Spring just started to get in full swing, but we’re already looking ahead to the beginning of summer. On June 27 Nous’klaer Festival will take place and we’re unveiling more and more of our lineup. Today we announce the artists that will grace De Barbaar stage, which is hosted by Draaimolen like last year. Our journey together began before that though; Nous’klaer and Draaimolen go way back.
Draaimolen is an independent festival based in Tilburg, and the Nous’klaer Festival team loves Draaimolen both as visitors and stage hosts. After 7 years of hosting a Nous’klaer Audio stage at Draaimolen, it was time to turn the tables in 2025. This year, for the second time the Draaimolen crew will take over De Barbaar, one of our stages. It’s a space dedicated to bass-driven, rhythm-focused sounds inside the concrete warehouse of Brutus. In this newsletter, we catch up with Draaimolen head-honcho Milo van Buijtene. Scroll down for the lineup of De Barbaar.
When did you start collaborating with Nous’klaer Audio?
Milo: I’ve known Sjoerd (Oberman, Nous’klaer Audio founder, ed.) for ages. I can’t even remember the first time meeting him. I think we started working together in 2017 when Draaimolen was still organizing club nights in Dudok in Tilburg. That was a great party and wild night and we built from there. We organized Draaimolen Island together with Nous’klaer Audio and after that our collaboration evolved into a stage hosting at Draaimolen Festival. After seven years we decided to turn things around; so Draaimolen now hosts De Barbaar at Nous’klaer Festival. Next to that I’ve always been in contact with Sjoerd to spar about music, the scene and our work in it. We have the same set of ideals, which does not always make it easy to operate in this business. So we end up talking to each other or crying our hearts out when one of us is down and out haha.
What do you look for in a lineup, what’s important to you?
Milo: It’s really important that I like someone on a personal level, I like to work with good people. But really, every time I program a stage it starts with the room. What’s the vibe, how do I visualize it, how will people move through it. Once I know that, it starts with one artist or act and I build around it. This year my anchor are Sisso & Maiko. The lineup is built around that set. Nala Brown will close after them, that’s going to be exciting. I’m super curious how she will interact with that performance.
Does your approach to programming change when you’re doing a stage hosting at another festival compared to your own festival?
Milo: For our stage hosting at Nous’klaer Festival I think I went for the pocket or taste of music that I know the Nous’klaer team would not program on their other stages. Also, I don’t want to do anything that we already did together at Draaimolen Festival or that could happen elsewhere at the festival. So in short: we try something new.
Looking back at last year’s stage hosting at De Barbaar, what do you remember most? Which set stands out?
Milo: Luckily I can say that nothing stood out, because everything was really good in my opinion. But to name one artist: I think the live set by Nikos, standing in the middle of the crowd, was pure magic. He’s extremely talented, I can’t wait to see what’s next for him.
Recently Draaimolen has gotten the go for another three years at the current location. What are your plans for the coming years?
Milo: To be honest I expected to feel a bit more calm. Three years is still too short for real financial stability. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful but for example five years would have been better. It’s getting harder and harder to organize a festival on our own terms. So I see the coming three years as a way to complete the journey. There’s only one thing I know for sure: when the very last day of Draaimolen Festival comes, Sjoerd Oberman and myself will play b2b the full day at one of our stages. That would be one hell of a full circle moment.
De Barbaar by Draaimolen lineup:
Beatrice M.
CCL
Gaiko
Nala Brown
Sisso & Maiko live
Vardae live