Mad Decent Block Party Friday Photo Re-cap

Mad Decent Philly Block Party Friday photo re-cap

Diplo and Mad Decent crew have come a loonggg way since they first set up shop at what is now PHILAMOCA in the early 2000s.

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A trip down memory lane for Diplo, where the sidewalk outside PHILAMOCA still bears the Mad Decent stamp.

The Mad Decent Block party, which originally was a raucous street party that closed down the five-point intersection at 12th Street, Spring Garden, and Ridge Avenue, has exploded into a nationally touring summer sell-out.

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Big up to Sean Agnew (pictured here in Elmo costume with a handle of Captain Morgan, also a former WKDU DJ) and R5 Productions for their biggest show to date, and for handling the event like the champs they are.

We took in the sights and sounds of the Friday madness, catching sets from Major Lazer, Philly’s own Dirty South Joe, Zeds Dead, Keys N Krates, Allison Wonderland, and Giraffage.

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You’ve got to assume that Diplo is used to this at this point.

All photos by Frank Kinyon.

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Claude VonStroke talks Dirtybird, Diplo, and Playing Shows Sans Bass

Courtesy of Sumi Management
Courtesy of Sumi Management

By Chris Burrell

Amidst a crazy tour schedule, I was able to get some time on the phone with one of my DJ / producer idols: Dirtybird label boss, Barclay Crenshaw, better known as Claude VonStroke.

CB: Mr. Crenshaw, I’m a huge fan, spin your stuff all the time on air, and I know you’re busy – thanks for you taking the time out to do this call.

CVS: Thank you, no problem.

CB: So you’re on tour now, but you have the night off tonight, is that correct?

CVS: I do, yes, kind of (chuckles).

CB: So you have the night off doing phone interviews and stuff like that, are you on a tour bus in the middle of nowhere?

CVS: No, I’m at home.

CB: Oh okay, and where is home for you these days? LA or San Francisco?

CVS: I’m in LA right now.

CB: OK cool, well how’s the tour been so far?

CVS: It’s been really great.

CB: I follow you on Twitter, and I’ve seen that perhaps you and J Phlip are doing T 25 to stay active on the tour bus?

CVS: (laughs) I am, she’s not!

CB: She’s a sick DJ, how’s she been received as the opening act?

CVS: Great, I think she’s done really well on this tour. Trying to get her on the Europe tour.

CB: I read somewhere that you don’t have a tour manager per se.

CVS: No we don’t, we don’t have a tour manager. I haven’t had one for 10 years.

CB: Have you had any interesting situations on this tour so far?

CVS: Yeah, there was like no bass for like 30 minutes in Denver.

CB: Oh shit! How does the Dirtybird sound go without the bass?

Continue reading “Claude VonStroke talks Dirtybird, Diplo, and Playing Shows Sans Bass”