Sunday, Aug. 9, Spaarnwoude Recreation Area in Velsen-Zuid, eight stages spread over a green outdoor area half an hour from the city. The concept is the same as before: lots of music, lots of people, lots of sun.
The two biggest names this year are Bizzey & Friends and Bilal Wahib. Bizzey has stood for years as one of the regular faces of the Dutch urban scene, and the Friends formula always gives such a performance an extra dimension. You never know exactly who will show up. Bilal Wahib has proven in recent years that he fills a stage, and at a festival like this he fits like a glove. Both gigs are programmed as headliners, which means they will probably take care of the bigger stages.
The atmosphere in Spaarnwoude is different from a city park or a harbor area. The recreational area has space, greenery and air. Eight stages spread across such a terrain means you can move all day, from one sound to another. Food stands scattered around the grounds, and the setup is informal: you slide in, you walk through, you end up somewhere where something good is playing.
Bizzey & Friends and Bilal Wahib as headliners, eight stages in green, and Mart Hoogkamer somewhere in between.
Spaarnwoude is just outside the city, but its target audience is clearly urban. Previous editions of Dutch Valley attracted the same mix of twentysomethings and thirtysomethings who don't want to sit at home on Sundays. With more than a hundred artists spread across eight stages, there's always an alternative even when crowded. Presale tickets are available for €59.95, which for a day with these names and this venue is on the lower side for a festival of this size.