A must-be-event for every die-hard Rebelion fan! A total of 5 hours of stage time for the Raw-loaded Duo, and still: No set was like the other. With an overdose of kicks, unreleased tracks, and stage performance Q-dance once again delivered an X-QLUSIVE x-perience for the books.
Melanie Engel
VENUE & TRAVELS
Ahhh, yes, long time no see, AFAS! It’s good to be back. Personally, one of my favorite indoor venues by far and definitely a perfect pick for this party. Not only is AFAS Live incredibly easy to reach by public transport and car, but it also comes with a great layout and modern facilities. The locker rental went smoothly, and getting tokens was not necessary, as everything worked with contactless payment – another big advantage of the venue!
We arrived in Amsterdam at the already-packed AFAS Live around 22:45, only 45 minutes after the opening. Straight ahead from the entrance, the main area was already getting crowded for its first set of the night at 23:00: Adaro! In the meantime, Invector was warming up the crowd in area 2 upstairs and performed a great start to an even greater event!
STAGE, SOUND & SHOW
The main stage came in a minimalistic, almost futuristic design, with a big screen behind the DJ decks and two triangle-shaped screens on the left and right. Also, there was a V-shaped construction pointing to the stage, as well as an X-QLUSIVE Logo hanging from the ceiling. The show, screen animations, visuals, lasers, kicks, and pyro were all perfectly timed and got the crowd stomping wild.
For the best experience and view, the venue offers two decks on the left and right of the stage, reserved for VIPs and Q-Friends. But the even better view, available for all ravers, comes with the two tribunes in the back. The higher one even offers seating to gather some energy for the next act while not missing out on the incredible show!
Overall, the sound quality was outstanding, as always. Crisp & clear, hard, with a fair amount of bass, even in the smaller second area.
THE LINE-UP
X-QLUSIVE wouldn’t be X-QLUSIVE if it weren’t all in the name of the main act. So it’s not surprising that Rebelion was on stage 5 times throughout the night: First, as a Solo act at midnight, right after Adaro, then together with Sub Zero Project, followed by Sickmode. Of course, their Overdose set was another highlight on the timetable, as well as their closing show together with Dimitri K and The Dark Horror.
Adaro, Vertile, Warface, and Adjuzt were the ones to keep the crowd going in between the Rebelion sets in the main area, which was hosted by Livid. But also area 2 was full of talent and atmosphere: Hosted by MC Synergy, DJs like Invector, Vexxed, Radianze, Luner, Neroz, and Scarra performed there until 5 in the morning, just in time for the gathering and grand finale at the main stage.
REBELION
Finally! The guys the whole crowd has been waiting for: Raymond and Gary, better known as Rebelion! The opening with a spectacular light show and “City Lights” was a real goosebumps moment. The entire set was filled with their most popular tracks, like “Never back down,” “Bring it on,” and the new “Vendetta.”
REBELION & SICKMODE
What better b2b Rawstyle Trio could there be at the moment? Tracks like “Club Banger,” the “Gladiator” Rebelion Remix, “Hey x,” “Gang,” and “Heroine” gave the mass exactly what they needed! In short: This set was NICE.
OVERDOSE
Rebelion’s Overdose was one of the 2 Live Sets of the night. Featuring many new tracks, this half-hour spectacle was for sure one of the highlights of the event! Starting with a crazy screen and laser show (feat. Bob Ross) and pyro, they introduced the crowd to “The Second Dose.” But not only new releases were played: Tracks like “Bonkerz” or “Bassline Junkie” also got their part.
ADJUZT
The second live act on the agenda: Adjuzt. He climbed the stairs to the main stages like almost no other. And he definitely deserves to play with the big boys! He opened his set with a new track and also didn’t stop to amaze with his distinctive kick and tracks like “Lovesick,” his collab with The Purge “Planet Circus,” and “Echoes.” After his closing with “Red Lips,” it’s time for the final set, time for some Uptempo!
REBELION vs DIMITRI K vs THE DARK HORROR
I have heard mixed feedback from this set because, obviously, Uptempo is not everyone’s cup of tea! But I loved it. It was a fun and energetic closing that took you by surprise, like a rollercoaster, one track after the other. I mean, who would suspect a “Bassline Junkie” Uptempo Remix, followed by the iconic Muppets’ “Mahna Mahna“? Not me! Kudos for this entertaining set, and that song stuck in my head for the rest of the day.
FINAL THOUGHTS
2023 has just begun, but it’s gonna be difficult for the upcoming indoor raw hardstyle events to top this performance! From music quality to atmosphere, crowd, and show: X-QLUSIVE had it all! And I honestly cannot wait to find out which DJ will have the honor to set their name next to the X-QLUSIVE Logo for the following edition. We will definitely come back, and you should too!