In the special Christmas episode of PLAFONDDIENST – The Hardstyle Podcast, Dutch icons Deepack join the table alongside Element. What starts as a chaotic Christmas gathering filled with wine, oliebollen and The Hague-Rotterdam banter grows into an open conversation about their anniversary year, 35 Years of Madness. Between the jokes, one thing becomes crystal clear: after 35 years, the hunger hasn’t disappeared. Quite the opposite. The anniversary year once again delivered moments that show why Deepack still step onto the stage with the same tension and energy, and why stopping simply isn’t an option.
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“We still hope it’s packed”
Asked about the highlight of their anniversary year, Frank doesn’t hesitate. “Defqon Magenta, without a doubt.” For Marcel, however, the magic of that show wasn’t just about the stage, it was about the uncertainty beforehand. “You always hope it’s going to be packed,” he explains. “And even after 35 years, you never know. You can never assume it will be full.”
That mindset immediately surprises Element. “I honestly didn’t expect to hear Deepack say something like that,” he says. “When you say, ‘if it works out,’ I’m thinking: if it works out?!”
But that doubt turns out to be fuel rather than weakness. “We arrived, took a quick look… and yeah, it was full,” Marcel laughs. “I remember thinking: ‘holy shit, it’s actually packed.’ That feeling is amazing.” Deepack opened their Defqon.1 set deep in the catalogue, around 2000 and 2001, and could see the reaction change. “You see people slowly realise: fuck, this is actually really good,” they say. “And then you take them on a journey. And when that clicks…”
“The moment you think you’ve made it, you’re fucked”
After 35 years, many artists would rely on certainty. Deepack consciously refuse to do that. “The fire is still burning,” they say. “I could easily sit here and say: of course it’ll be packed when we play. But we genuinely don’t think like that.”
That tension never goes away, even at the biggest shows. “We had a little cabin at Defqon and you’re really sitting there like: ah, I hope it’s packed. You go into it as if you have to fight a battle.” Still, it doesn’t change their approach. Whether there are 5,000 people at a show or just 200: “I really don’t give a shit. They get exactly the same energy.”
According to Deepack, that feeling hasn’t changed since day one. “It feels exactly the same as it did back then. We still walk on stage thinking: we’re going to blow these people’s minds tonight.” While massive mainstages remain special, smaller rooms are just as important to them. “A crowd of a few hundred or a thousand people can be just as powerful.”
After 35 Years of Madness, the conclusion is clear: “If you don’t feel it anymore, you should stop. No half measures. Fuck half measures.” With Deepack, that magic is still very much alive.
Deepack and Element in the Christmas special of PLAFONDDIENST – The Hardstyle Podcast
In the Christmas special of PLAFONDDIENST – The Hardstyle Podcast, Deepack and Element talk about 35 Years of Madness, the Defqon.1 Magenta set, and why performing with tension matters, regardless of the crowd size. They also discuss the hardstyle-versus-techno debate, breaking out of musical boxes, and the role of classics on modern stages. Listen to the full episode now on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform.
