RECAP: Fatboy Slim, Sven Väth, Little Dragon and More at 2011 Movement Electronic Festival
By Kendah El-Ali; thumbnail by Doug Wojciechowski, photos by Vanessa Kitzerow on June 3, 2011
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Monday wrapped up three days of beats that echoed off Detroit’s Hart Plaza, and throughout the cement downtown area, marking the 12th annual Electronic Music Festival to have graced Motor City. This year’s Movement Festival pulled in record-breaking crowd numbers, an increasingly diverse lineup and impressively organized setup by local promoters Paxahau, but what’s always been central to the festival is the family atmosphere—be that genetic, or music-based—and some of the most remarkable people-watching opportunities on the planet. And, of course, a whole lot of dancing.
“What’s always been interesting about the music community here in Detroit is that everyone’s known each other in some capacity for the past 20 years,” said Paxhau president Jason Huvaere. “The audience [keeps] growing, and it’s a very cool project to be a part of. It’s not something we own, it’s really owned by the people.”
Nearly 100,000 people descended upon the concrete shore of the Detroit River to hear local techno veterans and international non-techno acts alike. Then there were bands like The Dirtbombs who, though Detroiters, aren’t electronic musicians at all. Local minimal and ghettotech stars, like Richie Hawtin and DJ Godfather, played alongside local favorites, such as Mike Servito and Erika Sherman. Internationally renowned producers, like Loco Dice and Monolake, were wedged in between burgeoning American artists such as Flying Lotus and Soul Clap. And there were the surprises, such as Swedish band darlings Little Dragon and mainstream electronic star, Fatboy Slim. “We are really excited about who we were able to pull in this year,” added Huvaere. “There were artists we have been trying to get for years, like Sven Väth, and we finally had the right platform to invite them. In all, the festival really has some momentum going.”
Little Dragon performs at the Red Bull Academy of Music Stage
Detroit’s electronic scene has come a long way since its forefathers—including Juan Atkins, Derrick May and Kevin Saunders—birthed a legend of sound inspired by car pistons and bleak factory shifts more than 20 years ago. The city itself has, too. Waves of producers have since followed, including Hawtin, leading to one of the few international exports the city still has to offer. Though Detroit techno doesn’t own a huge footprint in American sound and culture, the influence it’s had on modern music is immense. “It’s an honor to be a part of the festival,” said Little Dragon drummer Erik Bodin. “This is the home of techno and Motown, and that’s a big deal to everyone around the world.” And though Little Dragon, whose new album Ritual Union comes out July 26, is not exactly the first band that comes to mind for an electronic festival, singer Yukimi Nagano added with lit eyes: “But we’re lucky in that respect, because the festival isn’t strictly techno anymore!”
Detroit is better known for its rock music, with exports like Jack White and Iggy Pop sticking in people’s minds a little sooner than, say, Mike Banks and Jeff Mills. But even the techno-rock split in the community has narrowed over time. Probably the most glaring example is with The Dirtbombs, who released Party Store in February, featuring rock covers of Detroit techno classics, such as DJ Rolando’s “Knights of the Jaguar,” A Number of Names’ “Shari Vari” and Innerzone Orchestra’s “Bug in the Bassbin.” The result is not only an impressive set of tracks created without the luxury of machines, but also more attention towards the city’s music in general. “Vice magazine came to me when these tracks were being made about making a Detroit music documentary,” said bassist Ko Melina. “We’re not really the typical band to come to for this sort of stuff, but if techno can get more attention via us, hey, that’s great.” The band added that many of the original creators of the songs, like Atkins, Carl Craig and members of A Number of Names embraced the album, and in some cases came into the studio, or contributed to the tracks. And, of course, they’ve been intertwining the Detroit music ties for some time now, as drummer Ben Blackwell added, “We first covered an ADULT. song five years ago. A whole 5,000 copies were sold, so we are the original techno cover band!” When The Dirtbombs played on the main Vitamin Water stage Monday, plenty of eyebrows wrinkled, but the band was elated. “We honestly couldn’t have asked for a better response,” said Blackwell over a cookie after the set.
The festival was in large part started by local techno star Carl Craig (who closed the main stage Sunday night as 69) in 2000, as a free event. Today’s paid affair, which has had Paxahau at the reins since 2006, pulls in a very different crowd. As both approaches have their advantages, it’s hard to say which is better. The former was more soulful and mud-drenched, the latter had WiFi (creature comforts aren’t easy to come by in Detroit) and chandeliers in the V.I.P. area. Back in the day, sod was laid on top of broken glass and exploded pianos as an after-party dancefloor; today, cops broke up an after party at Bohemian National Home before 2 a.m. An iced coffee in downtown Detroit has always been impossible to find either way. As Craig said of the festival’s first three years: “When it was free, anybody could come down, and I think that was good for Detroit. Now that it’s paid, it nails down the kind of person that will come down to the festival.”
Sven Väth at the Vitamin Water Stage
Though he brings up a good point, the professional efforts put into the festival by Paxahau have not only kept Detroit’s techno history alive and kicking, they’ve also managed to pull in a techno tourism crowd from around the world. “We try and increase the awareness of the event every year with marketing [and a] higher level of production,” added Huvaere.
And as Detroit continues to make a concerted effort to clean up its downtown area, this festival makes for a good reason to visit a city shockingly filled with not only music history, but amazing restaurants, a thriving arts scene, mind-blowing architecture and a special brand of degenerate chic that only Detroit could create. “The vibe here is so amazing!” glowed Little Dragon’s Frederik Wallin when he came off stage. “I’ll take this crowd over a coffee any day!”
A specific sort of fun is always to be had in the D, and it’s not in any capacity a dangerous wasteland it’s made out to be. The festival itself is also geared towards enjoyment for all ages, with not only toddlers in attendance, but plenty of artists flanked by family as well. Soul Clap’s Eli Goldstein probably said it best when he came off his set at the Red Bull Music Academy stage, with his aunt in tow: “It’s all about family here! That’s why I love Detroit!”
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