AAN’s Picks: Performances we’re most excited for at Defqon.1!
Late last week, the internet literally exploded when the line-up for the most prevalent and anticipated event of the year was dropped. I’m talking about no less than Defqon.1; a colossal and non-stop weekend festival that’s been critically acclaimed as the ‘mecca’ of the harder styles since the dawn of all days. Defqon.1 is undoubtedly one of the biggest highlights of the year for not only the die-hard fanatics, but for the artists. Their placement on the line-up is merely symbolic of the hard work that they’ve put into their career over the past year and it’s also the event in which artists unleash the creations that they’ve worked on over the winter months.
Now that the biggest news of the year is out, I figured that there’s no better time than now to voice my excitement about this killer line-up and give you word on which artists I feel are going to bring the goods throughout the weekend! There’s no doubt that I’m as excited as a kid on Christmas about the (majority of) the line-up, however unfortunately cloning myself is out of the picture so I had to make some big ‘adult’ life choices.
Friday
Team Westside (The Darkraver, The Viper, Luna & Nosferatu) [BLACK]
I’m sure we can all agree on the fact that this year’s line-up was full of surprises and ‘Team Westside’ is one of them! Excitement is brewing when I fantasise about the greatness that will be experienced during this set; I mean, c’mon, a bunch of veterans thrown on stage together? It’s bound to be fucking awesome! Saying that, the cherry on-top of this performance would be some exclusive productions to match!
Frontliner & Max Enforcer [BLUE]
Did somebody say “On The Go?!” Hardstyle heroes Max Enforcer and Frontliner will be sharing the ‘Blue’ stage at the notorious pre-party and this is a team-up that I’m absolutely looking forward to. The guys have previously worked together and although their current tracks are a far cry from that older, more ‘trancey’ sound, there’s no doubt in my mind that these two ‘aged wines’ will be bringing the goods!
Da Tweekaz [BLUE]
They’re the act that brings ample fun (and rubber duckies) to the stage time and time again and they’re probably also the only euphoric artists that can reduce a die-hard militant to tears. Da Tweekaz are one of the most deserving acts on the entire line-up; they’ve worked their asses off to keep their #Tweekay16 project tight, their productions are next-level and to be honest, I can’t think of anyone better to inject some light-hearted fun into Defqon.1.
Saturday
B-Front [RED]
Judging by the natural proceeding of melodic to raw on the mainstage, I’ve come to the assumption that B-Front may (or may not) perform at that prime time when the sun starts to melt away behind the stage and the lightshow comes out to play. ‘Face The Truth,’ this dude is going to be bringing some serious ‘Magic,’ or maybe it’ll be a little bit more of a ‘Mysterias’ performance. Who gives a fuck – I’m sure it’ll be ‘For The Girls!’
Radical Redemption [LIVE] [RED]
Radical Redemption is an absolute fucking unit and I cannot be happier that he’s amongst the elite few who are performing on the mainstage. It’s evident that Q-Dance have minimised the amount of ‘raw’ on the Red stage this year, however when it came to picking out the raw representative of that stage, they certainly chose the right guy to annihilate it! The one thing that I’m most excited about is the sheer fact that Radical Redemption’s set will be intense kickrolls for a solid 30 minutes!
Nosferatu [BLACK]
As a true Hardcore legend of the past, present and future, Nosferatu is still releasing next-level productions, ultimately making him one of my favourites on the Black stage this year. I’m anticipating a set that’s filled with classics, new bangers and of course, some 180BPM magic! On a side note, Nosferatu will also be getting raw at Saturday’s afterparty when he performs as High Voltage.
Dana [MAGENTA]
All hail the queen! It’s no surprise that the legendary Lady Dana has been programmed on the notorious Magenta stage this year, representing the sounds of Hardstyle from 2001-2005. As always, it’s a pleasure to watch Dana perform and this year is no exception!
Geck-o [WHITE]
For years, the White stage was best known for bringing forth Subground, Electro and other Electronic genres that aren’t quite Hardstyle, however this year the area will be dedicated to Freestyle. When it came to picking who I was most excited for, I couldn’t get past the cheeky Geck-o; you never know what to expect when this dude performs and the fact that he doesn’t fit into any box really excites me. I do however sustain the request for him to play “Soul Train.”
Kronos [INDIGO]
Kronos is another artist who I’ve unfortunately never seen perform, so I’m all set on the fact that I’ll be hitting him up in the Indigo area on Saturday. Kronos’ place on the line-up this year is well deserved and I hope that he’s ready to drop a performance filled with pure quality Italian raw hardstyle! Aside from Kronos, there’s a handful of incredibly promising names on the Indigo stage, so I don’t doubt that this area will be a favourite amongst visitors.
Wavolizer [SILVER]
Industrial Hardcore typically ain’t my cup of tea, however Wavolizer is the exception to the rule. His productions are out of this fucking world and in my opinion, are amongst some of the most intriguing in the entire scene. This dude is so damn creative and I’m ecstatic to witness him live in action.
Clockartz [PURPLE]
Italian duo Clockartz are on the verge of a massive breakthrough – I can literally feel it! The duo’s hard work in the studio and audacious approach to Hardstyle has earned them a spot on the line-up this year which is a huge stepping stone for their career. My hopes for this set are to hear an 100% Clockartz set; this is their shot to take another leap, so I wish the guys all the best!
Blackburn [PURPLE]
AVIO-signed Blackburn managed to score himself a place on the Purple stage this year and I’m stoked that such an insanely underrated name is getting the recognition he deserves! Blackburn’s productions are incredibly creative and of such immense quality; I hope he has some exclusive new material to showcase! All I have to say is “bring on that AVIO magic!”
Sunday
Defqon.1 Legends [RED]
Last year, the Defqon.1 Legends set was one of the biggest highlights of my weekend, subsequently filling my soul with anticipation and curiosity for this year’s set! This exclusive set is a bit of a gamble; after last years’ incredible performance by Noisecontrollers, Isaac and Wildstylez, this year’s chosen artists have some huge shoes to fill, however I don’t doubt that they’ll bring some classics!
Frequencerz [RED]
How do you like your steak? Medium rare, thanks… It was only a matter of time until Frequencerz made their mark on the DQ.1 mainstage. This duo has worked incredibly hard over the past year and with the release of their album “Medium Rare” it only seemed logical to let these guys spin the incredible music from the album in front of thousands of fanatics!
Thera & Jason Payne [BLUE]
Theracords partners-in-crime Jason Payne and Thera are set to absolutely demolish the Blue area! The one thing I admire about both of these artists is that they always have a ball on stage and they know how to ensure that members of the crowd are also having the time of their life! Aside from his newer productions, I do hope that Thera also mixes in some cherished Theracords classics!
Blademasterz [UV]
Blademasterz’ performance on the UV stage is set to be LEGENDARY! Traditionally, fans would expect an occurrence like this to be on the Magenta stage, which kind of puts me under the impression that some modern Blademasterz productions are on their way! Aside from the obvious fact that this performance will be incredible, I actually don’t know what to expect from Brennan Heart… And that’s the most exciting part.
Noisecontrollers [UV]
Defqon.1 isn’t complete without a kick-ass performance by Noisecontrollers. Like seriously, I’d actually experience feelings of incompleteness and probably shed a tear if he wasn’t playing, so thank god he is. I’m somewhat disappointed at the fact he’s not programmed on the mainstage this year, however to be honest he could play in the campsite and it would still be freaking awesome!
Panic [GOLD]
My appreciation for early and millennium hardcore has been building over the years, so it’s a no-brainer that one stage I’m particularly excited about is the Gold. To be honest, hearing the same modern Hardstyle hits can get a little dull, so I’ll be escaping to this stage over the weekend to satisfy my cravings. One set that I’m looking forward to is Panic; nowadays he’s usually programmed on Freestyle stages, so I’m anticipating what he brings to this Millennium Hardcore area. Other guys performing on this stage that I’d love to watch are Art Of Fighters and of course, Promo!
A-Lusion & Scope DJ [MAGENTA]
After the 2001-2005 Early Hardstyle madness on Saturday’s Magenta stage, Sunday sees a little fast-forward to 2005-2011. Bringing reverse bass and pure power, the team-up I’m most excited for is A-Lusion and Scope DJ! Alongside many other fans I’m longing to hear some Second Identity tunes!
Mark With A K [WHITE]
If anyone knows how to get the party started, it’s Belgium’s unofficial ‘God’ Mark With A K! He knows the insides and outs of getting the crowd amped up and he also isn’t afraid to drop some harder tunes too! With the freedom of Freestyle in his favour, I expect this set to be entertaining and full of energy!
Riiho & Digital Mindz [INDIGO]
Last but not least on my ‘to watch’ list are two fast-rising raw Hardstyle sensations. Representing Finland (and also Dirty Workz), Digital Mindz and Riiho have made their mark on the scene with their insane productions, making both artists amongst the most promising in the next generation. The bar is high for their set in the Indigo area and I expect no less than piercing screeches, demolishing kicks and all-round brutality!
Let’s take it to our readers! Which artists are you most excited to watch perform at DQ.1? Let us know in the comments below! For the hermits who have not yet discovered this top-notch line-up, head to http://www.defqon1.nl/line-up/ and feel your knees go weak with excitement.With a little over three months to go until this unforgettable experience kicks off, it’s time to get prematurely excited!
2 Comments
No Cyber?
You forgot The Shade vs Iluminite