Only a few days left before the very first Rampage Open Air in Kristalpark Lommel, Belgium, with – as usual – a huge lineup, bringing big names such as Dirtyphonics, Doctor P, 12th Planet, Spor, Matrix & Futurbound (and many more)… So we’ve been asking ourselves how Rampage became the world’s biggest Bass Music party ever ? Where and when are born the factors of this real musical accomplishment ? We tell you everything in this article, redrawing the history of 10 years of Rampage
EMERGENCE
The story begins in 2009 in Antwerp, at the Trix Club, with a certain Murdock alias Hans Machiels. He decides to organise a party bringing Dubstep and Drum’n’Bass at the same time (this concept was barely unborn at this time). He was sad that he couldn’t play these both genres at a party and starts with some friends printing flyers, serving drinks, managing the doors…
The Flemish finally invites Sub Focus, Original Sin and Danny Byrd, and this first gig is a total success, with a full venue, which can welcome 1100 people ! He lauches in the same time his own label, Radar Record, to release his tracks and to spotlight young artists.
In 2010 and at the Trix Club again, the invited are Camo & Krooked, Danny Byrd and Flux Pavilion, the success goes on.
The next year marks the third Rampage anniversary, so a second room is opened to celebrate this party, obviously hosted by our dear Murdock. There are also massive guests such as SKisM, Delta Heavy and Inspector Dubplate.
UPGRADE
Rampage decides then to get bigger (this old habit is back today) and in 2012, the next edition takes place in the Lotto Arena venue, which can welcome until 6000 people. The event is impressive : SKisM, Eptic and Caspa were the headliners, true representers of the Dubstep trend when it was at its top. The next year, the lineup was the same but some big led boards were placed at each side of the stage, then a massive circular one, overlooking the crowd.
THE ASCENT
It is finally in 2014 that Rampage takes a turning point. The Sportpaleis era begins. From a 1100 people venue to a gigantic arena, which can welcome more than 20000 ravers : yes, Rampage made it in 5 years ! The first arena edition welcomes a B2B between Funtcase and Flux Pavilion, Camo & Krooked, Eptic B2B Habstrakt, Macky Gee and 50 Carrot as headliners. A massive Rampage logo is placed above the DJs while a big circular LED board is overlooking the crowd again.
Fun fact : this logo represents a baboon, a skull and a robot at the same time ! It was Uber and Kosher’s idea, said Murdock in this interview.
« The artwork is in the hands of Uber And Kosher, designers from Antwerp that are also responsible for Travis Scott’s merchandise, record sleeves for Calvin Harris, prints for Raf Simons and fashion campaigns for brands like Wrangler jeans. The main guy is a childhood friend of mine and we vibe very well when it comes to the artwork we need for Rampage. His initial designs were tribal masks and the final one from that series was a stylized baboon that we kept chipping away at till it became the most rudimental, spaced out form possible and we have been using that one for the past few years. So yes, it is a baboon, a robot and a skull! »
Hans Machiels aka Murdock
In 2015, it is on a LED cube that Noisia, Chase & Status, Tantrum Desire, Dirtyphonics, Audio and many more set Antwerp in fire. About this, Rampage fit the stage with flame throwers, the same ones that enjolived the epic B2B between Eptic and Funtcase. A set which still printed in the history !
Everybody can remember the stage in 2016, with these impressive sets by Sub Focus, Caspa & Rusko, or the incredible B2B between Megalodon and 12th Planet, which still gives us goosebumps.
RAMPAGE : THE BIG BOSS
Lets have a little recap. LED boards everywhere, flame throwers, lasers, etc. It wasn’t enough, obviously. Why not adding a removable roof, with CO2 throwers right above the crowd ? This is what actually happened during the 2017 edition. This is on Noisia ‘Outer Edges’, Funtcase B2B Doctor P, Eptic, Modestep, Mefjus and more sets that the crowd could realise the very strong progress in this field. The noise from the CO2 canons still resonates in our minds and ears.
Same recipe, same success in 2018 and in 2019 ! But this time, this is not a one night edition, but two nights in a row ! If we look at the lineup, it was a particular heavy one, with Andy C (in 2018 and in 2019), Camo & Krooked, Pendulum, Current Value, Snails and Killbox in 2018, then Dimension, Dion Timmer, the huge B2B with Dubloadz, HeroBust and Spag Heddy and of course Excision with his full visual show in 2019 for the 10 years anniversary. No less !
2018
2019 – 10 YEARS
We are now back in nowadays, and we will see in a few days what Rampage is cooking for us for its first outdoor edition. But thanks to its professionalism all along the events, we just can not wait to discover this new opus, but this time with having the wind in the hair.
Tickets still available HERE !
Photo credits : Kim Nys – Framed Media – Dlux fotografie – Kurt Vandeweerdt Photography – Fille Roelants Photography – Pixelle Photographe – Philippe Wuyts Photography – Silvdbphotography
BASS IS LIFE BASS FOR LIFE
