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![[Report] X-Qlusive Italy](/images/magazine/partyreports/49-umCAvlNI.jpg)
[Report] X-Qlusive Italy
Just to start with a bit of History, X-Qlusive (XQ) first started in 2002 in Holland and the first ever XQ was Italy in Heineken Music Hall (HMH). Featuring DJ’s like Technoboy, Tatanka and Zenith. Today 9 years later Technoboy and Tatanka are still rockin’ it at HMH and once again XQ Italy is where it all started, HMH. This was the first XQ I had been to since XQ Technoboy in Sydney. All I can say about this edition is WOW! It was absolutely extraordinary the acoustics of HMH were incredible and all the sets the DJ’s played were some of the best I’ve heard!
The event started at 9:30pm and for once we were there on time, in fact we were actually early and we were the first people in line to walk into this Spectacular venue. There was 2 arenas, one called Beatbox which was the smaller arena, it opened at 9:30pm along with the event, where as Blackbox (Mainstage) didn’t open until 10:30. First set at Beatbox was “Francesco Zeta”, so we just walked around talking to people an getting our bearings. We actually met a few other Aussies there who were doing a working holiday in England and decided to come down for XQ. While talking to them Francesco decided to drop “Levels – Avicii” (the end show song from Mysteryland), although it was a much faster almost hardcore version so in the middle of our conversation I had to tell the guys I’d be back in a minute I had to have a quick dance. Of coarse being other ravers they understood completely.
Not long after, Blackbox opened and Activator was up first. We found the VIP sections and scoped out the back which also had a good assortment of theatre like seats which would be excellent for the end of the night to watch the incredible laser show to come. We had a bit more of a look around and made our way to the front for Davide Sonar’s set. The Stage was set out like what you would imagine an traditional Itailian village would look like with small pillars holding up the handrail for a cobble stone road going over a canal which is where the DJ decks were, and to top it a giant spinning “Q” on the peak.
Davide came on at 11:30pm playing a 45 minute live set. Dv8 came out on stage to introduce Him and he jumped up from behind the decks and started right away dropping a song that I’m not actually familiar with but it was great (very raw). Shorty after he dropped the live version of “Believe” and a few more of the many lights came on. At one point he came out from behind the decks onto the mainstage with a hand held square device that flashed with the music and everytime he touched it. He obviously controlled the music and mixes with, but I don’t completely understand how it works. I really wish I did because it looked really intriguing.
Surprising there was actually a lot of songs that Davide played I was not familiar with but as I suspected he ended his set with his other live version of “Natural” (one of his biggest most popular songs). The live version of this song he actually comes out on stage with vertical keyboard (keytar) and plays the main melody with it and then the beat drops! This is where we got our first sight of the lasers so far we could see four extremely clear lasers. These were the cleanest and most clear lasers I have seen to this day. I knew that this was just the beginning and there was more to come.
After Davide’s set DV8 came out on stage wearing a wig pretending to be Valentino Rossi and stood on a podium as if he had won a race, and continued to do similar things that involve Italy in some way every DJ change. Next up was Ivan Carsten, we decided to run up to our VIP deck, we didn’t want to miss any of his set. You had to leave the arena go up stairs and around the side and it was amazing how sound proofed HMH is because once you exit and the door closes you almost cant hear anything. We got up to the VIP entrance and once again the door was closed to help block sound from outside and when you opened the door it gave you goosebumps it was like opening the door to Narnia. The music just hit you in the face like brick wall and you know you were right back in the magic.
While we were up there I happened to look over and see Sam (Bioweapon) he told us he was going but lack of communication we didn’t arrange anywhere to meet. Once again he was very happy to see us and he was also with another Aussie that we ran into at Decibel. All of a sudden Ivan dropped “Bazooka Girl” my all time favourite song of his. In fact I went so crazy to this song I over heated and felt sick after and had to sit down for about 10 minutes.
TnT was about to come on and Sam and I agreed that we would have to be right up the front for it. Just as we got up there TnT came on. I really love it when the dynamic duo get together because its always very hard and raw. They were dropping some favourites like “Tritilo”, “Countdown” and the classic “Double Dutch Darkies”, every time they play this song it makes me and the whole crowd so damn happy and everyone is singing along it really just makes the atmosphere that much better. We stayed down in the middle for about half of Tatanka’s set as well until we went back up to VIP. Just as we walked back in he dropped “Afrika” one of his newer songs. I hadn’t previously been a huge fan of this song, but now I love it! Tatanka also dropped “Wake You Up – Brennan Heart & The Prophet” which gets played at every event we have been to so far but I’m not complaining because its still a great song and gets me and the whole crowd excited every time. At this stage of the night there were 6 lasers online but still not at their full potential (still moving quite slow and only change between 3 colours).
The following set was Zatox which we had all been waiting for the whole night. Playing the most Raw set of the night (which we expected since he’s the king of raw). He dropped almost everyone of his songs I wanted to hear. The lasers were cranked up to the next level for his performance all six were going nuts, along with the strobes and all the spot lights dancing to the music and changing colours from pink, purple, green, blue and white. He played “To The Top”, “Another Level” and “Irreplaceable” to name a few. Then as I suspected he dropped the Qlimax anthem for this year “No Way
Back”, first time it had ever been played live I felt pretty privilaged to be apart of it.
As much as I wanted to go see Noize Suppressor I couldn’t leave the main stage because next up was Wild Motherfuckers (Zatox & Tatanka) and of coarse they kept to the theme of the night and it was just another raw set playing “Kickin’ Ass”, “Gangsta”, and “Loops & Things” which is always great.
DJ Stephanie was playing after that. I have heard Stephanie many times, but this was by far the best set I’d ever heard her play, although I wasn’t familiar with most of the songs it was still amazing. During her set at some point she played “Gold – Bioweapon remix” we were still with Sam at this point. He was so happy to here some of his producing and he told me how much fun he had while making this song working with Max Enforcer, and how much of a rush you get when you here your songs, let alone when your up on stage with the energy of thousands in front of you.
The last set of the night was called “Xqlusivo Italia Brigata” which was Activator, Davide Sonar, Ivan Carsten, Technoboy, Tuneboy, Tatanka, Zatox and Stephanie so basically every DJ that played that night on mainstage. The set itself competed with Zatox’s for the best set of the night playing songs like “Lose My Mind – Brennan Heart” (Brennan Hearts newest song), “Andromedia – Zatox”, ” “Summer Of Hardstyle – Proppy & Heady 2011 Refix,” and “Silver Bullet – Toneshifterz Edit” just to name a few.
Not to mention the lights. Definitely the best laser/light show we have seen since we have been here and possibly the best light show I have ever seen! The lasers went from Green, Blue, Blue & Green, Red, Red & Green, Purple, Orange and White. They made amazing combinations from squares to round shapes and just plain out going nuts in every direction, spinning wildly whilst changing colours. At one point they slowed down and did a flowing like action in blue that if you looked up the back you could swear that you were under water. Actually talking about them now makes me change my previous statement, it was the best laser show I have ever seen!
Events that we have been to in the last year or more seem to have less and less lasers but XQ has reignited my faith in Q-dance for having the most amazing light shows. You can never have to many lasers. After the event we headed out grabbed our gear and went outside. We sat for a while having smokes because we didn’t smoke the whole night. A random person came up and asked for a lighter. We started talking to them and it turns out they were from Penrith in Australia (where we live and Defqon.1 Australia is held). What a crazy coincidence. XQ Technoboy is the only other XQ I have been to but both Italy and Technoboy are two of the best events I have ever attended in all my years of raving. X-Qlusive Italy lived upto its reputation and absolutely blew us away.
Photos courtesy of Q-Dance.
