From Chicago house pioneer Marshall Jefferson to DJ MAX’s 30-year Welcome to the Club legacy, Carrillo Music Group’s Amsterdam Dance Event programming connects the genre’s roots with the international community keeping it alive.
As Amsterdam Dance Event celebrates its 30th anniversary this October, Carrillo Music Group brings the true house music spirit to Amsterdam through a series of events spanning house music’s history, its international reach and the people shaping its future.
Two major highlights anchor the week’s programming: Marshall Jefferson & Friends: Honoring the Roots of House, celebrating one of the most influential figures in Chicago house, and the 30th anniversary of Welcome to the Club, the radio show and event brand founded by European DJ and producer DJ MAX. The radio show’s milestone 1,400th episode is scheduled for October 24, alongside its anniversary party at Van de Werf in Amsterdam-Noord.
The events form part of a collaboration between Carrillo Music, GDE and the ADE team, with a shared focus on independent house music, supporting LGBTQ+ artists and communities, and bringing people of all races, cultures and backgrounds together through music.
From Chicago’s foundational house sound to international female DJs, long-running radio broadcasting and community-focused dance floors, the week’s events reflect the many ways the culture continues to evolve while staying true to its roots.
Marshall Jefferson & Friends: Honoring the Roots of House
Wednesday, October 21 | 5 PM–10 PM
Venue: Blend XL | Instagram
Address: Reguliersdwarsstraat 44, Amsterdam
Few artists are as closely associated with the foundations of house music as Marshall Jefferson. A central figure in Chicago’s early house scene, Jefferson helped establish a sound that would travel far beyond the city’s clubs and influence generations of dance music producers and DJs.
The Marshall Jefferson & Friends gathering connects ADE’s anniversary celebrations with that history, putting one of the genre’s defining figures at the center of the week. The event at Blend XL is scheduled for the early evening, with free admission.
Carrillo Music Group has also indicated that a separate Marshall Jefferson & Friends event is planned for Friday, October 23, with an additional flyer still forthcoming. Details for that event should be confirmed before publication.
The Sounds of Blackness: Celebrating the Culture Behind the Music
Friday, October 23 | 8 PM–2 AM
Venue: Bar Restaurant Van de Werf
Address: NDSM-Kade 2, Amsterdam-Noord
The influence of Black artists and communities is inseparable from house music’s history. The Sounds of Blackness brings that heritage into focus through a lineup featuring Hugo H., Manny Ward, Elliot Matos, Sweet Georgie, Curtis Atchison and Reginald Johnson.
Hugo H. has been DJing since he was 13, beginning in 1979. Alongside his wife and longtime musical partner First Lady, he forms The Love Team, a Chicago-based duo whose partnership behind the decks began in 2017. Together, they have collaborated with house music names including Marshall Jefferson, Mike Dunn, DJ Pierre and Farley Jackmaster Funk.
First Lady’s story is particularly significant to house music history. Known earlier in her career as Khrissie “Hott Mixx” Henderson, she was among the pioneering women in Chicago radio, becoming the first female mixer on WGCI-FM in 1986. Her work has also extended into broadcasting, education and mentorship.
Reginald Johnson and Manny Ward also appear elsewhere in the week’s schedule, linking Friday’s showcase to the Sunday events. The recurring lineup reflects the interconnected nature of the Carrillo Music Group community, where artists share stages across different concepts and audiences.
The event is listed at Van de Werf, the waterfront venue in Amsterdam-Noord that also hosts the Welcome to the Club anniversary party the following evening.
Welcome to the Club: Three Decades of Radio, Music and Club Culture
Saturday, October 24 | 6 PM–2 AM
Venue: Bar Restaurant Van de Werf
Address: NDSM-Kade 2, Amsterdam-Noord
For DJ MAX, Welcome to the Club has always been about more than playing records. Launched in 1996, the radio show has spent three decades introducing listeners to new electronic music and international artists while building a lasting connection with clubbers across Europe.
Broadcast every Saturday on HRT HR2, Croatia’s national public radio Channel 2, the two-hour program has aired more than 1,300 episodes and earned a devoted following. It has also received Croatia’s Ambassador award for Best Radio Show. Its 1,400th episode is scheduled for October 24, coinciding with the brand’s 30th anniversary celebration at ADE.
DJ MAX has expanded the concept beyond radio, organizing Welcome to the Club parties in Croatia, Italy, Ibiza and Amsterdam. He established an Ibiza residency for the brand in 2019, and the event returns to ADE for its third consecutive year in 2026.
The anniversary lineup brings together artists from several countries: DJ MAX, DJ Blackicon1, DJ Izee, Isa Carrillo, Soleil Carrillo and Georgie Porgie.
DJ Izee, whose real name is Jasper Erdman, is a Dutch DJ and producer originally from Rotterdam. His musical background began with the trumpet before he moved into hip-hop production as a teenager. His current sound draws on soulful and deep house, with a versatile approach informed by years of DJing and music production. He has also worked with international artists and record labels across the dance music scene.
Isa Carrillo is based between Madrid and Segovia, Spain, where she has been building her profile with sets that blend tech house, disco house, contemporary grooves and melodic influences. Her appearance at Welcome to the Club is part of a busy ADE weekend that also sees her perform at Women of House.
Soleil Carrillo, based in Victoria, British Columbia, brings a different dimension to the lineup as both a DJ and music producer. His work includes original house music, pop remixes and scores for short films and video games. He also has a monthly residency on Terri B.’s HOUSECRUNCH radio segment, which reaches more than 30 radio stations worldwide. His work spans house while occasionally branching into R&B and other electronic styles.
Georgie Porgie brings a direct connection to Chicago house. Known for uplifting anthems and a catalogue of chart-topping records, he has been part of DJ MAX’s radio show for years. DJ Blackicon1, meanwhile, is an experienced New York City DJ and radio host who returns to the Welcome to the Club lineup after appearing in the brand’s previous ADE programming.
DJ MAX’s own career bridges house music’s origins with the contemporary international scene. He has performed at major festivals and clubs, including Ultra events, Ibiza venues and ADE, while working as a DJ, producer and broadcaster. His 2025 release “Turn It Up,” made with the late Chicago house vocalist Ron Carroll, connected his modern production work with the soulful, uplifting sound associated with Chicago house.
The anniversary party celebrates not only a radio show, but the role independent broadcasting has played in introducing audiences to artists and music they might otherwise never encounter.
Event details: Welcome to the Club’s official ADE 2026 page
Women of House: International Female DJs Take the Floor
Saturday, October 24 | 8 PM–4 AM
Venue: PRIK | Instagram
Address: Spuistraat 109, 1012 SV Amsterdam
Women of House brings female DJs from different countries and musical backgrounds together for a night focused on their contributions to house music and club culture.
The lineup features Isa Carrillo from Spain, Nita Funk, First Lady from Chicago, Better Music from South Korea and Mia Banks from the Netherlands.
First Lady brings decades of experience to the event, with a career that stretches from Chicago’s early house scene into radio, television, education and mentorship. Her history offers a reminder that women have been central to house music’s development from its earliest days, even when their contributions have not always received equal recognition.
Isa Carrillo brings a newer perspective, combining tech-house and disco-house influences in sets that move between contemporary club sounds and classic dance-floor melodies. Her appearances at both Women of House and Welcome to the Club make her one of the artists connecting Saturday’s showcases.
Nita Funk’s DJ profile and recorded sets provide another entry point into the lineup’s international mix, while Better Music adds South Korean representation. Mia Banks completes a bill that reflects the breadth of women working across today’s house music landscape.
Women of House is scheduled to run from 8 PM until 4 AM, with free admission.
We All Dance Together: A Sunday Celebration at PRIK
Sunday, October 25 | 6 PM–Midnight
Venue: PRIK | Instagram
Address: Spuistraat 109, 1012 SV Amsterdam
The Sounds of Blackness returns Sunday with We All Dance Together, a gathering built around the idea that music can bring people together across borders, identities and backgrounds.
The lineup features The Love Team from Chicago, Gifted DJ from South Africa, Man Machine and Retro Tech from the United States, alongside additional artists.
The Love Team’s presence connects the event to house music’s Chicago roots. Hugo H. and First Lady bring more than eight decades of combined musical experience, with individual careers that began in their early teens. Their work together spans international festivals, radio appearances, music collaborations and their own creative projects. They have performed across the United States and Europe, sharing stages with artists from across the house music community.
The event’s title captures its central message: a dance floor can be a place where differences fall away and people connect through music. That spirit reflects the wider Carrillo Music, GDE and ADE collaboration, which emphasizes support for LGBTQ+ artists and communities and welcomes people of all races, cultures and backgrounds.
With free admission advertised, We All Dance Together offers a community-centered way to spend Sunday evening during ADE.
Sanctuary: Music, Acceptance and a Place to Belong
Sunday, October 25 | 6 PM–Midnight
Venue: Bears Amsterdam
Address: Sint Jacobsstraat 6, 1012 NC Amsterdam
Also scheduled for Sunday evening, Sanctuary offers a different expression of the community spirit running through the week’s programming.
The lineup features Sagia, Romulus III, Elliot Matos, Manny Ward, Jeffrey Cheng, Rene Nijkamp, The Love Team, Midnight Society and Reginald Johnson.
Sanctuary’s concept centers on creating a safe harbor where people can come together without judgment, grounded in unconditional love, healing and the freedom to express themselves. Music and dance provide common ground for that experience.
The lineup connects the event to the wider program. The Love Team also performs at We All Dance Together, while Manny Ward and Reginald Johnson feature in The Sounds of Blackness programming. Midnight Society, previously featured in Carrillo Music Group’s ADE coverage, returns to the schedule as well.
Midnight Society is associated with New York City DJ and producer Curtis Atchison, whose work connects the event with the city’s house and club music scene.
Rather than focusing solely on a roster of names, Sanctuary places the atmosphere and values of the gathering at the heart of the event. Its message complements the broader emphasis on inclusion, acceptance and belonging across the ADE program.
