Echoes of the Underground

VibeLab, EMC, DARKMATTER Collective and Podiumkunst.net will host a day on archiving Club Culture, legacy and local identity in one of the most culturally relevant and creative places of Amsterdam.

Popular and vernacular cultures—such as club culture, electronic music, and other night culture practices—have historically been overlooked in the formal cultural canon, deemed unworthy of preservation. However, recent years have seen the beginnings of a shift: club and night cultures, particularly electronic music, are now being showcased in academic scholarship, exhibitions, and museums across cities in the US and Europe. This emerging focus underscores the need to give a platform to lesser-known contributions, emphasising the importance of preserving the rich, often marginalised legacies of these vibrant cultural movements.

Flyer Scan Day

VibeLab, in collaboration with Dutch performing arts platform Podiumkunst.net, invites you to dive into the past and help preserve the history of Dutch club and night culture. We're hosting a Flyer Scan Day to capture the essence of nightlife through the flyers that defined its moments.
We’re mapping out the legacy of the scene—and we need your help. Flyers, posters, and event materials hold the metadata that tells the story of our culture. Bring anything related to parties, festivals, or events. If it fits under the scanner, it fits into our archive. Let’s immortalise these moments together to save our legacy for future generations.

Focus group

We invite curators, DJs, organisers, venues, policymakers, scene enthusiasts, night mayors, and heritage specialists with an interest in night culture to participate in this focus group. During the focus group, Dutch heritage creators from past and present night culture will discuss the current status of this heritage and formulate recommendations for its preservation and future recognition.

EMC & Mixmag Asia presents Stewardship in the Global Club Culture Expansion: Navigating Growth, Legacy, and Local Identity
As global club culture expands across continents, the electronic and dance music industry faces a critical juncture in fast-growing markets like APAC and MENA. This session explores the delicate balance between rapid corporate growth and the preservation of authentic local scenes, emphasising the importance of genuine engagement and relationship-building. Through the insights of respected cultural and industry leaders, we'll uncover strategies for creating lasting legacies that honour local pioneers and communities, from underground techno bunkers to large mainstream festivals.

For all stakeholders passionate about the future of global club culture, this session examines how brands and businesses can make meaningful impacts and build enduring legacies in emerging markets through respect, fairness, and collaboration. By navigating the confluence of commerce and culture, we'll explore new paradigms of opportunity and responsibility that ensure the globalisation of club culture enriches rather than erodes local communities. Whether you're a passionate raver, visionary promoter, or corporate strategist, this session promises insights that will shape the future of our collective club culture and inform legacy-building efforts in these burgeoning markets.

Speakers:
Dane Gorrell, Club 77 (AU)
DIORA (SA/NL)
Faustin (NL)
Jack Colquhoun, Mixmag ANZ (AU)
Kamma & Masalo, Brighter Days (NL)
Mengzy (Li Meng de Bakker) (HK/NL)
Miles Niemeijer (NL)
Shelley Liu, Foreign Echo/Mushroom Group (AU)
Shivani Sharma (AU)
Zach Kim, Blackout Agency (SG)

Program:

3.00 pm: Welcome / walk in
4:00 pm Panel 1: DARKMATTER Collective & Podiumkunst.net present: VibeLab Archiving Club Culture and Preserving Untold Legacies
5.00 pm Focus Group Archiving Dutch Club Culture
6.00 pm EMC & Mixmag Asia presents: Stewardship in the Global Club Culture Expansion: Navigating Growth, Legacy, and Local Identity
7.00 pm Mixer: Music by Oli Neate, House Music With Love (HMWL)
8.00 pm End