Downtown Records Anniversary – Terminal 5 – March 5, 2011

Continuing the celebration they started with Friday night’s blockbuster lineup at Webster Hall, Downtown Records finished their half-decade anniversary weekend on Saturday with even more heavy hitters at Terminal 5. Before Major Lazer took to the stage, emcee Aasif Mandvi (of The Daily Show) asked the crowd perhaps the most appropriate question: “Who likes weird stuff?” While the set was tamer than the past parties DJ-producer Diplo and hype man Skerrit Bwoy have thrown at Terminal 5, the weird stuff was still there.

As Skerrit Bwoy danced and jumped, two “samurais” flanked the sides of the stage and a mime popped and locked in the spotlight. All the while, the tireless frontman expanded the traditional role with his sweaty, shirtless hugs for people in the audience and the now obligatory (and all but infamous) ladder gag—during “Pon De Floor”—as Diplo stood atop an eight-foot version of the Downtown Records logo, spinning the aural part of Major Lazer that kept the crowd dancing.

Making her second appearance with the group at Terminal 5, Santigold came out near the end of the set for a brief verse or two. Rounding out the heavy lineup (DJ Ed Banger and DJ Mehdi opened the night), Miike Snow put on an energetic dance-inducing set bathed in heavy smoke and white strobe lights. The masked group slow-burned through the first two songs, relying on their wavy vocals and heavy Genesis-style drums. By the third song, “Black & Blue,” they had added a nearly full-size piano, drums and guitars, guided by their electronica backbone. Coming off a relentless tour schedule, this was the band’s last show before they “go and finish [their] record,” but there was no fatigue in their performance. Miike Snow back-loaded the set with their hit, “Animal,” and an encore-capping cover of Vampire Weekend’s “The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance,” the perfect cooldown to an elevated-heart-rate night. —Sean O’Kane

Photos courtesy of Diana Wong | DianaWongPhoto.com