Get ready!

Material preparation

Tent, sleeping bag, camp bed, food and drink are part of the basic equipment.

When it comes to clothing, be prepared for anything at Defqon.1. The weather can be sunny, very sunny, too hot, rainy - it's all very unpredictable. I strongly advise you to prepare your gear at the last minute, after consulting the weather forecast. It's not uncommon at the festival to have all the seasons in the space of 4 days.

If you like to relax or rest, don't forget to take a folding chair with you. It'll be your best friend for relaxing your feet during the day, or for debriefing your day over a good beer. I made the mistake of forgetting it, and I've come to regret it.

And don't forget your lighting. If you're lucky, your tent will be lit up at night by the electric garlands that line the paths and you'll be able to see clearly, but if you're a little more out of the way, a good lamp won't go amiss. If you're the owner of a fresh&black tent, you'll soon realize that it lives up to its name. Using the phone to search the bottom of the bag is one thing, but it's always nicer to be able to use both hands to look for the toothbrush.

As for electronics, if you're going to heat up your phone and take lots of photos, bring at least one charged external battery with you. I strongly suggest you take one that can be recharged by the sun. That way, there's no risk of running out of battery before the end show.

In addition, you'll need to bring sun protection, medical supplies and anything else you feel is important. If you're planning to take a lot of equipment with you, consider folding carts, for example.

In short, the best advice I can give you is to make a checklist of everything you plan to take with you.

This will save you a lot of stress when you're ready to leave.

You've only got two ears for life

When it comes to decibels, you get what you pay for. And... your ears too. If you're planning to listen to hard music after the festival and for years to come, don't play with fire and protect your ears. You can easily find festival earplugs on the net.

And if you're unlucky enough not to have any on site, you'll find a number of stalls and mobile vendors selling them. I insist on this point because hearing is important, and it would be really silly to damage your eardrums and not hear properly later on.

Physical preparation

Defqon.1 is a marathon. If you're a couch potato the rest of the year, turn off the TV, put on some headphones, and go for a walk a few weeks before the festival. Silly to say, but you'll be walking. A lot of walking. A lot... a lot of walking. And if you don't walk, you'll be tapping your feet to the beat, and at the very least, standing for most of the day.

Fitness is important, and believe me, if you take the time to condition yourself before going to a festival, you'll be able to enjoy it longer or more intensely than others. You'll be thinking about these tips when you come across other festival-goers who are staying seated, while you'll be able to catch a few extra sets with no problem.

Stay tuned on the networks

Q-Dance (the organizer) delivers a lot of information on the networks in the weeks/days leading up to the event. At that time, for example, they make available a huge Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section in which you'll find a large number of frequently asked questions (operation, tickets, venues, lineup, timetable, etc.).

Don't miss out!

Prepare your festival

13 stages, over 300 DJs, it's important to plan ahead. As soon as the timetable is published, take some time to plan your days. Can't wait to see a particular DJ? Set yourself 3 reminders so you don't miss his set.

In my case, although I had partly planned my day, the plan quickly fell apart. I was whisked off to the Indigo stage, for example, which was (I confess) a great discovery. Once there, I let myself be lulled by the cravings and euphoria of the workshops I had attended.

Be prepared to revise your copy regularly and don't overload the mule either. You won't see all the DJs, so you'll have to make choices.