After its first two strong editions, Upclose returns in 2026 with another weekend shaped entirely around the dance floor. On May 16 and 17, Spaarnwoude-Park becomes the stage for dancers who seek depth, intensity and the more progressive corners of techno.
Upclose, created by Awakenings as a direct ode to club culture, stays true to its essence. Warm, sweaty, intense, and focused on the collective energy between dancers and artists on the dance floor. No distance and no separation, only movement and connection. Building on the momentum of previous years, the 2026 edition digs even deeper into the niche, forward-leaning side of the genre.
Expect a line-up that doesn’t chase the obvious, instead spotlighting artists and obscure sounds that speak directly to dedicated dance floor culture. This line-up is not for everyone, but that’s exactly the point.
This year’s line-up brings together artists who each approach techno with a distinctive edge. Some are well established, others are treasured names within the underground. Expect rare live performances, unexpected back-to-back sessions and artists stepping into new territory.
Colin Benders x Dasha Rush (live), The Tunegirl (live) and UFO95 (live) form the core of this year’s hardware-driven and analog-focused performances, each exploring their own dimension of hypnotic, high-intensity live techno. This year’s live programme also features rare appearances of both Planetary Assault Systems and LSD.
Planetary Assault Systems is one of Luke Slater‘s most iconic solo projects, while LSD sees him join forces with Function and Steve Bicknell for a powerful collaborative performance celebrating its 10-year anniversary, across separate shows.
Several artists reveal a different side of themselves through dedicated house sets. Blasha & Allatt return with a warm and rolling house session. Crowd favorites Freddy K, Rene Wise and Alarico will not perform once, but twice over the weekend, each adding a special second appearance to their initial set.
Freddy K offers a rare house-focused set next to his harder appearance, and Rene Wise explores a deeper, groove-led sound in addition to his signature techno performance. Alarico also debuts a surprising twist through his Kenji Hina house set, presenting a lighter, soulful expression of his artistry.
Ciara Cuvé, the alias of Clara Cuvé, brings a bouncy, rhythmic and groove-forward performance that reveals a different creative dimension than her well-known high-BPM persona. DJ Boring x Odymel and Main Phase add a colorful, UK-inspired edge to the weekend, expanding the more playful, leftfield spectrum of the festival. BIIANCO introduces a fresh, emotive and hybrid form of club music that further widens Upclose‘s musical landscape.
Across the weekend, international names meet exclusive collaborations and strong local voices. Ignez x Rødhåd bring their hybrid live formation to the festival, blending atmospheric depth with sharpened minimal rhythm. Collabs 3000, the legendary partnership between Chris Liebing and Speedy J, return with their high-impact, experimentally driven techno performance.
Freddy K x Marrøn merge Italian and Dutch energies into a relentless, groove-driven session. The Hayes Collective featuring Cravo, Nørbak, Temudo and Vil step into an F2F formation shaped by precision and tension, while ROD x Sterac honour the roots of Detroit techno through a set crafted for today’s club floor.
Ryan Elliott brings Detroit heritage into a contemporary context, deepening the connection between the genre’s past and present. Shed vs Head High introduces a rare concept performance where René Pawlowitz pits two of his defining aliases against each other in a high-impact, tension-filled DJ format.
Longtime contributors to the Dutch underground stand beside newer voices shaping its future. Amsterdam club kids’ favorites JEANS x Woody ’92 x Spekki Webu embody the spirit of the local underground scene.
Naone, Odymel, Emvae, Moxes and the Undivulged Collective – Beau Didier, Flits, Isaiah and Lasse presenting an F2F set – represent the rising wave of emerging Dutch talent, each bringing fresh interpretations of groove, hypnosis and movement.
Twiena adds another strong voice within the contemporary Dutch club landscape, while Ogazón, emerging from the German underground, brings her refined and immersive approach to techno to the programme.
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Colin Benders, appearing alongside Dasha Rush, contributes a distinctly innovative, modular dimension, and Joris Voorn presents a special vinyl only techno set, celebrating the purist craft through his own distinctive approach.
The presence of all the local artists and a wave of emerging talent reaffirm how strong the local scene remains.
Upclose remains rooted in community. Not only does it give the stage to international trailblazers, it also gathers collectives and key figures from local scenes, creating a balance between broader influences and local authenticity.
The festival’s intimate scale keeps everything close and connected. The floor becomes a place where dancers move with full intention and where artists feed directly off that energy. Stage design, a crowd known for its taste and presence and a shared focus on pure club culture define the experience.
Feedback from previous editions has reinforced the festival’s purpose. Upclose offers a space dedicated to the progressive and uncompromising ends of techno. In 2026, that focus becomes even sharper, deepening the link between music, movement and the collective experience that defines the festival.
On May 16 and 17, 2026, Spaarnwoude-Park becomes the centre of forward-leaning techno. Upclose is more than a festival. It is a meeting place for those who live for the floor, a celebration of community and a home for sounds that thrive outside the mainstream.
Tickets available HERE.
