The best parties never start on time, but they always arrive exactly when you need them. And in this case, just when you thought Amsterdam summer couldn’t get any hotter and fun, Garage Noord returns with its annual two-day odyssey: Garage Fest, this time in collaboration with Nyege Nyege Festival.
Happening July 19 & 20, the weekender brings over 40 artists from around the world to Noord’s favourite former car garage turned fever dream. The line-up stretches across three stages: the outdoor stage, the Garage floor, and the more intimate Bar40. Expect sound that bends borders, defies genre, and turns subculture into the main event.
This year’s edition celebrates a decade of Nyege Nyege: a label, a festival, a party, and everything in between. From its roots as a platform for East African electronic music, Nyege Nyege has grown into a global network, challenging the blueprint of what club music can sound like, feel like, move like.
The name comes from the Luganda word ‘ekinyegenyege,’ meaning the uncontrollable urge to dance. And you’ll feel it.
For many of us in this big (small) beautiful city, Garage Noord feels like home. A place that lets you exhale, expand, and maybe even find a new version of yourself under the strobes. Garage Fest is two days of sound, sweat, and subversion: a reminder that Amsterdam’s club scene is at its best when it collaborates, experiments, and dares to step outside the usual.
Ten-year-olds, much like Nyege Nyege, are at that chaotic sweet spot: a little rebellious, bursting with imagination, and just beginning to test the edges of what’s possible. That’s the exact spirit we recommend bringing to Garage Fest. Curious, messy, fearless, and fully in your body. Consider it your developmental milestone for summer 2025.
Just like any guest at a birthday party, you should know how to behave if you want to be invited back. Here’s what you need to know:
There is a zero tolerance policy against:
* Racism, homophobia, transphobia, or any other form of discrimination
* Harassment or taking up too much space (this includes filming or photographing inside)
* Drug dealing or weapon possession
Scroll on for just a few of the artists we can’t wait to see:
MC Yallah
Kenyan-born and Uganda-based, MC Yallah has been active in East Africa’s underground since the late ’90s. She delivers fast, tightly wound verses across multiple languages including Luganda, English, Luo and Kiswahili. Her recent collaborations with producer Debmaster blend hip-hop, punk, and electronic elements, with a new album due soon on Nyege Nyege’s sublabel Hakuna Kulala.
Baby Ganoush
An Amsterdam-based DJ and visual artist, Baby Ganoush blends ambient textures with darker electronics to build sets that are both introspective and high-energy. Her selections often move between breaks, trance, trap, jungle and IDM. She’s played at venues including Garage Noord, Lente Kabinet, Kanaal40, Sonic Acts, and Spielraum.
April 222
A DJ from Amsterdam whose sets draw from gqom, vogue, and experimental techno. Their sound is often described as accelerated, improvisational, and densely layered. With an approach that balances instinct and precision, their work explores new sonic territories while staying rooted in black music traditions.
We can’t wait to see you there!
Xx,
Aa
