BPM Boost: Basscon Sanctuary 2015
The third and final Basscon Hardstyle showcase of 2015 is upon us! With Wasteland taking place in January, and Resurgence in May, Basscon’s Sanctuary is providing us with an amazing lineup to fill our Hardstyle quota on the 4th of December. When the lineup was announced about a week ago, people began posting the flyer all over Facebook. I immediately assumed it was just another fan made flyer with an unimaginably great lineup which couldn’t possibly be real. I rushed to the insomniac site to find that it was most definitely authentic and I have never been more happy! The headliners for Sanctuary consist of American DJs Crisis Era and Mekanikal, Dutch sensations The Prophet and Radical Redemption, Italian Hardstyle DJ Stephanie, and Wasted Penguinz from Sweden. Being extreme Hard Dance fanatics, Relentless Beats’ Promotions Manager and Hardstyle Advocate Chase Caskey and I, discussed the Sanctuary lineup. Every artist headlining the event is commendable in every way and December cannot come soon enough!
“The Basscon line-up in December is stacked, you have to appreciate the versatility of the entire show, there’s a little something for everyone. The Prophet delivers a well thought out professional Hardstyle set, with over 20 years’ experience in the art, and being the proclaimed Godfather of the genre he’s not a man to miss. The Prophet knows how to work a crowd, he’s a very intimate dj. Expect a few Hardcore tracks from him as well, I see him paying homage to his other alias The Masochist during this set.” Chase and I also had the pleasure of attending “Trauma: Old School for the Headstrong”, an ‘underground’ event in LA where we were graced by the presence of The Prophet as The Masochist. It was my first time seeing him live, having missed his set in Phoenix when he toured in May of 2014. Regardless of the genre he chooses to present or the alias he chooses to perform under, he is a Hard Dance Legend and is definitely worthy of the drive to the Hollywood Palladium from Phoenix.
Dear lovers of Euphoric Hardstyle, you will be pleased! “Wasted Penguinz is going to bring the feels I just know it, those guys are legends in the realm of Euphoric Hardstyle and although they were just in the states, the American demand for these legends in insurmountable.” For those of us who could never make it outside of the States to see them before, and who couldn’t catch their first ever U.S. appearance at Nocturnal Wonderland this year, THERE IS HOPE! The Swedish duo is definitely high on our “must-see” list of Hard Dance performers.
“Let’s not forget about one of the queens of the Hardcore realm, Stephanie. I’ve seen this chick drop sets and let me tell you she knows how to F*^K $H!T UP! Even if you’re not a fan of her more aggressive style of music, you’re going to enjoy how well she knows her way around the decks.”
Regarding the American Hard Dance scene and local talent at Sanctuary Chase said: “It’s great seeing more and more American talent getting the opportunity to shine in a prominently Dutch controlled genre. Supporting acts like Crisis Era and Mekanikal are imperative to the growth of Hard Dance here in the States and will open up the doors for other talented individuals. These guys are starting to get recognition overseas, and if you know anything about the genre, you know that’s a big deal.” It really IS a big deal though. I cannot emphasize enough how enthused I am for the day when our own Hardstyle DJs, whom we have watched grow and prosper, become prominent faces in the scene abroad.
“I saved the best and probably most anticipated artist for last. Mr. Brutal himself, the one man army, Radical Redemption. Blowing up onto the scene from virtually nowhere, Radical Redemption controls the men and women who identify closest with Rawstyle. Rad Red while being a solo artist, also works in the epic trio known as Minus Militia. I watched this man wreck a warehouse in Amsterdam at Warface’s CD release party. If you like it heavy, if you like it raw, if you like it HARD, this will be THE SET of Basscon Sanctuary.” Yes, Radical Redemption is going to be joining us for his first EVER performance in the U.S! Joey van Ingen is a young and comparatively new face in the Hard Dance scene. He began producing Hardstyle in 2009 and developing his own style of it, staying on the raw-er side of the spectrum. By 2011 he caught the attention of Crypsis which resulted in a collaboration entitled “Darkness is Calling.” Now, as a very well recognized Hardstyle/Rawstyle DJ, Radical Redemption is visiting California and bestowing upon us a performance of a lifetime.
