Amsterdam Event's Best Moments: 11 Insiders Share Their Favorites

The Netherlands is a land of culture, vibrancy, events and festivals – a perfect place to experience tradition and innovation. From Haarlem to Rotterdam, the country is a happening place to visit.  

 

However, if you are a music lover, there is no event as fun and thrilling as the Amsterdam musical event – Dekmantel. 

 

We have a comprehensive read to help you get a bit more informed about how it feels to be a part of Amsterdam's ambitious Dekmantel Festival. We have collected some favourite insider moments that offer us the colour and energy of the musical tornado travel visit from far and wide. 

 

However, before we begin, let us learn more about the festival. 

 

What is the Dekmental Festival in Amsterdam? 

Dekmental is a weekend-long electronic festival in Amsterdamse Bos, an exuberant forest south of Amsterdam. 

 

The festival is famous for its house mixes, including techno, hard bass and disco. The exclusive line-up of underground legends and techno artists makes it a happening event in the region. 

 

The Dekmantel-organised event is special among numerous DJs for its not-so-mainstream approach and a special recognition for electronic artists. 

 

The multi-genre event that started in a small club in the late 2000s recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. If you have not been a part of this prestigious musical ecosystem, here are some highlighted events through the years of Dekmantel. 

 

We hope, by the end of this read, we convince you to join the 11th-year celebration of this global powerhouse event. 

 

11 Insider Moments from the Dekmantel Music Festival 

 

Here are some of our top picks from all the years of the Dekmantel Festival in Amsterdam. We hope these awe-inspiring events attract you to become a part next year – 

 

1.    Children of the Light and the Celestial Event in 2015 

The Children of the Light is famous for its scenography over the years. They focus on creating moments, where the music, people and lights align.  

 

In 2015, the Children of the Light had their best moment when their jam coincided with a celestial full moon event.  

 

While this was not planned, the last note blended with the moonlight, offering a transcending energy on the audience base.  

 

2.    David Cornelissen's The Moment 

In 2014, David Cornelissen worked as an intern for the Dekmantel Event. Jeff Mills was going to perform on the main stage in Amsterdamse Bos. Amidst that crowd and the spiralling musical journey, he has his cathartic moment to continue his journey in electronic music.  

 

To him, this festival has opened numerous doors and helped him create memories like a loadstar. 

 

3.    Jasmín- DJ  

Jasmín never fails to bring something unexpected to the stage, even Dekmantel. Whether a dubstep gem or a machine funk, the idea is to keep the audience thrilled.  

 

She has strong Amsterdam roots and experience in the electronic realm. Jasmín also considers the Dekmantel "One of the best stages ever".  

 

The artist herself concluded that the Dekmantel event offers equal opportunity to artists of all stripes—local, famous, and small talents. The unique line-up of different generational acts makes it a worthwhile experience for all. 

 

4.    Antal DJ 

Antal DJ, the co-founder of Rush Hour, approached Dekmantel 16 years ago. However, minimalism was all the hype, and the event was trying to popularise techno and houses from Detroit and Chicago. 

 

The energy was brilliantly welcomed in the region. They started it small with parties in the NL lounge, Studio K, and MC Theater. Later everybody experienced their first event.  

 

5.    Tom Biddulph and the Dekmantel Serene 

Tom Biddulph is a Manchestor-born visual artist, currently a resident of Amsterdam, working on multiple mediums. 

 

We all believe in his cherished memory of Dekmantel. The hotel's location takes everyone away from the city's hustle and bustle, and the travelling experience melts into the forest green. 

 

Back in 2016, Tom lost his way amidst the lush green and was welcomed by a different sound – something electronic. Anyone participating in Dekmantel for the first time can experience the rush, energy shift, and musical goosebumps. 

 

6.    Elisa Luengo 

Elisa is currently a full-time musical programmer and editor for Dekmantel. She started her journey with the event in 2016 and has not missed a year. 

 

Every visitor is likely to observe every visitor is likely to observe her comments on Ddekmantel's quality and detail, so the legacy passed onto her is on the right track. 

 

7.    Darwin DJ 

Darwin is a Canadian artist currently based in Berlin. She performs her REEF parties and nurtures numerous upcoming talents under her label SPE:C. 

 

Dekmantel 2022 remains one of her current highlights, and the audience got her back this year lined up with DJ Storm. 

 

Like every Dekmantel fan, she was excited to experience the line-ups and the inter-generational approach the event fosters. 

 

8.    Parrish Smith 

Parrish Smith, or PMD, is an American rapper and the legendary founder of the Hip-Hop group EPMD. He has been a steady visitor to the Dekmantel event and has found his true genre on the stage. 

 

The most thrilling performance of Parrish was the showcase of UFO in 2014 which he re-performed in 2024. 

 

9.    Orpheu The Wizard 

Orpheus is a famous DJ artist known for the unconventional music set amidst the in-betweens. His inclination towards oddities and curiosities, the weird and the wonderful, makes his pieces coherent and accessible. 

 

To him, Dekmantle is an institution that identifies perfect talent and creates a team. As an audience, we enjoy him on stage, and home to see more.

 

10.    Steve Rachmad AKA Sterac 

Steve is an Amsterdam resident and a prominent music producer and DJ. The audience experienced one of his tracks at the Dekmantel 10 – A Decade of Dekmantel Festival. 

 

The artist highlighted the event's freedom-of-creation approach, and beautifully, the zone accepts every genre and musical taste. 

 

11.    Badsista DJ 

Badsista is one of the prominent faces of this festival and a cross-genre artist enjoyed by many. She can lead the stage with her varied electronic music collection, and Dekmantel celebrates her well. 

 

In one such event, the audience heavily thanked her with screams, and the artist remembers this. 

 

Insiders are the Audience who create the Magic of Dekmantle 

Artists are appreciated where art is appreciated the same – and the Dekmantel is that stage. The Insider we spoke to is only a few prominent names to make the show successful. 

 

The actual thrill is experiencing the energy from the crowd and reverberating in the ecstasy. 

 

Visit the CASA website to learn about the upcoming shows in Amsterdam and follow your favourite artists and their discography.