The Pacha Festival touched down in Amsterdam on Saturday 3rd September following yet another huge season in Ibiza.
The festival celebrated it’s 5th birthday under a clear blue sky and blazing sunshine, making the much loved Ibiza brand feel right at home for it’s 11-hour spell on Dutch soil. Having moved location since last year, the new spot is much more central, set in the grounds right next to Amsterdam ArenA and Heineken Music Hall. Perhaps thanks to this small change, the festival is now more popular than ever, with crowd members of all ages getting stuck right in.
As it has come to be expected with this festival, production was second to none, each of the four stages overloaded with amazing musical talent and state of the art light shows. More than 33 artists performed over the course of the day, electric energy continually whipped up set after set.
The relatively small festival has a charming boutique feel to it. With a hippie Ibiza style market and food village complete with pop up sushi restaurant, emulating laid back vibes akin to life in the Dutch capital.
Darius Syrossian slayed a high tempo onslaught of tech house on the Insane stage, another stage making a reappearance, offering copious underground techno beats. Also dominating this stage was Brit girl, Cassy, who played her signature selection of techno and soul sounds.
Martin Solveig was once again headlining, finishing things with a packed out My House stage, a concept of his own imagination. Playing on the same stage earlier in the day was Sander Kleinenberg, whose set was on point and really got the crowd wired, despite his earlier slot.
The third and fourth stages Pure Pacha and Sunset were also popping off all day long with lively mixes from Benny Rodrigeus, Kenny Dope and Claptone. Kenny Dope’s injected the Pure Pacha tent with a barrage of new school tech, dropping endless groovy beats during his time on stage.
It seems there is no chance Pacha Group’s ever expanding achievements will be slowing any time soon. The brand no longer exists purely as a hallmark of Ibiza clublife, in the last five years this festival has become firmly established as a major summer highlight in Amsterdam.
