Since I was tired of missing the best trance parties in Holland, and that's while living next to one of the 5 US cities that at least gets some trance and visits of the best DJs once in a while, most people in the US aren't that lucky. So, I decided to start going to Holland for the top parties, and Armin Only seemed like a perfect way to start :) (yes, it was an expensive trip, but it was well worth it)

It took a while to get everyone in, even with a reasonably speedy search. I get a bit annoyed when they steal my water at the entrance to later sell me some quite tiny unsold bottles from DanceValley 2005, but whatever I guess... Eh, at least they had enough sense not to disallow cameras like at Monster Massive. Thanks for that.

My cousin Justin properly set me up for the evening :)

a few people showed up indeed, and lines went outside in the rain

For the first 3 hours, Armin hid behind a drape, and spun from behind it, probably as a way to tease the crowd a bit, and I'm sure it also gave him the opportunity to get a potty break and get something to eat, because at 01:00, 3 hours into his set, the drape went down, and he didn't go anywhere and spun for us for the next 6.5H, all the way to 07:30 (indeed totalling 9.5H).

Justine just did the best performance hands down again, you could tell she had all her soul in it, and she does have an amazing voice.

Justine Suissa is just amazing: great voice and great performances

Isle the lange

Susanna from Shivers

Of course, let's also not forget Armin's brother,

Other welcome guests included

Eller Van Buuren playing the guitar for us

Rank 1, playing live

Many people stayed until the end (luckily it was easy for me, because my body was still on california time, i.e. the party was more or less daytime for me). Armin finished with

and the never dying Motorcycle, as the Rush Comes

Armin then went to thank the crowd as much as he could without getting mobbed (the one guy he got up on the stage with him was very enthusiastic and would almost not let Armin go :), and we headed home in a grey, overcast, morning, with memories of one of the best parties ever.

So what's all this about PvD still being #1 with his self DJ'ing laptop? Come on, Armin deserves the #1 spot already, by a long shot. He also deserves an award for being the only DJ to have done close to 300 weekly mixes. Just like ASOT 250, thanks for the last 10 years Armin, and we're looking forward to the 10 next ones, since Trance will not die :)]

In a word like in a thousand: "Armin, thank you"

While I thought to myself that the lasers and decors were poor during the first 3 hours, before the curtain went down, they were quite nice after that. Very colorful indeed

Y'all go home now, you hear? :)