R909

I was hanging out for this all week.

Wu-Tang was rad but I knew this show would be special. I had to take a bus out to the location through the southern suburbs of Amsterdam to a large park with a space for holding regattas and a palace sort of restaurant overlooking the finishing line for the rowers. The walk from the bus to the actual location took about 25 minutes, and I had to pass through a couple of check-points through clearings and car-parks to make it to the ground. I was blown away by the scenery as soon as I got in though. On one side was more water, at the front was the stage, and trees surrounding the rest of it. Myself, Elliot, and about 800 Dutch, representing team techno.
I was especially interested in this because I'm learning much about electronic styles of music and the way they're consumed. First of all, there's a scene, with many different producers, engineers and DJ's coming together to create something different. A new sound, and new feel, a new depth. I mean, in Aus.. we're lucky to get to see any big names in open air or club, and promoters and show producers know all they have to do is put some big names on a bill and the people will come.. No structure, no artistic merit, nothing!!

Not the Dutch my friends, these people were critically discussing each set as the evening progressed.. A few of the people I met were happy to be informative about who makes the better tunes in Holland and Berlin. But all were in favour of Umek's set being the best.. Umek played about 4 pm and rocked out old-skool classic techno, and he conquered.. even if it was a bit of a tease ;-P But then came Remy, who's deep basslines, puzzled percussion and driving techno and synth melodies interwove themselves into a beast that got this crowd fucking riled, and the crowd matched it pumping more energy into cheering on their hometown hero and dancing like crazy than the rest of the day combined.
Big word up to Christian Smith though, who brought his trademark Tronic sound to the decks. I've been a big fan of his label for some time and it was special to see the man perform, but my heart totally belonged with Remy and the Dutch that day!

Made it home in one piece, about 70€ lighter, but with a stack of mad photos and a full Dutch outfit I purchased from some kid. It's this sweet orange blazer with red, blue and white buttons, an orange hat with a flashing halogen on the front and some pimpin' orange sunnies (which are hanging off my sunnies).

What a day, what a score, what a week, what a city.. I've been a complete night owl in Amsterdam, I think some of it might be jet lag, but everyone else in the hostel is a tourist and here to see touristy shit, so I get rad r&r in the room during the day, then hit the town while suckers are drunk and passed out from hostel-organised pub-crawls.. I'm totally stoked to say that as far as being a tourist goes, I've been doing it wrong in Amsterdam. I've been to a coffeeshop every day and ate pancakes once, but that's it. I will say this though, despite that I've had a very Dutch experience. I've hung out with and chatted with many walks of life in Amsterdam, including having a smoke with a somewhat homeless looking man while we chatted in broken Swedish and Dutch. I've also managed to avoid all social events involving backpackers i.e. pub-crawls (shudder) but instead got to experience the techno scene first hand through record stores, R909 and some other clubs I visited.

Massive respect to the followng; Wu-Tang, Swiss-French homies who saw the Wu in Geneva the week before, The Austrians, Rudy, Caleb, Bo, Jordy & the rest of the clowns from R909, 5€ special pizzas available on every street corner in Leidesplein, and Anna & Metta for making sure I got on the right bus back to Amsterdam and got off near my Hotel. Oh and let's not forget the hip-hop scene, if it weren't for that I wouldn't have been able to collect so many priceless additions to my collection.

..The rest of Amsterdam is for when I'm old and some record label pays me to produce in Holland, otherwise, I came, I saw, I aquired what I wanted, and now I'm off to the crown-jewel in dance, Berlin.

peace,
Elzor