Insomniac Founder Pasquale Rotella Joins ADE Pro Program as Final Headline Speaker to Discuss the Future of Rave Culture and Why it Needs Its Own Industry

Amsterdam, Netherlands (19 October 2026) – Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) today confirms Pasquale Rotella, founder of Insomniac Events and creator of Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) Las Vegas, as the final headline speaker of ADE Pro program 2026.

Rotella will sit down with acclaimed music journalist Katie Bain, Director of Billboard Dance, for an exclusive keynote conversation on Thursday, October 22 at 14:30 - 15:15 at Felix Meritis in Amsterdam, as ADE celebrates its 30th anniversary edition.The keynote will also be the setting for a major announcement from ADE and Insomniac. Details are being kept under wraps until the session itself and will be revealed for the first time, live in the room, in front of the ADE Pro audience. Media wishing to be first to the story are strongly encouraged to attend.

Rotella rarely takes the conference stage, making this one of the most significant appearances of ADE Pro Program. Rotella will discuss the importance of the live electronic music scene, his commitment to preserving rave culture, and why he believes its long-term survival depends on establishing a stronger, more independent business ecosystem.

From organizing underground gatherings in early '90s Los Angeles to steering Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) into one of the largest live music spectacles on Earth, Rotella's trajectory has run parallel to modern electronic music history for decades. Yet, as rave culture operates on an unprecedented global scale, the live scene faces vital questions: How can promoters grow without compromising the culture? What role do grassroots organizations play as events become more commercial? How can we protect and support independent promoters and the next generation of risk-takers as rave culture continues to grow?

In this exclusive keynote conversation, Rotella takes the ADE Pro stage to explore the current state and future of rave culture. The discussion will examine why shared, in-person experiences remain irreplaceable to the community, the importance of independent promoters and risk-takers, and why preserving the independent spirit that built rave culture is more important than ever.

General information

Event: Pasquale Rotella on the Future of Rave Culture and Why it Needs its Own Industry

Location: Felix Meritis (Zuilenzaal) | Keizersgracht 324, Amsterdam

Date + time: Thursday, October 22 14:30 - 15:15

More information here

About the Amsterdam Dance Event Foundation

The Amsterdam Dance Event Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to nurturing electronic music, its culture and its industry worldwide. The organisation devotes itself to stimulating development, innovation and talent, gathering the global industry and laying a foundation for future generations. The Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE), an initiative of Buma, has grown into the world’s largest and most influential club-based festival and conference for electronic music. The event continues to grow and develop each year, featuring over 3,600 artists throughout 1,300+ events in over 300 venues. The five-day event features every conceivable aspect of electronic music culture, with dedicated conference programming, an extensive Arts & Culture programme, live music and DJ/artist performances, all spread across the city of Amsterdam. More information about ADE can be found here.


ADE – Electronic Music Gathers Here

The Amsterdam Dance Event is organised by The Amsterdam Dance Event Foundation.

Founding partner: BumaStemra | Main partner: Heineken


1996—2026: 30 Years of Driving Electronic Music Forward

Over the past three decades, ADE has grown to become the most influential breeding ground for electronic music; building the framework that helped a new genre to be recognised worldwide as an art form and a thriving business, into what is now an immense global industry. More specials, initiatives and events celebrating 30 Years of ADE will be unveiled throughout the coming months.

About Insomniac

Insomniac, the global dance music experience curator, is the driving force behind some of the world’s most iconic music festivals, including Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), Beyond Wonderland and Nocturnal Wonderland. Under the leadership of founder and CEO Pasquale Rotella, Insomniac continues to innovate, expanding dance music into arenas, clubs and groundbreaking venues such as Sphere in Las Vegas, while remaining rooted in the California-born underground ethos that ignited the movement. For more than 30 years, Rotella has championed creativity, inclusivity and community through immersive, large-scale experiences. Keep up with Insomniac on its website, Instagram and Tiktok.



Editor’s note:

For more information and interview requests, please contact:

Esmée Bosklopper

T. +31 6 15 03 13 90

E. [email protected]