We’re meant to move, so I made my way to Detroit for Movement’s 20th anniversary edition. There aren’t many music festivals I’ve experienced that compare to this city-wide celebration. It’s not just the action that unfolds within Hart Plaza. Clubs, bars, shops, food trucks, rooftops, and sidewalks throughout the city be popping off with magic all Memorial weekend long. Did I view fireworks above Exodus from my hotel room at the Hollywood Casino on Saturday night? Unconfirmed! I did have a couple of drinks, and I was also riding a winning wave from rocking roulette with Minerva the night before.
What can I say about this sweet festival and delicious city? It’s pretty, nifty, and sometimes gritty. Which I dig, and I’ll certainly drop a fitty and more along the way. Movement has got a whole lot of hot happenings, and I’m here to share some memorable moments from my weekend’s entertainment. I’m Bear Swiftly, the Electro Scribe, and let me delight your senses with spirited recollections that will inspire you in your own adventures.
For the first couple of days, Movement was kind of wet. Rain both on Saturday and Sunday, but that’s okay. As you have come to know of me, I’m a pluviophile and inclement weather does not drown my spirits. To me, it’s cleansing. Let the rhythm of the water wash away ruminations over what’s no longer needed. Bad emotions, negative thoughts, and whatever else we might be dwelling upon for too long that’s holding us back. Turn that frown upside down. Let the lessons of the past help us build a better future.
Let’s talk about the music that popped while I bopped. On Saturday, I gave Minerva a quick tour of the grounds before settling into the official merch line in GA. That line took a while to get through, but the payoff was freaking great! Minerva grabbed me a sweet long sleeve tee and herself a dope ass ‘Techno City’ zip-up she’ll be wearing plenty often. While we stood still between Detroit and Stargate stages, I could discern Ataxia and Mister Joshooa balling back-2-back to my right while Stacey ‘Hotwax’ Hale dropped fly tracks and remixes of classics like ‘Thriller’ to my left. Killer. Once merch was acquired, we made our way to Pyramid to feast on Eats Everything. That boy is well-fed, and so was the crowd as we giddily devoured his tasty beats.
Movement is a global session and Italy definitely sent some of their best. 999999999 (let’s just call them 9×9) started at 9 on main stage and enthused with a techno dialogue of excellent construction. I found a delightful alcove adjacent to a VIP viewing platform where I could get down and enjoy their sound. Once I’d had my fill, the move was head on over to Claude Vonstroke’s triumphant Pyramid stage return. He’d just released a brand-new studio album the day before, Wrong Number. What’s the album like? It kind of feels like a melding of his Barclay and Claude monikers as he’s creating sounds true to himself. That’s the way it should be, and I’m happy that he’s producing and performing from a place of comfort.
Richie Hawtin’s Pyramid stage entrance was so slick, some in the audience thought Claude was still playing. One such patron remarked, “So Claude’s back?” I replied, “He is, but this is Richie Hawtin.” And I can’t fault her for not realizing, as Richie started off dropping some sweet beats that built on the energy and vibe Mr. Vonstroke had been purveying. Richie’s is a soothing sonic selector, the epitome of a producer and performer, always uplifting voices and encouraging creativity forth from any and all in his orbit. One of the first events I ever covered was his From Our Minds tour stop on March 10, 2023, at the Russell Industrial Center. One of the defining features from that night I clearly recall is I never knew exactly who was playing. The music just kept going as the six performers continually built on each other’s offerings.
Back to Saturday night’s entertainment, after catching some hot stuff from Hawtin, I made my way back to main stage for Sara Landry’s set which at times felt akin a ritualistic summoning. What does that mean? She’s on record in multiple interviews describing her productions as “Witchy Warehouse Music”, and when a portal appeared on the screens behind her I wondered to myself, “What’s on the other side?” It depends on your mindset before passing through. As Nietzsche once said, “Stare long into the abyss, and the abyss stares back at you.” Or, something of the sort.
Moving along to day 2, The Saunderson Brothers set a scene so pristine it could make a sweaty man feel clean at Pyramid stage. Then heaps of praise and celebration followed for Kevin Saunderson, a legendary techno leviathan celebrated throughout Detroit and far beyond. Is leviathan too powerful a word to describe Kevin’s essence? I’ll let you decide, but this man definitely deserves all the respect he’s earned. His set began with a delightful and personal message from his daughter and a resolution commemorating May 24 which will henceforth be known as Kevin Saunderson Day in Wayne County. Hot damn, bless this man and his fam.
Remember how I said Italy sent some of their best and those 9×9 fellas from the day before? Joining the corps of Italy’s electronic force in delighting Movement spectators with auditory bliss was Donato Dozzy. Son, this kit-kat was on one. Tons of fun, his compositional sound can only be described as bellissima espressione. Simply put, Donato Dozzy’s set was effervescently sweet, and I think that’s super neat.
What I’m about to say about my favorite part of Sunday might not make sense to most. It’s a selfish thought, but I’m going to share it anyway. No shame. I love the rain, and dancing next to a gorgeous dame. Let me frame this thought for you: A gentle Detroit drizzle is the perfect seasoning for this purifying scene. I felt refreshed as Skream beamed magnanimous melodies straight to surrounding ear holes. An exceptional delivery, and I found his sounds a pleasant delight.
Then old young buck Eli Brown came to town with some monumental Movement throw down. No joke, I thought this was probably my top set of the week. End. Full send. Is it raining or am I just sweaty? It’s both, and I purposefully forgot my poncho. Didn’t need it! Eli Brown’s techno technique had me glowing warm and juiced with excited energy. My shoulders and hips got loose, and I dropped down low my handsome caboose. His peformance put me in an outstanding mood and I pretty much floated all the way to Barry Can’t Swim with good vibes and glazed eyes. Winning, Ka-ching!!!! Minerva and I called Barry’s a journey set. A lot of good memories for a lot of his faithful and buoyant fans. Am I the only one who thought it was funny Barry Can’t Swim cannonballed on the Waterfront stage? Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Regardless, his was a standout Sunday demonstration, and along those lines I’ll also shout-out Josh Baker and DJ Harvey for their sets that absolutely SCHWANG! Also, whoever writes the artist bios for the Movement app, you freaking rule, bud.
Moving right along, do I talk about after parties? Not just yet, I’ll get there once I leave. Monday, MonDAY, MONDAY! C’mon down to Stargate stage to witness Tiga doing something hunky. Funky? Monkey business in my brain, his set was groovy mane! Tiga has been described as an underground techno don who understands pop aesthetics well enough to create great songs that stand the test of time. I reflect fondly on his 2014 album, Bugatti, and he’s just released his latest album in over a decade, HOTLIFE.
Let me expand on my earlier celebration of whoever is writing these artist bios because while Minerva was at work in the weeks leading up to Movement, she read EVERY SINGLE ONE! That’s one of the reasons we were able to find some absolute gems among the plethora of artists we were previously unfamiliar with. For example, I didn’t think there was any DnB this year, but she proved me wrong. RUDIM3NTAL, BOIIII!!!! Seriously, I’d buy a ticket just for this jam. RUDIM3NTAL earns my #2 award for Movement’s top performances due to their energetic output on Memorial Day. Heck yes, fellas! Once I had gotten my fulfilling drum and bass fix, I bolted to catch some of SillyGirlCarmen and I will let you know, her presentation was electric and her outfit stunned. You’ll hear more about her in an upcoming artist spotlight I’m preparing to release a little bit later on.
Ooooweeee, I’m spitting hot fire much like Ayybo was spinning. Let me ask my assistant if I pronounced that right. *Hold Please.* I did, no kidding, these winnings are way better than mids. Ayybo, at least for me, was more fun than an after-hours casino session. One of the reasons why is you need a bit of luck for things to go your way when gambling. For Ayybo, all you gotta do is show up with a good attitude and enjoy his versatile, catchy, and well-produced tunes. When Ayybo is playing, I find it impossible to not have a good time.
Speaking of world-class producers that set a tremendous tone and pace for people to enjoy themselves within a special music space, DOM DOLLA EVERYBODY!!!! Main stage was packed, absolutely inconceivable to find some good real estate to get down unless you camped out all day, so I hung out back of the stage behind the railing with some Tipper fam enjoying the highlights of his skylights. From here the music sounded great, with plenty of room to groove and get down, and at the end of the day it’s really all about enjoying the music with your homies anyway. Australia rules. Oh yea…the afters, let’s go!!!
Odd Mob at Magic Stick was sick legit and definitely qualifies as one of my top sets from the entirety of Movement weekend. He laid down a three-hour set after DJ Cool Guy’s opening performance. Now I know that’s not the opener’s name, but I couldn’t find his actual alias listed on any of the flyers so that’s what Steven and I decided to call him. Bro, what I wouldn’t give to relive this Odd Mob after all over again. Can I? Please? No? Well… fine then! I’m definitely gonna catch him as often as possible wherever and whenever down the line. There was also a closing Movement after-party featuring Dom Dolla, Green Velvet, Tiga, Boys Noize, MCR-T, and many others that went off at the Russell Industrial Center I attended. Two shows, one ticket. It was mostly cool, though the building was sweltering hot. One more thing as far as after-parties are concerned, here’s a poem I promised I’d write titled, ‘Repopulate Mars’.
“Amongst the stars // Sits a red planet called Mars // Mike hopes they’ve got at least a couple of bars // Space-faring folk we are // Memories deeply embedded like battle-worn scars // Hell // That’s hot // Damn girl // Let me show you what I got // Trot, then gallop // That’s the plot // Take the shot // It’s the only chance we got // Your eyes scintillate like the stars // Playgirl // Help me repopulate Mars.”
Cool, cool, cool, very sweet, unique, nice, and polite. And that is also how I’d describe the staff and accommodation at the Hollywood Casino Hotel at Greektown. Room 1904, scoreboard! During our time on premises, Minerva and I enjoyed some early-morning casino sessions and even walked away a little ahead. Nothing extravagant as far as our winnings were concerned, but we certainly had fun and both feel we got to experience the full value of staying at this hotel. Furthermore, valet personnel and front office staff were friendly and amicable at assisting us. Whether I required my vehicle brought down or a couple of extra towels, they were cheerful and courteous throughout. Room service offerings were equally delicious. Minerva got herself a ‘Don’t Go Bacon My Heart’ sandwich and I very much enjoyed ‘Stumblin in Dublin’ for breakfast. Without a doubt, I’ll happily stay here again in the future.
Let’s finish with some shoutouts to friends I adore and folks I crossed paths with. Then, I’m going to share an excerpt from my conversation with Detroit native and techno talent, Dru Ruiz, focused on what Movement means to him. Firstly, having a travel companion who both lightens the load and shares finances during a trip is always appreciated. She has a beautiful name, but in the compendium of our electronic episodes, I’ve dubbed her grandly as Minerva. This was her first Movement experience, and she kept an open mind throughout the weekend. I can be chaotic at times as I juggle personal and professional expectations, and she was unflinching throughout as we kept each other in good spirits. I also want to give a heartfelt thanks to my friends Kari and Ryan. It was good to see them both, they do their best to help when they can, and Ryan is one of the reasons I began my own brand of journalistic excellence some years ago years ago. May God bless them both.
Let me send a shoutout to fellow Movement guests that stayed at the Hollywood Casino like Hunter sharing slick card swipes to get us to the levels we needed to go. Honorable mention goes to his compatriot Carla for welcoming myself and Minerva into the lift. Her form was impeccable as she bowed and thusly spake, “My Liege.” Proper stuff, proper action. Get blessed Kings and Queens. One of the coolest cats I met all weekend deserves extra big love, and that goes to Seth noticing my Tipper Fam Hatcessory (TM) and stopping us to say hello as we walked through Stargate. Much love my guy, you kicked off an ascension of events that made our Monday Memorial Day super great. After this friendly connection, I and Minerva would go on to find friends like Noah, Dennis, and Mike who just happened to pop up along our way. It’s funny how life works. It doesn’t always give you what you want, but it certainly gives you what you need.
It’s impossible to boil Movement down to a single thought, but I had this one while attending Drutroit’s, aka Dru Ruiz, Saturday peformance at 430PM on the Detroit stage. Movement: We’re Meant to Move. He expanded my thought by sharing what Movement means to him.
“We’re also a movement. Doing this together. It’s a movement, it’s a gathering. It’s a gathering of those for techno enthusiasts and lovers and I love it for that. Detroit really is just a special place. Unless you’ve been here, you really don’t know. It really is like no other. I’ve been a lot of spots and, like, I always feel like nothing really tops this.”
I can positively say with one hundred percent assurance, this year’s Movement edition was an outstanding occasion to attend. For those who it was their first time, all the good they experienced will likely encourage their returning for future editions. That’s the way it was for me after my first time attending in 2023. I fell in love with this festival and the city of Detroit. For those of my readers and listeners who are only now learning about Movement’s lively and energetic spectacle, I will share with you this succinct thought. A festival at its very best represents music and ideas that transcend boundaries and welcome people from far and wide. Movement is a tremendous and well-excuted celebration of what makes Detroit’s techno scene unique, and everyone who is involved with this weekend’s festivities wants you to be part of this terrific commemoration of life’s majesty for years to come. Movement: We’re Meant to Move; a philosophy you should carry forth with you for all the rest of your days.
This is Bear Swiftly, the Electro Scribe, signing off. Sayonara, all you Samurai.
Be well, be successful. Bear Swiftly.
–Electro Scribe–
