This Saturday, September 6th, Lisbon becomes the meeting point for two underground powerhouses: Sexto Lisboa and Amsterdam’s VBX.
Known for their meticulous curation and immersive productions, the promoters are teaming up for the last beach party of the season, soundtracked by Bruno Schmidt, Gabbs, and local talent Lournco LVGS.
Ahead of the event, we sat down with Sexto Lisboa’s team and VBX’s co-founder and programmer, Onomé Sarawi, to talk about what makes their lineups flow, the contrasts between Portuguese and Amsterdam dancefloors, and more.
Lisbon is booming—but so is the competition. What does it take to stand out in a city where new crews, festivals, and formats are popping up every month?
Sexto: There’s no magic formula or universal rulebook for standing out. Everyone uses different tools. Some focus on strong digital marketing, quality photo and video content, so they shine in the media space. Others rely on big names in their lineups. Some build a community around shared values and grow their brand that way.
For us, the priority is the quality of the party itself. We always use our own Void acoustic sound system, one of the world’s leading sound manufacturers. Recently, we’ve also been putting a lot into light installations, which have become an essential part of our events.
The lineup is equally important. We put real effort into music curation, inviting distinctive artists with their own sound, artists who play selections you rarely hear anywhere else and definitely can’t just Shazam.
We have amazing people visiting our events, so growing the community is also our goal. Recently, we launched our YouTube project called Record Session. We record musical performances from our studio in Lisbon, showcasing different artists from the local scene to audiences beyond Lisbon. After a summer break, we’re starting a new season where we’ll focus on atypical genres for the artists themselves and continue developing the project further.
How did this collab come together—and what makes VBX the right match? (Is it a shared sound? Shared values? Shared crowd?)
Sexto: We’ve had a long-standing friendship with VBX co-founder Niels Modderkolk, so the idea of such collaboration was in our heads a long time. And just look at the VBX lineups, they feature absolutely outstanding artists, perfectly aligned with our values. Their professional approach to party development is something we deeply respect.
We feel we share a lot in terms of values and musical direction, which makes this collaboration such a natural fit. We’re really happy about it, and we’d love to see more projects like this happening in Lisbon.
What’s something you’re doing with this party that feels like a risk?
Sexto: What we really feel is that people who can’t be part of this collaboration between Sexto and VBX risk missing the party of the year.
You’ve built a reputation in Amsterdam around curation and consistency. What does it take to make a lineup feel like “VBX” in a different country?
VBX: For us, a “VBX lineup” is all about flow. That’s the DNA of our sound… rooted in the minimal days, when it was never about peaks and breaks, but about creating one continuous ride. We don’t just book names, we connect artists whose styles lock together, so the night feels like one long conversation. Whether it’s Amsterdam, Lisbon, or Berlin,if the flow is right, it’s unmistakably VBX.
What’s your read on the Portuguese crowd? Anything different from the Amsterdam floor energy?
VBX: The Portuguese crowd strikes us as incredibly warm and open. In Amsterdam, the energy has a certain sharpness – people pick up on details and subtleties straight away. In Portugal it feels more collective and celebratory, with this natural ease that pulls everyone into the same wave. Both are special in their own way.
Be honest: what makes a club night actually unforgettable? (Is it one moment? One track? Or just the people?)
VBX: An unforgettable night isn’t about one drop or one track. Those are sparks, but the fire comes from the people and the risks taken in the moment. It’s when the crowd and the artist sync so deeply that time slips away, and you only realize later you’ve been completely in the moment and dancing for hours. The best nights are the ones you can’t fully explain, but you feel them in your body for weeks after.
More than just a closing party, this is Sexto Lisboa x VBX signature stamp on Lisbon’s dancefloor culture. Expect VOID Acoustics power, sharp cuts and a crowd that knows what they came for. Grab your tickets now!
