The Sound of Q-Dance Edmonton preview with an exclusive interview with Frontliner

(Source: FB)

In case you have been living under a rock, the very first Q-Dance event in Canada is taking place tonight in Edmonton and has an absolutely stellar lineup that includes the famous Dutch hardstyle artist Frontliner. He's no stranger to Canadian crowds as he graced us with his presence in two recent events in Alberta and B.C. Frontliner started his success as a hardstyle artist back in 2006, and is well known to have a diverse style. So without further ado, go ahead and get to know Frontliner before he takes the big stage tonight for the first ever Sound of Q-Dance in Canada: 

1. Who is Frontliner?

Your everyday normal guy with a crazy passion for hardstyle!

2. What style of hardstyle do you play?

My style! I don’t believe in working within sub genres, I make whatever I want to produce as long as it’s hardstyle, I like to keep it a bit on the euphoric side, I’m crazy about melodies but when it doesn't have a hard kick or when it isn't 150 BPM it ain't hardstyle. so that is the only limitation I set for my self, it isn't difficult   though, I love the energy hardstyle offers and if it was up to me I would never change a thing about that! That energy that hardstyle carries, you don’t find that in other genres, if you do, let me know ;-) 

3. You've been to Canada at a few shows in Alberta and Vancouver last year, how do you find the Canadian crowd as compared to European ones?

Well, this is a strange question cause crowds differ all over the world, even within Europe itself but let me put it like this: Hardstyle loves Canada and that isn’t for no reason, CANADA ROCKS! I have to admit I’ve had some of the most insane crowds in Canada

4. Hardstyle seems to be making few inroads in North America, what's your take on this genre of music getting bigger in this part of the world?

I don’t really care about that, I’m happy as long as I can perform and produce, I really don’t care where I have to do so, I’m so thankful for just being able to play! 

5. Q-Dance is making their Canadian debut next month in Edmonton and you're a headliner – how important is this event for hardstyle and what can fans expect from your performance?

Well, with Q events the quality is always high and especially when you bring something into a relatively new market you need to make sure to set a standard. hardstyle production wise is on such a high level now, this is the time!  I’m happy to help q-dance by bringing the musical part. You can expect me to play a lot of my own tracks. I don’t know, I just get such a great vibe from the feedback of the crowd, watching everyone go crazy on your own productions is just unreal, every time again. I never got why DJ’s want to play other DJ’s hits but then again I don’t know any other hardstyle producers with a discography of 105 tracks. ;-)

6. Tell me about the Summer Of Frontliner series of track releases – it seems you've been very busy in the studio!

I have been! I absolutely loved working on this project releasing a video once a week with the footage of the festival the weekend before was challenging but I have such great people around me to help me out with that part that I could only focus on producing, we had a few deadlines that I nearly missed but all worked out fine. The feedback I got was just great! 

7. What can we expect from Frontliner for the rest of 2014 and beginning of 2015?

Sometimes I set the bar too high but I still believe that's good, I now have a great studio where I love to work and I just keep on producing, of course the news just got out that I’ll be having my own X-Qlusive Frontliner in the holy grail of hardstyle in Amsterdam next January, I am a man on a mission to make the most out of this opportunity Q-dance gave me! 


My thanks to Frontliner for the interview.

The lineup for the Sound of Q-Dance would please any hardstyle fan worldwide as they booked Frontliner, Gunz For Hire, Coone, Audiofreq, Bass Modulators, and James Bayliss. There are still a few tickets left for tonight's show at the Shaw Conference Centre and if you want to pick some up, click below: 

Get your dose of hardstyle with The Polar Express by James Bayliss

The August edition of The Polar Express by James Bayliss is now available for your listening pleasure, check it out: 

Q-Dance's first Canadian event is happening in Edmonton this October and James Bayliss was added to the lineup, an honour that was richly deserved. Click below for ticket information:

Read my interview with James Bayliss yet? Click here to read it now.

Tracklist: 

01. Geck - E - Qult Introduction
02. Tiesto vs Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike vs. W&W vs. Kris O'Neil - Just Waves (Triarchy Edit)
03. Acti & Audiofreq - Bass Face
04. Organ Donors vs. A.S.Y.S - We Call It Acid
05. Audiofreq - Legend
06. Betavoice & The Beatcaster - Invaders
07. Frontliner - Beam Me Into Space
08. Eslix - Need To Go
09. Pulsatorz - Endless
10. Neilio ft. Melissa Pixel - Forever
11. Audiotricz ft. Miss Palmer - Never Leaving
12. Dr. Rude - Kalavela Shot Me Down
13. Code Black - Unleash The Beast (Defqon1 Australia Anthem 2014)
14. Brennan Heart - F.I.F.O (Outbreak Remix)
15. Frontliner & Radical Redemption - Frontliner & Radical Redemption

Hardstyle: Listen to The Polar Express by James Bayliss (April mix)

The April edition of The Polar Express by Calgary's own James Bayliss is now available for your listening pleasure, enjoy: 

James Bayliss will be playing at the Bass Arena massive on May 2nd at the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton. Click here for more information.

Full tracklist: 

01. Adamo Fiscella - Believe In Me
02. Mike Hawkins - We Got Soul But Were Not Soldiers (Shawn Frank 25k Edit)
03. Tiesto vs Armin Van Buuren & W&W vs. Dirty South vs. GTA & Digital Lab & Hendrix - Hit The D# (Triarchy Edit)
04. Armin Van Buuren & Ferry Corsten vs Conjure One - Tears From The Brute
05. Bass Modulators - Let Me See Ya
06. Crystal Lake - Welcome To The Zoo
07. Headhunterz & Audiofreq - Breakout
08. Noisecontrollers - Waves 2
09. Audiotricz ft. John Harris - Momentum
10. Noisecontrollers - Faster & Further Remix
11. Omegatypez - Good Love
12. Frontliner - Somebody Say Yeah
13. Rebourne & Neilio - Reality
14. Mekanikal - 4.1.R D.R.O.P

Listen to the 1st year anniversary of The Polar Express by James Bayliss

Calling all Canadian hardstyle fans, James Bayliss celebrated the one year anniversary of his show on Q Dance called "The Polar Express" last week with a special 3 hour plus show featuring an epic progression from big room and trance to hardstyle. Check it out: 

Here's an excerpt of what James had to say about his first year anniversary of his show:

"Hey ladies and gentlemen! Well here it is, the anticipated 1 year anniversary of The Polar Express.

I cant form proper words to express how much this show means to me and how much it means to me that I can reach out to thousands of people from around the globe every month.

The success of this show is all thanks to the fans and the artists who take part in this show as either a listener or an artist. Without both, this podcast would be nothing."

Congratulations! 

Click here to get a full tracklist

Interview preview (2/2): Gunz For Hire on why hardstyle is still in its infancy here in Canada and the U.S.

Photo by RUDGR

Gunz For Hire is an alliance between two of the biggest names in hardstyle, Adaro and Ran-D. This Holland duo has been taking over some of the biggest stages that hardstyle has to offer including this year's massive Qlimax event which attracted tens of thousands of fans in an audio/visual experience almost unmatched in the rest of the electronic dance music world. In this year's DJ Mag top 100 poll, Gunz For Hire managed to snag the 63rd spot while Adaro occupies the 75th spot, and Ran-D is at #100. Known for their more raw tracks, listening to a Gunz For Hire set will almost certainly feel like a trip to the harder style of this popular genre.

In this final interview preview, read on as both Adaro and Ran-D explains why hardstyle is so big in Holland/Europe and why it's still in its infancy here in Canada and the U.S:


EDM Canada: Hardstyle is so massive in Holland and Europe yet it's in its infancy here in North America – why is that?

Adaro: People just don't know it yet.

Ran-D: I think even electronic dance music is still fairly new to America as compared to Europe in terms of attracting a big crowd. Of course there has always been dance music in America, but mainstream EDM is a little more easy to adapt to than hardstyle. I think it's always going to be a little bit more underground and I think that's where it belongs.

EDM Canada: In Holland, is hardstyle the mainstream sound or still considered underground?

Adaro: I don't think it's mainstream but it's the biggest undergound scene.

Ran-D: Yeah true.

EDM Canada: Yeah that makes sense. The stages over in Holland seem to rival the stages that we currently see at TomorrowWorld or even at EDC Las Vegas.

Ran-D: There are a lot of people that go to an event like Qlimax because they've heard of it, and events like Defqon and Decibel – they have a lot of visitors that go there for only day with friends and check out the event. There are a lot of smaller parties for the real hardstyle lovers.

Adaro: The die-hards.


The full interview will be released later today, so I hope that you'll all read it when it's ready.

In the meantime, enjoy one of my favourite tracks from Gunz For Hire called "Massacre":