Damian Lazarus' Day Zero: A party like no other

There are several elements that help to make up a great party: solid talent, an appreciative, excited audience, thoughtful decor and a venue and environment that's able to properly showcase all of the above.

Somewhere deeply embedded in what still feels like the untouched jungle of Tulum arrives Day Zero, a one day festival established five years ago by Damian Lazarus that embodies his otherworldly spirit better than any other concert hall or amphitheater ever could.

Part of the magic behind Day Zero is its ambition. Everything about it seems extreme: set out in a Tulum jungle that's near impossible to find on Google Maps, insanely long hours (doors open at 4PM Friday evening extending all the way through to noon the next day) and of course, an elite army of talent curated by Damian made up of Dixon, Âme, Mathew Jonson, Serge Devant, Bedouin, DJ Tennis, Satori, Metrika, Lum, DJ Three and Dinky, a roster more than able to keep the tenacious crowd inspired and engaged from beginning 'til end.

It's quite the balance game that Damian plays with the execution of Day Zero. Despite the wild, lawless feeling that remains in the tree-lined jungle backdrop, no detail is considered too small to help create the event's atmosphere. With Cirque Du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte’s Red Moon on board, it was no surprise that each corner of the Dos Ojos Cenotes carries its own unique piece of magic, from pillow-lined natural caves and cenote oasis where dancers came to dip their feet or dive straight in to mesmerizing lasers that electrified the jungle background.

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Dinky's disco-tinged set carried the "early" hours of the evening before making way for a dramatic, cinematic breakdown that could only be the doing of Âme. Enrapturing, magical and totally other worldly are adjectives that come to mind. Sets bled into one another, transitioning smoothly from an explosive live performance from Mathew Jonson to newcomer Serge Devant's defiantly memorable set before the man of the hour Damian Lazarus took control of the decks as the sun began to rise around 7AM.

There's few other parties - if any - that create something as special as the final morning hours of Day Zero. Despite having now partied for well over 12 hours, the dance floor of the jungle space remains packed with dancers, bobbing to the beat of an especially rare Damian b2b Dixon set. You can't help but smile at that point - whether it's because your hair is still wet after a dip in the cenote or because you have no idea how you're still standing after hours of nonstop dancing, but the tune is just so damn good.

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Day Zero is a special kind of experience that is born only from the mind of someone who understands every element that surrounds his event: from the music to the ground his attendees walk on, there's no part too minute for Damian Lazarus to acknowledge and honour in his own unique way to execute the ancient Mayan calendar-inspired show.

We can only hope we've done the Mayans justice... but we think they'd be proud.

[Photos via: Here & Now]

Valerie Lee is Mixmag's US Digital Editor. Follow her on Twitter here