Part 6: Rekorder – stage host

Rekorder has a history of 52 parties in the past 5 years. Right after his high school exams, Tom van Wijk decided to be responsible for the school’s final party. Something that would determine the rest of his professional carrier. The whole purpose of throwing these Rekorder events was to bring the house and techno scene together back in the day. Techno had a reputation of parties being held in dark basements, while house lived in the upper ground of the scene. Rekorder’s mission was to give techno a bit of more colour and sex appeal, and make it walk hand in hand with the house scene throughout the major cities of our country.

“Back then we were probably the only organization that actually toured through cities like Rotterdam, Utrecht, Amsterdam, the beach and even towards the infamous Cocoon Club in Frankfurt with our concept. Musically, our parties took you through the whole spectrum of quality house and techno. In the end, people just wanna have fun, we felt techno dance floors could use a bit more sex on the dance floor.”

Rekorder brought many top of the bill DJs and producers to the Netherlands such as Kollektiv Turmstrasse, UMEK, Gaiser, Marko Nastic, Nôze, Aril Brikha, Marc Houle, Andre Galluzzi, Petter, Fairmont and many others. Sticking to traditional dates every year like Queen’s night and Hemelvaart.

“We booked many international artists that had ‘momentum’ but never underestimated local talent, the ones who help you build up a community and complete the vibe of an event. Throughout the years we built up good relationships with artists like Wouter de Moor and Prunk.”

So what was the most memorable Rekorder get-together?
“There are a few moments that I can name, like one of the last editions at the Puma in Utrecht featuring Gaiser which was really cool. Also having Nôze play in Amsterdam was pretty memorable and our beach parties were always successful and packed. And finally, the Rekorder excursion to Cocoon Club in Frankfurt was one to remember.”

Moving forward – Plans for the summer

After a sabbatical of almost two years, Rekorder is back to take over the world, or at least Amsterdam for starters. They had the privilege to host a stage at last Queen’s Day’s Qday Festival which sold out. This Friday they’ll be hosting their first club edition of 2012 at AIR and the festival season also welcomes them back with a stage at Amsterdam’s hottest festival Buiten Westen.

“Like I said before, we always threw events around Queen’s Day and Hemelvaart. We’re doing our best to bring back the feeling of unity and love on the dance floor. That’s why we chose ‘You’ve got the love’ to be our anthem. Qday festival was all about house music with no borders, featuring none other than Max Cooper live, Alex Under and local heroes Juan Sanchez, Olene Kadar, Wouter de Moor & Prunk. This Friday will be more house and tech orientated with Kenny Larkin from the US and Matt Tolfrey from the UK, supported by our usual suspects. We’ll be playing a lot with next level visuals by Escapation as well.”

What about your stage at our festival Buiten Westen?
“You could say Rekorder’s stage will take you from melody to beat to funk and tech during this day. Especially if you want to go space out, our stage will provide with the proper dosis of melody and space. A place where you will want to go wild with your eyes closed, and get the old ecstasy feeling back, just like at that time when you did your first pill. Our ‘resident’ visual specialist Escapation will strengthen this effect. And of course the line-up is sick featuring names like Kollektiv Turmstrasse, Max Cooper, Einmusik, El Mundo & Satori, Wouter de Moor, Miss Melera, Prunk and Some Chemistry. Buying a ticket for this one is going to be totally worth it, I hope we get to inspire a lot of people to enjoy every second of it as a collective on the dance floor.”

Wanna join in and check out tomorrow’s club edition + limited NNICHI Rekorder T-shirt? Tell us who you’d like to share the love with and take out to Rekorder @ AIR by commenting below this post on Overdose.am’s Facebook wall. Winner announced on Friday in the afternoon.

KRÄK Festival 2012

Wednesday: Burn @ Klinch, Melkweg

Our friend Pete Bandit and his mate behind the decks Jason Shae have found a new love for throwing events “We have been o so active over the last year; playing, producing, eating and breathing the pure jackin’ house.” Their signature sound, with its roots deep in the early nineties’ Chicago house, has found a new home at the legendary Melkweg. For this occasion they’ve invited DJ Rush for a special house & disco set. They also invited none other than Boris Werner and of course they will be playing themselves.

Thursday: Onaanraakbaren @ Westerunie

“India. A land of colors, scents and sounds. Chatoyant and dazzling, spectacular and imposing – a daunting world. As the sun sets on the 17th of May the Westerunie will become such a place. Let us take you on a journey to Hindu gods, princesses of the Orient and wild tigers. We welcome you to join us this night not just for a party but to celebrate life – for everyone.” One of the better promotional texts I’ve read lately. This party is all for the cause, each step you dance here, is a step for India. Every penny you spend, goes to a project that is taking care of a community of the Untouchables. Go support.

Friday: Rekorder – You’ve got the Love @ Air

Rekorder is throwing its first club edition in years. After Rekorder’s come-back at Qday festival, it seems they’ve got the hang of it again. The whole purpose of it that they want to bring back a feeling of ‘love’ to Dutch dance floors. Happy faces, sex on the dance floor and going wild to the beats of Kenny Larkin (US), Olene Kadar LIVE, Wouter de Moor, Prunk, Matt Tolfrey (UK), Marcus Gehring (celebrating his birthday) and Victor Coral.

Friday: The Big Man Himself: AKA AKA + Thalstroem @ Chicago Social Club

AKA AKA + Thalstroem is the act we made famous in Amsterdam together with our friends from Pleinvrees after booking them as headliners for our very first festival last year. If you’ve seen them before, you know their extra long sets variate from polka house with live trumpets to emo techno coordinated with live dancing. I’m 100% sure this is going to turn out to be a good one this Friday. Second area hosted by Welcome to Wondaland with Stevie Wonda, John Wolff, Global Nick, Sufyen & De Viltstift.

Friday: Zeezout – Invites M A N I K & Adana Twins @ Club Home

Their last party in Amsterdam was ‘a great success’ as some people would call it. Actually it was probably one of the best parties I’ve ever experienced in Club Home. This time around they’ve invited M A N I K all the way from the US together with the Adana Twins to continue the saga. Of course, this event will include the usual suspects such as SHMLSS, Larry de Kat, Halve Soul and het Meisje.

Linke Soep with Italoboyz & Luna City Express @ Studio 80

After their previous epic parties featuring Format:B, Pan-Pot and Monika Kruse Linke Soep is doing it again with the Italoboyz all the way from the US and
Germany’s Luna City Express. Not the least of names! Accompanying them throughout the night: Jason Lanox, Harde Baas and Meester Moeilijk. I gotta say, big up for all these bookings. I like what Linke Soep has been doing lately.

Sans Gêne @ Club Home

Tomorrow is Now Kid has brought a new party to town. The house purists are throwing somewhat of a shameless one this time around featuring Deepchild, Mario Aureo, David Faust, Samuel Deep, The Salvador Brothers, Sab Titos, Bin, our own La Vondèl and Drum Tone. Let’s hope this one turns into lots of naked people dancing to raw underground and oldschool house. I can already visualize it, yeah.

Boy & Bear

When you are done spending all of your money on the finest clothing, you can sit back and relax on the terrace while listening to the lyrical rhymes of a poet, or amuse your eyes by watching a movie at the Studio/K cinema. Music will be also be part of the spectacle; acoustic and electronic vibrations will accompany this Sunday afternoon shopping experience. Inspired by fashion markets in London and Berlin we will offer you a hedonistic experience where you can spend your pennies on (vintage) clothing, get the latest haircut and enjoy a fine massage.

Just as with previous editions we won’t forget the geeks amongst us: we will offer some oldskool vintage gaming on Nintendos again. The even nerdier types can be more pretentious by reading a good book or playing an old board game. The goal is to provide something for everyone’s taste. No matter how bad the hangover is on June 3rd, get out of bed. Overdose.am promises that coffee and fun await you, so come check out the first summer edition of Zondagmiddag!

The good stuff so far:

• CHAOTIC BASTARDS
• THINGS I LIKE THINGS I LOVE
• JUTKA EN RISKA
• LOCALS AMS
• ESSYELLO
• POETRY
• LITERATURE
• ART
• LIVE MUSIC
• HAIR STYLIST
• BOARD GAMES
• BBQ

.. and many more to be announced!

ZONDAGMIDDAG BIJ STUDIO/K

When: June 3rd, 13.00-20.00
Where: STUDIO/K, Timorplein 62, 1094 CC Amsterdam
More info: Facebook event
Entrance: Free!

An impression of the previous edition of Zondagmiddag bij VLLA here.

Part 5: Circus Wunderbar – stage host

Tell me more about Wunderbar. What makes this circus so special?
Nick: “It’s not just a normal circus, it’s a cirque burlesque. A sexy party.”

Erin: “Sexy is an important word. Beautiful women, dressed-up, deep cleavages.. We like to tingle the senses. The circus is a playground, but this one is only for adults.”

And the musical side? Can you explain the sound of Wunderbar, what is your dream line-up?
Nick: “Our sounds has two sides: on one side our main resident Olivier Weiter’s melodic sound which we showcased in the Melkweg with Guy Gerber and Gabriel Ananda last December, on the other side the more housy sound we have on the beach this Thursday represented by Art Department and Boris Werner. We are looking for a cross-over between the two with Wunderbar.”

Erin: “Maceo Plex and Marek Hemmann are two names we would love to have. Together they represent the whole spectrum of our sound.”

Wunderbar December 27th aftermovie:

Back to your origins for a little bit. What is Bar27?
Nick: “Erin used to live in a house with six guys.. at number 27. Olivier Weiter, Bar27 co-founder Gary, Jasper from Rauwkost, and a few others. Most of the artists it all started with. They hosted afterparties in their basement which grew and grew until at one point even Sven Väth called up when he was in town to ask if he could come by again. The parties were always small circuses with a lot of freedom and craziness. People dressed-up, felt free, and went wild. The same crazy vibe we now want to export to Wunderbar.”

Erin: “We’ve had a lot of good parties there. Sven Väth once played an eight hour set and we’ve had people like James Holden, Ricardo Villalobos and more over. We all had jobs and serious stuff to do, and in the weekend we needed a place to feel free and let go. Since then this all grew naturally into what is now Wunderbar.”

The first edition:

What will your Buiten Westen stage be like?
Nick: “If you look at the line-up, it is really strong. All the artists are on the same high level. It feels really compact. There is not one headliner with support acts, the entire day is filled with quality.”

Erin: “They are all seasoned artists. People who know how to handle a crowd and put down a show.”

Nick: “I am really looking forward to Shonky and Dyed myself, we have worked with them before and I think their sound is in a corner which we haven’t reached yet in Holland. The French/Parisian house sound they stand for is really swinging but also more melodious than the Detroit or UK variants.”

Erin: “The sexyness again. Beesmunt, Melon and Kouam Djoko who we all book often fit in well with them, while Rodriguez Jr. and Romboy fit in better with Olivier Weiter. The sound of the beach and the club are both represented at our Buiten Westen stage.”

Your circus is about more than just the music right?
Erin: “Of course! Their will be a real circus. Acrobats, dozens of dressed-up people who will make you look twice, the whole freak show.”

Nick: “Expect a burlesque spectacle!”

Erin: “We are extremely looking forward it!”

Feature image by Tomer Foltyn & Adi Adinayev

Rene Engel (A.K.A. De Nachtwacht) is a name that has risen from the underground to the bigger stages. From illegal warehouse raves to Code AM and Woodstock69, Rene knows how to please the crowd with his unique choice of records. He is inspired by funk, soul and jazz, and these influences find their groovy way into his set which range from deep house to techno. More is to come soon, as Rene is working on an EP for Spanish label Sincopat with Kid Culture and multiple festival gigs have been confirmed, just as a residency at Voidd radio.

In this set are tracks by &Me, Matthew Dekay, Robag Wruhme, Âme, Tim Green, Milton Jackson, Mario Vidis amongst others.

Part 9: Dutch Rap for Breakfast

Just one of those nights in Amsterdam: You’re out in a bar with your friends planning on your next smart coup in the city, when the lead singer of a famous Dutch hip-hop band comes in. This happens to me every once in a while, like last week, when I ran into one of the guys from De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig. Since I love to embarrass myself, I walked up to him and told him that I’m pretty cool because I know his songs by heart even though I’m not Dutch. While he only seemed peripherally interested in that, there’s one thing that needs to be said in defence of every foreigner who’s not fluent in Dutch, but knows some famed lyrics. You might not be able to speak Dutch, but who gives a damn if you can rap it! All it takes is knowing the following list of pieces off the cuff. “Ik spreek een beetje Nederlands” was yesterday – “I eat that shit for breakfast” is what’s up.

1. Dio – Tijdmachine
This stuff is sophisticated, nothing for wannabes. If you think Scatman Joe was fast, this guy will make your tongue twist.

2. De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig – Sterrenstof
One of the first Dutch songs I’ve learned and thus, the absolute number one in this baby-Dutch rap course.

3. Le Le – Skinny Jeans
No skinny jeans, no fiesta. True story.

4. The Opposites – Broodje Bakpao
If you thought tough guys don’t care about their sandwich filling, let this one educate you.

5. Gers Pardoel – Bagagedrager
This guy hits the mark. Girls don’t want no BMW, they want bike carriers.

Featured image by Ben Houdijk.

Owners Jet and Ingrid both studied Japanese and got fascinated by the Japanese lifestyle. They began their business in IJburg but their shop did not survive because of a bad choice of location. Still, they felt like they needed to try again so they grabbed their last hope and money together and re-opened their shop at the Rozengracht. To stock their shop they make regular visits to Japan, stroll along the internet and make use of their great network. One friend gets them the most exquisite sake, the other works at the award winning tea plantations in Kakegawa, Shizuoka (in between Tokyo and Osaka) and stocks them with all sorts of Japanese sencha. Their main goal? Make everyone as crazy about Japan as they are.

Shooting marbles

At Roppongi all Japanese holidays and seasons are celebrated. In May the shop is decorated with fishes to celebrate ‘Kodomo No Hi’, boy’s or children’s day (stands for power and perseverance), during spring, or sakura, an origami sakura tree grows inside the shop and in summer, furin, Japansese bells give you the illusion of a cool eastern breeze. And as every celebration comes with food, Roppongi hosts workshops in Dun Yong’s kitchen on the Zeedijk to teach you how make the most delicious Japanese snacks to fill up your recently purchased Bento box.

Roppongi