Awakenings' Upclose Returns in 2025 with Wild Curation of Techno Talent

Upclose, an Awakenings festival, returns to Spaarnwoude-Park with a lineup featuring Ben Klock, Jeff Mills, 999999999, Charlie Sparks, Chris Stussy, and more.

Following its unforgettable, sold-out debut earlier this year, techno dreamland Upclose, the newest festival by Awakenings, is set to return to Spaarnwoude-Park on May 17-18. This boutique festival is “an ode to the dancefloor” and aims to conjure the once-lost ’90s rave atmosphere; a dancefloor vibe built on nothing more than love, music, and connection. Upclose strips back all the unnecessary filler. This leads to a raw, more intimate bond between sound, community, space, and DJ. The roots of rave and dance.

This week, the festival announced a jaw-dropping assortment of techno talent for its triumphant return that feels almost a little too good to be true. With names like Jeff Mills, KI/KI, Ben Klock, Chris Stussy, 999999999, and Rødhåd, it would be no exaggeration to call this lineup a techno lover’s dream.

Upclose isn’t just a festival. It’s a meeting of some of the most influential, established, and emerging minds in the techno scene today. The lineup includes ’90s favorites like hypnotic and minimal and even calls on UK Garage legend DJ EZ for an added dash of historical accuracy. While the festival holds a “glory days” air about it, Upclose knows the talent and trends of today cannot go without recognition.

Artists like Kobosil and Charlie Sparks are bringing their hard “TikTok” techno power. Femme fatales KI/KI, SPFDJ, and DJ Fuckoff offer unique genre-melting sounds. The festival also features an unbelievably talented assortment of DJ pairings. Mashups include hard techno heavyweights Anetha x Patrick Mason, Berlin favorites Ben Klock x Ignez, and certified groovers Sally C x Chris Stussy. Again, it’s a lineup that feels too good to be true.

Tickets to Upclose 2025 are on sale now and can be purchased via the official website.