Mad Decent Block Party 2016
I could easily use this post as an excuse to talk about Kesha but really we’re only partially here to talk about her. The main draw today is Mad Decent Block Party 2016 as a whole. Not just one of their headliners.
You see, some people might not want to say this but I like Ke$ha, no I’m pretty sure I LOVE Kesha. Nowadays she’s in the news more so for her time in court battling for her music career and against her alleged abuser, Dr.Luke. Plenty of people have taken sides in the matter (learn more here) and it’s become almost trendy to stick up for her and declare your support.
That’s fine but I remember back in the late 2000s, when Kesha and her style of music, was mocked and looked down on. Her music was mostly considered fluffy nonsense, radio fodder or – at worst – pop garbage.
Back then I could care less about all that and never once shied away from claiming my Kesha fan card. Not every musician needs to be Mozart guys! Some stuff can just be for kicks.
Personally, I have a connection to her music because it was a pretty significant part of my college years. I have so many memories getting ready to go out listening to her and hearing it on our rides over to Cornell. I’ll always remember when I saw her perform at a free event while I was Australia and that kind of connection doesn’t just disappear because a few years have passed.
The Lineup
So when I saw that she was on the Sunday lineup for Mad Decent 2016 it was pretty much a no-brainer. Combine that with acts like Slushii, DJ Snake, Zeds Dead, Big Wild, Party Khan, BOI-1DA, Boom Cartel and more and you’ve got yourself a fun-filled summer festival schedule!
Well, in an effort to not make this all about Kesha let’s get into the festival highlights! Some of you may have seen some of the live footage during my Instagram Story but for those of you who missed it check out how 2015’s fest went as a bonus!
Past Features
Highs:
- Drake made a surprise appearance and performed a handful of songs during the BOI-1DA set. He was much more impressive this time than when I first saw him.
- Party Khan aka (Party Favor & Valentino Khan) was a surprise hit with me. I was expecting some other acts to blow me away. This duo had me on my feet the whole way through!
- Did I mention I’m a Kesha fan? In case you missed that part – I am! Her set, featuring her new outfit Kesha and the Creepies, was so much fun! She performed “Boots and Boys” which she’s never performed before.
- There was virtually zero downtime between sets! One act came right after the next.
- They fixed the sound issue from last year’s festival.
Lows:
- I honestly don’t have any this year. Last year’s sound issue was a huge issue for me. There weren’t any downsides this year that I can think of.
Fun Bits:
- Kesha tackled a man on stage and “ate his heart”. She was also chased around by a Dinosaur.
- Love all the light show and graphics during the Big Wild, Zeds Dead, and DJ Snake sets!
What do you think of Mad Decent Block Party 2016?