Open call · ADE 2026 · Hosted by Dave Clarke
Demolition XXIX
Demolition is back for another year of collectively listening to, and learning from, your latest productions. Dare to send in your best demo: get live, on-stage feedback from renowned electronic music professionals, from A&Rs to artists. One winner and two runners-up win hardware and software prizes.
- Panel
- Aroha Harawira, Louisahhh, Pooja B, BT and Joseph Capriati · moderated by Dave Clarke and Ivan Markovic
- Deadline
- Wed 21 Oct · 23:59 (Amsterdam time)
- Live session
- Saturday 24 October · 16:15–17:45
- Venue
- Felix Meritis (Zuilenzaal), Keizersgracht 324, Amsterdam
- Prizes
- Winner + two runners-up, with prizes from Arturia, Reloop, AIAIAI, Yamaha and Roland (allocation TBA)
Demolition XXIX
Send your demo · about 3 minutes to Demolition XXIX
Have ready: WAV or MP3 (max 190 MB), BPM, ticket or transaction number
Free with an ADE Pro Pass or ADE Lab On Track acceptance ticket · No AI-generated music · You keep your rights
Powered by 
VIRPP
The panel
- Dave ClarkeHost
- Aroha HarawiraPanel
- LouisahhhArtist / producer · FR
- Pooja BDJ / producer · IN
- BTBrian Transeau · US
- Joseph CapriatiDJ / producer · IT
- Ivan MarkovicCo-moderator
Played at Demolition
- 2023 winnerTWAN“Carry On”
- 2025 winnerVon Di“Dirty Talk”
- 2026Your name hereDemolition XXIX
01 / What it is
Live demo critique
Hosted by Dave Clarke, this hugely successful format gives producers the chance to receive live, on-stage feedback from a selection of renowned electronic music professionals, from A&Rs to artists, all with broad knowledge across electronic genres.
This year Demolition takes place in ADE’s main Conference hub, Felix Meritis, on the collaborative Saturday between ADE Pro, ADE Lab On Track and Team Beats: Saturday 24 October, 16:15–17:45. From the standout tracks, one winner and two runners-up are chosen to receive high-tech hardware and software prizes from our partners Arturia, Reloop, AIAIAI, Yamaha and Roland.
Who it’s for
Producers with an unreleased, unsigned track in any electronic genre who want honest feedback and industry exposure. You need an ADE Pro Pass or ADE Lab On Track acceptance ticket, and you must be physically present at the session.
What you get
- Live feedback from the panel and Dave Clarke, on stage at ADE
- Exposure: ADE and VIRPP may name you and play your demo
- Prizes for one winner and two runners-up from our partners Arturia, Reloop, AIAIAI, Yamaha and Roland.
Prizes
- Winner
- TBA
- Runner-up 1
- TBA
- Runner-up 2
- TBA
- Prize partners
- Arturia, Reloop, AIAIAI, Yamaha and Roland
Which prize goes to which place is announced by ADE. Only those physically present in the room are eligible.
02 / How it works
From upload to stage
- 13 – 21 Oct
Enter
Submit your demo
One unreleased track, WAV or 320 kbps MP3 (max 190 MB), with the start of your 60-second fragment marked.
No AI-generated music
AI-generated music is not allowed and entries can be checked for it. AI tools for mixing and mastering are fine.
- Wed 21 Oct · 23:59
Deadline
Submissions close
Entries close on Wednesday 21 October at 23:59 (Amsterdam time).
- Sat 24 Oct · 16:15 · Felix Meritis
Live session
Played live
Demos are played live and get on-stage feedback from the panel, hosted by Dave Clarke. Which demos are played is not announced in advance, so be in the room with your pass.
Wildcard round
At the end, the host invites everyone in the room to bring their USB to the stage. One demo is picked at random and also competes for the prizes.
Winners
At the end the jury picks one winner and two runners-up, with prizes from our partners Arturia, Reloop, AIAIAI, Yamaha and Roland. Only those physically present in the room are eligible.
03 / Key dates
Key dates
- Submissions open
- 13 October 2026
- Deadline
- Wednesday 21 October, 23:59 (Amsterdam time)
- Live session
- Saturday 24 October · 16:15–17:45 · Felix Meritis, Amsterdam
04 / Read before you upload
Demolition rules
- Pass and presenceTo submit your demo you need an ADE Pro Pass or an ADE Lab On Track acceptance ticket, and you must be physically present at the Demolition session.
- One demo per artistYour track must be unsigned and unreleased.
- Full trackUpload the full track as WAV or 320 kbps MP3, max 190 MB, and mark where your best 60 seconds start: that 60-second fragment is what the jury hears.
- Your rightsYou own or control all rights, including samples. You keep your rights.
- No AI-generated musicEntries can be checked for AI-generated music. AI tools for mixing or mastering are fine.
- Past winnersWinners from the previous five editions of Demolition cannot enter.
- Played liveDemos are played live during the 1.5-hour session. Which demos are played is not announced in advance, so be in the room.
- Wildcard roundAt the end of Demolition the host invites everyone in the room to bring their USB to the stage. One demo is selected and played at random, and it also competes for the prizes.
- Be on timeRoom capacity is limited and access is first come, first served. Only those physically present in the room are eligible to have their demo considered for the prizes.
- Final decisionThe jury’s decision is final. ADE and VIRPP may name you and play your demo.
05 / Questions
Demolition FAQ
What is ADE Demolition?
Demolition is back for another year of collectively listening to, and learning from, your latest productions. Hosted by Dave Clarke, producers get live, on-stage feedback from renowned electronic music professionals: Aroha Harawira, Louisahhh, Pooja B, BT and Joseph Capriati, moderated by Dave Clarke and Ivan Markovic. The session is at Felix Meritis (Zuilenzaal), Keizersgracht 324 in Amsterdam, on Saturday 24 October (16:15–17:45).
How do I submit a demo to ADE Demolition 2026?
Use the form on this page: one unreleased track (WAV or 320 kbps MP3, max 190 MB), where your best 60 seconds start (the 60-second fragment the jury hears), your details and your ADE order number. You get a submission ID straight away.
Is it free, and which ADE pass do I need?
Submitting is free. You need an ADE Pro Pass or an ADE Lab On Track acceptance ticket, and you must be physically present at the session at Felix Meritis on Saturday 24 October (16:15–17:45).
When is the deadline?
Submissions close on Wednesday 21 October at 23:59 (Amsterdam time).
Will I know in advance if my demo is played?
No. Which demos are played is not announced in advance: be in the room for the 1.5-hour session. At the end the jury picks one winner and two runners-up.
What is the wildcard round?
At the end of Demolition the host invites everyone in the room to bring their USB to the stage. One demo is selected and played at random, and it also competes for the prizes.
What can I win?
One winner and two runners-up receive high-tech hardware and software prizes from our partners Arturia, Reloop, AIAIAI, Yamaha and Roland. Which prize goes to which place is announced later (TBA). Only those physically present in the room are eligible.
Am I guaranteed a place in the room?
No. Room capacity is limited and access is first come, first served, so arrive on time.
Who won before?
Recent winners include TWAN with “Carry On” (2023) and Von Di with “Dirty Talk” (2025). Winners of the previous five editions cannot enter.
Do I keep the rights to my track?
Yes. You keep all your rights. You only allow ADE and VIRPP to name you and play your demo as part of Demolition. Questions: [email protected].
06 / Your data
Privacy
Who is responsible. Stichting Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE), Wilgenweg 6, 1031 HV Amsterdam, Chamber of Commerce (KvK) 34292016, is responsible for your personal data (the controller). VIRPP runs the submission platform on ADE’s behalf (the processor). ADE’s full privacy statement: amsterdam-dance-event.nl/en/privacy.
We collect only what we need to run Demolition XXIX:
- Your e-mail address and mobile number, to contact you about your entry.
- Your legal name, artist name, country and ADE ticket, transaction or order number, to verify your pass with ADE. Only the organisers see your legal name.
- Your track and its details (title, genre, BPM, fragment start), so the jury can listen to it.
- Gender, only if you choose to share it, and only reported as anonymous totals of 10 or more.
We use this data only to run the session you entered, which you asked to take part in. The jury sees your artist name and track, not your legal name or contact details. ADE sees anonymous statistics and, for selected artists, the details needed to run the session.
How long. Your data and audio are deleted automatically 90 days after the contest ends (25 October 2026). Technical logs are kept shorter; IP addresses are shortened after 30 days.
Service providers. VIRPP uses providers for hosting, network security (Cloudflare) and e-mail (Mailgun). Cloudflare and Mailgun are US companies, so some data may be processed outside the EU.
Cookies. These pages set no cookies and use no tracking or analytics. Only the staff login (jury and ADE) uses one strictly necessary session cookie.
Your rights. You can ask to see, correct or delete your data at any time: [email protected] (ADE) or [email protected] (VIRPP). You can also complain to the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens).