The Story of Dekmantel

Presented by by:Larm

The story of the Amsterdam electronic festival Dekmantel is a unique one. From its origins as a series of curated techno parties 15 years ago, Dekmantel has grown to become one of the most cutting-edge festivals in Europe, taking place in the massive city park of Amsterdamse Bos.

However, it’s neither the size nor the location alone that makes this festival so singular. It’s their forward-thinking approach to audience participation, community building and economic diversification that makes Dekmantel stand out. Their mixes have become important for artists year-round, making the brand easily recognisable in the festival landscape. Their label division gives them another platform besides the festival to promote artists.

They reinforce their brand by putting up satellite festivals in vastly different locations from Amsterdam, like the boutique Dekmantel Selectors festival in the Croatian town of Tisno. They manage to include interviews and podcast sessions in their programming, though without seeming like a “conference” – thus avoiding the risk of alienating the regular audience members.

In this conversation with Bert de Rooij, Dekmantel’s Head of Festivals and Label, we will go deep into their way of working, their strategical choices and how to both keep it smart and about the music at the same time.

In conversation with Laura Snapes (The Guardian)