W elcome back to earth dear followers. You did party hard at Hard Bass 2016 – what an incredible edition. After an exhausting weekend for thousands of people, it’s time for the recap. To be fair, we’re not that fast, so this is not the Hard Bass review, now I want to report about something different, something that passed off at Hard Bass.
We all know this act, we all experienced them at least once. Two strengths combined into one life act. They are exclusive, they are extraordinary and surprise me every time again. They are the gangsters, so better lock your door, their sound is raw like cocaine straight from Bolivia, the masks men are back.
Gunz for Hire are back with their new No Mercy tour. You all know, when these two guys enter the stage, there is no holding back. After an immense success of their previous tours, their Qlimax 2013 performance – oh those memories, how awesome was the girl from Sorrow on stage?! Ok, back to topic, as I said they are back with a new tour after quite some time, unreleased tracks, but even an enormous hype.
We are glad, that we could discover them in two totally different locations.
Thus, first, two weeks ago in the Bootshaus, Köln. Musical Madness realized this tour in the Bootshaus, Köln, a smaller venue/ club with its specific underground feeling. Second, we get a look at their performance at Hard Bass.
Musical Madness – Gunz for Hire No Mercy
Kings of the underground – the most fitting phrase I think. I really love the location. The Bootshaus is a really good club, not far away from the train station, but also enough parking place for your car. You bear to walk round some old, rotten factory depository. It immediately creates such a dense atmosphere – and you’re not even in the club. The club is ranked as the 23rd best club in the world and I gonna say, well deserved.
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As you get into the club, you can depart to the left to the main floor and the bars. On the right to the other floors, which were closed this time, the toilets and the merchandise. To protrude with the only negative aspect – you have to ante up 8€ for Wodka-E, which is moderately high. I did spend 24€ for that night, bought 3x Wodka-E. If you really want to get drunk, you better take some money with you. But on the other hand, you have a clean, well-organized and kind of ‘exclusive’ club and underground feeling.
Peacekeeper & D-Liciouz
Both guys took in the honour to open to unfold up the dark. Hell yeah, the floor was already packed and it wasn’t even midnight. Both had so much fun on stage, they really entertained. They did a really good job. Their set was .. Considerably, some would call it mainstream, but what options do you possess as a DJ to open up a hardstyle event? So, yes, they did play almost every floorfilla and well known tracks from the past and present.
How about the Defqon.1 2012 anthem? Yes! How about Lost in Paradise by Max Enforcer? YES!! How about the Alpha² Tonight remix? YESS!!! The way was set for the night, the people were ready and Peacekeeper & D-Liciouz did a great opening set.
Ran-D B2B Adaro
The first highlight of the night. I truly need to admit; I did enjoy the set so much. It was a really, really good set. A constant drive within a set is so important and these two guys know how to keep that specific drive through a one hour set. They went harder and harder. They were probably playing all well-known Adaro and Ran-D tracks, like Firestarter, Whiplash, For The Street (Regain Remix) or Oldschool Flow, Open The Gates and many more. Ending up with Seven they went really hard and made the crowd go wild.
Sounic
She kind of had the unthankful job to play in-between Ran-D & Adaro & Gunz for Hire. Well, I know, this can be huge and is an honour to play right before them, probably because all people already arrived. But you need to hold up the tempo of Ran-D & Adaro’s set, but also set up the crowd for Gunz for Hire.
Sounic did manage it pretty well, although many people left for a last break. The floor was less packed, but better for those who finally had the space to dance. She started with some rougher old-school beats, I really didn’t know the tracks. But she also went harder and harder. She played Just a Memory by Prefix and Density and ended up at 165 BPM. All in all the 1h and 15mins felt less long and she did entertain. Good job here!
Gunz for Hire No Mercy
Spoiler alert!
Everyone was ready, the last people searched for the right place on the dance floor or beside it. Flags went straight up in the air. The atmosphere was incredibly good and probably the best thing about this event. There is absolutely nothing comparable. But was is the new tour about?
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A sign along the huge LED wall. The Gunz for Hire logo, a black screen and there it is. A priest, sitting is his cabinet in a church. The atmosphere is dense. A weird stranger, with a mask and leather coat appears, adjust his self right next to the priest. There is only a thin wall in between them. They start talking about god, Jesus, mercy, forgiveness and a drug deal. With a big bang the conversation went to its climax, the priest tries to run away, but both masks men grab him, punch him in the face and throw him onto the altar. It’s time to say good bang – Boom, Headshot!
Holy SHIT! This was crazy, what the fuck did I just saw? It was the intro movie to their tour. Gunz for Hire finally appeared on stage and progressed to the crowd go mad. May God be with you all or Swagger are just amazing tracks, creating such an awesome vibe. They really played a crazy set.
Plata O Promo another great tune, the perfect balance between raw elements and a really cool melody. I missed those kind of tracks lately, since Ran-D went more into raw.
Raw like cocaine straight from Bolivia, a well-known track, still going strong! I loved every second of their live set. By playing Kings of the Underground in their own edit and the tour giving name No Mercy they seriously went harder and harder. The BPM was raised and they terminate the set with Military.
The screen turned on. Three Russian/Columbian looking guys were sitting in an underground location in front of each other. It’s about a drug deal. They tested the cocaine, talked about the payment. Cut! A tracking shot through the venue, right into a room with some gangster. Two of them were fighting. Cut! You see Gunz for Hire preparing their weapons – an automatic gun and a shotgun. Back to the fighting guys and ‘crowd’. Just a few steps are in between Gunz for Hire and those gangsters.
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The door opened and a shootout starts. They seriously had no fortune. Blood sprites against the wall. Gunz for Hire killed the whole group and went on. The main gangster, probably heard it, all three try to escape, running to the next door. It closes and all you see are muzzle flashes and flashlights through the window of the door. Suddenly a bloody hand bounces against the windows, giving you goosebumps all over.
One of the gangsters crawls out the door, with Gunz for Hire in his neck. The final: There is no escape for him. Both are aiming at his head. One of them turns his face into the camera asking the crowd if he shall live or die. Of course the whole crowd screamed die. I’m curious what will happen if you scream yes. Anyway, the message was clear – No fucking Mercy!
The film ended! But the crowd wanted more and Gunz for Hire returned to the stage and played 3 more tracks! All of them ~170BPM and more. It was just crazy!
I fucking loved these 45 minutes! It was pure awesomeness! The movie, the performance, the show, with confetti and their obligatory C02 guns, the dense atmosphere, the fitting animations on the huge screen, different for every new track and the whole appearance – lovely! Besides, the actors played pretty convincing and I’d loved the fact the movie had a specific violence level. Even when they shot the priest in his head, the camera filmed it.
I think they took a live act to the next level! Because, this was some next level live act shit!!!
Show
Of course the options are limited, but Musical Madness did a good job, trying to deliver a great show! Before and after Gunz for Hire we had nothing special. A solid show. During Gunz for Hire we had that massive screen and additionally lots of fire around the dance floor, even behind you!
Hard Bass – Gunz for Hire No Mercy
Let’s skip the storyline, because all I want to mention is the fact, that it was a totally different feeling! Yes, they had way more options to support their performance on stage! Through the crazy sound system everything felt way bigger and more massive. Also, the light and laser show was crazy. Supported by fire, Co2 and a fire gun it was awesome!
The tracks were not that different and almost the same, but they’ve done their job! The atmosphere was great, but compared to the atmosphere in the Bootshaus, I was less impressed. Furthermore, no chance of an encore.
Both Gunz for Hire experience created a totally different feeling. We had the more underground one, the one with a dense atmosphere and 100% dedicated people. With a less huge show, but all in all its done its job. Second, we had this huge stage, with these two guys performing. Supported by that crazy sound system and kick-ass show it was worth to experience it as well.
What is left to say? Gunz for Hire strike back with a next level live act. They did manage to deliver more than a musical journey. They created a whole story around their tour and tracks. Although … I’m curious what was first .. Did they create tracks and build a story and tour around it? Or did they create a tour, theme and story and produced tracks especially for that? What was first? I guess if someone finds out, he has a bullet in his head the next day!
WTF? It’s 11 pm, who the fuck knocks on my door? Thankfully, my flatmate will open the door.. I’m way too silly.. wtf was that? There are STRANGERSSS in our apartment!! IF YOU READ THIS TELL THEAAAHHH POLIC USAihjbsadihvasdkopfaFDDNG WQQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaa