Qlimax 2019 - Symphony of Shadows

For months, Q-dance has been hyping us up for the most beautiful indoor party of the year. This edition of Qlimax is dedicated to the Symphony of Shadows; a theme that allows us to release our inner demons. After all these years, Q-dance still knows how to get a grip on us with new elements around a rock-solid concept: a mysterious theme, a breath-taking show and a line-up full of headliners, that builds up towards a climax. The magic of Qlimax can hardly be captured in words, but we gave it a try anyway. This is Qlimax 2019 - Symphony of Shadows. The longest-running Q-dance concept makes our hardstyle heart beat faster every year; Qlimax has a special place in our heart. After a smooth entry, we walk onto the field full of enthusiasm, which is almost completely full of die-hard Qlimax fans. Even before the first act of the evening opens the party, the GelreDome is filled with enthusiasts from all over the world. Dramatic music sounds in the background and the tension slowly builds up. It has something magical every year. Extra tension builds up because of the large canvas that is hiding the stage. This is an extra show element that makes Qlimax even more special. We can't wait to see what's behind it.

 

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We want to experience The Qreator from up close. Who knows we can figure out who is hiding behind the mask. At 9.45 pm the masked DJ officially kicks off Qlimax 2019. His fine mix of old and new records creates a big smile on the faces of the audience, including ours. When ‘Wildstylez - I See Stars’ is played, we’re over the moon and everyone in the GelreDome jumps along energetically. The tone is set, what an atmosphere and energy! At 10.45 pm it becomes silent and the area becomes dark. It is time for the official opening of the Symphony of Shadows. The crystals next to the screen light up and Q-dance mysteriously guides us to the fall of the screen. It's time to open up the shadow world! With a whole lot of thunder, fireworks, and smoke, the stage appears and is applauded by an enthusiastic audience. The voice of the deceased Chris Corley also gives us goosebumps. There is no better "Welcome to Qlimax". Personally, I find the stage less impressive than previous editions. On the other hand, the stage fits in with the theme very well and it is really nice that the entire width is used. A lot of attention has been paid to the details of the stage, this is especially evident when transforming the stage. The light and laser show make up for it more than enough. Q-dance remains the master in creating a breath-taking show.

 

 

Then KELTEK is announced. Cheerful tunes pass by and we are treated to, among other things, 'Down To Earth': a track that will never get old. Despite the early time, the kicks are surprisingly hard. "Break The Game" is a hit and KELTEK is even playing a piece of this year's Defqon.1 anthem, including the Sefa piece. We didn’t see that coming! Since KELTEK had a good pace, we take a step back at 11.30 p.m. The Sound Rush brothers hit the stage. It is a bit more relaxed in the audience, but soon the attention is drawn to the classic 'Like Thiz' by Josh & Wesz. This immediately shakes everyone up. The performance of 'Take It All', which is accompanied by a choir, adds extra magic to the evening and creates high expectations for the rest of the night. We also get to hear a lot of their first album (expected in 2020) and even some raw tracks from these guys appeared. It is clear that they have pulled out all the stops to make Qlimax 2019 a success! For a moment we are confused when B-Front appears on stage at 00.25. We expected D-Block & S-to-Fan at this time. And that is also the great thing about Qlimax: everything is one big surprise. We hear the first tones of the 'Symphony of Shadows' anthem. All eyes are on Bob. You can see that the anthem does a lot with the audience. Everyone sings along with the melodies that are wonderfully recognizable as those of typical B-Front. Everyone goes crazy! These are the moments that make Qlimax so special.

 

 

B-Front disappears from the stage again so D-Block & S-te-Fan can continue to enjoy the energy of the audience. The enthusiasm of this always cheerful duo is contagious and their set is received very positively by the audience. Their Ghost Stories act is very popular and the track 'Trouble' is doing very well. They are a perfect addition to the Qlimax line-up! Then, after five years of absence from the Qlimax stage, it's Headhunterz's turn again. We secretly hope for a lot of classics from this showman, but unfortunately, that is disappointing. Luckily he knows how to catch the audience with his old Qlimax anthem 'The Power Of The Mind', but in general the set is fairly flat and the energy of the audience drops a bit When he announces his latest track, he takes a moment to let the audience know that he is going through a difficult time at the moment and is dedicating this track to someone who is no longer in his life. Unfortunately, this does not come across entirely due to the low energy in the room. The atmosphere completely changes when B-Front reappears behind the decks. The king of melancholic hardstyle, that always radiates power. New energy is blown into the dome and his pearls like 'Dark Moon' and 'Mysterias' contribute to the mysterious atmosphere of the evening. To top it off, Phuture Noize even shows his face and we hear their new joint track 'Beautiful Fantasy'. Excellent addition to their range of collaborations!

 

 

Ran-D has a great live set. With records like 'Hurricane', he is guaranteed to be successful. His set fits in well with his predecessors and it looks like the audience can go on for a long time, still. After this, the music becomes a lot more raw, which for many loyal Qlimax visitors does not fit the picture completely. The grandstands gradually seem to be fuller with people who need a moment of rest. Nevertheless, the sets of D-Sturb and Rejecta do have a nice drive. The audience that is still on the field is delighted with this. These sets are also a good opportunity to test the sound system of the evening, which cannot be complained about. The kicks come through hard! Both D-Sturb and Rejecta show new tracks and especially the Shockerz anthem from 'Rejecta ft. Last Word - Chaos Complete' is doing very well. At 5.30 am it is Radical Redemption's turn; an addition to the line-up that is not well understood by everyone. His set remains a hot topic for the rest of the night. His track 'America' ​​is doing well as always, and the moment when the audience is massively shedding its flashlight during one of his new records is very impressive, but many are not very charmed by his set. There is a clear division among the audience; you either hate it or love it.

 

 

The night will be closed with a hardcore set. Miss K8 has got a taste for it and is increasing the BPM's. Her new track with Angerfist 'Impact' resembles that older, familiar sound of them, and creates a cozy atmosphere during the last 45 minutes of Qlimax. She also bombs some Deadly Guns music, so the audience can dance off their last energy, to go home with a satisfied feeling. Memories of this evening are full of new tracks, a good atmosphere, again great shows, and of course the mystery surrounding The Qreator. It remains amazing how Q-dance manages to put on such a show and always steals the hearts of the fans. This was Qlimax 2019 - Symphony of Shadows!