Diplo is undeniably one of the most innovative and popular DJ’s around the traps. Hailing from Philadelphia and known to his mum as Thomas Wesley Pentz, Diplo keeps good company, having worked with everyone from M.I.A. to Bonde Do Role and then some. In Australia for a number of shows and festival slots under another alias, Diplo was kind enough to give fans in Sydney and Melbourne a Diplo, supported by Amanda Blank, sideshow.

Those arriving early enough to Sydney’s iconic Metro Theater were able to witness the fruits of Diplo’s Heaps Decent project, a non-profit organisation Diplo formed in 2007 with Australian DJ’s Andrew Levins and Nina Agzarian aimed at developing the talents of indigenous and underprivileged youths. The Heaps Decent Side Room played host to established Indigenous artists Last Kinection, Radical Sun and Stunna Set alongside students of the Heaps Decent workshops, some of whom had never performed in front of an audience. With the Heaps Decent Side Room warm up complete the crowd began to swell in the main room, anticipating of the arrival of Spank Rock’s protégé Amanda Blank.

Regardless of what you think of her, there’s no denying it, Amanda Blank is HOT – sure her songs are crass and mostly lacking any real substance, but anyone who can look good in a cream leotard whilst thrashing about on stage AND singing at the same time (Britney Spears take note) is bound to win a crowd over. “She’s amazing, isn’t she?” shouted the stranger next to me, “yeah, crazy hey” I replied, all the while thinking “hurry up and get Diplo on stage”.

Diplo’s musical offensive kicked off with just what the energiser bunnies in the crowd needed to wear them out – loud, thumping and relentlessly heavy electro. In a nod to the Australian crowd Diplo, dressed in a suit I must add, slipped in ACDC’s ever so familiar Thunderstruck before inevitably changing the pace to a bit of dub-step with his remix of the Skream remix of La Roux’s song In for the Kill mixed with his own remix of Bingo Players Get Up, got it? Then, in a move that left many dazed and confused, Diplo dropped Sidney Samson’s Riverside, I mean really! Sure, the crowd went berserk on hearing the tune, but as the track wore thin so to did the crowds enthusiasm for it – an indication that perhaps, finally, people have had enough.

With Diplo officially in the country under the guise of Major Lazer, a collaboration between himself and Switch, it was a welcomed surprise when he was joined on stage by a pseudo Major Lazer, MC Skerrit, and his enigmatic dancers. As Diplo’s DJ set morphed into a Major Lazer Soundsystem, Skerrit Bwoy and his dancers proceeded to tear the place apart; dancing on the speakers, hanging from the scaffolding, dousing the crowd in Grey Goose and Champagne, dragging girls on stage and striping to their underwear.

The arrival of Skerrit Bwoy and Co. also signalled a change in direction as Diplo ditched electro for dancehall and reggae, showcasing his passion for the music of the Caribbean. Diplo mixed Major Lazer track’s Pon de Floor, Mary Jane and Hold the Line amongst reggae tunes including The Partysquad’s Murderer and even Ace of Base’s All that she wants (a song that seems to be experiencing quite the revival at the moment) and while it got most people grindin’ (including the stranger next to me who attached himself to my leg) it seemed to bring the vibe down a notch. Even I, far more composed than the rest of the crowd, found myself longing for Diplo to fasten the pace and give me more of the banging tracks from before.

Eventually, after 3 or so “last songs” MC Skerrit and his dancers exited the stage leaving Diplo to his own devices. Sensing that the crowd was eager to go wild again Diplo dug deep into his record box and unleashed Hocus Pocus’s 1995 classic Here’s Johnny, re-establishing the mayhem from earlier in the night. Diplo brought the night to a close with a number of crowd pleasers including MIA’s Paper Planes before the fun was suddenly over and, despite pleads from the crowd for an 2nd encore, Diplo exited stage left and called it a night.