The final episode of this season of PLAFONDDIENST is all about looking back and looking ahead. And who better to do that with than the people who experience a festival from start to finish? In the New Year’s special, MC Nolz and MC Activate sit down: two MCs, the same profession, but operating on completely different stages. While Nolz is mainly active on the biggest stages, Activate feels most at home in more intimate venues and extra raw settings. That contrast leads to an open conversation about the MC craft, the highlights of 2025, and expectations for 2026.
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“You can make or break a night”
According to Nolz, what many people underestimate is the impact an MC can have on an event. “An MC is incredibly important during a night. You can make or break a party,” he explains. “But the moment you start trying to steal the show or promote yourself, you’re not in the right place.”
For Nolz, it’s all about serving the music. “People come for the music. Give them that music and add where necessary. If you’re constantly standing in front of the DJ going ‘look at me,’ you can really ruin a party.” An MC has to choose their moments carefully, he says. Got your own live track? That’s your moment. But beyond that, the rule is simple: support, don’t dominate.
“I don’t think anyone does it better than Villain”
Online, there is regular criticism that some MCs are too present, yet at the same time the crowd is filled with, for example, Villain merchandise. So does that mean he has earned that role? According to MC Activate, it mainly comes down to context and taste. “When I look at a Defqon.1 RED or a Qlimax, I honestly don’t think anyone does it better than Villain.”
MC Nolz nods in agreement: “Yeah, one hundred percent.” Activate explains that big mainstages require a different approach. “At an INDIGO or an extra raw stage, it’s just about smashing it and partying. But at a Defqon RED or Qlimax, you have people from dozens of countries who have been looking forward to this all year. There has to be a story.” According to Activate, that also explains Villain’s international popularity. “Some people might think he talks too much, but that says nothing about quality. International visitors actually love it when a story is being told. That’s why you see all those flags with his name on them.”
Preferences are personal, both MCs emphasize, but on one thing they fully agree: “If you look at the MCs who are currently holding down the big stages, there isn’t a single bad one among them.”
The golden edge of a party
Within the harder styles, an MC has become such a given that you only really notice their importance when they’re missing. Nolz describes that moment clearly: “Without an MC, it just becomes one long stream of music. One set ends, the next begins, and it just feels weird.” That transition moment is crucial. “Pull everyone back in for a second, let them breathe, and then start again together. That’s when the next set really begins.”
While the focus is often on DJs, MCs also play a crucial role on stage. “Yeah, but they’re often kind of the most important ones on a stage, people often come for that, right?” Nolz says. MC Activate ultimately sums it up perfectly: “We’re the golden edge when we do it right. The painting is made by the artists.”
In de speciale Nieuwjaars-aflevering, en tevens de seizoensafsluiter van PLAFONDDIENST – The Hardstyle Podcast gaan MC Nolz en MC Activate in gesprek over het MC-vak, de hoogtepunten van 2025 en de verwachtingen voor 2026. Listen to the full episode now on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform.
