Amsterdam's De School shares digital music archive
Amsterdam's renowned nightclub De School has launched an extensive digital archive named Het Archief, featuring over 800 DJ sets and live performances recorded throughout the club's history. This treasure trove spans nearly a decade, covering the period from De School's opening in 2016 until its closure in early 2024.
Het Archief includes performances from an impressive roster of artists such as Call Super, rRoxymore, Ryan Elliott, Carista, Hunee, Objekt, SPFDJ, AceMo, Ikonika, Bored Lord, and AIDA. It also showcases sets from long-standing residents like Tammo Hesselink, and live performances from artists including Nene H, Phase Fatale, Buttechno, and Steffi.
The archive was developed in collaboration with archivist Stadsarchief and music platform Podium Kunst, utilizing Mixcloud to host the content. Users can explore the archive by applying filters such as year, club night, or even the specific room where the set was recorded, offering a deeply personalized experience.
“Translating eight years of our history into an open-ended archive, you’re invited to re-enter and remember De School through sound,” the club shared on Instagram. “Het Archief is a time capsule for the present and future, as well as a testimony to the time-transcending value of club culture. More than anything, it’s a shared space to simply get lost in (music) once more.”
De School expressed gratitude to the nearly 500 artists who allowed their performances to be included, each contributing to the soundtrack of the club's vibrant existence between 2016 and 2024.
The creation of Het Archief involved "months of action behind closed club doors" following De School’s closure in January. The beloved venue concluded its eight-year run with a grand closing party that featured over 80 artists. In March, it was announced that the space would be reborn as a new venue named Tilla Tec, a joint project by Samuel King and DJ Lola Edo, the founder of queer bar pamela.
Explore the Het Archief here.