Three things you should not miss at this year’s Amsterdam Dance Event8473c 1678672

Three things you should not miss at this year’s Amsterdam Dance Event

While there’s plenty of great music to be heard at Amsterdam Dance Event, one would be remiss to neglect the many events, panels, and keynote speakers unique to the conference. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with all of the music, technology and industry offerings, but fear not — we’ve perused the list and selected our top three picks for next week’s festivities.

Focus on South Africa: Bridges for Music 

Wednesday, October 16th 17:00-18:00; Felix Meritis (F5 Panel Room) | Keizersgracht 324, Amsterdam

International nonprofit Bridges for Music broke new ground when it brought the likes of Skrillex, Richie Hawtin and Luciano to the South African townships for empowerment-focused workshops to help bridge gaps and enhance opportunities in such disadvantaged communities. In the wake of ADE director Richard Zijlma’s visit to Cape Town, Bridges for Music Director Valentino Barrioseta will be curating a special panel on the organization’s work in South Africa at this year’s conference. The event will feature Cadenza boss Luciano alongside South African homegrown talent Black Coffee, as well as Bridges for Music’s events manager Sir Vincent Manzini. This special event should not be missed by anyone who believes that electronic music can have a transformative and positive effect on the communities it touches.

How to Run a 21st Century Music Label

Thursday, October 17th 14:30 – 15:30; Dylan (D2 Panel Room) | Keizersgracht 384, Amsterdam

The Internet has changed the game for music distribution and has been critical to the current popularity dance music experiences across the globe. What is the role of a music label in the current industry climate? How can labels remain profitable in the era of file-sharing and streaming? While this is an oft-discussed topic, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more relevant panel of speakers to tackle it. Featuring owners, directors and managers of the likes of Spinnin’ Records, Kompakt, Hospital Records, Press & Play, Real Tone Records, !K7 Records, and Ninja Tune, this event sports the look of a must-attend for anyone interested in working for a digital label or starting their own.

Daily Ableton Push and Live 9 Workshops

Daily, 12-18:00 ; De Balie | Kleine Gartmanplantsoen 10, Amsterdam

German music technology giant Ableton is making its presence known at ADE this year by hosting daily workshops centered around its new flagship Live 9 software and Push controller. These workshops should be sonic gold for aspiring producers due to the eye-popping roster of talent recruited to give Artist Masterclasses, which includes likes of Ambivalent, Patrice Baumel and Namito. For those interested in exploring the boundaries of music technology, look no further than Ableton’s week-long stomping grounds at De Balie.

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