Upclose 2025: where techno transcends the dance floor

On 17 and 18 May 2025 the festival will once again turn Spaarnwoude-Park into a sanctuary for devotees of pure, sweaty, uncompromising techno.

After a first edition that left its mark – with sold-out tickets and an atmosphere that vibrated to the rhythm of pure collective ecstasy – Upclose returns with more strength, more character and more vision. Awakenings‘ most intimate and radically progressive festival proposes a world where electronic music expands at unsuspected speeds.

This year, Upclose once again defies the rules with a curated line-up that brings together legendary figures, local heroes and hidden gems of the global underground. While some venues may sound new, in this context that means only one thing: discovery.

Jeff Mills, unquestioned pioneer of techno, joins Donato Dozzy and Jane Fitz in an unprecedented b2b, designed to blur the boundaries of ambient and hypnotic techno. Other highlights include the influential EZ, the godfather of UK Garage, and the hurricane called KI/KI, alongside the elegant brutality of DJ Rush and the Berlin intensity of Kobosil.

In addition, the event offers unique experiences, such as the acid set by 999999999 or the free, irreverent and totally uninhibited set by DJ Fuckoff. Direct from Japan, Atsuo the Pineapple Donkey will offer an eccentric live act that is both performance and sound ritual. And Luigi Tozzi will immerse us in deep landscapes with his trademark historical techno.

Other must-see lives include the return of the legendary Stigmata project; the minimal finesse of Traumer; the hybrid approach of Zisko; and a six-course battle between Cristian Varela and Marco Bailey.

The essence of Upclose also lies in the dynamic collaborations that define the rhythm of the present and the future. From the cross between Berlin rawness and Dutch minimalism of Ben Klock x Ignez; to the melodic darkness of Philippa Pacho x JakoJako.

Beyond the international talent, the festival proudly celebrates its roots. Cynthia Spiering – a pillar of the Dutch underground -, the legendary Benny Rodrigues with a special opening set, and talents such as Moody Mehran x Ineffekt or Nelly, who consolidate the vitality of the local scene, are proof of this.

Upclose is not danced: it is lived. And in this second edition, it only refines its proposal, amplifying the connection between the body, the sound and the absolute present.