So: A hard concrete rave with four stages, a marketplace featuring local and international labels and gearhead specialty vendors, clothing and accessory shopping options, a Noguchi-designed fountain to splash in, and the sensation of cool Detroit riverfront breezes to feel against your hot skin after hours of dancing not enough for you? Of course it's not. You want more. And you always get it during Movement weekend, when independent promoters keep the disco ball spinning nearly round the clock with offsite parties from Friday until early Tuesday.
Newcomers to this subsonic orgy of undulating cool kids and assorted zombies will likely be amazed at the choices. Detroit party lifers (as in, they're in it for life) will inevitably say that it ain't what it used to be ... "like, back in the day" (what day exactly is up to question) and they'll probably be right — for all the wrong reasons.
The quantity and quality of the after-party scene is each in cultural recession. The former is not such a bad thing. Too many parties with a myopic focus and a room full of navel-gazers looking backward year after fucking year does not make the electronic world party go around. The sad truth is that too many are like that. Give us the future, engage us with quality, or give us death. Anything that remotely resembles 1988, 1996 or 2004 should be considered punk-ass lame and avoided.
But, hey, leave all that frothy-mouthed armchair analysis to us so-called "critical thinkers," you just go out there and have a safe, sweaty weekend wherever you go. P.S.: Just clip out this list, check out some of these events and you'll have a lot more fun.
FRIDAY, MAY 22
PRE-FESTIVAL BARBECUE
Featuring James Pennington, Punisher, Sassmouth, Adam Jay, Eric Cloutier and more.
This annual party hosted by Detroit ex-pat Andrew Virden (known as "Grimace" to all you perpetual smiley faces) has been a Memorial Day weekend fixture since 2003. Good food, good times and straight-up honest person-to-person contact by a Brazilian-born class act who now lives in the Twin Cities (and works for the Minnesota Timberwolves, no less). He's saying this is the last one, so party up, hardy peeps. Seeing Pennington of Underground Resistance is the obvious historical highlight but fresh ladybugs Punisher and Sassmouth are tied for a damn close second.
Party starts at 5 p.m. and goes to whenever Corktown Tavern (1716 Michigan Ave., Detroit) decides to kick everyone out.
BANG TECH 12, DETROIT TECHNO MILITIA, THE CAT THIEVES AND BREAKLOOSE ANNUAL PRE-FESTIVAL PARTY
Featuring DJ Seoul, T. Linder, Billiebob, Ronin Selecta, The Vandal, Dilemma and more. Visuals by Detronik Visual Rekon Mercenary.
Midwest crews know how to be hospitable and rock hard at the same time, and this free party (with free food) is a must for those looking for a little bit of everything (techno, house, electro and drum 'n' bass). We expect the sweet vibe of authenticity from the first needledrop on vinyl in a three-room venue that features a rooftop deck. Party on 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. at New Bookie's Tavern, 2208 Cass Ave., Detroit.
BUNKER:
Famed New York City weekly recently turned monthly has never hosted a party west of the Hudson River. Until now. And they say they'd only do it in Detroit. Word. Featuring the suddenly hot-as-hell Berlin vet Jan Krueger, the psychedelically-gifted next wave superstar DJ formerly of Detroit Derek Plaslaiko (and we mean it, you son of a bitch) and Spinoza (Bryan Kasenic). At 9 p.m. at Oslo, 1456 Woodward Ave., Detroit.
RESIDENT ADVISOR PRESENTS MOTHERSHIP DETROIT:
Boston-Philadelphia swampy tech-house duo Voodeux make live debut and perform from forthcoming LP, The Paranormal. Mothership label boss Claude VonStroke ("Who's Afraid of Detroit?") and recent California-to-Detroit transplant and Metro Times contributor Monty Luke also rip it up. Starts 10 p.m. at C-Pop, 4160 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Best of all the party is free. To RSVP (a must) go here: [email protected]
OFFICIAL MOVEMENT '09 KICK-OFF, FEATURING PRODIGY, DETHLAB, CHUCK FLASK
UK ravers turned almost famous arena rock stars headline what promises to be a gargantuan kick-off event, but we're even more excited to see Dethlab on a big system and Paxahau talent buyer Flask — one of Detroit tastiest and most underrated DJs on the decks — in the intimate space next door. At 7 p.m. at the Fillmore Theatre and State Bar, 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit.
SATURDAY, MAY 23
THE OTHER 9 TO 5
Accomplished minimal techno and house out-of-towners from Berlin, Dusseldorf, Chicago and San Francisco include Nikola Baytala, Camea, Daze Maxim, Bruno Pronsato, Tim Xavier and more. Up and running 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. at River's Edge, 673 Franklin St., Detroit.
HOUSE-N-HOME:
Berlin's Panoramabar resident Cassy, sensational on the Main Stage at Movement '08, is a thrilling DJ performer. Didn't catch her last year? Now's your chance. Cassy is joined by Brooklyn's Anthony Parasole and Eric Cloutier (originally from suburban Detroit). At 9 p.m. at Oslo, 1456 Woodward Ave., Detroit.
NDATL MUZIK RELEASE PARTY
Accomplished minimal techno-house out-of-towners from Berlin, Dusseldorf, Chicago and San Francisco include Kai Alce', Andres and Chez Damier, underground legends all, pay high-octane tribute to KMS, Transmat, Metroplex, Planet E, Moods & Grooves and other D labels. At 1515 Broadway, Detroit.
STREET SCIENCE
The return of former Detroiter DJ Bone, hard techno purists SCAN 7, and a rare live set by Aux 88 head up a nice lineup of live and DJ talent at 9 p.m. at the Detroit Pub, 1326 Brush St., Detroit.
TORTURED SOUL LIVE
Funky Brooklyn-based three-piece in supper club setting with DJ sets by Jennifer Xerri, Powdr Blu and a live set by Joy of Sound. At 8:30 p.m. at Cliff Bell's, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit.
SUNDAY, MAY 24
BERETTA RESOLUTION
The final version in a series of always worthy Movement afterparties features Stockholm's Aril Brikha, North Detroiter (Conant Gardens to be exact) Omar S, Reference (Luke Hess and Brian Kage), Marko Furstenberg and Kenneth Christiansen (Denmark's Echocord label) and more. At 10 p.m. at The Works, 1846 Michigan Ave., Detroit.
HEJDROP
Starring Berliner Steve Bug, a Detroit fave, Swede-in-exile-in-L.A. Mikael Stavostrand, the ever-busy Tim Xavier, girl-on-girl tag team, Punisher vs. Sassmouth and more. At 10 p.m. at Blondie's, 2281 W. Fort St., Detroit.
FAMILY FUNKTION
Reunion event for this 14-year long series features funky house lovin' Detroit DJs Michael Geiger, Zoetic, Charlie Munk, Bryan Gillespie, Jim Stone — and live performances by Detroiters Will Sessions and Szymanski. Tip! At 9:30 p.m. at Cliff Bell's, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit.
MIXWORKS PRESENTS: HOMECOMING WITH JEFF MILLS
The man they dubbed "the Wizard" is fluent in nearly every musical language we can think of. He returns to Detroit (Mackenzie High alums, come on down) with former UR comrades Buzz Goree and James Pennington, with support from Traxx, Ryan Elliott and more. At 10 p.m. at Tangent Gallery, 715 E. Milwaukee, Detroit.
SENSORAMA:
Sweet 'n' tight lineup made up of Londoner Jamie Jones, Detroit ex-pats Seth Troxler, Shaun Reeves and Ryan Crosson, actual back-in-Detroiter Lee Curtiss and more. At 10 p.m. at TV Bar, 2554 Grand River, Detroit.
MONDAY, MAY 25
NEED I SAY MORE 4
New York's Wolf+Lamb day-raves with Crosstown Rebels Damian Lazarus (Londoner relocated to L.A.) vs. Jamie Jones, and Ghostly/Spectral's Ryan Elliott vs. Matt Dear. Oh, my. With Alex Picone and Shaun Reeves. From 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Say what? Yo, techno-hippies, let the sunshine in!) at the Old Miami, 3930 Cass Ave., Detroit.
For more party listings go to metrotimes.com/movement.
