Techno haven: Hardline is an outlet for India’s club community to truly express themselves

Functions is our interview series profiling parties from across the world. Next up is India's Hardline

“The whole joy of being at Hardline is freedom of expression for everyone, fans and artists alike,” says Likwid, one of the driving figures behind Indian techno party Hardline. Alongside Ankur, AKA Deep Brown, the pair brought a creative vision to life that, they believe, didn’t really exist in India prevously. “We were one of the first of our kind when we kicked off,” Likwid says, “but the scene has become a lot more exciting ever since then, with more club nights and standalone shows all pushing the techno sound.”

Since its launch in July 2022, Hardline has always prioritised homegrown talent. Putting local artists before big international stars, India’s own talent is always the headline act, with previous guests including the likes of Monophonik, Rikhter, and Amotik. Two past call-ins from Boiler Room have helped to put Hardline on the map in the techno and industrial scene, with recent shows bringing their steadily growing event to new corners of India after getting its start in Mumbai.

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Now one of South Asia’s most vital techno parties, Hardline wants to spread its wings and expand across the breadth and width of India, and hopefully even further afield, they explain. “We would love to bring an all-Indian line-up to other parts of the world, that’s definitely part of our wish list,” says Likwid. “For now, we want to continue growing and supporting our local pool of talent.”

We chat with Hardline's co-founder Likwid about how the party made its start, inclusivity and community in the techno scene, and the challenges that come with throwing events in India. Check it out below.

How did Hardline start, and who are the brains behind it?

The definition of “techno” or “hard techno” has changed rapidly in the last decade, and even more so in the last few years. While we’ve had more than enough club nights and festivals for dance music in general in India, myself and my friends collectively were craving parties dedicated ONLY to the sound we dig, which is the more classic style of techno and quality industrial or hard techno. There was also an immense amount of local talent who were not getting showcased since major ticketed shows primarily focused on international headliners.

I’d already been producing festivals and running club nights for years with some of my closest friends, so we all decided to take a big leap of faith and organise the first edition of Hardline in Mumbai as a multi-stage, all-Indian line-up with one special guest act, Freddy K. Although this was terrifying as an experiment, it was something we really wanted to take on, and the fans duly responded!

The OG crew for Hardline is me, Neha, who handles all of our marketing, and Ankur, AKA Deep Brown, who’s worked alongside me in putting the line-up and vision together.

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Where do you throw your parties?

Our aim is to take Hardline to as many cities across India. So far, we’ve crossed off Mumbai, Pune, Goa, and Bangalore from that list. We prefer spaces that are bare, almost like a shell, and not overproduced. That way we can add our touch to it and transform them into Hardline-ready setups.

You’ve been described as “India’s first” promoter to host events for hard techno fans - can you tell us about that? How does the hard techno scene look in India today?

We wouldn’t define ourselves just as a hard techno event, as we showcase all styles within the harder sphere of electronic music. Yes, we did end up being one of the first of our kind when we kicked off, but the scene has become a lot more exciting ever since then, with more club nights and standalone shows all pushing this sound!

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What does your booking process look like?

Our primary focus is to book Indian and Asian artists at our shows as the pool of talent is insanely talented yet very underrepresented. We do invite guest acts from other parts of the world too, but not with the idea of them being the focus act.

How do you navigate hosting safe spaces for India’s queer communities?

Inclusivity and dancefloor safety have always been a priority while planning any and every event we execute, which has led to a very diverse and loyal fanbase. The whole joy of being at Hardline is freedom of expression for everyone, fans and artists alike. We ensure our security and awareness crew at the shows are well trained to ensure that everyone feels comfortable in being their authentic selves.

What challenges have you faced hosting events over time?

Producing shows in our country is a different ball game altogether, purely because of the lack of infrastructure and support system. Warehouse shows are a rare occurrence and existing venues are not necessarily geared towards hosting shows like ours.

We’ve had to move shows to different venues due to last-minute licence issues or government regulations which have been announced overnight. That’s just the risk that comes with hosting events in this territory. We’re prepared for everything to change at any point in the planning stage of these shows but luckily, we’ve never had to cancel a single Hardline to date – the party must continue at all costs!

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Can you tell us about some of your favourite Hardline parties?

My personal favourite was the first one we threw in Mumbai. It was special for a lot of reasons, but the main reason was that it was fresh after the pandemic. The energy across all three floors was electric!

Do you think there’s scope for Hardline to move further afield?

Yes, we would love to bring an all-Indian line-up to other parts of the world and that’s definitely part of our wish list, but for now, we want to continue growing and supporting our local pool of talent.

What’s next for Hardline?

The next edition is planned for the first quarter of 2025. We’re taking our time with this one – as we have some big plans!

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Assistant Editor, follow her on Twitter