From an empty field to a fully realized festival environment, this behind-the-scenes footage takes you through the load-in and shows how the site transformed step by step into the final result.

Event footage courtesy of B2S. 

The post TIMELAPSE | Decibel Outdoor 2025 appeared first on Backbone International.

We want to thank our clients for sharing their footage with us, making this recap video possible: Radio 538 | Wereldhavendagen Rotterdam | B2S | Bevrijdingspop Haarlem – Raymond de Klerk en Evert Olsthoorn | Q-dance | Red Bull Sweden | Hartje Ginneken | Ronald McDonald Kinderfonds | Klangkuenstler | Mojo Concerts | Insomniac Europe | SAIL 2025 | Amsterdam 750.

Revisit the highlights of 2025 here:

The post YEARLY RECAP | 2025 appeared first on Backbone International.

Joining us in this episode are Robert Visser (Business Director, SAIL 2025), Berend Temme (Project Manager, City of Amsterdam), and Remco Hendriks (Technical Producer, Backbone International). Together, they share their reflections on the production process, the logistical challenges they faced, why SAIL holds a special place in Backbone’s history, and how collaboration between everyone made it all possible.

We want to thank Robert and Berend for sharing their insights in this episode of Behind the B.

Event footage courtesy of SAIL 2025.

Video production by Grow by Visuals.

The post BEHIND THE B | SAIL 2025 appeared first on Backbone International.

With over 2.5 million visitors, more than 10,000 ships, and an unparalleled collaboration between dozens of partners, SAIL 2025 will go down in history as one of the most impressive editions ever. Joris Joosen and Marcel Elbertse (The Support Group), Huib Joor (Your Productions), Leonie Boon (Collect & Clean), Roger Meijer (ORGANIZED), and Pieter Lubberts (Backbone International) look back on this nautical event. “Six kilometers long, crowds packed deep along the quays; that image will stay with me forever.”

From August 20 to 24, SAIL returned to the capital after a ten-year absence. The tenth official edition coincided with both SAIL’s 50th anniversary and the celebration of Amsterdam’s 750th birthday. The nautical event drew approximately 2.5 million visitors over five days, offering them the chance to admire more than 10,000 ships from over twenty countries.

The crowds peaked on Saturday, when the naval ship Zr.Ms. Karel Doorman alone welcomed around 25,000 visitors. The sheer scale of the event made close collaboration with the Port of Amsterdam, Rijkswaterstaat, and local authorities essential. Maritime traffic on the IJ and the North Sea Canal had to operate safely alongside the massive flow of visitors along the quays.

Contributing Partner of SAIL 2025

For Joris Joosen and Marcel Elbertse, Managing Partners at The Support Group, the strength of SAIL starts with its unique setting.

“It’s a project that unfolds entirely in public space. You’re not building a fenced-off festival site — you’re creating a large-scale production right in the heart of Amsterdam. That’s what makes SAIL not only special but also complex. You have to take residents, shop owners, and commuters into account, all while the city keeps running as usual.”

“Our involvement in previous editions of SAIL gave us experience and insight that we were able to bring together for the 2025 edition through a close partnership with SAIL. In practice, this meant that several companies within The Support Group were involved in bringing SAIL 2025 to life. We’re incredibly proud to have made a major contribution as a Contributing Partner to the success of SAIL 2025.”

Trust

“The companies within The Support Group that had the opportunity to work on SAIL are all well-established players in the event industry, each with years of experience and a long history of collaboration,” says Marcel Elbertse. “That kind of cross-pollination creates real value — teams that normally meet each other at different festivals and events now come together in one fully integrated operation. That builds trust.”

A personal highlight for Joosen and Elbertse was the Sail-In Parade. “We had the privilege of sailing along on one of the beautiful ships and witnessing the sea of people lining the quays — six kilometers long, rows deep. That image will stay with us forever. In that moment, you truly grasp the scale and impact of the event. Hundreds of thousands of people coming together to experience something extraordinary — that energy is unlike anything else. Hats off to the entire SAIL organization. We’re extremely proud to have been part of it once again.”

Versatile Approach

For Huib Joor, owner of Your Productions, the event was above all a celebration. “It was a wonderful event. We spent a year and a half preparing the entire public catering operation, for which we were responsible. Since the previous edition took place in 2015 and the 2020 edition was canceled due to COVID, much of the existing knowledge had become outdated or disappeared altogether. That meant we practically had to start from scratch.”

That restart came with its share of uncertainties. “What are the current trends, and what kind of audience should we expect? What does their spending behavior look like? You can’t predict that using data from ten years ago. So, we conducted extensive research into consumer behavior. In the end, it turned out we made the right choices — visitors were happy with both the value for money and the variety of options available.”

The diverse audience at SAIL required a versatile approach. “During the day, you have families with children; in the evening, it’s a completely different crowd. You have to make sure you can cater to everyone. For us, that meant combining quick-service points, high-quality food and beverage options, and plenty of variety.”

His personal highlight was also the Sail-In Parade. “We worked toward that moment for so long. When it finally happened, it truly felt like the crown jewel of our efforts. At the same time, we were also running operations at Mysteryland, which made it even more special.”

For Joor, there’s no question that SAIL is one of a kind. “The location makes it extraordinary — right in the heart of Amsterdam, on the water. I’m from Eindhoven myself, where there’s only a canal. Here, you’re using massive parts of the city for nearly three weeks, including setup and teardown. And everything ran safely and smoothly, despite the hundreds of thousands of visitors. I find that incredibly impressive.”

Sustainability: From Policy to Practice

In addition to production and catering, sustainability played a key role. Leonie Boon, Resource Coordinator for SAIL and Sustainability Manager at Collect & Clean, describes the event as a truly unique project. “In terms of atmosphere, scale, and overall experience, you don’t often encounter something like this in the Netherlands. For me personally, it was also the largest project I’ve worked on so far.”

Her team was responsible for resource management and cleaning. “Because we joined the project more than a year in advance, we were able to advise from the very beginning on procurement and material selection. Sustainability really starts with the question: what are you buying? By making conscious choices at that stage, you can prevent materials from becoming waste later on.”

Big Ambitions

SAIL set out with ambitious sustainability goals: completely free of single-use plastics, separation of five material streams, and a high share of reusable materials. At the same time, structural sustainability measures were implemented. While previous editions relied on around 95 diesel generators, this year only five were used — all running on HVO100. This biofuel reduces CO₂ emissions by up to 90% and also limits nitrogen and particulate emissions. The Clipper Stad Amsterdam launched the Sail-In Parade entirely on HVO100, and other ships were able to refuel on-site.

Water savings were achieved through circular solutions, with the most extensive toilet facilities using treated IJ water instead of drinking water, resulting in a savings of approximately 6 liters per flush. Innovative technologies, such as the CanalCleaner, removed microplastics from surface water.

To make sustainability tangible and verifiable, the organization collaborated with GSES (Global Sustainable Enterprise System) for independent monitoring and reporting. Additionally, SAIL served as a testing ground: through the In Residence Open Events 2025 program, entrepreneurs could run pilot projects with new technologies, ranging from circular materials to hydrogen-based solutions.

Compliments

The operation run by Collect & Clean was intensive. “In collaboration with the City of Amsterdam, we deployed 100 staff members during the day to be visibly present, encouraging visitors to handle their waste responsibly and keep trash bins empty. At night, a team of 35 cleaners worked to restore the site. That visibility made a real difference — people are less likely to litter when they see someone actively cleaning. We also introduced recycling stations where visitors could sort and deposit their waste themselves. That worked surprisingly well.”

What stayed with Boon were the compliments from visitors. “Many people said that the site was cleaner during the day than the rest of the city. That was a clear confirmation that our approach worked. It also shows that with the right effort and collaboration, you can truly make a difference!”

Technology on SAIL

Alongside production, catering, and sustainability, there was another crucial pillar: registration and hospitality, managed by ORGANIZED. CTO Roger Meijer emphasizes the scale of the operation. “It was a busy period, but that was precisely what made it exciting! We processed nearly 200,000 accreditations. That’s standard for a ticketing system, but for a back-office system, it was unprecedented. We started with volunteer registration, but were soon responsible for all other forms of registration. Every official ship on the IJ during SAIL was registered through ORGANIZED, including crew and captains, press, artists, and staff.”

“Because of this flexibility, we also played a major role in all hospitality packages, handling the B2B side — companies renting boats with their clients or employees, for example. What’s remarkable is that hardly any software adjustments were needed — smart configuration made it all possible.”

Truly a Partner

A real eye-opener for Meijer was the scale of the invitation process. “It offers huge opportunities for B2B events. The RSVP module we used is similar to Google Forms, but fully integrated into the event infrastructure. That opens doors for other projects.”

He describes the collaboration with SAIL and other partners as excellent. “We truly felt like a partner, not just a supplier. Our colleagues on-site were treated as part of the team. That allowed us to act faster together and work more innovatively. My personal highlight? Sailing into the city during the Sail-In Parade and seeing the quays packed early in the morning — that was incredible. That’s when you really see the scale and impact of an event you’ve helped bring to life.”

Innovation and Complexity

Finally, Pieter Lubberts, Managing Director at Backbone International, reflects on the event. For him, SAIL 2025 may have been the best edition yet. “It remains one of the most beautiful events in our portfolio. Preparations began a year in advance. Together with the SAIL management team, we discussed how the organization should be structured and how we could bring their ideas to life from a production perspective.”

The urban environment made the operation particularly challenging. “You can’t just reuse the playbooks from previous editions. The city has changed, and SAIL takes place right in the middle of a functioning urban area. That makes it large-scale, complex, and logistically demanding.”

Fun and Energy

At the same time, this edition allowed room for innovation. “New techniques were applied in crowd management due to limited staff availability. For Backbone, the focus was on energy supply: less diesel, more fixed power and battery solutions. This aligns with SAIL’s sustainability ambitions and is a development we plan to continue in other projects.”

His personal highlight was also on the water.“I’ve been part of every edition, but this was the first time I could experience it from a boat. You see the joy on people’s faces, feel the energy, and are reminded why SAIL is so special.”

The post ARTICLE | ‘SAIL 2025 felt like the crown jewel of our work.’ appeared first on Backbone International.

Joining us are Sietse Bakker (Program Director Amsterdam 750 Years), Marc Nipius (Director Tribe Sports and Owned Events), Annejorie Hegge (Executive Producer), and Pieter Lubberts (Managing Director Backbone International). Together, they reflect on how this production came to life, the logistical challenges they encountered along the way, the uniqueness of this event, and the power of collaboration that made this event possible.

A special thank you to Sietse, Marc, and Annejorie for sharing their insights in this episode of Behind the B.

Event and office footage courtesy of Bee Agency B.V.
Video production by Grow by Visuals.

The post BEHIND THE B | Op De Ring appeared first on Backbone International.

We wanted to share a glimpse of how the Red was built within the five weeks our team was on-site. From an empty field to the spectacle it became, captured during the load-in phase, this behind-the-scenes footage reveals just how much passion and precision went into making this stage come to life.

Of course, none of this would have been possible without the teams and partners who worked tirelessly to bring the vision into reality. A massive thank you to:

Production People | Stageco Nederland | Peinemann | Kraanverhuur Boekestijn | Pyrofoor de Amsterdam | The Powershop | Brok Decor | The Mojo Barriers | MFX Engineering | Laser Image | S-cart | Feedback Productions | Happy Technology | N-creations | US Productions | Monox | Studio Complex | Dutch Carpet | EMS | Epic Cinema B.V. | Max Tenten | EP Collective | Verschoot | Pieterse | De Loods | MH Towers | Coreworks | Loonbedrijf Hut. 

Special thanks to Kevin van Setten and Production People for the drone footage featured in the video.

The post TIMELAPSE | RED x DEFQON.1 WEEKEND FESTIVAL appeared first on Backbone International.

On October 27, 2025, the celebration of Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary will come to a festive close. Over the course of a year, around 400 initiatives will take place, varying in scale and format. We spoke with program director Sietse Bakker about the event, its highlights, and the challenges of organizing what is likely one of the largest birthday celebrations the Netherlands has ever seen.

Sietse Bakker is no stranger to large-scale events. In 2006, he worked at the European Broadcasting Union as Head of Internet for the Eurovision Song Contest and the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. He later became responsible for communications around the Eurovision Song Contest. For Eurovision 2020, he was appointed executive producer by the Dutch broadcaster NOS and AVROTROS. However, the global pandemic forced the event’s cancellation. A year later, Bakker got a second chance, and in 2022, he was appointed by the City of Amsterdam as program director for Amsterdam 750.

Tentpoles

The scale and duration of the capital’s anniversary celebration make it a massive undertaking. To illustrate its size, Bakker points to the number of events. “Across the year, there are around 400,” he explains. “These include events, citizen initiatives, projects, exhibitions, and media productions. Many are small-scale, created by and for Amsterdammers. Museums and theaters across the city also drive several large projects. And then there are the so-called ‘tentpoles’—major events that provide structure and require significant people, organization, and budget. There are four of them: the opening concert, Festival on the Ring, SAIL 2025, and the national celebration on October 27.”

Festival on the Ring

One of the largest and most complex events within Amsterdam 750 is the one-time Festival on the Ring, taking place on June 21. The concept has a long history. “In 1998, NOS, the City of Amsterdam, the Ministry of Defense, and Rijkswaterstaat planned a parade on the ring road to celebrate the new millennium globally,” Bakker says. “However, Defense withdrew after concerns about the millennium bug, and the entire plan was canceled. Over the past 25 years, multiple attempts have been made to organize something on the ring road, but none have succeeded. Until the idea emerged to use this highly symbolic piece of infrastructure to celebrate Amsterdam’s anniversary. From there, things developed organically. Artists wanted to perform, and AVROTROS asked whether their Festival on the Square could be hosted there. Our approach was: let’s see if we can make it happen.”

A Military Operation

Bakker describes the planning of such a large-scale event as “almost a military operation.” “The setup and dismantling require enormous effort, especially given the limited time available. The site itself is also a challenge—a 15-kilometer canvas is incredibly attractive, but not without complications. You need programming, infrastructure, and space to manage crowd flow in both directions. You encounter issues you wouldn’t face at a regular festival site. Take the asphalt, for example: it’s fine for rubber tires, but a rotating forklift with a weight can damage the surface. Emergency services were involved from an early stage. The City of Amsterdam has a reputation for slow processes, but that was certainly not the case here. There is real decisiveness and a ‘we’re just going to do this’ mentality, which I also see in the safety partners and other stakeholders.”

2,000 Professionals

The Festival on the Ring is just one of around 200 initiatives taking place on Saturday, June 21. Another example is a 7.5-kilometer run organized by Le Champion, the organization behind events such as the Amsterdam Marathon and the Dam to Dam Run. “Behind every organizing party is a whole army of passionate and experienced people,” Bakker says. “When you combine that with our consortium of production companies, Backbone International, Skills Crowd Management, Tribe Company, Kingcanary, and Bee Agency, you arrive at around 2,000 professionals, including volunteers, all working to deliver the best event of the year. And we shouldn’t forget all the others indirectly involved that day: traffic controllers, police, and enforcement officers.”

Production

Backbone International, together with Skills Crowd Management, Tribe Company, Kingcanary, and Bee Agency, is responsible for production and logistics on the Ring, and also contributes to SAIL Amsterdam.

“A massive operation,” says Pieter Lubberts of Backbone. “When the tender was released, we applied together with several other parties. Given the scale, collaboration was the best approach. With Tribe Company as the lead producer, we were selected, and the project started to take shape. These are productions you only get to do once in your lifetime.”

“One of the biggest challenges is time. You’re dealing with eight events taking place very close together. In terms of materials, it’s manageable, but the timeframe is the real challenge. We’re essentially building a 15-kilometer-long event site. The setup has to be completed in just eight to eleven hours, overnight, in a place where events are never held. It’s completely different from anything we normally do. And that’s before even considering the logistics of getting all the equipment there.”

“It’s going to be a huge challenge, but I’m confident everyone will pull it off. In the end, we hope to look back on a successful operation. Most importantly, we want this celebration to leave a lasting impression, so that in ten years people will still look back on it with pride.”

The post ARTICLE | “Amsterdam brings its anniversary celebrations to a grand close.” appeared first on Backbone International.

A big thank you to our clients for sharing their footage with us, making this recap video possible: WINK | Radio 538 | Kingcanary | Westergas | The X | Wereldhavendagen Rotterdam | B2S | Bevrijdingspop | Q-dance | Tribe Company | Red Bull Sweden | Hartje Ginneken | Awakenings | Seven Wonders.

The post YEARLY RECAP | 2024 appeared first on Backbone International.

The recent news that Wynn Resorts has been granted the UAE’s first-ever commercial gaming license for an integrated resort on Al Marjan Island has catapulted Ras Al Khaimah into global consciousness, making the northern emirate a hotbed of international investment and development. Aiming to position Ras Al Khaimah as a premier events and entertainment destination, RAK Hospitality partnered with some of the world’s leading event organisers, Backbone International, TWOFIFTYK, and Tribe Company, to launch Seven Wonders: a series of seven events, with seven artists, set to take place over seven weekends in 2025, across seven spectacular locations showing off the very best that the emirate has to offer. 

To announce the extraordinary Seven Wonders initiative, RAK Hospitality hosted an exclusive launch event at the Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert on 24 October, with 1,000 lucky attendees treated to an immersive four-hour audiovisual experience, culminating in a spectacular finale featuring renowned DJ Armin Van Buuren’s Pillars of Creation live performance.

Catching up with TPiMEA after the dust had settled on the opening event, RAK Hospitality COO Donald Bremner recalled the origins of the project and explained the rationale behind it. “The entry of Wynn Resorts into Ras Al Khaimah is set to have a monumental effect, transforming RAK from a predominantly all-inclusive tourism location to a destination that welcomes high-discretionary-spend customers who will expect a variety of dining, cultural, and entertainment options,” he began. “Hosting world-class events not only amplifies our marketing capability and allows us to promote the emirate to a wider global audience, but it also gives us a platform to build the infrastructure required to deliver these experiences.”

With precious little experience in delivering large-scale events, Bremner realized immediately that expert guidance would be required to achieve the organization’s goals. “We knew that we needed production capability and to bring people in who understand how to build the infrastructure required for events,” he explained. “My dear friend and colleague, Thijs van Rhoon, who has been running this project with me, had prior experience of working with Backbone International, so he introduced me to Pieter [Lubberts, Managing Director Europe, Backbone International], and from the very first meeting, he and his team were awesome.”

The full article can be read below.

The post ARTICLE | Seven Wonders Ras Al Khaimah appeared first on Backbone International.

Niels Van Baarlen, executive producer at Talpa Network (Radio 538), and Pieter Lubberts, Managing Director of Backbone Europe and production manager for this project, will discuss their roles, the logistic challenges they faced, and how their collaboration went this year’s edition of 538 Koningsdag.

We want to thank Niels and Radio 538 for contributing to this episode of Behind the B.

Event footage was provided by and is courtesy of Radio 538.

Video credits: UBERcut

The post BEHIND THE B | 538 Koningsdag appeared first on Backbone International.