ADE Drops Promoters Over DJ Booking Amid Sexual Abuse Allegations

Partnership Revoked Over Safety Concerns

The Amsterdam Dance Event has ended its official relationship with promoters Komplott and Overgave after they moved forward with booking hard techno artist Shlømo, whose legal name is Shaun Baron-Carvais. The French DJ is currently the subject of a criminal investigation following allegations of rape, death threats, and psychological abuse.

The party, scheduled for Wednesday, October 21st at Panama Amsterdam nightclub, was initially set to proceed despite the allegations. ADE said the booking decision conflicted with the conference's commitment to fostering a safe nightlife community.

"Although ADE is a decentralized festival and programming decisions remain the responsibility of individual event organizers, we do have control over our mission, and our affiliated partners are expected to align with those standards," the conference's organizers said in a statement.

Allegations and Ongoing Investigation

In February, several women came forward with accounts describing sexual misconduct by Baron-Carvais and other DJs associated with the hard techno scene after a former booking agent published screenshots of conversations with accusers on social media. A formal complaint was filed with the Paris Judicial Court in June, accusing him of "acts of rape, psychological violence and death threats," according to electronic music nonprofit METOODJS.

According to Dutch media outlet Het Parool, which spoke with a lawyer representing one of the alleged victims, a criminal investigation is now underway. Baron-Carvais has vehemently denied the allegations.

Event Cancelled Following Pressure

After ADE revoked its official affiliation, two scheduled performers withdrew from the lineup. By Sunday evening, Komplott announced the event's cancellation. In their statement, the promoters said they never intended "to cause social unrest, division or pain" and acknowledged the discussion had grown far beyond what they anticipated.

"Our purpose was to bring people together through music, not to contribute to further division or hostility," Komplott said. "For that reason, we have made the difficult decision to cancel our Komplott ADE event. This decision is not taken lightly. However, we believe that continuing under the current circumstances would no longer reflect the positive purpose with which Komplott was created."

The party had been planned as part of ADE's programming for October 21st at Panama Amsterdam.