The touring summertime mini-fest Mad Decent Block Party took over Phoenix on Friday. The event took place at Rawhide with one stage and eight artists. The stage set at the front of a large field speckled by food trucks, bars and water fountains. The event began around 5 p.m. while the sun was still shining and it was still above 100 degrees. Sunset was when the crowd began to swell, and the must-see artists were about to go on.
The lineup included big names Dillon Francis, Diplo, Flosstradamus and Zeds Dead. These big names mostly attracted EDM-crazed teens and college students. However, due to artists Cashmere Cat and STRFKR being on the lineup, the crowd was more varied. The set list flowed from synth-pop to hip-hop EDM to dubstep. I was pleasantly surprised by the mere 15 minutes between each set and the producers’ ability to stay on time. I can’t remember the last time a festival stayed on track with the released set times. Once STRFKR was on stage, the party didn’t stop until the event ended just around midnight.
STRFKR’s electronica indie pop sound was the perfect thing to warm the crowd up for what was to come. Dillon Francis followed with an honorable mention, driving the energy of the crowd up and keeping everyone dancing until he walked off stage.
Now, as shocking as this may be, Diplo followed with a pitiful performance. He completely lost the attention of the crowd; everyone went to grab a drink or snack at this point in the show. It was as if he plugged his iPhone in, hit play and walked off stage. Diplo was the Mad Decent Block Party’s intermission. Personally, I was shocked, as Diplo is the head of the Mad Decent label — and this was, after all, the Mad Decent Block Party.
However, the night was not yet over. Still to come were Flosstradamus and Zeds Dead. Flosstradamus had the crowd dancing and screaming again after one minute into its first song. It didn’t hurt that none other than Waka Flocka Flame strolled out just as it began playing. Its set, full of hip hop and head-banging drops, made it my favorite of the night. Just about as Flosstradamus came to its last song, the crowd began to thin. Midnight was approaching, and the cab line was growing. Zeds Dead, being the headliners of the festival, played all of their best and almost blew out the speakers. It was a perfect ending to a very long night.
Those that stayed until the end and had to wait over an hour for a cab would only say it was worth the wait. I’m sure everyone is hoping that Phoenix is a stop the next time the Mad Decent Block Party goes on tour.
—Follow Mckenzie Storey @KAMP_Radio