AS Bangkok prepares to ignite for the 10th anniversary of Neon Countdown, the electronic dance music world is bracing for a seismic shift.
This year, the festival moves to the iconic Rajamangala National Stadium for a two-day spectacle on December 30–31, but the crown jewel of the "Decade of Pure Glow" is undoubtedly the first-ever world-debut back-to-back (B2B) set between Hardwell and W&W.
In an exclusive pre-event sit-down, Hardwell opened up about the "long overdue" collaboration, the "tug-of-war" between record labels and why fans should prepare for a night of unscripted intensity.
Despite years of friendship and iconic collaborations like Jumper and Don’t Stop The Madness, Hardwell and W&W have never shared the stage for a full B2B set - until now.
"Considering all the years we’ve been friends, the shows we have done together and music we’ve collaborated on, it’s long overdue.
"But we know the chemistry between us is already there. Going B2B is a whole new beast, but we know each other well and have the same vision musically," Hardwell told Sinar Daily
Fans can expect a high-octane blend of Hardwell’s Revealed Recordings precision mixed with the signature Rave Culture madness brought by the Dutch duo.
The festival has billed this performance as "pure chaos," a term Hardwell said is a literal description of their creative freedom for the night.
"We’re not just going track-for-track; we’re going to really push the boundaries and surprise each other, as well as the crowd," he said.
He confirmed that the set will be a laboratory for unreleased IDs and "crazy genre flips."
"No rules, just energy. That’s why it’s going to be pure chaos," he added.
When two of Big Room’s biggest titans collide, the result is a musical "tug-of-war." Hardwell described the set as a collision of two worlds where neither side is backing down.
"Revealed and Rave Culture have their own sounds, their own energy. When you throw that into a B2B, it becomes this crazy tug-of-war.
"I might go darker or more aggressive, and the guys might come in with something uplifting or left-field. That’s where the magic is going to be," he said.
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Hardwell said that the structure of the set has to be deliberate: it must breathe, build and then explode.
He also teased that the IDs played at Rajamangala Stadium aren't just for show.
"I have been working on some special edits and new IDs exclusively for this set.
"You never know, some of the music we play on the night could easily end up being one of your favourite songs of 2026," he said.