“…it feels like people at ADE just “get it”…there’s a vibe there that’s sort of like, no-bullshit.”
Interview by Dan Prince
How important is ADE on the dance music calendar for OWSLA? Do you look at ADE as the biggest platform of the year to release new products?
ADE is definitely an increasingly important one to us. It’s a great opportunity to be exposed to some of the most interesting people in the industry and conversely show them a bit about what we’re doing.
What do you cite as the biggest changes/improvements/developments ADE has seen since it’s launch in 1996?
OWSLA was founded in 2012, so to be fair, this is only our 2nd ADE, and therefore I may not be the best person to answer such a question.
Everybody plays nice to each other during ADE week…but how fierce is it behind the scenes on the build up with booking venues, DJs and getting the best promotion in the city?
It’s definitely not easy! As ADE grows and becomes a more important part of everyone’s yearly calendar, more and more people are looking to set up events and plant their flags so to speak. We actually attended ADE in 2014 strictly to explore potential venues and lay the groundwork for our 2015 event, on which we worked closely with ADE reps for almost an entire year to produce. If you are looking to make a splash at ADE, you gotta get in early!
What was your highlight of ADE 2015?
It would have to our OWSLA event at the Crane Hotel. It’s such a special place, having been converted from an industrial crane to a boutique hotel, and you could really feel the magical energy being in there. Only about 100 people fit inside the Crane, so it was really cool getting to watch such intimate sets from artists like Skrillex, What So Not, Wiwek and Vindata while 75m in the air surrounded by water on all sides.
And some of your memories/highlights from years gone by?
In 2014 I really enjoyed the Paradise event at DGTL Festival as well as Scuba’s Hotflush showcase at Chicago Social Club.
With online marketing and streaming becoming the No1 source for new customers how important is your image projection across the globe from ADE?
So important. Not everyone can make it up to Amsterdam, so this year we actually opted to live-stream our event so fans could tune in around the world. It cost a bit more, but we thought it was important that the rest of the world be able to share in this amazing experience with us.
As the ADE gets bigger every year do you worry about getting your product heard in such an increasing market?
I think it just pushes you to come with even more original and unique ideas. When we set up our first event at ADE in 2015, we knew we had to come with something that would stand apart from all the other great events going on that week. You can’t just throw a club night, because there are 50 other incredible labels doing the same thing on any given night – you’ve got to innovate. That way, the product sells itself.
There is always a debate when DJ’s use gimmicks in their show to make them stand out, is it the same in business marketing at ADE…do you try to do something to wow the press or do you simply let the music prove the point?
For us, our product is always our best marketing tactic. Whether it’s an album, an event, a new merchandise collection, or anything else, we’d rather spend our time perfecting the product than telling people how great it is. Because if it’s truly great, it will speak for itself.
When does the planning for next year’s event begin?
It’s already underway! Watch this space!
What sets ADE apart from other conferences/events such as Miami, IMS and BPM?
I can’t put my finger on it, but it feels like people at ADE just “get it”…there’s a vibe there that’s sort of like, no-bullshit. It’s also very cool that the city is so small geographically speaking, so you can walk everywhere. It makes for a really enjoyable experience.
Now that the dust has settled on this year’s event – from a OWSLA perspective, what is the biggest achievement you gained from ADE 2015?
Our most important objective going into ADE was to accurately represent ourselves and our brand to a new, largely European audience. We explored a lot of venues and ideas before landing on the Crane Hotel because none of them had quite as much character and personality. We wanted to do something that would make people say “WTF?” and I think we accomplished that.
