Through a sea of flat brim Monster Energy hats and grape swisher cigar smoke, an assault of masterfully curated and chest-rattling bass music emerged that perfectly set the tone for Summerfest 2013 on its opening night.  Los Angeles-based producer and DJ Diplo took the stage at 10 p.m. at the Miller Lite Oasis in front of an ecstatic crowd of festival attendees who were eager to kick the summer off with a bang. 

From the get-go, Diplo’s execution and track choices proved his vast understanding of electronic music, and showcased his ability to read and adapt to a frenzied crowd.  His ability in this sort of environment should come as no surprise based on the eclectic roster of producers and artists that he’s collaborated with over the course of his career.

He’s worked with prolific and acclaimed artists such as M.I.A., Das Racist, Azealia Banks, Skream and Santigold, who have all consistently produced sounds that push the boundaries of what is possible within the popular spectrum of hip-hop, pop and electronic music. 

He’s always been a producer who doesn’t necessarily fit within the confines of a particular style of music, and this genre-jumping mentality was in full effect on Wednesday night.  Over a two-hour period, Diplo navigated through dozens of tracks from all corners of the music world and flawlessly implemented climactic transitions and exciting remixes that stirred a capacity crowd into a state of sheer insanity.

Over the course of his headlining set, he managed to jump from massive club-bangers like Drake’s "Started From The Bottom," to a bass-crunching remix of Daft Punk’s "Get Lucky," to a sped-up version of "You & Me" from London’s up and coming 2-step/house savants, Disclosure. 

Another highlight was a massive Summerfest edition of the "Harlem Shake" which just about caused the stage to collapse.  The show served as a huge release for young Milwaukee residents who’ve had a pent-up dance rage over a long winter and unusually murky spring.  Track after track saw Diplo elegantly building up energy and expelling it with huge bass drops and pitched up snare drums. 

Another favorite moment came near the end of the set when the producer played a track called "Get Free" from his recent album as part of production trio, Major Lazer.

The song features Amber Coffman (of the band Dirty Projectors) swooning over a bed trancy dub synths and spaced out drum echoes.  The track allowed the audience to catch their breath before a pummeling bass drum pattern sent them back to the peak of dance madness for the finale of the performance.