The Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE), the worlds biggest club conference and festival, was held in the Netherlands from October 22-25, 2008.  This year, the annual event expanded to include Wednesday and new night programs.

ADE General Manager Richard Zijlma explained “As an internationally gateway for the electronic music scene, we aim to build bridges between all creative industries who are interested in the use of music, be it the games sector or with those of the advertising and film.”

During the day, ADE presented a focus on different sectors of industry that showcased electronic music including online video, music synching, branding, advertising funded music, and soundtrack composition.  A young DJ and producer seminar, called D3, was held on Saturday.

At night, ADE was host to a festival of nightlife and performers.  Special DJ sets included the talents of Armin van Buuren, Paul van Dyk, Don Diablo, Seamus Haji, Erick Morillo, Joey Negro, Groove Armada, and Shapeshifters only to name a few.

Visit the official Amsterdam Dance Event site at amsterdam-dance-event.nl.

Dance Music Forever! is a new social networking site created by Marcelo Oleas of MISWAX Records, Sneakymood Records, and M4 Worldwide.  The site is now online at http://dancemusicforever.ning.com.  This Web 2.0 site is an extension of Ning, an online platform for users to create their own social websites and social networks.

The purpose of Dance Music Forever! is social networking, collaboration, and information sharing within the industry.  Fans, artists, DJs, producers, and labels are all encouraged to create a simple profile here.  Oleas states “The difference with us is that we are a community strictly catering to the dance music niche. Whether you are simply a fan or a well established producer, this is a network for all of us in the dance music scene to come together...” 

Michelle Williams is releasing her new album, ‘Unexpected’, on October 7.  The lead single from the album, ‘We Break the Dawn’, has already hit the #1 spot on the Billboard Dance Charts.  “It captures that sensation of being with your people, the folks you love, and taking it from night to day with true celebration,” Williams says. “It’s a song of pure euphoria.”  Another song from the album, ‘The Greatest’, has recently been released for radio airplay.

Michelle is an American singer-songwriter, actress, and record producer.  Her career has taken her acting abilities to television and Broadway.  To date, she may be best known as being a third of the best-selling female group of all time, Destiny’s Child.  Although her upcoming album has tremendous potential to increase her star-power, she simply says “I never take it for granted.”

Michelle was a featured performer at the 2008 Promo Only/Pioneer Party at the House of Blues in Atlantic City.  The event was part of the annual International DJ Expo.  Michelle mingled with the Dance Radio Network representatives and other dance music industry leaders in the V.I.P. area prior to her performance.  She sang to an enthusiastic audience.  While in mid-song, she jumped off the stage to party with her fans.  She never missed a beat!

For additional information, visit michellewilliamsonline.com.

The September 25th TASTE THE JAM was held at Glass in Manhattan.  This monthly event, hosted by John Kano, is a social networking event of the dance music industry.  Spinning live were disc jockeys Jae Vynel, Ray Devine of WMPH Radio, Conrado Martinez, Charo 'Hudson Heels', and John Kano 'Havana Funk'.  Sarah Mattea also took the stage to perform her new song "I'm Done With the Pain".  Upcoming TASTE THE JAM events will be posted on their MySpace page [click HERE].

Beststock 2008 was a successful two-day weekend dance music event in Wantagh, NY and Holmdel, NJ.  Featured performers on August 23 and 24 were the Pussycat Dolls, Danity Kane, September, and Chris Willis.  This annual event was sponsored by KTU 103.5 FM and Z100 New York.  READ MORE

The International DJ Expo was held in Atlantic City from August 11 - 14, 2008.  The expo featured seminars, panels, and workshops for the dance music professionals.  Exhibitors presented the latest in DJ technology and resources at the Trump Taj Mahal.  There were several parties and special events with performing artists such as Akon, Cyndi Lauper, Michelle Williams, Lady GaGa, Chris Willis, and Grandmaster Flash.  READ MORE