Ten! A few summers later than expected due to COVID cancellations, 2024 turned out to be the year of our big festival anniversary. Naturally, we had to celebrate with a bigger-than-ever journey into sound—bringing together the past, present, and future of electronic music.
Think: ten festival days, hundreds of artists, beloved venues, new spaces, and more visitors than ever before. While it’s impossible to truly capture it all, here are just a few of the highlights. (We’re ready for another ten.)
Day 1 – 26.07.24
Dekmantel Ten began with three festival days at Het HEM, the breathtaking former munitions factory turned art space in Zaandam. On the first day, we got to welcome British heavyweights BICEP with their audiovisual ‘Chroma’ show. First hands in the air, first tears on the dance floor.
Day 2 – 27.07.24
Starting out with an extensive conference program, the second day at Het HEM had us listening deep and thinking aloud (special thanks to Shawn Reynaldo’s First Floor and Carhartt WIP). A techno frenzy followed: exploring its rudiments, fresh subgenres and futuristic offshoots. We were joined by veterans like Oscar Mulero and Luke Slater, as well as next-gen stars including Aurora Halal, Quelza, and SPFDJ.
Day 3 – 28.07.24
Our final day at Het HEM, day three began with more conference brilliance. It also reunited a host of familiar Dekmantel faces, including Shanti Celeste, Young Marco, JASSS and Avalon Emerson. Some things we can’t forget: Quest’s vinyl-only perfection, Avalon’s technicolour closing (including a little Björk), and JASSS bringing the no-sleep energy outdoors.
Day 4 – 29.07.24
Taking a much-needed Monday break, away from the dance floor, our fourth festival day was all about football and fundraising. Joining forces with RA for a one-day championship at Skatecafé, our Dekmantel team even managed to take home the cup! Don’t ask us how we did it, but we did it.
Day 5 – 30.07.24
Beating the Tuesday blues with a quality dose of meditation and soothing introspection, our fifth day revolved around—the organ of—Amsterdam’s oldest church. Composer/multi-instrumentalist Kali Malone performed two special Dekmantel Ten shows; those who attended can tell you how heartwarming this was.
Day 6 – 31.07.24
Day six is where Dekmantel Festival, as you know it from previous years, made its comeback. As always, we returned to the grand confines of Muziekgebouw aan het IJ, where avant-garde music icons Midori Takada and Alessandro Cortini took the stage.
Day 7 – 01.08.24
Another day on the IJ banks! Expanding our concert and conference program to various Amsterdam venues, August 1st was fully dedicated to electronic music’s most experimental and expansive realms. We welcomed James K, Caterina Barbieri & Space Afrika, Actress, Aleksi Perälä, Bendik Giske, Oklou, Bar Italia, and many brilliant others.
Day 8 – 02.08.24
And so we returned to the place where it all began: our home base, our favourite festival turf. On the eighth festival day, all eight stages at the Amsterdamse Bos were closed by local heroes. Namely: Carista, Talismann, Beverly Hills 808303, Interstellar Funk, Spekki Webu, Steffi, Identified Patient, Rey Colino, and Mary Lake.
Day 9 – 03.08.24
Sold out and sun-kissed, our second forest day was an all-round Dekmantel dream: from Octo Octa performing live at The Loop and Ron Trent performing ‘Warm’ in the Greenhouse, to Sandwell District playing live at UFO I, and VTSS shutting down our Radar arena with DJ Spit.
Day 10 – 04.08.24
Our closing day began with Eris Drew playing an extended set under the Selectors trees, and ended with Jeff Mills—who else?—closing The Loop. But also: Job Jobse made his (one in, one out) Radar debut, James Blake and Mala went B2B, and Mama Snake teamed up with CEM for a red-hot UFO I climax. Ten out of ten!
Pre-register now for Dekmantel Festival 2025 and get early access to our pre-sale, featuring exclusive ticket options for next year’s edition!