Q&A with Festival Downtown Organiser Immanuel Spoor

The countdown to Rotterdam’s most forward-thinking electronic music festival has begun. Festival Downtown is gearing up for their tenth edition from 20 – 21 September in Rotterdam’s vibrant inner city. This year promises to be their most prestigious and exhilarating installment to date, with headliners like Samurai Breaks, Sherelle, IGLOOGHOST, K.O.G Soundsystem and Omar Souleyman to name a few. 

The festival will take place at multiple indoor and outdoor locations across Rotterdam including WORM, Club Centraal and Cannibale Royale. During the day the festival is free, however at night tickets will be required to experience the extravaganza. Festival Downtown is ingrained in the DNA and culture of Rotterdam, and prides itself on being diverse, inclusive as well as a pioneer in crafting trends. With their motto: “Redefining Rotterdam / Reshaping The Narrative”, the festival’s impact and influence is formidable. Read our interview with Festival Downtown organiser, Immanuel Spoor below:

 

Festival Downtown’s tenth installment is coming up. How has it evolved from its inception to its present version?

Before starting Festival Downtown, we had already organised four editions of Eendracht Festival, showcasing the best of Rotterdam’s artists and scenes. While attending Pitch Festival in Amsterdam, I loved the programming, but the crowd felt very “Amsterdam” – mostly white, with all the girls in buns and guys in denim shirts. I imagined a Rotterdam version: edgier, more punk, more urban, with non-Western influences and jazz.

It later clicked that I was envisioning an extension of Eendracht Festival. We could collaborate with the same promoters and pair top local acts with national and international heroes. As a proud music lover from Rotterdam, I’ve always believed in our city’s relevance. I’ve seen new sounds and scenes emerge in our harbor city before spreading across the Netherlands and beyond. We’re pioneers, but not always great at showcasing it.

Festival Downtown celebrates that pioneering spirit. There’s a saying here: “It’s made in Rotterdam and sold in Amsterdam.” While we love Amsterdam, we relate to it. Our mission is to show the world how special our makers and scenes are. Starting as a no-budget, DIY initiative, DWNTWN has grown to a festival of over 10,000 visitors in 10 years, deeply rooted in Rotterdam’s DNA.

Fun fact: One of the acts that inspired me at Pitch was Omar Souleyman, and now he’s headlining our main stage at Eendrachtsplein – free for everyone to enjoy, right in the heart of the city!

 

 

With the vantage of hindsight, is there any advice or warning that you would give to your younger self about throwing a festival like Downtown?

Oof, great question. I’ve learned a lot, but I truly believe in trying, failing, and trying again – so I’m not sure advice could have replaced that process. If I had to give one piece of advice, it would be to remember why and for whom I’m doing this. Organising a festival is a huge task, and setbacks can make you lose sight of that. But every year, when I see the artists so happy to perform and visitors having a unique experience, I’m reminded why I do it. That’s what keeps me going when things get tough.

 

What is the overarching goal of Festival Downtown?

We’re here to show the world how incredible the Rotterdam scenes are, while also contributing to their growth. We believe Rotterdam plays an essential role in shaping where progressive music and its scenes are headed. That’s why we say: “Redefining Rotterdam / Reshaping the narrative.“

 

What should the festival attendees expect from this edition?

Expect the unexpected! Sure, there will be some familiar artists you love, but most of the lineup will be new to you. It’s a discovery festival, so don’t just stick to what you know – go explore! You’re bound to find something truly awesome.

 

With numerous festivals happening in Rotterdam, how does the 2024 edition of Festival Downtown differentiate itself from the others? 

DWNTWN brings the best of Rotterdam’s festivals and club nights together! Each stage is hosted by key city promoters. For example, we love BIRD Fest, which is teaming up with upcoming Rotterdam based label / club night Sundown, to host a jazz-inspired stage at the skatepark during the day – free of charge. At night, Cannibale Royale, located right on the skatepark, transforms into a club hosted by our dear friend, Rotterdam-based Kessler’s new label, Elicit. What’s amazing is how we often connect like-minded promoters who hadn’t even met before. That’s what DWNTWN is all about – bringing together scenes and sounds.

 

 

What common themes or elements do the performing acts share in this year’s Festival Downtown?

They all align with what’s happening right now in Rotterdam’s vibrant melting pot, or where we see it heading in the near future.

 

Can you share any memorable moments or successes from previous editions that have shaped the festival’s current direction?

Ow, so many! I’ve seen people dancing with their eyes closed, I’ve seen people fall in love, I’ve seen people shed a tear…But let me give you three specific examples:

I absolutely loved the Joe Armon-Jones show (bandleader of Ezra Collective). Before him, I deliberately programmed the Rotterdam duo Dwayne Franklin & Daddy Jacob. One of them, Brenn Luiten, was so inspired that he started the Brintex Collective, now a renowned jazz band with hip-hop and electronic influences touring Europe.

We’ve been pushing grime for years, and last year we booked the legendary Flowdan. Between booking him and the festival, he released huge tracks with Skrillex, Fred Again and Chase & Status. By the time he performed in WORM (capacity 350), he was a global superstar. It was probably the last time he’ll play such an intimate venue – it was a magical night!

Besides my work for De Nieuwe Lichting, I run a small label called On Track. Back in 2013, I started working with a Rotterdam band called De Likt. For the first DWNTWN, they did a pop-up street show. By 2018, they had sold out venues and played major festivals across the Netherlands. That year, I had them headline Festival Downtown’s main stage. It was such a special homecoming moment – we stage dived together and were literally carried by the city. I’ll never forget that.

 

 

How has the local community been involved or impacted by Festival Downtown in 2024?

Downtown IS the local community. Local artists are the backbone of our lineup, which is curated with key city promoters that represent their own scene. We believe in the power of each scene’s autonomy and the value of connecting them. Each scene has its own venue or stage, and we bring them together in a festival that showcases all these vibrant scenes.

 

How do you envision Festival Downtown developing and evolving in the future beyond its tenth edition?

Currently, our main stage is at Eendrachtsplein with a capacity of 1,500. In 2 or 3 years, we plan to keep that stage as a second one and move the main stage to Museumplein, where it will hold over 10,000 people. We also aim to make DWNTWN a multidisciplinary festival, showcasing all the exciting facets of Rotterdam’s scenes with room for documentaries, projection art, and more. And as I mentioned in an earlier interview, my dream booking would be Flying Lotus and Kendrick Lamar together on stage – one day!

 

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