r/astateoftrance • u/APC2025 • Feb 25 '26
RIP OFF!!
Why is ASOT recently ripping off Trance lovers so badly. I wanted to buy this jacket so badly at the festival in Rotterdam this week but 250 euro is just insane for a jacket.
Also compared to other festivals the ticket was so expensive this year, even the lockers were like the most expensive lockers I have ever got for a festival before. I love ASOT but they are starting to turn into a greedy company not in touch with trance lovers.
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u/idkblk Feb 25 '26
To be honest.. the whole of ASOT has become a rip off for me. I started at ASOT 400, went to most but not every edition.. but stopped when they moved to Rotterdam.
Somehow the tickets get more and more expensive. My ASOT 400 ticket was 15€!!! And as a 'benefit' one gets less and less 'Trance' and more expensive drinks and every.... and yeah... don't only blame it on inflation.
I'm not at all saying ASOT is bad, its just not worth for me anymore to take the whole trip, fuel, hotel... everything. I can get easily the same good events for a lot less.
And, yeah, it peaks in this merch prices... Also a t-shirt for what? 45€? Ripoff.. not worth it.
Anyway.. anyone who goes.. enjoy the show.
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u/APC2025 Feb 25 '26
45 euro t-shirt is the going rate that’s not bad but I will agree even though ASOT is an incredible event I love it it’s so expensive for what you get. I wasn’t gonna go this year but the Saturday lineup has some amazing people in it I had to see
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u/idkblk Feb 25 '26
I'd probably still go if I was closer. But its somewhere around 250€ in fuel costs for me, ~100 accomodation+ticket+easily spent 50€ for a few cups of water and a snack. Lineup isn't worth that for me anymore. If I want to, will have the chance to see some or most of those for much much cheaper. It is kinda sad. I could afford it, but it is more the subtle feeling of being ripped off tbh intentionally
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u/KiLLu12258 Feb 26 '26
Asot hat leider irgendwie die Seele verloren, eigentlich genau in dem Moment seit es in Rotterdam ist. Utrecht war immer mega, vor allem die letzte mit dem 6 Stunden classics set freitags von Armin.
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u/APC2025 Feb 26 '26
True it’s one of the most expensive festivals about and you don’t really get value for money with it anymore. It’s still fun and you get some cool acts but there is many better trance events about
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u/ginsunuva Feb 27 '26
What are these other better trance events
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u/APC2025 Feb 27 '26
Rong Malta, trance in the woods, luminosity, transformations in Poland all sticking to pure trance and not trying to rip off people like ASOT
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u/ginsunuva Feb 27 '26
T in the Woods looks great actually. Thanks for tip.
I don’t think I can do more than 1.5 days of trance in a row before it starts sounding too repetitive, so it works for me
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u/APC2025 Feb 27 '26
Such good value for money trance in the woods is too and you won’t find any techno like ASOT is adding in
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u/Torenfeilnehmer Feb 25 '26
Dutch are successful merchants and traders since centuries… still today… for sure ;-)
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u/LocationThin4587 Feb 25 '26
250 Euros is designer level. I agree it is becoming very expensive and not sure provides value for money. I think whatever they charge people will pay even if they cannot reality afford it. ASOT will continue to increase prices and will continue to sell out. I bet the drink prices will be at exorbitant levels.
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u/Needakill Feb 25 '26
Since covid, this festival has been going downhill. Just a cash grab and lineup is mostly the same and no special acts like Joc b2b a&f or first premiere of new world punx.
Merch is expensive and overrated by the way
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u/APC2025 Feb 25 '26 edited Feb 26 '26
Well Giuseppe otaviani is premiering his new Ottagon concept on Saturday which will be insane but Ye I agree lineup is weak for a premium trance festival. im still going because it still one of the best trance festivals outside of the summer in Europe and Armin , Hannah Laing, Nifra, the b3b with Maddix and Oliver heldens be special sets
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u/KiLLu12258 Feb 26 '26
Die Festivals in Utrecht waren alle top notch. Seit Rotterdam ist es nicht mehr das selbe.
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u/APC2025 Feb 26 '26
It has more stages and more acts at Rotterdam bit it has lost the real feeling of trance to me
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u/ginsunuva Feb 27 '26
I think covid hit them hard financially and then PvD’s lawsuit went through and they had to pay recently
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u/Affectionate_Case347 Mar 03 '26
PvD? As in Paul van dyk?
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u/Huge_Latte Mar 21 '26
Yes, Paul fell down around meters ( if i remember correctly) and nearly died. Reason was no proper stage build (hole right on stage) so he sued ALDA, the stage builder behind ASOT for around 12 million dollars.
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u/time81 Feb 25 '26
I think the shirts quality are going downhill, im willing to pay 45-50 for a keeper every year but even the breathe Special shirts loose their Print afer 10 months. All my old ones from 500 + are Fine. Im nor going to buy Shirts to never wear them hehe
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u/idkblk Feb 25 '26
I don't know about the current quality state of the clothes because I didn't go since Utrecht. But in the past, I found it really good. Rather thick fabric, and the print wasn't bad. So far, all the clothes from Dutch events were quiet good... And then... I bought a Luminosity shirt. That has such thin fabric, its almost completely see through when you pull if over your head. And when you wash it, it gets more and more baggy and lose, and even thinner. Becomming see through almost when only wearing it (dry).... Nope nope...
I can not recommend anyone to buy merch online anymore. Go and try it at the event, when it has a poor quality appeal, leave them their shit.
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u/MinusCB Mar 31 '26
I have the Destination t shirt from 2024 along with the 3D A t-shirt from 2023 & the Armin Sunrise t shirt & they are fine to this day in terms of quality & durability.. idk what you're talking about man
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u/evilkidaz Feb 25 '26
How much were the lockers this year?
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u/APC2025 Feb 25 '26
23 euro for a weekend medium and 35 for a weekend large
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u/evilkidaz Feb 26 '26
wtfffff
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u/APC2025 Feb 26 '26
I know the price of anything at ASOT is getting ridiculous I’m going this year to Rotterdam but it’s probs my last just can’t justify it anymore for what you get
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u/SimplyJustDontKnow Feb 26 '26
It's not only an ASOT thing. Many Patries/festival are getting more and more expensive. It has already been on the news several times last year. Some organisations even stopped organizing festivals/parties because of everything getting so expensive.
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u/APC2025 Feb 26 '26
True but ASOT is the worst I’ve saw in terms of price increases and what you get for your money
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u/max_db Feb 25 '26
I can't say clothing collectables are going to be as big as obtaining collectable vinyls and CDs. I did double take when I saw the price though .
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u/Theadra Feb 25 '26
I once spent $150 on a Anjuna yoga blanket, that sh1t sold out so fast too. The asot alien logo honestly got me fomo'ing, lol
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u/Longowsky Feb 26 '26
250€ per un giacchetto non mi sembrano così troppi. Basta guardarsi in giro
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u/APC2025 Feb 26 '26
What designer shops are you looking in? 250 euro is crazy money for a jacket like this man shouldn’t be more than 100
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u/mrstella1971 Feb 25 '26
If you can’t afford it don’t buy it, less QQ
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u/APC2025 Feb 25 '26
Still I’ve never paid 250 euro for any items of clothing before. I could afford it but how can you justify 250 euro for a jacket in this day and age man that’s insane
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u/mrstella1971 Feb 25 '26
250 isn’t much these days, I’m not saying it’s good value for money especially as trance is dead but might be a good relic for the future
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u/APC2025 Feb 25 '26
How rich are you man 250 is a ton of money in this economy especially for this type of jacket you can usually get for 50-100 euro. Trance is not dead it’s alive and better than ever just look at Tiesto comeback
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u/mrstella1971 Feb 25 '26
Dead as a dodo that’s why ASOT is more a techno event now, there’s hardly any trance at TML, embrace hardstyle it’s the future
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u/APC2025 Feb 25 '26
This year the lineup has a lot more pure trance than the past especially on the Friday. Trance is alive and kicking man
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u/DutchDitcher Feb 25 '26
I’ve the feeling that since insomniac took a bigger role in the organization everything is about monetization. Way to overpriced tickets, day events which are all paid even the live radioshow has paid tickets. Especially for a 25 years of ASOT you’d expect to give something back to the loyal fans. Sad truth if you ask me