Awakenings Festival returns and delivers best edition yet

A festival which has earned its place at the top of the techno scene is Awakenings Festival, taking place every year near Amsterdam. This year was the 18th edition of the festival, proving that the brand it most certainly here to stay. Famed for its breathtaking pyrotechnics and all-star lineups including some of the finest artists techno has to offer, the festival continues to be hugely popular in The Netherlands and worldwide.

This year, 80,000 people attended the two-day event which included headline sets from artists such as Carl Cox, Joris Voorn x Kölsch, Adam Beyer, Richie Hawtin and Sven Väth. With such an impressive lineup, it comes as no surprise that the festival venue was packed from start to finish. This year, Awakenings Festival offered a live broadcast for the very first time and a whopping 3 million fans tuned in from around the world.

On day one, each of the arenas offered a different selection of artists, with even the smaller stages boasting iconic names. Seth Troxler x Ricardo Villalobos was a particular highlight, with the two artists joining forces for a huge performance that blended both of their signature styles seamlessly. Other highlights included a two-hour set by Loco Dice at Area V, which was an energy-fueled showcase of talent that proved to be extremely popular with the huge audience. Maceo Plex also drew a high level of attention with a set that spanned a multitude of different styles. Towards the end of his set he delighted fans by playing his iconic hit ‘Solitary Daze‘ a melodic masterpiece with a euphoric intensity.

To headline day one, Kölsch and Joris Voorn, two icons within the techno scene, joined forces for one of their special B2B sets. As two of the most melodic techno artists out there, the pair combined forces for a seamless performance. With aggressive bass lines alongside euphoric melodies, it is clear exactly why the pair were chosen to perform a headline set at Area W. Simultaneously, Carl Cox performed his day one closing set at Area V. The set drew an absolutely huge crowd due to Carl Cox’s iconic status and monumental influence. As expected, his set was ferocious and hard-hitting, reminding attendees exactly why he has reached such a height in his career.

On the second day, many of the artists returned to perform a second set alongside a host of new faces. Fans were able to enjoy another headlining set from Carl Cox, this time at the other open air arena, Area W. Area V was headlined by none other than the Drumcode boss himself Adam Beyer, who unleashed his ferocious trademark sound on the huge crowd gathered to watch him perform. Other Sunday headling sets included Chris Liebing at Area X, Richie Hawtin at Area Y, Nina Kraviz at Area Z, Oliver Koletzki at Area A, Joris Voorn at Area B, and Len Faki at Area C. With so many huge names performing at the same time, fans were truly spoiled for choice.

Awakenings Festival is due to return on 29th and 30th June 2019. For those unable to wait that long, Awakenings will be returning to Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) this year for a number of spectacular showcases. The ADE shows are famed for their ferocious intensity, all hosted inside the iconic Gashouder in Amsterdam, which offers indoor fireworks and a captivating visual experience.

Tickets for the Awakenings ADE events are available here.

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Photos: Photo-Company.nl