Bangin' block parties go big time

As summer progresses, Philadelphia neighborhoods, from Southeast to Northeast, will be rocking their block in a city abuzz with cordoned-off streets, smoky barbecue grills, tinny speakers blaring loud music, and opened fire hydrants.

"That's what makes a classic Philly block party," says Wes Pentz, known these days as Diplo, the internationally renowned DJ/producer who made his bones living in this city's Loft District and started his world-famous touring Mad Decent Block Party modestly enough on North 12th Street in 2008. Since then, the neighborhood celebration has morphed into a national tour, with versions of the block party re-created across the nation. It returns to town Friday for a sold-out standing-room-only lineup of DJs and electro-dance ensembles, including Diplo headlining and hosting, at the recently refurbished outdoor Festival Pier at Penn's Landing ("They got all that sand there now," says Diplo).

Block-party spirit is nothing if not primal. "The music can be whatever as long as it's loud," Diplo says. "Some of the best block parties I've been to had a guy with a boom box and one speaker. You have to have free hot dogs and water - you can buy them cheaply - and you have to have a fire hydrant."

Local street fairs have inspired some much larger, professionally produced events that lay claim to the block party mantle, including several on tap this weekend. In addition to the Mad Decent party on Friday, Phillies legend Garry Maddox and restaurateur Stephen Starr host their annual BBQ Challenge Block Party outside Citizens Bank Park on Saturday, with 45 of Philly's top chefs behind the grill for Maddox's Compete 360 charity. Record label Fire Museum's block party Saturday on Frankford Avenue promises experimental folk and wiggy psychedelia to go with its display of Liberty Vintage motorcycles.

With the busy summer Diplo is having, it's surprising he could attend his own block party (named for his record label), let alone spin. He hosts VH1's live music series SoundClash, which happens to be produced by his Philadelphia pal Questlove of the Roots. "I've known him for 16 years . . . we used to meet at flea markets looking for vinyl," Diplo says of his fellow record collector. "I was super-nervous on SoundClash, but it's OK, I think . . . I haven't watched it."

Diplo just produced tracks for Madonna for her next album, a job he claims has been a pleasure. "She's down for anything. It's been all fun and no pressure. I'm not that producer-guy who fights." Good thing, for Diplo just paired up with DJ Skrillex for their joint album as Jack U ("out late August") and single "Take You There," released last week. "It's just weird funky nostalgic beats," he says. Last week was big for Diplo releases as he dropped Random White Dude Be Everywhere, which he calls a "diary" of his last 12 months of singles. "One song, 'Revolution,' took off on the radio, and programmers wanted a collection to hang it on, so I added one new song, and released it," he said. Which is good, because next year, there'll be less Diplo and more of his electro-dancehall reggae band Major Lazer, along with releases from his Mad Decent label's top sellers like Bauer and Riff Raff.

"Like the label, the block parties have grown exponentially in five years," he says. "It's crazy how much. I owe it all to the artists who played the first shows for free, because we couldn't afford to pay people. We still get Flosstradamus. They're huge, but like they did for the first one in 2008, they come for the vibe and a set of summer jams. It's cool having the same family and feel since the start."

The lighthearted Mad Decent Block Party is not without problems this month. At last weekend's stop in the Baltimore area, two fans died from apparent drug overdoses and 20 were taken to hospitals with drug-related symptoms.

In other Mad Decent developments, while Chance the Rapper excused himself from the Philly show due to exhaustion, local DJ Sega left the bill after a Twitter feud with Diplo.

Diplo actually started his block party as a house-warming party when he bought the former tombstone factory that currently houses PhillyMOCA on North 12th Street. At the time, Diplo had several friends who owned spaces on the then-ungentrified block and was looking to have good old block-party fun. "Did you know that when you buy a building in Philly, if you are a property owner, you have the right to create a block party?" he says, laughing. "That's a crazy right to have. We had to get neighbors to sign off, and pay $15, but with that you get a police blockade. Amazing."

Diplo is doubly amazed that at the end of every block party, he'd ask his neighbors to help him clean up, and "within minutes, that block was cleaner than it had ever been." The DJ recalls keeping the party on his North 12th Street block for three years ("until it got too big"), before moving it to his then new neighborhood and the Piazza at Schmidts ("until it got even bigger") and now, Festival Pier. "It's crazy to see how it grew - not just in Philly but throughout the country - without losing its underground feel. That's crucial. But I have to say, every artist wants to do the Philly gig, and fans travel from all across the country to see the Philly block party and dig its vibe. It's history. It's home."

Looking for a block party that's a little bigger than your neighborhood do? Consider these: