The successful HAKKE360 series went into its third edition with a special concept this time: a combination of an outdoor event during the day, being continued indoors after the sun disappeared behind the horizon. Innovation met classic, like location, like music!
Simon Roth
Venue
A special concept favors an exceptional location – welcome HAKKE360 at JunkYard Dortmund! This place is absolutely worthy of the term “gem” though it’s not really hidden. In contrast, it’s in plain sight on a main road in the northern part of the city. That also makes it easily reachable via subway and night bus, in less than 15 minutes from the main train station of Dortmund.
Passing the entrance gate meant you instantly stepped into a totally different world, an industrial one from past days. Brick buildings decorated with graffiti, stacked-up rusty shipping containers, a scrap car on top, and a run-down bus at the side provided the typical Ruhr area glamor. Generously dimensioned bars with well-trained staff offered cooled beverages with very short waiting times. In addition to the meanwhile common deposit system, they handed out reusable cups as well as real glass bottles. Still, I didn’t see any shards on the floor. The food truck supplied the visitors not only with fries and sausages but also plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. Extra points for sustainability!
Areas
Outdoor area (open until 10pm)
The event started with a blue sky, a light breeze, and a beach feeling in the outdoor area. The silver-colored trusses equipped with several moving heads and the LED wall spanning the whole back of the stage stood in beautiful contrast with the stale containers bordering the stage. Later, in the countenance of the dusk, some flamethrowers placed on the stage roof were added to the mix.
While a limited number of hakke dancers who wanted to show off their skills on stage got the opportunity to do so again, there also was enough space for everyone to hakk in front of the stage. Between sunshades, seating made out of old tires, and bistro tables manufactured from worn-out barrels, all the classic hardcore lovers had a good time!
Indoor main area (open from 10pm)
When the darkness took over and the bass fell silent in the outdoor area, the indoor part began! However, the outdoor space was still kept open to have access to the food truck, the large bar, and the chillout area.
The indoor main stage blended in nicely with the brick walls and the large vent pipes mounted under the ceiling, giving the visitors the original underground club vibe. It didn’t take long until the floor was well-filled due to the attractive option of buying a combi ticket at a reduced rate. Another bar on the left-hand side of the floor helped keep everyone hydrated while not having to go outside into the slowly cooling temperatures.
Although the second floor was located directly on the opposite side and the doors were permanently kept open on both buildings, there was no sound leakage from any side.
Second indoor area (open from 10pm)
The announcement of a second indoor area was actually a surprise until a few weeks beforehand. A public DJ contest was held and there were several promising participants. The winners got the chance to show off their mixing skills on the second stage and get the gabbers moving to their beats, making this area a place of pure creativity and excessive experimentation.
A small balcony provided extra space and also an exceptional view when the floor below was filled with the DJ’s fan community (and it was cramped at times!) as well as everyone else interested.
Music
A well-orchestrated line-up featuring both international grandeurs of early hardcore and promising newcomer DJs led us through the sunny day and the dark night. We listened to old-school maniacs, hakked with the pioneers of hard-dance, and got hit with hard kicks by some of the most respected players in the scene. All hosted by one of the first MCs in hardcore music and a true legend, Ruffian.
We enjoyed lots of good old classics like “Pain Till I Die”, “Still Nr. 1”, and “Hardcore To The Bone”. Got put back into past times by Dune’s “Hardcore Vibes”. And definitely got moving to Neophyte’s legendary “Braincracking”.
It was also nice to see that the audience was quite mixed between the ones who grew up in the ‘90s hardcore scene and younger ones discovering their love for early hardcore!
Conclusion
The joint venture of INURFASE and Bootshaus has once again proven their knack for composing a quality line-up with a new perspective on things. Paired with top-notch organizational skills, they reliably delivered a one-of-a-kind early hardcore experience spanning more than 14 hours during both day and night. Would hakk again? Absolutely, no questions asked!
Already thrilled for the next edition?
On November 17th, it’s time to hakk together again (back at Bootshaus Cologne)!
Tickets will be available from Monday, September 4th, 6pm, at https://hakke360.ticket.io/
