Last Saturday, around 30,000 gabbers gathered at the Brabanthallen for Masters of Hardcore, the largest indoor hardcore event of the year. With a line-up full of heavyweights, brand-new shows, and impressive stages, the event proved once again why it belongs at the top of the scene.
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Large groups of gabbers had already gathered in front of the entrance well over two hours before the doors opened. That hunger for hardcore was immediately rewarded: once inside, it became clear that the organizers had once again pulled out all the stops, with meticulously detailed stages based on the Tides of Tyranny theme. Not only the main halls, but also the walking areas were bathed in a sea of blue and purple light, complete with undulating movements that permeated the immersion throughout the entire venue.
Full throttle from the first kick
At the brand-new early uptempo stage, the day started off at full throttle. Vandal!sm and later Chaotic Hostility blasted record after record through the speakers. In no time, the room was packed, and the energy immediately went into maximum gear.
In the next room, Masters of Early Hardcore brought about a striking change. No standard sets, but face-to-face acts where DJs played opposite each other. Marc Acardipane and Promo showed how it’s done: within a few tracks, they understood each other flawlessly, communicating via hand gestures and perfectly attuned to one another. The result was a playful yet hard set that effortlessly took the entire room back to the roots of hardcore.
New and established names deliver
The new generation also made its presence felt. During his debut, Complex blasted through Rammeroni LIVE at a high tempo. During ‘I Can Feel’, every word was roared along, while the energy in the hall never wavered for a moment.
Korsakoff and Hysta proved once again why they work so well together. With tracks like ‘Choose Life’, ‘Little Things’, and ‘Unleash The Beast’, they kept the crowd at the Masters of Millennium stomping nonstop.
Mainstage spectacle reaches climax
On the main stage, it was time for anthem maker D-Fence. During his live show, everything was pulled out of the hat: four divers hung from the ceiling and floated in the air, bringing the main stage theme to life perfectly. When the anthem started, the entire crowd went wild. Thousands of hands in the air, and from at least as many throats rang out: ‘Masters of Hardcore’, enough to give you goosebumps.
Uptempo artist Kili also made an impression with his Masters debut, on the Masters of Extreme Hardcore stage. During Locked & Loaded, he unleashed a hail of records and new kicks on the Masters in the hall. His new kick sound was well received: with every drop, the energy level rose higher and higher.
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Farewell to a true hardcore pioneer
One of the most emotional moments of the evening took place on the main stage, where the passing of hardcore pioneer Bass-D was commemorated.
The artist was part of the first generation that shaped hardcore as the genre developed in the 1990s. He was active not only as an artist but also as someone who guided the scene. For example, he is one of the founders of Masters of Hardcore back in 1995. Even as hardcore continued to evolve and new movements emerged, he remained active and visible. He was seen as someone who passed on experience and mentality, and who continued to uphold the original values of hardcore.
The main stage filled up completely for the tribute. What began as a subdued moment grew into a celebration of his legacy. Classics like ‘Hold Me Now’ and ‘Like A Dream’ echoed through the hall as the audience sang along en masse. A fitting farewell for someone who has left an indelible mark on the scene.
Maximum intensity everywhere
At Masters of Terror, Drokz and Akira showed that the tempo could be raised effortlessly. With a merciless early terror set, standing still was simply not an option.
D-Frek brought a different, but at least equally effective atmosphere to the Masters of Frenchcore. With a mix of frenchcore and influences from other hardcore genres, he effortlessly got the packed room moving.
On the main stage, Satirized presented his new live show NEON FUNFAIR. With colorful visuals and hard-hitting kicks, he delivered a striking live show, including new music and a collaboration with GPF.
The afterparty for your last remaining energy
Anyone who still had energy left after a full day of hakken could head to the afterparty. Angerfist managed to inject some extra energy into the room with a classics set. During songs like ‘Incoming’ and ‘The Voice of Mayhem’, the crowd went completely wild.
After that, things only got crazier. Gezellige Uptempo caused complete chaos with SH!T HAPPENS, including bizarre sound effects and numerous props on stage. Noxiouz closed with The Catalyst, during which exhausted but determined Masters sang along at the top of their lungs one last time. After a grueling day, there was only one conclusion: Masters of Hardcore delivered on all fronts once again.
Pictures by: Masters of Hardcore
