The Best Parties at Amsterdam Dance Event 2016

Photo: ADE Credit: Vincent van den Boogaard

The biggest celebration of dance music culture on the planet is back on October 19th-23rd, with five days of high end dance music action held across 80 clubs and venues. For folks in the music business, it's embedded as an essential annual pilgrimage, the place to clamp eyes on the latest innovations as well as a place to witness talks and panels from some of the most experienced players in the field, and meet up with like minded individuals in the industry.

And then there are the parties. Tens of thousands head to ADE each year for those alone, with almost all the world's best DJs and artists congregating in the Dutch capital.

With over 300 separate clubnights held over the five days, it's a tall order to narrow down the most essential, which is where our guide to the Best parties at ADE 2016 comes in. From euphoric trance to Detroit electro, big room house to hard as nails techno, every genre and sub genre gets a platform over the week - we've selected some of the parties we're most excited about.

Wednesday - Four Tet and Floating Points at De School

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Renowned for their epic back to back sets (revisit their Plastic People closing set for evidence), the two man dream team unleash a spectacular nine hour party that will end the first day of ADE 2016 in formidable fashion.

Their joint love and encyclopedic knowledge of everything from obscure jazz and world music to UK garage, deep house, funk and beyond shines through in their freewheeling DJ sets, the ultimate party soundtrack from two real crate diggers. Expect gems galore.

Thursday - Hospitality at Paradiso

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Although a lot of the ADE showcases are house and techno heavy, there's more than enough to satisfy a bass aficionado, one of the most notable events catering to all things DnB that week is the Hospitality takeover.

The all-conquering Hospital Records clubnight will house Camo & Krooked, High Contrast, Metrik, Fred V & Grafix, S.P.Y and Krakota at the stunning Paradiso concert venue on the Thursday - drum n bass lovers, look no further.

Friday - DGTL x Paradise at Scheepsbouwloods 

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A regular partnership at ADE, Amsterdam promoter DGTL and Jamie Jones' Paradise party will join forces again with an all star cast of Hot Creations signings and event regulars including Richy Ahmed, Patrick Topping, Hot Since 82, Andrea Oliva, Route 94, wAFF, Infinity Ink, Detlef, and Deetron.

The team are setting up shop again at the mighty steel factory warehouse Scheepsbouwloods venue, no doubt with a hefty collection of dancefloor movers in tow. 

Saturday - Dave Clarke Presents Whip It at Melkweg

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The Baron of Techno's 2001 mix CD World Service is without doubt one of the finest mixes committed to the format. The electro instalment in particular put a myriad of music lovers onto the sci-fi tinged, up-tempo sounds of Detroit, so it's always an occasion when Clarke unleashes one of his electro-centric Whip It parties.

For ADE he gathers some of the greatest minds in modern electro to join him: UMEK as his Zeta Reticula alter ego, a live set from Dopplereffekt, and an XDJ set from Anthony Rother, as well as appearances from the superb Dez Williams and Brutuzz. For fans of whipping electro, this night alone is worth getting to ADE for.

Sunday - Elrow presents ADE After Hours Madness at Transformatorhuis

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If you're still going by the time ADE week comes grinding to a halt then Elrow is the only place to see it out. Becoming something of an Amsterdam institution, last year involved Damian Lazarus at De Marktkantine and 2016's edition is just as jam packed, Elrow residents Toni Varga, Mar Maya, Bastian Bax and more joined by a stellar bevvy of DJs.

Sasha, Nic Fanciuilli, Secret Cinema and more will be involved for the whopping fourteen-hour showcase which begins at the ungodly hour of 9am. The music though is just half the appeal, Elrow's carnal madness involving unreal production, out there props and fancy dress beyond your wildest dreams. 

Like this? Try ADE 2015 review.

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