
Holly Dicker describes Rotterdam hardcore in Dance or Die
Holly Dicker is an English journalist who has lived in Rotterdam since 2015. She writes about harder dance styles for leading titles such as The Wire, The Guardian, Mixmag and Resident Advisor. She was producer of the documentary Rotterdam Rave Culture: 30 Years of Heritage with filmmaker Dennis van Rijswijk. That premiered at IFFR in 2025. Now she presents Dance or Die: A History of Hardcore, a book about hardcore as music, subculture and lifestyle. On 17 July, there will be the presentation in collaboration with PRSPCT at WORM during Eendracht Festival.
Between 7pm and 11pm, Holly Dicker talks to Thrasher, Baseck and Doormouse. Afterwards, there are DJ sets by Baseck, Kilbourne and Rotterdam-based REEZA.
Dance or Die is a study of three decades of hardcore. Against a backdrop of gentrification, political interference and sweeping social change. It is the debut of the club culture journalist and independent radio producer. Based on a decade of reporting for which she visited stuffy Berlin bunkers, dilapidated British holiday parks and Dutch sports halls, among other places.
Hardcore began in the 1990s as distorted techno, but soon splintered off into numerous subgenres. Yet the core of hardcore has always remained the same: a refuge for marginalised people who found family and acceptance in extreme conditions as well as extreme music. A lot of attention is paid to Gabber, the hardcore music stream that originated in Rotterdam.
Dicker spoke to the godfathers of the genre, as well as contemporary stars and others involved. The book also features many photographs and other archival material.