Nilz plays like Prunk at Amsterdam Open Air: ‘It will be very special’
The Amsterdam label PIV will have its own stage this weekend on the Saturday of the Amsterdam Open Air Festival (AOA). Indebuurt spoke with the man who founded the successful label in 2015, Nilz Pronk (33), or: Prunk. “Now if I really want to see artists, I just try to book them at my party.”
Ad is loading…
Own PIV stage
He is back from Ibiza and is already about to catch a plane to the party island where half of Amsterdam seems to gather from June to the end of August. “It will be a bit of a rush, because I will be playing in the Amnesia on Friday night, I also have to play in Limburg on Saturday and then straight to Amsterdam Open Air, where our own PIV stage takes a prominent place at the festival for the first time this year” , says Prun cheerfully.
Text continues below the image>
PIV festival
Two weeks ago the first PIV festival was held, close to Amsterdam in Spaarnwoude. “We were so lucky with the weather,” Prunk recalls. “A lot of DJs that fall under PIV have Indonesian blood, so we kind of brought the Bali vibe back to the festival. With an Indonesian shop and such. It was a big success; there were visitors from all over the world. It was great fun for the label’s first own festival. And it was certainly worth repeating. But first the festival hosting!”
Ad is loading…
Big bigger Biggest
Because before the corona crisis, PIV hosted a tiny stage at the festival – “but it tasted like more” – this time it is time for the real work at AOA. “We host one of the largest stages”, says Nilz exuberantly. He is certainly involved, “but we have enough creative experience and knowledge in house that I can confidently leave that part to the people of PIV themselves, collaborating with the festival in question. I always like it when the stage design is a surprise when I arrive at the festival. And until now they have always been patronizing me!”
Text continues below the image>
Different set than ‘normal’ for Prun
In any case, this will be a different kind of set than ‘normal’ for Prunk. He not only plays as a closing event on his own stage, but back 2 back with two greats from the scene: Michel de Hey and Benny Rodrigues. “Three generations of home lovers together. Have I already prepared it? Well, I thought today that I should give that a go, because we haven’t really discussed anything yet. Oh well, it’s going to be a very special set anyway. And so tasty! In addition, I will also be popping at the after party of the festival, in the Shelter.”
Amsterdam roots
PIV is an Amsterdam label because the roots of Prunk’s career lie in our capital. He was one of the first residents of Club Air, from which Amsterdam Open Air is derived. “I was the regular DJ at 3 Hoog on Thursday; a regular home evening for students in AIR and invited an army of students every week to come to the club,” explains Prunk. “That’s how I was already founded at the first Amsterdam Open Air. And now that own stage… It’s been worn how PIV has grown into such a big label over the past few years.”
Text continues below the image>
Big because of corona
Its own growth and that of PIV is certainly no longer solely due to Amsterdam. Where many DJs and record labels started doing something different during corona, he focuses on releasing real music with his label. “Worldwide we have prevented a lot more applications and my brand awareness has been strengthened. We sold live streams during corona and I performed a lot in England, where it has almost been unlocked. When things started going again here, many parties could not accommodate foreign DJs, but Dutch names could. That is why it all really started to roll very fast.”
As a result, PIV will not only be at Amsterdam Open Air this summer, but will also host its own stage at the Belgian festival Tomorrowland. “Incredible. I had always intended that if I went to Tomorrowland, that is only when I would play there”, says Prunk with a beaming smile. “So that’s now with PIV and not one, but two days! And then I also have an evening in Ibiza this summer and PIV is also making an appearance in countries such as Chile, Brazil, Spain, Costa Rica, Indonesia and more… So it will be a busy summer!”
Text continues below the image>
Prunk abroad
Not to worry: we haven’t lost Prunk permanently abroad yet. We can admire the DJ and PIV several times this summer after Open Air in and around Amsterdam. “My album will be released in July. That release party will also happen in Amsterdam anyway,” he concludes the conversation. “And we’re still up with PIV too Straf_Werk Festival† So PIV can’t get any better than it is now, and neither can I. The next target? Hopefully we will continue to do this well, that this will continue for years to come!”
Amsterdam Open Air will take place during the Whitsun weekend 4 and 5 June 2022 in the Gaasperpark in Amsterdam. The event is stiff but who knows, you might still score tickets this way.