Don’t Let Daddy Know took place on Saturday March 4th at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam. With a stacked line up of some of the biggest names in the EDM scene together with incredible production this was an unforgettable night.
Amy Melissa Farina
Getting There
We arrived at the Ziggo Dome around 00:30. Thankfully there was no line, and we had no issues getting in. Upon entering we received an eco-token to encourage returning your cup to the bar after finishing your drink rather than dropping it on the ground.
Lockers at the Ziggo Dome are standard size and were accessible by inserting a two-euro coin. They were the type of lockers where you had to pay to re-open them, so we chose our belongings very carefully.
Food & Drinks
As we had very large Mexican dinner before the party, we didn’t visit any of the food stands – but there were plenty of options for food, and cushioned areas to sit. No tokens were required at this event so you could simply use your bank card which always makes things way easier and more affordable.
Drinks were standard price and as a rosé drinker I wasn’t shocked to pay five euros for a glass of wine. Unfortunately bottles of water were not an option, so you had to pay for a cup of water each time which makes it a little more difficult if you’re as crazy as a dancer as me!
Venue
For those who don’t know the Ziggo Dome is one of the most well-known concert venues in the Netherlands. It’s a large arena with multiple levels of seating and can hold up to 17,000 visitors. Although the party was pretty much sold out, at no point did I ever feel like it was so crowded that you couldn’t move.
I was easily able to navigate my way from the back to the front all the way up against the rail. There were also ample places to sit in the stands. Even the queues for the bathroom moved smoothly as when a stall became available a light would appear at the top to expedite the process.
The Ziggo Dome was the perfect venue for an event of this size and caliber. No matter where you’re at in the stadium; you’re always able to see the show.
Stage
The stage was designed to look like a glowing pyramid with the DJ at the center. Throughout the night, the pyramid would change colors and styles with synchronized lasers. The sides of the pyramid would also change throughout the night as well with different visuals. At the times the names of the artists would appear or vibrant colors.
Line up
Nicky Romero
The first set we saw was Nicky Romero. As an early 00’s raver, I was particularly excited for this set as I hadn’t seen him live in over 12 years. He took me back to the early days with some of my favorite classics such as Fade into Darkness coupled with some newer tracks such as For the People.
Alesso
Next up was Swedish superstar Alesso. The packed Ziggo Dome sang along to Let Me Go and Heroes (We Could Be). As Alesso tore down the stage, balloons descended up on the crowd as the iconic Calling (Lose My Mind) played through the speakers.
Morten
It was my first time seeing Morten, so I was particularly curious as to what to expect. Morten blew me away with remixes of classic bangers we know and love such as Sexy Bitch and Titanium. He of course dropped his own hits like Alive Again, No Good, and Dreams.
W&W
Next up the Dutch powerhouse duo W&W. Their set was a mix of oldies like Mr Vain, Summer, and Mammoth blended together with newer tracks like Crowd Control. Of course, right on cue the crowd got together arm in arm to jump from right to left creating rippling earthquake effects throughout the dancefloor.
Sub Zero Project
Last up on the decks to close out the night was Sub Zero Project. The crowd was more than ready for some hardstyle in the final hour. From Sandstorm to We are the Champions the energy for this set was unparalleled. It didn’t matter that it was almost 6:00 AM everyone was energized until the very end.
Visuals & Sound System
As someone who’s been raving for almost 14 years, Don’t Let Daddy Know had honestly some of the best visuals I’ve ever seen. Between the insane lasers, confetti, balloons, and pyrotechnics, there wasn’t a moment where you weren’t 100% stimulated.
I also have zero complaints about the sound. The sound system at Ziggo Dome is usually good and tonight was no exception.
One other notable and unique part of this party was that the crowd was adorned with light up bracelets. Unfortunately, we were not given the bracelets upon arrival (or we missed it). However, I ended up trading a Flugel and a pack of American watermelon gum for two bracelets. The bracelets synchronized to the music so the crowd would light up in unison to different songs, which is something unique I’ve never experienced before.
Atmosphere
The overall vibe and energy of the crowd was great. It was fun to hear everyone singing along to the songs. It was definitely more of a mainstream concert going crowd than a rave crowd, however there were some people dressed up in some cool outfits!
Overall Impressions
If you’re like me, believing that the 2010’s were the golden years of EDM, then this is the party for you. From start to finish it was nostalgic banger after banger, which was like taking a much-needed trip back in time. I 100% recommend this event to anyone who’s into mainstream EDM or big room house.
Pre-registration is now live for the 2024 edition: https://amsterdam.dldk.com/