It’s almost tempting to define The Black Eyed Peas as an engaging mix of in-the-face irreverence and energy, while giving things like lyrical content the skip.

Tuesday’s concert at the Palace Grounds, the hip-hop group’s first in India, was a smashingly entertaining two-hour slot that got fans in the dance floor groove. Perhaps reason enough to bracket it with sidenotes on everything non-musical here: Fergie’s tease act, Will.i.am’s funnyman faces, terrific dancers and random references to Indian curry and Hanuman.

The chartbusters — from Dum Diddly to My humps to Gone Going to Where’s the love to Don’t phunk with my heart — were all there. The crowd, largely comprising of  teenagers, was also treated to some dazzling lightwork and inventive choreography: bindi-sporting girls did the jig for I got it from my mama.

While apl.de.ap and Taboo played perfect foil for Will.i.am, it was Fergie who got the cheers coming with lively turns in London Bridge and Fergalicious. The group did an inspired turn in Pump it, with the Misirlou bit from Pulp Fiction greeted with wild cheers. At 10.30, they were just getting started.