X (demo party)

The music competition at X2010

X is a Dutch demoscene party which started in 1995 in Utrecht, The Netherlands organized by Success & The Ruling Company, Xenon and Silicon Ltd.

X is the successor of the Silicon Ltd. Winter and Summer parties which were held between 1990 and 1992. With about 250 visitors, it is the world's biggest Commodore 64 demoscene-party, attracting demosceners from not only The Netherlands, but also from other European countries (e.g. Sweden, Finland, Poland, Germany), or even from overseas (for example Australia, United States).

History

The concept of the X parties was born somewhere in 1995 when the members of the Commodore 64 demogroup Silicon Ltd. started the PC demogroup SuccesS. The plan was to organize a demoparty for the Commodore 64 and the PC demoscene. The party place was decided to be Buurthuis Einsteindreef in the city of Utrecht, The Netherlands; the same place where the Silicon Ltd. parties were held in the past.

The first two parties were held in Buurthuis Einsteindreef which were sponsored by soundcard developer Gravis. In 1996 it was clear the location was too small to hold the amount of visitors and their hardware. In 1997 the X organizers teamed up with the Dutch PC demogroup Nostalgia who had connections with the Technical University of Eindhoven, hence the next party baptised as X 97 Takeover which took place in the auditorium of the Technical University Eindhoven. Due to quarrels between the party organizers, this was the first and only party organized by SuccesS and Nostalgia.

The group SuccesS retired from the demoscene in 1998, which caused their Commodore 64 counterparts in Success & The Ruling Company to carry on with the X parties but now as a Commodore 64 only party. Also the party location changed. Since 1998 the X party is held at Kampeerboerderij De Haverkamp in Ruurlo, The Netherlands.

In the year of 2000 the Dutch demogroup Xenon was added as organizing group and in 2006 Silicon Ltd. was added too after more than 10 years of scene absence.

In 2010 the party was held in a new and bigger location in Someren. The Demo competition in 2010 were won by Offence, a Norwegian demo-group returning to the 8-bit platform after 19 years of no demo creation.

Events

1. X 1995 — A fistfun experience to be seen to be believed! (April 21, 1995 – April 22, 1995)
2. X 1996 — (April 5, 1996 – April 7, 1996)
3. X 1997 — Takeover (April 4, 1997 – April 6, 1997)
4. X 1998 — (September 18, 1998 – September 20, 1998)
5. X 2000 — The Reunion (November 17, 2000 – November 19, 2000)
6. X 2001 — A C64 Odyssey (November 23, 2001 – November 25, 2001)
7. X 2004 — 8 Bit Heaven (October 22, 2004 – October 24, 2004)
8. X 2006 — Got Cow ? (October 13, 2006 – October 15, 2006)
9. X 2008 — Mooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh (October 24, 2008 – October 26, 2008)
10. X 2010 — The Year We Make Contact (October 1, 2010 – October 3, 2010)
11. X 2012 — (October 26, 2012 – October 28, 2012)
12. X 2014 — (October 24, 2014 – October 26, 2014)

Live performances

1. X 1995 — Toadstool
2. X 1996 — Toadstool
3. X 1997 — Toadstool
4. X 2004 — Goto80
5. X 2006 — Jeroen Tel & a striptease act
6. X 2008 — Reyn Ouwehand & Jeroen Tel
7. X 2010 — 6581 Band, Jeroen Tel, DaTucker
8. X 2012 — Reyn Ouwehand & Jeroen Tel
9. x 2014 — Reyn Ouwehand & Bas Bron

Competition winners

External links

• The Digital Dungeon FTP site with C64 Releases from the parties
• Photos from the X Parties and more
• The X Parties on Pouet.net
• Success & The Ruling Company Official Site
• X '95 Pictures on Slengpung
• X '97 TakeOver Pictures on Slengpung
• X 2001 Pictures on Slengpung
• X 2004 Pictures on Slengpung
• The former X Partylocation: Kampeerboerderij De Haverkamp