On the outside, Detroit is a city like many others, but venture inside, and you’ll find it’s quite different. Friendly, resolute, soulful. There’s a lot of hardworking folk that refuse to let Detroit discontinue. This city has been innovating and reinventing itself for decades, music constantly at its center. There’s a reason Detroit dubs itself Techno City, and when I adventured Movement (formerly DEMF) at Hart Plaza for my first time, I discovered a unique landscape flowing with creative entrepreneurship and identity that continues the pendulum swinging in an upwards direction.
Hart Plaza is a beautiful location to host a celebration. Nestled next to the Detroit River, Ontario looking on from the other side, six stages offer a bevy of entertainment. You’ll find harbors of shade amidst stages named Detroit, Waterfront, and Underground during daylight hours. If sunshine is your natural ally, you’ll find yourself gravitating towards the Movement, Stargate, and Pyramid stages. Personally, I found myself between the latter trio most often. Pyramid supplied a vibe that was just my jam, man. However, each stage has its own charm, and when I needed to plank or perform some stretching, I made my way to Waterfront.
There’s an underground vibe throughout Movement, ties that unite the many spirits assembled here. Common goals and interests, shared experiences that propel further and higher forward. Artists generate ideas into sonic medium in order to share their thoughts and energies with eager supporters. When it’s perfected and ready, they find a platform for its unveiling. The more proponents of a great idea, the further it spreads. For twenty-three years and counting, Movement has provided a hospitable habitat for hosting performances from a mixture of artists representing various genres to display their curations. Every year, you can expect something new.
As Darkness falls, temperatures cool, elements of performance change as lasers and light grace the night. There’s a dynamic difference after twilight, as creatives, innovators, stoics, and ravers co-mingle. Though I much appreciate darkness, I reflect fondly on daytime, the periods I spent exploring Movement’s landscape and the artists and producers I discovered. Let me share with you some of my standouts from the weekend. TSHA, a talent unbeknownst to me before this festival, earns a letter of recommendation. As well, experts the likes of Derrick Carter b2b Mark Farina, Zed’s Dead (Altered States), DJ Minx, Maceo Plex, and Surgeon also entertained my Saturday. I recommend them all.
Sunday served as another day of discovery. My ears were blessed as I sampled Lindsey Herbert, AMX, Sam Divine, Ben Sims, Seth Troxler, Special Request, Adam Port, and Cybotron. There was a point I found myself between stages, where I could freely change the channel I was listening to from DJ Nobu to Robert Hood, and back again with but a few steps. There, before me, a dance circle broke out. Eager participants entered to strut their stuff, fully supported by onlookers preparing to display their own terpsichorean methods. It’s quite a satisfying feeling to see people freely try to impress one another, and wholly succeeding! All love, one global family, accepting each other. Needless to say, I stuck around and enjoyed the exhibition, before Charlotte De Witte closed my night.
Monday, the final day, saw me delay my departure until later. Truthfully, my bed was darn comfortable and I enjoy my sleep. I had a mission, all other items paled by comparison. One act had drawn my attention far beyond the others, and they would be closing the festival on the main stage of Movement. Underworld.
I originally discovered the collaboration between Karl Hyde and Rick Smith by way of my older sister when I was but a wee lad. ‘Cowgirl’ has been playing rent-free in my head for over twenty-five years, not to mention exposure to ‘Born Slippy’ aka Mega Mega White Thing by way of Q101. After parking my vehicle off-site, I entered the template of Dom Dolla b2b John Summit on Stargate. From there, I made my way to each of the stages for one final glimpse before ending up at Skrillex, and I will tell you, it was friggin’ packed. I observed his performance from the wayyyyyy back. Once Skrilly finished, the packed crowd of spectators cleared to relocate to their desired closing acts. My fellowship of technotronic explorers and I made our way downward into a now largely empty concrete pit to position ourselves for maximum Underworld enjoyment, nearly front and center. After a period of about fifteen minutes, the final act of Movement began.
The crowd roared as Underworld took the stage and ‘Juanita’ began to play, followed by ‘Two Months Off’ then ‘Dark and Long’. This isn’t your typical EDM performance, these tracks are extended. The audience gets to drink passionately the productions these two professionals have perfected through their thirty plus year duo ship. Rick Smith handles much of the technical aspects of the performance from behind his control station while Karl Hyde energetically bounces throughout the stage, before standing next to his musical accomplice for duet. Next, my ears detect a version of ‘Cups’ that leads into ‘Denver Luna’ then ‘Shudder/King of Snake’. Almost like they know I’m waiting for it, ‘Rez’ leads into my aforementioned favorite, ‘Cowgirl’ and back again as my mind replays images of time, space, and every instance and place I’ve listened to Underworld throughout my life. Thank you, sister. Their performance culminates with ‘And The Colour Red’ before the finale of their performance, ‘Born Slippy’. Use this link to enjoy a 4K reproduction of Underworld’s 2023 Movement set.
From the moment Underworld started til their conclusion, it felt akin to a spiritual experience. Karl Hyde’s mesmerizing lyrics and Rick Smith’s technical precision evoked a sermon I was blessed to attend. Much of the weekend felt similar, like I was exploring amongst a collective of observers bearing witness to performers passionately displaying the fruits of their labor. My time spent in Detroit is always illuminating, as doorways to new experiences and soundscapes unfold before me. If you’ve never experienced the music and sounds that Detroit generates, I urge you to do as such. It’s a special place, within a special state, and through talented and unique identities, it continues to manifest new forms and shapes. To end, I’d like to quote Karl Hyde. “I love techno, and you are beautiful.”
Be well, be successful. Bear Swiftly.
–Electro Scribe–
