
Image Credits: Monish Bhatt Photography
Mad Decent Block Party finally made its way to Indian shores, and boy was it a spectacle. All the headlining acts know how to put on a good show as some of the best visuals and eclectic, talented musicians created a very bubbly, energetic and happy atmosphere, with the show a celebration of bass and house music. As we walked into the festival and could hear the beats from a distance, we instantly knew it was going to be a wild Friday night. We knew it was going to be mad decent and it indeed was! The diverse line up boasted of Naezy x Divine, Su Real, Giraffage, Big Gigantic, Gorgon City and of course, Major Lazer.
The Venue

Image Credits: The Moneta
The venue was a smaller, more intimate space tucked away into the massive green spread that is Mahalaxmi Racecourse, and was ideal for MDBP. The traffic around the venue seemed to have been handled pretty well and everyone from Mumbai knows how relieving that is! The entire process of entering was also a non-complicated one as no one’s patience was tried and it was pretty smooth. When your entry into a gig is so smooth, you’re immediately in a better mood and are equipped to dance your mind away. So were we.
Production And Visuals

Image Credits: Mitsun Soni
The stage setup and visuals have been some of the best we’ve seen so far, owing to its grandiose and brilliance. With Wolves being in charge of things, you know you’re in for an audio-visual treat. The visual journey was as fascinating as the brilliant music including brilliant homages to classic video games. The artist section below lays out more details about the tailored visuals for each of the acts on the bill. Confetti blasts, beautiful trees and lots of green all around the venue; the entire team at Sunburn and Oji made MDBP, an unforgettable experience.

Image Credits: Monish Bhatt Photography
The Artists
All the musicians on the line up brought their A-game for Mumbai. Giraffage warmed up the evening by setting a precedent so high; we thought it’d be difficult to follow. Being the first stop of the three-city tour, everyone’s expectations and emotions were running high; and as it turned out, everyone delivered on our expectations.

Image Credits: The Moneta
Speaking of bringing their A-game, Big Gigantic’s set was everything. Their energy is irreplaceable; their set up is unique: Live drums, live sax and glorious dance music throughout. Their continuously evolving lighting, stage design and production enhance their dynamic live performance ultimately providing an audio-sensory experience that gets you instantly moving. And the best part is – you just don’t want to stop.

Image Credits: Nishant Matta Photography
Big Gigantic dropped some gems of tracks with their ability of transcending tempos being epic. They dropped thundering tracks such as their collaboration with Snails – “Funk With Me”, which made the crowd go berserk with the funky, jazzy bass blaring through the speakers.
Moreover, their phenomenal remix of ‘Can’t Hold Us’ by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis had the crowd singing along. Ultimately, their set was interspersed with magical moments throughout.
We don’t mean to go on and on, but Dominic Lalli and his sax are truly off the hook. Loud, thundering, yet melodic bass: we seriously couldn’t get enough of it. Big Gigantic also dropped a few JAUZ edits with their own jazzy take on future house. And last but not the least, the most epic moments were created toward the end of their set, when they dropped their own remix to ZHU’s ‘Faded.’ The original needs no introduction but Big G’s treatment was something to take home. It’s still ringing in our ears. Even today.

Image Credits: Nishant Matta Photography
Setting up a good precedent, Gorgon City took to the decks after them and only raised the bar higher. It was a dreamy, magnetic start with a really immersive intro. The cinematic visuals simply made our day! They even brought out vocalist NJOMZA during their set. The audience went crazy when they dropped their monster hit ‘Ready For Your Love’ with NJOMZA singing the verses. It’s a memory etched in our minds for good.

Image Credits: Nishant Matta Photography
We honestly felt like we were witnessing a Boiler Room set and was completely out of control. One of 2015’s major hits ‘Saving My Life’ also created a mega stir and we all couldn’t stop dancing. They also dropped myriad bootlegs and special cuts that were impossible to identify. Grooviest house after Big G’s bass somehow worked very well.

Image Credits: Mitsun Soni
And now the main course followed: Major Lazer – the headlining act. True to form, the trio raised havoc – pleasant, energetic havoc. They dropped an amalgamation of their older stuff and blaring new synths, bootlegs and remixes as fans were treated to ‘Get Free,’ ‘Jah No Partial,’ (which was beyond epic) as well as ‘Powerful’ – their collaboration with Ellie Goulding and Taurus Riley.

Image Credits: Monish Bhatt Photography
Once again, experiencing some of the best visuals we’ve seen, the visual showcase was mind bending. Carrying on, the trio also dropped Valentino Khan’s ‘Deep Down Low,’ and the Jack U-Bieber phenomena – ‘Where R U Now’.
Major Lazer‘s dance troupe, Diplo‘s infectious energy and athleticism and some amazing moments only made the Block Party an extremely cherishable affair. However, the last track was the piece de resistance; the smashing, universal sensation: ‘Lean On’ – Major Lazer’s mammoth collaboration with MO and DJ Snake.

Image Credits: Nishant Matta Photography
As fans lost their minds with the closing track, the entire venue was ringing with loud cheering and applause. And knowing how everything sees its end, everyone had trouble accepting that this glorious gig had its final moment. It would be an understatement to say that MDBP Mumbai was a spectacular outing for all dance music fans alike. With a power packed stage catered to by some of the world’s finest artists, the event was a wonderful experience from beginning till the end and definitely a one that is bound to be remembered for quite a while.
We would like thank the entire team at Sunburn and Oji for making such an amazing event happen and ultimately, bringing in Mad Decent Block Party to the country.
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