Tips voor ADE ‘foreigners’

Waar worden bezoekers voor gewaarschuwd en welke ‘verrassende’ tips krijgen ze mee? We zetten ze voor je op een rijtje:

Tips for attending Amsterdam Dance Event and visiting Amsterdam:

1. Register! You have to register to take part in the events, and access to the delegate database is invaluable. Set up meetings in advance for people you want to meet. The online database has complete contact info sorted by category (agent, artist, distribution, promoter, publisher, journalist, new media, retail), so you can target exactly who you are looking for.

2. Make sure the taxi says "TCA" before you get in. I don't know if these are regulated differently, but in my experience they were more fair. On the first night, travelling from Central Station to Panama, a non-TCA taxi drove around and charged 19 Euros for the trip. On subsequent nights, the same trip cost between 6 to 8 Euros.

3. Familiarize yourself with the tram routes. Everything is walkable, few distances are more than a 15-20 minute walk, though the trams run quickly and efficiently. Most quit running at midnight though.

4. Check the weather and dress appropriately. A raincoat and a sweater are both good things to have on hand. But if you forget, there are lots of great shops and boutiques. Most stores do close at 6pm though.

5. Photocopy your passport to carry with you. Leave your original in your hotel's safe.

6. Don't be afraid to ask for help. The front desk staff at your hotel will help you get anywhere you want to. The locals are very friendly and willing to help in cause you get lost. Just about everyone speaks English as well.

7. Eat where the locals eat. That's how we discovered the Luden Restaurant and Brasserie where we found delicious food and incredible service for a very moderate price.

8. Make sure your phone is compatible with the digital network and verify the cost structure. I recommend T-Mobile's international rate which covers all calls internationally for 99 cents/minute. I had really good reception with my Sidekick 2 all over town with quick data transmission as well.

9. See the city - obviously the red light district has to be seen to be believed but there are museums, art galleries and several historically important places in the city. Check with the front desk of the hotel for more information.

10. Have fun but be responsible. The coffeehouses do sell marijuana and it is legal for consumption on premises but remember to stay in control of yourself. The crime rate is extremely low but there is no reason to make yourself an easy target.

11. Before you leave, convert enough money to euros to get you from the airport to the hotel and a meal. Using the ATM machines with your credit card will most likely get you a better conversion rate.

12. MTV is actually good over there. Sure, the daytime is full of the same reality crap they foist on us over here, but watching it with dutch subtitles makes it more fun. After you come back from the clubs, watch for dance videos. During the week I was there I saw the videos for dance artists like Deep Dish (Flashdance), Freestylers (Push Up), Tiesto featuring BT (Love Comes Again), Armand Van Helden (My My My), and Depeche Mode (Enjoy the Silence - Remix) in addition to the hip-hop/rock you would expect.