Mad Dog

DJ Mad Dog is Italian DJ and producer Filippo Calcagni, whose name is synonymous with Hardcore and Gabber. His story began in Rome, where he not only made music but also helped bring together a young Hardcore scene.

In 1995, he founded Hardcore Terrorists with two friends and later organised parties in his home city with other DJs. A rave attended by around 3500 people in 1998 brought renewed attention to both Rome’s scene and those involved. Calcagni left the group in summer 2000, launched his solo project as DJ Mad Dog and found a new home at Traxtorm Records.

From the Roman scene, his path led to major Hardcore stages, including A Nightmare in Rotterdam in 2006. In 2008, he and MC Justice created “Payback Time”, the anthem for Thunderdome. His first solo album, “A Night of Madness”, was released in 2011 and was followed by a worldwide tour.

In 2016, he founded his own label, Dogfight Records, with Unexist, Tears of Fury and AniMe; his third studio album, “Till I Die”, was released there in 2017. Moving between Mainstream and Industrial Hardcore, his stylistic range has also taken him to festivals including Dominator, Syndicate and Defqon.1.