If you’re into electronic music, there’s a good chance you might have heard of Dekmantel. After all, its niche is electronica: a festival dedicated to all things beats, DJs and pounding techno.
With all the buzz around Glastonbury, it’s easy to overlook the fact that Europe is bursting with other great festivals, some of whom offer an even better electronic line-up than the IICON Stage and Shangri-La.
And if spending time at Glastonbury’s south-east corner is all you care about, then good news: Dekmantel has all of that, plus more. Even better, its location close to the centre of Amsterdam means it’s entirely possibly to have a good time whilst also making the most of the spectacular Dutch capital.
Here’s what to know.
The details
The festival itself has been going since 2013, and has developed a reputation for being the firm favourite of many festival DJs – unlike many other festivals, they’re encouraged to take risks and be creative with their music.
As ever, it’s happening in the Amsterdamse Bos: the woods on the outskirts of the city of Amsterdam. Basically, picture lots of trees, interspersed with stages and sets from some of the best electronic artists in the world.
The festival itself starts on the Wednesday August 30 with an event at Oude Kerk: an old church in the heart of the city, where Moritz von Oswald will do a special performance of his electroacoustic work Silencio, with a 16 voice choir.
Then it moves to the banks of the Amsterdam river, for its second day at Het IJ. British artists Leftfield will be joined by The Orb for a gig at Muziekgebouw concert hall, while next doro at Bimhuis, James Holden and Polish artist Wacław Zimpel will be playing alongside erbert & Momoko, Young Marco & John Moods, and Polygonia.
Then, across the river via ferry, Parallel will be hosting club shows by Danish avant-pop star Erika de Casier and Irish-Chilean experimentalist Sega Bodega.
After all that, comes the festival proper: three days at the Amsterdamse Bos, where artists like Floating Points, Four Tet and Avalon Emerson will be spinning the decks alongside 150 other artists in the middle of the leafy woods.
The line up
This year, the lineup is excellent – and extensive. Seasoned industry pros like Avalon Emerson, Honey Dijon, Four Tet and Shanti Celeste will be taking to the decks over the course of the three-day party, but there will also be performances from artists like Floating Points, Jeff Mills, Ritchie Hawtin and Leftfield.
Check out the full line up here.
How can I get tickets?
They’re available for sale now; tickets cost € 249.90 for a 4-day pass. Book here.
How to get there
Fortunately, Amsterdam is easy to get to. The Eurostar has just opened a new terminal in the city, which means that getting to the capital from London is just four hours by train – not bad.
Or, if you’d rather fly, it’s less than an hour by air. EasyJet, for instance, do regular flights to Amsterdam from Gatwick.
Where to stay
Dekmantel does offer camping facilities (which cost extra), but if the idea of hunkering down in a field doesn’t appeal, then good news: the capital is teeming with hotels just waiting to be booked.
Top of the list – if you’re wanting to marry partying with quality downtime – is the Hoxton. Based in two locations (central and the Eastern Docklands), it’s the perfect blend of chic and fun.
The central location is right by the Herengracht canal, in the famous nine streets at the city’s heart, and offers flexible check-in and check-out times for those who book via the website. The building itself was originally the Mayor’s home, and still retains the herringbone floors and wood-panelled walls as nice nods to its history. Plus, the beds are unbelievably plush: just what you need after a hard day of partying (rooms start from £150, book here).
If the Hoxton is fully booked, then Sir Albert, waiting just around the corner, is a great option too. Based in Amsterdam’s De Pijp district, within walking distance from Museum Square, the hotel boasts an Asian bar and restaurant – Izakaya – as well as a comfortable, snug Study for guests to unwind and relax in in front of a roaring fire (if it’s winter). Plus, the rooms offer lovely views of the canal (rooms start from £150, book here).
