Sensation Festival

센세이션 페스티벌이란? 

 

센세이션은 네덜란드에서 시작된 일렉트로닉 뮤직 페스티발로 독일계 이벤트 디렉팅 회사인 ID&T로 부터 주최되었다.
암스테르담 아레나에서 2005년까지 5년간 독점 개최되었던 초기 이벤트는 현재 여러 유럽국가는 물론 남미, 미국과 더불어 2012년 부터는 한국을 포함한 여러 아시아 국가에서도 개최되고 있다.

 

2000년과 2001년 '센세이션'이라는 이름을 필두로 두가지 에디션을 앞세우며 출범하였다. 센세이션은 그 이벤트를 센세이션 화이트와 블랙으로 나누면서 다양한 테이스트의 입맛을 맞출 수 있는 행보를 꾀하였다. Hard style과 Hardcore한 느낌의 센세이션 블랙, 보다 House style의 센세이션 화이트가 그것이다. 매년 센세이션은 Anthem이라고 불리는 더블디스크 음반도 발매하였다. 2008년에는 센세이션 화이트를 '센세이션'으로 센세이션 블랙은 '블랙'으로 이름을 바꾸었다.

2000년의 센세이션을 첫번 째 에디션을 처음으로 2005년에는 독일 벨기에에서 센세이션 화이트가 개최되었다. 2006년 ID&T는 센세이션 인터내셔널 투어를 시작하였고 2008년 새해전야에는 멜번 테스틀라 돔에서의 이벤트를 성공적으로 이끌었다.

 

센세이션 화이트는 트랜스 음악 이벤트였지만 이후에는 순수한 하우스 음악 이벤트로 바뀌었다. 모든 관객은 암스테르담 아레나의 데코레이션에 맞게 흰색의 옷으로 드레스 코드를 맞추어야 했다. 센세이션 화이트의 슬로건은 'Be part of the night - Dress in White'이고 매 이벤트는 40000-45000장의 티켓이 발매 되었다. Tiesto, Armin van Buuren, Swedish House Mafia, Andre Tanneberger, Darren Emerson, David Guetta 같은 유수의 유명 DJ들이 참여하며 그 명성을 함께했다.

항간에는 트랜스 음악이 너무 없고 하우스 음악과 일렉트로에만 치중한다는 비판이 일었지만 센세이션 측에서는 어쩌면 대중성을 목표로 하우스 음악에 대한 강경한 발검을을 계속하였다. 2010년의 테마가 'Celebrate Life with House'였을 정도이다. 이후로도 여러가지 활동을 통해서 센세이션은 화우스 음악 이벤트라는 것을 필두로 내세우며 그것만의 정체성을 찾아 나가고 있다.

 

센세이션 블랙은 하드 트랜스, 하드스타일, 하드코어 스타일과 함께 점진적으로 성장해 나갔다. 블랙은 항상 7월 2째주 주말에 열리며 센세이션과 마찬가지로 드레스 코드가 있는데 그의 이름과 마찬가지로 드레스 코드는 완전히 블랙이다.

블랙에는 Showtek, Angerfist, Headhunterz, Marcel Woods, Chris Liebing, DJ Lady Dana, Dj Luna 등을 비롯한 많은 DJ들이 참가하였다.

2009년 블랙은 ID&T가 더 좋은 장소를 위해 네덜란드가 아닌 벨기에에서 개최 되었고, 2010년에는 ID&T의 자회사인 Q-dance에 의해서 "Feestfabriek"이라는 이름으로 개최되었다.

 

 

Sensation is an indoor electronic dance music event which originated in the Netherlands and organized by ID&T. The original event, which ran exclusively in the Amsterdam ArenA for a period of five years until 2005, is now located throughout Poland, Spain, Austria, Chile, Germany, Belgium, Hungary, Czech Republic, Latvia, Russia, Denmark, Lithuania, Portugal, Serbia, Brazil, Norway, Ukraine, United Kingdom, the United States (starting 2012), South Korea (Starting 2012), Thailand (Starting 2012), Taiwan (Starting 2012), Turkey (Starting 2012) and Romania (Starting 2012).

In 2008, it was announced that for the first time Sensation would be held on New Year's Eve in Melbourne, Australia,^[1] as well as in Düsseldorf, Germany and Barcelona, Spain.

ID&T announced in 2011 that Sensation would finally tour to the United States of America in 2012. The first Sensation America event will take place back-to-back nights on October 26th and 27th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York City. http://www.sensation.com/united-states/en/news/index/684/sensation-is-coming-to-nyc

ID&T also announced on April 3rd, 2012 that Sensation would also be making its debut in Asia, making stops in South Korea, Thailand, and Taiwan. In a press conference held in Seoul, Korea, it was revealed that the first Sensation Asia will be held in Seoul, Korea, on the 21st of July. After Sensation Korea the ‘Ocean of White’ show heads over to Bangkok, Thailand for a show on the 18th of August and to Kaohsiung, Taiwan on the 29th of September. All of which are a Co-Production between ID&T and Heineken Beer Company.

 

In 2000 and 2001, it was made up of one edition, just called Sensation, but it has now been split up into two editions: Sensation Black and Sensation White. This was done to differentiate the music and feeling more than would have been possible if it were one event. Sensation Black focuses more on 'darker' music, like Hardstyle and Hardcore, whereas Sensation White focuses more on House music. Every year, Sensation also releases two doublediscs (Black and White) and two singles they call the Anthem. 2008 the names of both events have been changed: ”Sensation“ (formerly ”Sensation White“), and ”Black“ (formerly ”Sensation Black“).

The first edition of Sensation, in 2000, did not sell out. The media announced that it was sold out in order to boost interest in the event, which eventually attracted 20,000 people. In this first edition, the DJs only used one side of the Amsterdam Arena as the stage. Later editions have the stage in the middle. This Sensation was the only one that did not have a dress code. All subsequent editions of Sensation White have sold out, usually well in advance (usually all 45,000 tickets are sold in a few hours). Sensation Black has not been as successful, but is usually either close to selling out, or sold out a few days before the event.

In 2005, Sensation White was also held in Belgium and Germany. In 2006, ID&T started Sensation International, an international tour, based on the simplified version which could be seen in the Amsterdam ArenA, in 2005. The first edition was held in the Antwerp Sportpaleis. In 2008 Sensation White was held at SCC Peterburgsky in Saint Petersburg, and a New Year version was held at the Telstra Dome in Melbourne on the 31 December 2008 (38,380 attendance).

 

White Sensation used to be a trance event, but in later years it has become a pure house event. All the attendees are required to wear white and the Amsterdam ArenA itself is decorated to match. Sensation White's slogan is "Be Part Of The Night - Dress in White". Every event has around 40,000-45,000 tickets available. The Amsterdam ArenA event takes place every year on the first Saturday in July while the German event in the LTU Arena in Düsseldorf is held on New Year's Eve. In 2009 it was organized for the first time on two subsequent nights on 3 and 4 July in the Amsterdam Arena where the opening of the Wicked Wonderland took place.

Notable DJs that have appeared at Sensation include Tiësto, Armin van Buuren, Swedish House Mafia, André Tanneberger, Darren Emerson (one of the Underworld members), David Guetta, Erick E, Erick Morillo, Ferry Corsten, Marco V, Paul van Dyk, Johan Gielen, Sander Kleinenberg, Steve Angello, Fedde Le Grand, Sebastian Ingrosso, Sander van Doorn, Mason, Felix Da Housecat, Laidback Luke, Tocadisco and Rank 1.

The event has recently been criticized by trance fans who think there is too much house and electro and too few trance DJs in the recent events^{[citation needed]}. However, in the eyes of the organizers, the popularity of trance has been receding in the past few years, and therefore Sensation White has adapted to this by altering its programming to add house and electro house. Nonetheless, the popularity of trance and indeed the DJs associated with the genre still seem to be a major force in Europe. Trance Energy, with over 30,000 people, has been selling out faster than ever before. In the 2008 edition of Sensation, there was only one trance DJ present in the line-up: Marco V. In 2009, trance was left out completely in favor of house (classics) and techno, however the music of the 2009 Amsterdam event turned out to be more trance like again.

In 2010, Sensation, to enforce the notion that they are now a House event, came up with the theme "Celebrate Life with House". It featured performances by Chuckie, Swedish House Mafia, Sunnery James and Ryan Marciano, and Joris Voorn & 2000 And One. The event became exclusively a party for house music. This change in genre caused that for the first time since 2000, the tickets did not sell out the same day they went on sale, as audiences are much more demanding. In the end, about 35,000 people attended the festival held July 3. To create interest in the now House event, Sensation came up with a contest where the fans, via the social networks, would vote for their favorite theme and make it the anthem for 2010. The competing songs, featuring a selection of house and minimal themes, were not well received by Sensation followers and the competition was eventually cancelled. During the main event in Amsterdam, Sensation decided to go back to its origins, by playing their trademark anthem "Superstring", reminding its fans that although it is now a House event, it stays true to its origins.

 

Sensation Black (since 2008, BLACK) slowly builds up the pace, starting from hard trance, hardstyle and then hardcore. Sensation Black is always held in the second weekend of July. All attendees are required to dress completely in black.

Notable DJs that have appeared at Sensation Black include Showtek, Angerfist, Headhunterz, Marcel Woods, Chris Liebing, DJ Lady Dana, DJ Luna, DJ Zany, The Prophet, Technoboy, Tommyknocker, Yoji Biomehanika and Mauro Picotto.

An incident occurred at Sensation Black in 2006, where DJ Rob Gee and his live band Ampt performed at the event against the recommendations of the majority of ID&T's staff, and were subsequently booed and catcalled during the performance, which was more rock/metal oriented. Slight mayhem ensued as a member of the audience climbed onto the stage and hit Rob Gee himself and was then repeatedly kicked and punched in the head by Rob and his band. The rest of Rob Gee's performance was cancelled and ID&T's manager, Duncan Stutterheim, later acknowledged his mistake in allowing Rob Gee to perform against the wishes of his employers.^{[citation needed]}

2009 BLACK (formerly known as "Sensation Black") is not held in the Netherlands, but only in Belgium because ID&T is looking for a better location. Additionally Sensation (formerly known as "Sensation White") was held on two subsequent nights in the Amsterdam ArenA in 2009, but will be sharing one of the two available night licences for the Amsterdam ArenA in 2010 with the one time replacement of BLACK called the "Feestfabriek" from ID&T's sister organisation Q-dance.