This year’s program carves out three hours for Defqon.1 Legends, which is a polite way of saying they’re letting the dinosaurs eat. Good. The classics that built this festival hit harder than half of what’s charting now, and the crowd that knows every word is genuinely terrifying. Here’s the homework before the throwback set.
1. Headhunterz - Dragonborn
If hardstyle has a national anthem, this is in the running. Dragonborn is 2012 Headhunterz at his most heroic, the melody every younger producer is still quietly lifting. Goosebumps, every single time.
2. Wildstylez Feat. Niels Geusebroek - Year Of Summer
The one your non-hardstyle friends might actually recognize. Year Of Summer is the crossover moment that didn’t sell anyone out, a real vocal hook bolted onto a proper kick. Still gorgeous after all this time.
3. Showtek - FTS
Before Showtek went pop they made the loudest middle finger in hardstyle history. FTS is 2007 and it has not aged a day. When this drops in the Legends set, the holy grounds are going to fold in half.
Respect your elders. They’re louder than you.