COLOGNE – An observant pedestrian who passed DIE HALLE Tor 2 didn’t have to be a DJ music fan, to sense that something special was about to happen. Even by the standards of this popular club, the excitement that evening was out of the ordinary. The reason can be traced to a single word “Sefa.”

Sefa Jeroen Vlaarkamp, known by the stage name Sefa (pronounced Sèfa), has been making huge waves in the music scene with his high powered hardstyle and hardcore scene music, with Frenchcore as a subgenre. The eager anticipation that rippled through the long line outside DIE HALLE Tor 2 before his “This is Sefa” show was more than justified.

Joined by a group of talented guest artists, Sefa shook up the famed venue during the four-and-a-half-hour show with a unique blend of musical influences coming together in a multi-sensory experience that combined the fiery intensity of hardstyle with the melodic influences found in Frenchcore.

Sefa’s performance surpassed even the highest expectations, not only musically, but also in terms of the dynamic and evocative production design that complemented it. With the technical support and lighting design of Guido Schütz of Laser Frame and Patrick Hirt of Creative Sounds Veranstaltungstechnik, the show captivated with a unique concept for this genre of music.

The show at the sold-out hall was spectacular on many levels. A big band and a small string quartet gave the impression of an elaborate show production, that went far beyond the parameters of a standard DJ concert. The evening was rounded off with a 45-minute DJ set that served as a testament to Sefa’ virtuosity.

Commanding attention at the center of the stage was a grand piano. Adding to the visual impact of that piano, which was set up on a rolling platform, were the four CHAUVET Professional Rogue Outcast BeamWash 1 fixtures set up in front of the instrument. With intense light from their 300-watt light source fanning out from the piano, the high output fixtures gave the piano a magical aura, almost as if it had landed on the stage from a higher place.

The transformative quality of the stage was further heightened by the geometric patterns of light created on the rake line of truss overhead. Light from an additional 14 Rogue Outcast BeamWash 1 units fanned out from this truss structure in a variety of different directions to reflect the depth of Sefa’s music while still focusing attention on the performance on stage.

Writing about those performances, Hardstyle Magazine promised they would be “a feast for your senses with sights and sounds that will leave you mesmerized.” Anyone at DIE HALLE 2 for this show would readily agree that This Is Sefa more than lived up to expectations!

Photo Credit:  Sebastian Biesen