I started partying [raving] in the late 1990s, and for a while, the rave scene significantly shaped who I was. During those years, I became deeply immersed in the drum-n-bass (DnB) genre of electronic music, turning into quite an aficionado. Although I stopped attending raves every single weekend in the early 2000s, my passion for DnB music never waned. In San Francisco, I was a regular at a weekly event called ‘Eklektic,’ where I became well-acquainted with everyone—DJs, promoters, and fellow party-goers. It felt like a weekly reunion; these people became my party family. When I lived in NYC, I also dove into the DnB scene there.

As I travel through Europe, I constantly seek out DnB clubs and events, and now, I’ve also developed a keen interest in Dubstep. Upon arriving in Amsterdam, I immediately looked up DnB parties and found a few to attend. I RSVPed on a party’s Facebook page and soon received a message from the promoter, who kindly added me to the guest list for three DnB/Dubstep events that weekend.

On Friday night, I headed to AIR, a club on the Amstel canal, arriving around 12:30 AM to find it almost empty but slowly filling as grimy Dubstep beats pulsed through the dark, upscale venue. AIR featured glamorous light shows, a huge projection screen above the DJ booth, and smoke machines. The crowd, mostly dressed-up girls and casually-dressed guys, seemed very young, mostly in their late teens or early twenties.

AIR had a unique drink policy—purchasing a card at the entrance and loading it with credit. The card cost 2€, or it was free with a 30€ credit addition. I opted for a 10€ card, ending up with 8€ credit. The precise shot-pouring policy in Amsterdam clubs was also notable; a measuring device ensured each pour was exactly measured, quite different from the generous pours I was used to elsewhere.

After some time, the music shifted to a commercial club mix that I didn’t enjoy, so I eventually left, although I had hoped the music would return to something more to my liking.

On Monday night, I went to Cheeky Monday, a weekly DnB party near Dam Square and the Red Light District. By 11 PM, the venue was buzzing—small, hot, and packed with enthusiastic young dancers. I enjoyed a 4€ beer and a 1€ shot of ‘red vodka,’ which was surprisingly tasty. The music was fantastic—dark, dirty DnB beats that I absolutely loved. Energized by the music, I danced fervently until around 3 AM, when I decided to ride my bike home.

The DJs spun some classic ’90s DnB tracks, and I found it amusing and incredible to be dancing in Amsterdam with a crowd that was likely just toddlers during the ’90s. Riding my bike back in the cool early morning air was refreshing and sobering, which was perfect because the next morning, I had a train to catch to Berlin! The whole experience was a delightful blast from the past and a reminder of why I fell in love with DnB in the first place.