Mad Decent Block Party

Yesterday's weather was perfect: sunny, hot but not humid, and breezy. So instead of sitting in my apartment all day and cleaning as I should have done, I decided to venture out into the city in search of adventure. I had heard about a block party being put on in South Street Seaport, so I braved the dysfunctional weekend schedule of the 4/5 trains and headed downtown to meet a friend and check it out.

Upon arrival to the block party hosted by Mad Decent, some sort of indie rock band was playing on a stage, surrounded by a dancing crowd and several beer and merch booths. The scene quickly shifted as Ninasonik took the stage. The rest of the lineup consisted of great DJs and acts such as Major Lazer, Bosco Delrey, DJ Sega, and Maluca. Most of the artists were Brooklyn-based, and there were also numerous special guests within each set - at least in the half of the block party that I witnessed, having arrived quite late into the event.

Although not every act was dynamite, I would definitely describe the event as mad decent. Several of the artists were incredibly engaging, and by the end everyone was definitely dancing. There was also singing along, professional hip hop dancers on the stage, and a bit too much crowdsurfing and crowd members trying to jump up on the stage. Although the crowd was a little obnoxious at times, probably due to the large quantities of beer sold and lax security, it was definitely a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon. The scene, mostly full of dance and club music, seemed a little out of place in the classy South Street Seaport, but the breeze from the water and the enthusiasm of the performers was infectious and fun to witness. The night ended with being sprayed by multiple champagne bottles and getting shut down before Maluca could perform her hit El Tigerosa, but that's what you get for a rowdy crowd and a free event.

If you have other plans, I wouldn't suggest rearranging your life to attend this block party next year, but it's definitely worth stopping by for if nothing else is going on. It's fun to dance, and you get an accurate representation of the music scene going on in New York - Mad Decent brings different acts to each of its block parties in order to celebrate the local flavor. So be on the lookout for next year's lineup once it's announced - it's not a bad way to spend a gorgeous day!