The first day of BUKU Music + Art project is in the history books, and it was a day to remember. Here are some of the highlights:
Mystikal, Juvenile & Fly Boi Keno
Legendary New Orleans rappers Mystikal and Juvenile took the stage for a shared set with up-and-coming electronic bounce artist Fly Boi Keno. The result was an immensely satisfying trio of performances packed with distinct New Orleans style. Mystikal made sure to remind everyone in the audience why he’s as respected as he is in the hip hop world.
CHVRCHES
CHVRCHES put on a fantastic show early Friday night on the Power Plant stage. Finally seeing “The Mother We Share” performed live was one of the most satisfying experiences I’ve had at a music festival in quite some time. Their light show was solid, as well.
Above & Beyond
In my opinion, Above & Beyond delivered the best EDM performance of the day. Something about its simplistic approach to dubstep combined with their captivating visuals made for one of the best EDM shows I’ve seen in quite a while.
Rae Sremmurd
The rappers’ late-night performance in the Ballroom convinced me that Rae Sremmurd is truly a one-of-a-kind talent. I don’t think I’ve ever seen hip hop artists bring so much energy to the stage.
From “No Flex Zone” to “No Type,” the duo made sure to play all of the hits. The set also had the liveliest crowd of any performance I attended on March 11, complete with mosh pits. It was definitely the most pleasant surprise of the day.
Kid Cudi
Kid Cudi was even better than I expected him to be. I found myself really impressed with his live vocal performance. All of his singing was right on the money.
Of course, he played a handful of tracks from his newest studio effort, “Speedin’ Bullet to Heaven,” but he made sure to play almost all of the classics as well. I was really hoping to hear him perform “Up Up & Away” or “Dat New New,” but what he did perform was stellar.
Naturally, he closed with “Pursuit of Happiness,” and the crowd went wild. Hearing 10,000 people flawlessly sing the lyrics along with Kid Cudi was a very cool moment.

Gallery • 8 Photos

Javier Fernández

Khalif "Swae Lee" Brown and Devin "Slim Jimmy" Brown from Rae Sremmurd perform during the first day of Buku Music + Art Project on Friday, Mar. 11, 2016 in the Bail Room at Mardi Gras World, New Orleans.