Amsterdam Dance Event has confirmed Pasquale Rotella, founder of Insomniac Events and creator of Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas, as the final headline speaker of its 2026 ADE Pro conference program. Rotella will appear in conversation with Billboard Dance director Katie Bain on Thursday, October 22 at Felix Meritis in Amsterdam, as part of ADE’s 30th anniversary edition.
According to the announcement, the session will include a major announcement from ADE and Insomniac that organizers are keeping confidential until it is revealed live during the keynote. ADE describes the appearance as a rare public conference appearance for Rotella, who will discuss the state of rave culture and argue for establishing it as an industry distinct from the broader music business.
The conversation is expected to address topics including the role of independent promoters, the commercial growth of large-scale events, and the preservation of rave culture’s underground roots. Rotella, who began organizing underground parties in Los Angeles in the early 1990s, now leads Insomniac’s portfolio of festivals including EDC, Beyond Wonderland and Nocturnal Wonderland.
Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Nikki McNeill, globalpublicity.co.uk.