A NEW ERA OF AWAKENINGS AT ADE

words by MAREK BARTEK

This year’s ADE marked a shift for Awakenings. After decades of defining Amsterdam’s big-room techno identity at Gashouder, the brand debuted a new chapter at SugarFactory, a 19th-century industrial former refinery in Halfweg, used as a rave venue for the first time. The move signalled evolution: a different scale, a different crowd flow, and a format that placed experience as a top priority.

Across eight shows — including Drumcode, Charlotte de Witte’s BUD collaboration, Joris Voorn’s Spectrum, and Amelie Lens’ Exhale — the approach felt tighter and more grounded. Production was meticulous without being overwhelming: clean laser architecture, considered lighting shifts, and an audio setup clearly tuned to the building. It didn’t feel like copying Gashouder energy in a new shell; it felt like a reset, with room to breathe.

One of the most defining elements was the no-phone policy. With screens down, crowd focus shifted back to the artists and the space. It created a noticeably more present atmosphere of less documentation, more dancing, and fewer interruptions in sight-lines. People seemed more engaged with the sets and each other, rather than splitting attention between dancing and recording.

Awakenings also leaned into safety and community. Accessibility touchpoints, on-site support signage, and the introduction of a “Goodbye Host” checking in with solo guests exiting late at night reflected a broader industry direction of large-scale events thinking beyond the stage.

If this was the testing phase, the next milestone arrives quickly. Awakenings returns to SugarFactory for New Year’s with three events in three days — a continuation of this new era, and a glimpse of how Awakenings plans to shape the next phase of Amsterdam’s techno landscape.