This weekend a Euro-heavy crowd will descend on Movement, Detroit's electronica fest. And who better than laptop músico Walter Wasacz, who's also a techno writer and an editor for Issue Media Group, to give us the skinny on this world-famous fete.
Post 2: Party! Party!
Posted By: Walter Wasacz
Posted: 5/28/2010
The actual Movement festival contains plenty of dance party fun for the average human. But this being Detroit, average simply goes out the window. It's a part of the electronic music cultural DNA to link party after party after party together to create new experiences you probably have never had before, nor will likely repeat in exactly the same way. Make some good picks, seek out new friends, drink plenty of water and you should have an appropriately weird but grand time wherever you end up. Especially if you take at least some of the following suggestions from this humble blogger, who has rocked and raved through all 10 festivals since 2000.
Something quite different and highly recommended is 2010: A Detroit Odyssey, which comes courtesy of Planet E, the Carl Craig Foundation and the newly-minted Detroit Techno Foundation. On the bill is Fritz Lang's Metropolis (with pre-recorded soundtrack by Jeff Mills); Timeless Suite for Ma Dukes, featuring the music of the late Detroit hip hop innovator James "J Dilla" Yancey; and The Drive Home: the Story of the Detroit Electronic Music Festival, produced by Detroit's Pilot Pictures and Hogpath. There is also a live performance by Timeline, featuring Mike Banks of Underground Resistance. Good stuff. Best of all, it's free. It starts at 7 p.m. and goes to midnight. Friday, May 28, at the Music Hall, 350 Madison Street, Detroit.
Another party worth your time (and for a reasonable amount of money: $10.) is Yel3, the official Movement pre-party also on Friday featuring high-flying dutchman Speedy J, Windsor-Berlin's Matthew Hawtin's and Ann Arbor-based Spectral Sound's 10-year anniversary bash with Matthew Dear, Ryan Elliott, Seth Troxler, Lee Curtiss (live) and Birds & Souls. It's at St. Andrew's Hall, where they used to call this three floors of fun. That would be a gross understatement this time around. 431 E. Congress Street, Detroit. It kicks off around 10 p.m.
Last year's cruise on the Detroit Princess was one of the highlights of the 2009 after-party scene. Unless you couldn't get a ticket, that is. This year's riverboat hullabaloo could be even better with Chilean-German superstar Ricardo Villalobos on board. Carl Craig, Stacey Pullen, and Berlin's Cassy are also on deck. Boat leaves the dock just south of Hart Plaza at 1 a.m. Sunday, and gets back around 6 a.m. Get details here.
Later the same night on the other side of town is Moodymann's Soul Skate at the Northland Roller Skating Center (22311 W. 8 Mile Road, Detroit). Free soul food with $15 admission. It's a winner, guaranteed. It goes from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Also at Detroit Threads in Hamtramck (10238 Jos. Campau), special in-store DJ guests expected include Pirahnahead, Aaron-Carl and Andy Garcia; plus Jennifer Paull and yours truly of the ambient-disco-dub project nospectacle. We play records Monday, 3-6 p.m., but talent is spread out over five days, beginning Thursday, May 27. It's all free and clothes and record shopping (owner Mikel Smith has sweet stuff, some real gems) are encouraged.
Expect me to be back in a week or two with a roundup of this extraordinary festival weekend in Detroit. I trust you'll go out there and experience some of it for yourselves. It's regional danceable art in the form of a gift to us all, not to be missed, if at all possible. That goes for all you people heading up north or visiting hipster friends in Williamsburg or Wicker Park. We're staying home, getting physical with ears and eyes wide open, enjoying the best years of our lives in our own backyard. Beat that.