-soaked chats, conference panels, or shared cigarettes outside venues. ADE is where industry and dancefloor merge, and this year’s record-breaking edition — with over 600,000 attendees and 3,500 artists — felt more alive than ever.
Kicking Off With Warm Vinyl and Even Warmer Company
Wednesday opened gently. We stopped by San Francisco, a stunning Hi-Fi bar that turned its daytime lounge into a meet-up space hosted by the sound wizards at Fabfilter, U-he, and Bitwig. It was the calm before the storm, literally and metaphorically. A few hours later, we wrapped up the day with a team dinner — rare occasion to gather all our teammates from across Europe in one city, sharing wine and plans for the weekend ahead.
Thursday: The Chaos We Signed Up For
Thursday hit like a tidal wave. We split up to record some new guests for our upcoming NIGHTMAG Talks (stay tuned for drops on our socials and YouTube), then ran across the city for a round of intimate dancefloors: first at TicketSwap’s pop-up, then to a hidden vinyl-only basement where Androosh and Gee Lane went B2B. House grooves. Wooden floors. One of those impromptu ADE 2025 gems.Somewhere between double espressos, we made it to one of this year’s most compelling ADE 2025 Pro talks: “From Rave Roots to Today’s House Floor” with Chris Stussy, KETTAMA, and Enzo Siragusa. The session felt like a generational checkpoint: three artists from different corners of house and rave culture tracing how the scene evolved, from sweaty basements and illegal fields to global stages and festival mainlines.
Later that night, we made our way to Yellow House under a downpour for Echoform x Mood Waves, then escalated the BPMs at Intercell’s rave at H7, where Fumi b2b Emilija and Øtta delivered enough percussive heat to dry our socks. We ended the night facing our first heartbreak: Club Raum invites Clone Records was listed under Pro Pass access, but the reality at the door said otherwise. No entry. No explanation. The night ended early, and not by choice.
Friday: Jeff Mills, Honey Dijon, and the Pro Pass Problem
Friday gave us a few highlights: Tim Sweeney’s Apple Music panel at Tobacco Theatre with none other than Jeff Mills. We left inspired, and later caught Mills again — this time leading his band at Paradiso for Tomorrow Comes The Harvest. A four-hour masterclass. Jazz structure. 909 precision. Techno as theater. We floated out of the venue.
Then came a moment that almost transcended the week entirely: Honey Dijon, the ZO! Gospel Choir and Audio Obscura at De Nieuwe Kerk. For the first time in over six centuries, the church opened its doors to electronic music. Pure history in motion. Beneath its vaulted ceilings, gospel harmonies met Dijon’s fearless house rhythms, transforming the national monument into a cathedral of unity, diversity and sound. More than a show, it was a statement. A reminder that club culture, once dismissed as counterculture, now stands as cultural heritage in its own right.
Charged by a FEBO pit stop, we made our way to Polifonic x Love on the Rocks at Klaproos. Or so we thought. Forty minutes under heavy rain, we finally made it near the door… just to find out no Pro Pass allowed. Again. The second time in two nights. Events advertised in the ADE 2025 program as Pro-accessible… weren’t. And there was no heads-up. That’s a structural issue we truly hope the organization addresses for 2026 — not just for us, but for hundreds of other badge-holders stranded in the same queue.
Some of us went home. Some tried their luck at Radio Radio to dance it off. But the overall feeling was clear: ADE magic comes with logistical heartbreaks.
Saturday: Crate-Digging and Winding Down
Saturday smelled like a goodbye. We stopped by Bordello A Parigi’s record shop, found a couple of wax gems, and bumped into Perel, whom we recorded for an upcoming feature. That kind of unexpected crossover is what makes ADE what it is — a mix of industry, culture, music, and community unfolding on every corner, every hour, every street.
We left Amsterdam feeling inspired, damp, overstimulated, and reminded — once again — why ADE is one of the most important weeks on the global dance calendar. Even with its flaws, it remains the world’s yearly summit.And 2026? That’ll be the 30th anniversary of Amsterdam Dance Event. Save the date: October 21st to 25th, 2026. We’ll see you there. Bring your umbrella.