Hard has been putting on music events in LA for years, but it wasn’t until last Saturday that they brought the party to the east coast. With an unbeatable line-up of Destructo, Jack Beats, Rusko, Major Lazer and Crookers, Hard proved that dubstep has indeed arrived in New York City.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE PHOTO GALLERY

Terminal 5 was packed when we arrived in time to catch Jack Beats’ set. The crowd went wild for The Bloody Beetroots’ “Warp” (we saw Steve Aoki do the live vocals the night before at Webster Hall), which set the tone for the mayhem that ensued over the course of the night. Rusko did not disappoint when he stepped up to the decks to spin his signature dubstep style. He played two of his best remixes back to back: Kid Sister’s “Pro Nails” followed by Kid Cudi’s “Day ‘N’ Night”, which was a truly fantastic combination. He powered through the set, ending with clips from his remix of Little Boots’ “Remedy” paired with some drum and bass beats.

Major Lazer was definitely the highlight of the night. Skerrit Bwoy was a terrifically energetic MC, keeping the crowd hyped with two seriously skilled dancers in tow. Switch was conspicuously absent, but Diplo held it down with the help of some special guests. Nina Sky and Ricky Blaze came out to perform “Keep it Goin’ Louder”, and later, Santigold and Mr. Lexx did a live rendition of Major Lazer’s debut single, “Hold the Line”.

The audience was invited on stage for an impromptu dance party during the Crookers-produced track “Jump Up”. Other highlights included “Pon De Floor”, when several dancers staged a reenactment of the notorious video. In a surprising moment, Skerrit Bwoy climbed a ladder and dove onto one of the dancers, who was sprawled on the floor, waiting to get daggered.

Everyone who contributed to Major Lazer’s performance looked like they were having a great time on stage. Their mood was clearly infectious, as many people named Major Lazer’s set as their favorite.

After Major Lazer’s explosive performance, Crookers’ straight-up DJ set was a little anti-climactic. Not to say that they didn’t deliver; Crookers has a great energy and they really know how to get a crowd going. Still, Major Lazer’s incredibly dynamic stage show would have been better suited as the event closer.

Click here to see photos from Hard NYC and be sure to check out photos from the Flashing Lights after party at 88 Palace. If you missed out on the action last weekend, Diplo will be back on Thursday to spin at Roxy’s Playhouse in Brooklyn.