[Common Rules] Five Venue Systems Worth Knowing at ADE (Amsterdam Dance Event)

Amsterdam in the Netherlands, a leading dance music nation, hosts Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) every October.

I attended in 2017 and noticed systems different from Japanese venues.
ADE2018 lineups are starting to appear, so if you are going, please use this as a reference.

I also wrote about this briefly in the article below, so please read that too.

[Advance Planning] Five Tips for Enjoying ADE (Amsterdam Dance Event) More Than 100% March 28, 2018

1. Buy Drink Tokens and Exchange Them at the Bar

Frankly, the quality is poor.
And they are not cheap, haha.

First, buy tokens here. Paying by credit card is convenient.

I have forgotten the price, but this is the minimum token set.
A token can be split in half, making 0.5 tokens.

The menu looked like this.

Two people handle the drinks: one prepares stock, and the other serves it.
Flat or lukewarm drinks are quite common.

For this price, buying drinks in town or at a supermarket would be far better.
It is at a level where even the dance music festivals in Makuhari might be better.

A slight digression: festivals in Japan often have sponsors, with Cuervo or Cocalero booths and promotional staff. None of the events I attended had anything like that.
Perhaps their operating policy is not to actively make money from alcohol to fund the event.

2. Merchandise Stands Are Usually Available. Always Try On T-Shirts Before Buying

Buying merchandise is one of the pleasures of a festival, is it not?
As you would expect, most venues have merchandise stands.
(Although elrow, which I attended on another day and had the highest expectations for, had no merchandise stand.)

I bought a T-shirt.

One thing to watch out for: ask to try it on, then buy the actual item you tried.
I judged the size by eye and asked for L, but the one they put in the bag was LL, haha.
I noticed before leaving and told them, “It was the wrong size, so please exchange it,” and they did.

They are not as precise as Japanese people, so make sure you check.
You do not need to show your receipt when exchanging it, haha.

3. Receive a Sheet with a Key Code to Use a Locker

Unlike Japanese lockers, these are not locked with a physical key.
There is a locker service counter where you pay first (or show your ticket if you have already bought a locker ticket online). Credit cards are convenient here too.
Prices depend on the size of the locker.

You receive a sheet listing your locker and its key code, which you enter to use it.
If you lose the code sheet, you will not be able to open it, and in the worst case your belongings could be stolen.

The locker assigned to me at elrow was broken, so I had it changed.
Trying to use a broken locker will cause trouble later, so always report it and ask for another.

4. Buy Cigarettes at the KIOSK

You can buy cigarettes at a place called KIOSK.
I am not a smoker, so I do not know for sure, but I think they had the major global brands.

The dance floor is non-smoking.
I have not checked whether marijuana is sold either.

5. Admission Is Strictly by Ticket

Almost none of ADE's events allow you to pay for admission on arrival as in Japan.
Nor do they sell tickets at the door. In other words, you cannot assume, “If I just go to the venue that day, something will work out.”

There are exceptions, of course. When I went to In Trance We Trust, a friend working at a record company contacted me that day and got me in on the guest list. A group of three men leaving also once asked me, “We have an unused ticket—do you want it?” But you should not count on that.

Amsterdam is cold at night at this time of year, and it often rains. Unlike Japan, there are virtually no nearby late-night izakaya, restaurants, or convenience stores. Even in the heart of the capital, there are few people around the venues, so improvising will definitely work against you. I recommend planning carefully.