BPM Boost: Hardcore Till I Die USA 2015
The first Hardcore Till I Die show in the United States took place a year ago in LA and is now returning bigger and better than ever at Stratus Event Center in Arizona! The two-day event, on the 9th and 10th of October, is going to bring you a solid lineup featuring artists from across the globe. “We’ve put together the BIGGEST hardcore lineup ever seen in North America!” Most featured music at the show will revolve around Hard Dance such as Gabber, Hardstyle, Happy Hardcore and Hardcore. I cannot describe the sheer excitement I felt when I heard HTID was scheduled to be thrown in Phoenix headlined by two of my personal favorite Hardcore artists Partyraiser and Ophidian (LIVE). I also had the pleasure of discussing the event with James Rize, one of HTID’s organizers, who was able to answer a few questions.
Regarding the overall event and who he was most excited to see, Rize said:
“The fun part about putting together a show like this is getting to really go over the top with artists. I’d say that everyone on the event has inspired me in some way over the years. Ophidian, for one, completely changed the way I see the harder side of Hardcore. The guy is truly talented and seeing him live is an unbelievable experience. He’s such a stand up guy. He just needs to be out here more and I hope this show helps with that.”
Ophidian, another Dutch master of the Hardcore movement, has been in the scene for quite a while, beginning to experiment with music at the age of 11. Along with the regular Hardcore and core-break effects associated with his music, Ophidian uses atmospheric melodies, Darkcore and Industrial Techno to keep his fans on the edge. He is definitely very high on my bucket-list for top DJs to see perform live.
“There is so much more to it, though. We have the A-list from all over the globe coming out. People like Gammer, who is the top UK Hardcore DJ in the world, Hixxy, Breeze, and a ton of other legends that really created this scene.”
I’m also happy to see locals on the lineup with such talented international artists. How do you feel about the growing American Hard Dance scene? I feel like HTID will help put a lot of them in the spotlight.
“I love that hard dance is picking up because it means that more and more people are opening their minds to new music that is very different from what they are used to. It’s exciting. With regards to our locals, I really hope this helps to put more of a spotlight on them. Mako, for example, is absolutely phenomenal and consistently flawless. Cik is a legend in our scene. The dude has been everywhere and is among the most selfless people I’ve ever met. Maromi has more frequent flyer miles than most of us. All amazing people. I love to see them being successful so we do everything we can to help.”
Growing up in a school with a high European influence, and a personal liking for Metal and Rock music, I was drawn to Dutch Electronic Music and Hardcore right off the bat. Originating in the 80s, Techno and the Electronic Body Music genre has significantly grown to encompass several forms of Hardcore with powerful beats, heavy kicks, aggressive vocals, and an old school rave vibe. Speaking of old school rave, at HTID on Friday, Area 2 will have a stage taking attendees on a journey through the history of the genre with legends who have been helping it grow since the very beginning. Area 2 on Saturday is what I am most excited for considering it will be on the harder and darker side of the agenda for HTID, featuring mostly Gabber, Hardstyle and Hardcore for the strong-willed. It is at this stage that international Legends Partyraiser, Ophidian, The Doctor and local legends Cik and Skellism will be performing.
Dutch King of Hardcore music, DJ Partyraiser, has been contributing to the scene for more than 20 years. Rising to fame in the 90s, he was nominated for the best Hardcore DJ of Holland in 2005. “Hardcore has to ram you right in the chest and shouldn’t rub your back smoothly,” and that is exactly what I am looking forward to. If you were a little late to join the rave scene and want to experience anything possibly close to the underground raves thrown in the past, HTID is the place to be!
