The reasons you should go to Vrienden van Amstel Live

Ten cards with the Amstel logo that burned in the top drawer of May's desk for about 12 months. In the general editorial agenda (which we have recently) was a large drawn smile with the initials: V.V.A.L. Yes, Friends of Amstel Live. The dance shoes were tied, breathable tops were put on (looked more cheerful than it sounds now) and off to Rotterdam, heading towards Ahoy.

By the way, don't think it was a join-the-happy-in-line story. I grumbled a bit when the guard said we had to stand at P4, but that was only three steps further than P1. In a jiffy we were inside. In a jiffy we were through the cloakroom. In a jiffy that first glass of Amstel was obtained.

I don't quickly say that you must do something, but I do want to gently urge you to go to Friends of Amstel Live once in your life (then you'll want to go more often, believe me). Or you have to promise me that you'll think about it. Really, I give you plausible reasons.

1. Think of the most fun pub you have ever been to in your life. Toasting in unison, laughing out loud, music you love. That's VVAL, but on a larger scale, better organized, more fun, really.

2. Just dropping some names. Marco Borsato, Guus Meeuwis, Lil’ Kleine, Bløf, Kensington, our Máán was there, Paul de Leeuw, Van Velzen, Nick and Simon, Broederliefde, Gers Pardoel, Di-Rect, Racoon, Typhoon, Jaqueline Govaert, Xander, Rowwen Hèze, André Hazes, Armin van Buuren and more and more and more. They're all there, for every preference and taste. It rocks, it hip-hops, it smartlapses, it hits ‘em high from left to right.

3. You are front row everywhere, to speak in technical terms. Marco climbs a stage on the left, Dré drives through the hall with bar and all, Nick from Simon suddenly stands behind you singing, Pascal from Bløf who drops from a catwalk-like thing from the ceiling, Armin van Buuren circling through the air in his own disco ball... I just didn't know where to look. I actually didn't want to take a bathroom break, because if you blinked once, you missed something.

4. The distribution of drinks is a wonderful thing at Friends of Amstel Live. Someone once told me that beer brings people together. Well, Amstel beer really brings people together. In good glasses, of course a plastic variant, but of the firm and sturdy kind. The beer is extraordinarily at temperature, exactly as it should be. After all, it's a party of the makers... I saw walking taps in the hall and a bar with beer on every corner.

5. Around half past 10 I smelled a hotdog in the audience. Makes you hungry. The food was good, there in Ahoy. I saw a woman strolling with gigantic cones of fries, Kiki said something about pizza slices and I think I'm now short on mentioning everything else that was available to eat.

6. We women appreciate great sanitation. Well, that was there. Nice to know.

7. At half past six, the sweetest Annabelle was still with a curling iron in her hair, so you understand: we were right on time. And what good seats we had. Just square meters of dancing space, even with arms in the air.

Result of an evening at Friends of Amstel Live: a small hangover spread across the editorial office, a missing voice here and there, eyelids a fraction lower than normal, undone hair, a bit of extra artificial blush on the cheeks and a very, very big grin. And just because it was such an evening that you want to lean against for a long time, that you want to hold on to and do over, I’m settling on the couch tonight. With the risk of a raised glass and the chance of swaying back and forth in front of the television, to the tune of the Friends. You know, those from Amstel. Because you just see them in your living room tonight. At half past eight on RTL4 and at half past 11 you move for the continuation to RTL5. And next year I’ll see you live there, agreed?