Upclose, from the team behind Awakenings, might only be in its second year, but it already seems set to become an established fixture on the techno calendar, with this year’s edition welcoming tens of thousands of up-for-it ravers to the stunning Houtrak venue in Spaarnwoude, Amsterdam, for two days of cutting-edge beats, on 17 and 18 May.
The festival is described as an ‘ode to the dancefloor’, celebrating the connection between the audience and artist – with each stage featuring an adjoining gallery area, enabling attendees to get ‘upclose’ and personal with their favourite performers.
It’s this deliberate shift from the massive to the intimate that sets Upclose apart from other dance festivals. All the arenas are located a short distance from each other, with a number of hidden stages also dotted around the site – this year’s edition featured pop-up stages from De Reunie, The Gang is Beautiful, and more. The stunning Houtrak venue, located around a central lake, also adds to the ambience – it’s hard to top the sunny afternoon vibe as like-minded souls relax by the water, before immersing themselves in their favourite rhythms.
Music-wise, this year’s Upclose continued the trend of its inaugural edition by featuring a blend of long-established and up-and-coming artists, as well as a host of boundary-shifting back-to-back performances.
Highlights for the 909originals team included Blasha & Allatt and Tasha blending old school vibes and bass-heavy beats… Stef Mendesidis taking attendees to sub-orbital heights with his stunning live show… DJ Rush bringing his inimitable style to the hard techno-focused Area 07… Modeselektor‘s unique brand of warped electro… Oscar Mulero tearing the roof off Area 01… Lobster warming up the crowd as day two kicked off… Beste Hira and Yanamaste raising the tempo… Ben Klock and Ignez‘s Sunday afternoon sizzler… a masterclass from the maestro, Jeff Mills… Chris Stussy and Sally C bringing some serious vibes…. and a lot more besides. 🙂
Hat tip too to the courteous security staff, the cleanliness of the toilets (not always an easy task), and the 909originals’ team’s favourite between-act rest spot, the De Gouden Ton wine bar in the Upclose Hub – you guys are heroes! And of course, the ravers themselves – after all, the people make the party… 🙂
Upclose also served as a warm-up for Awakenings’ 2025 summer edition, which takes place in Hilvarenbeek from 11-13 July, and is set to welcome close to 100,000 visitors. More information on that can be found here.
Check out some photos from Upclose 2025 below, from Stef van Oosterhout, Iris Zebli and Elske Nissen. Words by Márcia Costa.
UPCLOSE 2025 – SATURDAY
UPCLOSE 2025 – SUNDAY
Check out the top tracks that the 909originals team has recently discovered through Musosoup here. To feature your music on 909originals, click here. 🙂