For techno lovers in North America there is no better way to celebrate Memorial Day Weekend than attend Movement Festival. Now in its 10th year (16 if you don’t count the name change from DEMF to Movement), thousands of fans flock to Detroit for an experience of a lifetime at America’s true techno mecca.
(Image Courtesy: Douglas Wojciechowski)
1. The Venue
(Image Courtesy: Joe Gall/Camera Jesus)
The Hart Plaza is a near perfect venue. It’s by the river and right in the heart of downtown Detroit. The massive main stage had fantastic acoustics because it has an amphitheatre set up. The Beatport and Red Bull Music Academy stages were along the river and offered breath taking views of the skylines of Detroit and Windsor. At the heart of the venue was the futuristic looking Dodge fountain.
2. The underground stage
(Image Courtesy: Movement Facebook)
This unique stage and accommodated those who like their Techno harder and faster. This smoky, sunken stage hosted the likes of Marcel Dettmann, Ostgut Ton’s head honcho Ben Klock, Sterac, and Ben Sims. The underground stage was literally under the ground. It was one of those places where people could totally lose themselves while dancing in a frenzy.
3. Technology area
(Image Courtesy: Bryan Mitchell)
This year, Movement featured a large area for music technology brands to showcase their products. Novation, Roland, Dave Smith Instruments, and Reloop. The coolest thing about the tech area was that all the gear was connected and people could try out awesome synths and drum machines.
4. Legacy acts
(Image Courtesy: Steven Pham)
The founding fathers of techno and many pioneers played at Movement this year. One of the figureheads of techno, Juan Atkins played a live set as his seminal alias Model 500 to headline day 2 at the RBMA stage. The other two members of the Belleville Three – Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May teamed up to play an unforgettable b2b on the Origins stage set to close the festival. The Origins stage also featured the likes of Phuture and Al Ester. Carl Craig and Richie Hawtin who played essential roles in the second wave of techno and played closing sets on Day 1 of the festival.
5. Label showcases and exclusive stages
(Image Courtesy: Joe Gall/ Camera Jesus)
On the second day of the festival, Metroplex celebrated 30 years of delivering ground breaking music.Local heroes from Konkrete Jungle and Detroit Techno Militia took over the Sixth Stage on the first and final day respectively. Carl Craig brought the party to the Thump Stage with his Detroit Love Imprint. Matthew Dear brought his forward-thinking acts from Ghostly International to the Thump stage on day 2
6. Amazing after and pre- parties
(Image Courtesy: Steven Pham)
Because 12 hours of dancing at a festival isn’t enough for the bravest soldiers of techno, Movement’s extended parties had stellar line-ups at the after parties. The closing party had a stacked bill that included Richie Hawtin, Loco Dice and Guti playing at the surreal Masonic Temple Ballroom. It was only at these after parties that you could catch some of the biggest artists in the industry casually strolling around the venue
7. The Undying Detroit Spirit
Detroit is synonymous with techno. It is the birthplace and yet the future of Techno. Plenty of fans rocked t-shirts and accessories pledging their allegiance to Detroit. It’s more than just a city – it’s the cradle of a musical subculture that has influenced millions of people around the world. The city has always been a fertile ground for innovation regardless of the economic circumstances that would have choked the life out of other cities. The struggle has helped this city treasure what it started and Movement is a grand celebration.
8. The beer garden
This year Movement had a beautiful beer garden that was sponsored by Novation. It was a grassy, tree laden spot by the Detroit River that served as the perfect place to take a quick break while dancing. The garden also had Novation synthesizers for people to mess around with while sipping their beers. Additionally, Novation handed out free memorabilia about Detroit and techno to visitors at the beer garden.
9. Dance Circles
Tons and tons of dance circles this year. Some participants had slick and stunning dance moves while others used the collective encouragement of others to bust moves they wouldn’t have tried otherwise. People of all ages, backgrounds, and races were unified during these impromptu dance circles.This video explains the case in point
10. Music
(Image Courtesy: Joshua Hanford)
Last but certainly not the least important, the music at Movement as per usual was phenomenal. From classic Detroit techno and mind-warping IDM to funky House music and delicious Minimal to the raw sounds of Acid House to bumping Tech House, Movement managed to encompass a plethora of sublime underground music.While we patiently wait for Movement next installment at the Hart Plaza, Joseph Capriati has made the wait more pleasant by uploading his terrific set from the Beatport Stage.
(Cover Image Courtesy: Phil Conners)