Henk op de Helling festival

The setting couldn't be more suitable for an underground alternative dance festival.

The old abandoned shipyard of NDSM wharf in Amsterdam.

Think of all the cliches you can think of and they're there:

- A lot of very hot dreamy fairylike blonde hipsters

- a lot of popsicles

- a lot of people who don't do drugs while drinking alcohol

- a lot of people drinking water

- Very confident DJs producing hot beats

- blonde girls climbing on anything that looks like a dancing stage

- flags

- bandanas

- cool guys in bands

- tattoos

- enthousiastic crowds

- very cool eating stands

- meeting a lot of new people

Everyone visiting or living in Holland should attend an alternative dance festival.

However:

Henk op de Helling is expensive.

Tickets are 46 euros pp.

The venue is small. 3 stages. One main stage, one rnb stage down a dangerous dark stairs in a basement (there are no lights down the stairs) and one stage playing background noises.

Drinks and food are expensive

Bar staff is not efficient so long waiting lines.

No re-entry. The festival starts at noon, arriving at noon and leaving early evening for a drink with friends at IJkantiene means exiting and paying another ticket at 50€. Not a good policy.

The good news

This was the last edition of Henk op de Helling.

Hopefully next year a better priced and especially better organized festival will replace this one.

Pitch 2013 - Amsterdam

What's not to like about Pitch Festival?

Not much.

It's set in the Amsterdam city center, just west of the Jordaan.
The setting couldn't be better, the Westergasfabriek are the redeveloped Amsterdam Western Gas Works.
6 stages are located on the old industrial site, there are 2 tents, one stage is inside the old gas tank, the other 3 are inside the industrial buildings.

Amazing decor which creates a perfect setting for such a festival focusing on mostly obscure indie electro music.

The festival is well organized, there are no 'traffic jams' a lot of machines selling food/drink coupons, a lot of food stalls and drink stalls. We never waited longer than 10 minutes for food or longer than 5 minutes for drinks.

It's not overcrowded. It isn't massive. There's no pushing. Even though there were 11.000 people on Saturday, it never felt over crowded, but perhaps that's because of our choice of bands.

It's hip, it's very very very hip. The crowd is fashionable, pretty, verrrry pretty, so so cool, young, all hipster, but not stuck up. As a matter of fact, the crowd is possibly one of the most friendly I've ever experienced on any festival.

A lot of happy faces, enthusiasm everywhere, no aggression anywhere what so ever. People excused themselves when bumping into you, asked if their 195cm tall bodies didn't block your view, shared finger foods with strangers or offered french fries they where not finishing...

The sound quality of the sound systems was overall very good.
However the quality of the food could be improved.
Food highlights: sausage buns, taco's, french fries.

    DISCLOSURE

Good bands:
Highlights we saw were:
Disclosure
Django Django
Chvrches
Roosevelt
Ghostpoet

Very good performances from:
Aluna George
Bonobo
Dizzy Rascal
Daedalus
Kaytranada
James Blake (but I don't think James Blake is the kind of performer who shines at festivals)

Under par:
Azaelea Banks
Tunng



Possible improvements:
Not solely DJ's after 11pm, but allow some obscure bands to perform on some stages as well.
More bands like Django Django/Bonobo/Roosevelt who tend to play more electro indie rock...

We'll definately be back next year.