A DJ or live act for arrival, networking breaks, stand activations and closing drinks at a conference or trade show in Amsterdam, played at a volume that never fights the announcements.

How it works

Different moments in a conference day need different music

A conference, trade show or exhibition day in Amsterdam is not one continuous event, it moves through several phases and each one calls for a different kind of music. Attendee arrival and registration is a moving audience, people are checking badges, finding a name tag and walking into the venue rather than sitting down, so the music needs to read well across a large, often echoing space without demanding attention. Networking breaks between sessions want something that supports conversation rather than covers it, the same as at any business event. A stand activation on the exhibition floor is trying to draw footfall from a distance, so the brief sits closer to a small dance floor moment than to background music. A reception before or after the sessions can run quieter and more conversational, and closing drinks at the end of the day are usually where organisers want the room to loosen up a little before people head home.

Matching the format to the moment

The table below shows what we usually recommend for each moment in the day, with the act and the price it starts from.

Every row above is one booking through one contact, and we tell you plainly when a smaller format already covers the moment rather than pushing a bigger lineup than the room needs.

Volume that does not fight the announcements

A conference runs on a schedule of announcements, session calls and sometimes a stage host, and the music has one job above all of that: stay out of the way. During arrival and registration a DJ such as Peter Smith or Demi Elisa keeps the set low and easy, so a badge announcement or a directional call over the PA is never competing with the music. At a stand activation the DJ can run louder, because that setup is not sharing airspace with the main PA. During networking breaks in a shared hall, the set stays under the level of conversation, the same way it would at any business event. We agree the volume for each phase of the day with you in advance, not on the morning itself, so nothing needs adjusting once the doors open.

What a DJ needs on site

A DJ mainly needs space, power and time, not much else. Every DJ we book for a conference, including Peter Smith, Demi Elisa and Savoy, brings their own equipment: decks, mixer and speakers suited to the size of the space. What we ask the organiser or the venue to provide is a stable power point near the setup, a table or booth area out of the main walkway, and load-in access before the first attendees arrive. For a stand activation we ask for a little more open floor around the DJ, so the moment can build without anyone having to move furniture once the floor is open. If a DJ is working with sound and light rather than the base setup, we confirm the extra space this needs at quote stage, so it fits the stand or the room before the day itself.

A conference that runs two mornings in a row

Many conferences and trade shows run over two or more days, and the arrival and registration slot repeats each morning. We book the same named act for every morning of the event rather than treating each day as a separate booking, so attendees hear a consistent set each morning and you deal with one contract instead of several. If a performer falls ill, we arrange a backup musician, so a second morning is not left without music. If the second morning needs a different mood, for instance a quieter set once regular attendees already know the venue, we plan that difference with you at quote stage rather than deciding it on-site.

Agreeing the music before the day

Every act and DJ on the site has a video on their page, so you can hear the tone before you book rather than working from a written description alone. Once a booking is confirmed, you can flag genres or specific tracks you want included, and any you want left out, on the pre-event call, and we pass that through to the DJ or the act directly. This matters at a conference because the room is representing your brand for a full day, and agreeing the tone in advance avoids any surprises once the doors open.

Who holds the music licence

In the Netherlands, playing music at a public event normally requires a Buma/Stemra licence for the composition and a Sena licence for the recording, and these are normally held by the venue or the event organiser rather than by the DJ or the act performing. Most conference venues, including one the size of RAI Amsterdam, already carry these licences as part of their standard operation, so it is worth confirming directly with the venue rather than assuming the licence sits with us. If you are organising at a smaller venue or an outdoor stand where this is less clear, raise it with us at quote stage and we can point you to what to check.

Payment, invoicing and supplier forms

Standard payment is 40 percent when the contract is signed and 60 percent one week before the event, by bank transfer in EUR, with a VAT invoice for your finance team. If your organisation needs supplier onboarding forms, a purchase order number or longer payment terms because of how a corporate or agency finance department processes invoices, raise it when you ask for the quote and we work it out with you rather than after the contract is signed. Every booking is a direct contract with Lupa, with one point of contact for logistics from the first enquiry to the last set of the day.

Which acts we book for a conference or trade show

Peter Smith has played over 1,000 events for corporate clients across Europe and suits arrival and registration well, where a steady, professional set matters more than a big personality. Demi Elisa plays feel-good house with Afro and Latin rhythms and works well for a lighter networking break. Savoy moves from vintage soul and swing into modern pop and dance, which suits a multi-generational audience at closing drinks. For a quieter reception, Dupa Trio and Fourtunes are two jazz trios that play at conversation level. If the day is ending with a lift, Golden Sax pairs a DJ set with a live saxophone and has played events including ADE and Tomorrowland, a strong fit for a closing moment that is meant to feel like an event rather than background music. For the DJ side of a corporate event beyond a single conference day, our corporate event DJ Amsterdam page covers that in more depth, and our entertainment agency Amsterdam page covers the full range of formats we book for a Dutch or international company. For a seated element such as a partner dinner attached to the conference, see our jazz band for corporate events page.