PHOTO CREDIT: Katarina Cvetko
Holland’s favourite indoor event and one of the world’s largest EDM festivals returned to Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome last weekend; for two days of pure madness. Don’t Let Daddy Know (DLDK), hosted by EA Events, saw visitors from over 85 countries travel to Amsterdam to take part in the epic celebration of electronic dance music. After attending the downsized version of DLDK in Thailand a couple of years ago, the Dutch edition has been at the top of my bucket list; and it definitely did not disappoint!
THE STAGE
Hosted in Amsterdam’s favourite music venue Ziggo Dome, the two-day event saw 15 of the biggest electronic dance artists perform on an extravagant, brand new stage. Each year, visitors are surprised with a completely new stage design and this year’s concept was spectacular! The breathtaking display of panels came together to form one of the largest and tallest stages I’ve ever seen in my life! The top-notch visuals, jaw-dropping lasers and constant shift between flames and fireworks complimented the stage perfectly, and made for some pretty amazing photo opportunities!
THE VIBES
Visitors from over 85 different countries made up the crowd of over 15,000. The atmosphere inside Ziggo Dome was absolutely electric the entire weekend, with dedicated fans from all over the world, coming together to celebrate electronic dance music. The vibes throughout Don Diablo’s set, in particular, were unmatched, as ‘Hexagonians’ from across the globe, joined together as one big family and shared their passion for the Dutch DJ. Closing out each day was an exclusive hardstyle performance, and dedicated hardstyle fans remained on the rail until the early hours of the morning, with more energy than ever!
THE PERFORMANCES
My favourite performance from day one was without a doubt Timmy Trumpet. The Australian born DJ and musician never fails to entertain with his infectious energy and unmistakable sound. Spending the majority of the set at the very front, I was once again showered with champagne and vodka, and partied with the front row of dedicated fans. Day two closed out with one of my favourite DJs, Coone. Although only allocated a 45-minute time slot, the Belgian DJ and producer played everyone’s favourites and transitioned them perfectly into the short time frame. His light show was without a doubt one of the best of the entire night and I found myself running between the rail and the VIP deck at the very back so I could capture the insane visuals while still taking part in the action down below.
My very first Don’t Let Daddy Know in Amsterdam exceeded all of my expectations. All of my favourite EDM and hardstyle artists under the one roof, in a world-class venue with mind-blowing light shows – what else could you ask for! Although The Netherlands is spoilt for choice when it comes to music festivals, there’s absolutely nothing else like Don’t Let Daddy Know; that unites electronic music lovers from around the world the way they do. This festival definitely ranks as one of my favourite events in the world and I can’t wait to return next year!