Every Memorial Day weekend is an electronic music lover’s playground. With over a dozen multi-day festivals taking place around the country, there are plenty of options for lovers of all genres to choose from. There’s EDC New York, Mysteryland, Lightning in a Bottle, and Sunset Music Festival among others. If you’re a die-hard electronic music lover, Movement Electronic Music Festival in Detroit is the festival for you.
Each Memorial Day weekend since 2000, Movement has been rocking the true underground beats that started it all. Despite competitive bookings during the popular electronic music weekend, event organizers with Paxahau have continued to lock in the most coveted of electronic music talent in the game.
Despite changing its official festival name a number of times since its launch, Movement has remained consistent with its dedication to celebrating techno and house legends from across the globe in an intimate urban setting.
Movement will be rocking Detroit’s Hart Plaza this year from May 23 to May 25 and we’re hoping to see you there. If we haven’t convinced you already, read on for 10 reasons you should make Movement Festival your Memorial Day weekend destination.
Urban exploration.
As the largest city in Michigan, Detroit been under fire by the media in past years. While many skeptically question the area, there is no denying that within the city lies a true gem of beauty. Among large-scale public artwork, a plethora of galleries, a casino, urban gardens, and a rejuvenated downtown park, the city hosts and houses a newer population of predominantly young professionals.
With an unfortunate overflow of negative attention, Detroit’s industrial park serves as the butt of countrywide negativity.
For others, the industrial areas serve as a charming walk through history of our very own country.
The lonely, abandoned buildings and factories hold the dark secrets of the American tale. Check out the breathtaking Michigan Central Station while you’re there. Many would say that it’s a city only a mother could love, but it’s a city we love as well.
Don’t forget Detroit’s importance in the techno movement. While you’re there, you can learn about it first-hand through Submerge, “a home built on vinyl sweat and percussive dreams”. Visitors to the museum are swept away in the historical intertwining of the city of Detroit and the techno movement as the museum presents an in-depth look into the solid foundation that keeps this glorious genre alive.
The newly-renovated Submerge reopened its doors in 2002 with a three-story musical dream in the heart of Detroit’s cultural center, and the venue features a new exhibit (Exhibit: 3000) created to highlight the behind-the-scenes work of Detroit techno.
More bang for your buck.
If the underground is what you’re about, the quality of artists featured at Movement is incomparable to other big-name festivals over the Memorial Day weekend.
A 3-day GA pass for Movement is running attendees about $150, while festivals like EDC New York are currently going for more than $250 for a mere 2-day GA pass.
While both events provide fans with some pretty top-notch names, Movement serves up a platter of soulful and nostalgic flashbacks to the origination of the electronic genre.
Aside from the ticket prices, Detroit’s Movement provides all the bells and whistles for much less shock to the wallet.
A simple Google search will show you that hotels and Airbnb rates in the area are much less than those in other major cities. On top of ticket sales, attendees of other big-city festivals carry the weight of extravagant hotel bills, astronomical parking fiascoes/cab fees, over-the-top drink prices,
and outrageous after-party covers.
The A-team stages.
Whether it’s the Underground Stage, THUMP’s ‘Made In Detroit’ stage, the Sixth Stage, the Beatport Stage, the Red Bull Music Academy Stage, or the Movement Stage, you can bet your bottom dollar that they’ll all be bumping the kinkiest of tunes from start to finish. With six stages and more than 140 artists, it’s suggested that you download the app (details coming soon) to help you to ensure that you don’t miss your must-see artists.
Click here for the full schedule.
Music above all else.
This debate could take off in so many different directions, but the truth of the matter is that Movement firmly takes one side of it all. Movement isn’t planning on offering up much to the mainstream “EDM” love, but there will be no shortage of tunes for the underground lover. With beautiful beats and gripping grooves, this weekend is dedicated to keeping it cool, minimizing those extra-special effects for visual performance value and keeping the focus solely on the music.
“There is so much great talent and creativity coming out of Detroit,” says Paxahau artist coordinator Chuck Flask. “I think it’s important to recognize and celebrate artists whose legacy and influence is rooted deep in the city’s rich musical culture.”
Detroit has your back.
Detroiters may have a bad rap in the eye of the media, but they’ve got your back in the sense of having a good time. Our friends over at Detroit Techno House have curated a survival guide consisting of 15 tips to help ensure that you have the time of your life.
They’ve included tips on wardrobe selection, stage-juggling advice, budgeting recommendations, and even some dancing proposals. If it’s your first time attending Movement, this piece is a must-read.
Thanks, Detroit.
Experience a crowd like no other.
This isn’t the run of the mill type of festival where your outfit is just as important as the lineup.
This is a pure, unbiased, soulful celebration of music.
With attendees from all corners of the world descending on Detroit for nothing more than the music, the crowd generated from such interests produces one of the most diverse groups you’ll ever encounter over the Memorial Day weekend.
Unlike many other festivals, event organizers have okay’d the re-entry policies and have also made the decision to allow children. With these relaxed policies, this festival tends to steer clear of the overcrowded, sweat-drenched fanfare and caters to a more low-key environment, and that’s viewed as a major perk by many.
Hart Plaza is the place to be.
Philip A. Hart Plaza, located in the heart of Downtown Detroit along the Detroit River, is Movement’s classic venue. The Plaza is located in the area in which Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac, landed in 1701 when he founded Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit, the settlement that later became Detroit.
History aside, the 14-acre venue can fit roughly 40,000 attendees and serves as an ideal location for a truly touching festival experience. Overlooking the river, attendees are graced with breathtaking views of the neighboring city skyline which can be seen from many of the stages. Yes, partying in vacant lots is all fine and dandy, but Movement provides attendees with the full 360-experience.
Did we mention the after parties?
There’s an entire website for it and most DJs are on it. In Detroit, the party never stops. Starting on Thursday, May 21 and spanning into Monday, May 25, these parties are pumpin’ around the clock.
With names like Richie Hawtin, Loco Dice, Guti, Loudpvck, Stacey Pullen, Disclosure, Sydney Blu, Anthony Attalla, Claude VonStroke, Art Department, Seth Troxler, Gorgon City, and so many more, you can catch some intimate after parties with low cost cover sales ranging from $5 to $50 (many within walking distance of Hart Plaza).
Did we mention how cost-effective Movement can be?!
If that’s not enough for you, consider taking a walk over to the Greektown Casino, gamble off some hard-earned cash with the hopes of winning big, and drop a visit to Stack’d for some delicious 24-hour grub.
Detroit loves techno, and Detroit loves you.
If you’re looking for an open, accepting, and welcoming crowd, Detroit’s Movement has the goods.
You never know who you’re going to meet at a festival and Movement provides opportunities to meet a crowd like no other. For an truly unique experience, Movement is where it’s at.
Whether you’re an out-of-towner or a native to the Motor City, Detroit’s Movement is a place where we’re all friends.
What’s most amazing about the Movement crowd is that it’s virtually impossible to separate people into cliques. There’s no median either. You’re bound to run across every type of person that you could ever dream of.
“There’s just this thing about Detroit because it’s my home, because I grew up here,” Carl Craig tells the Detroit Free Press. “I want to see great things happen in Detroit.”
Memories that will last a lifetime.
Detroit was techno before techno was cool. As a truly unique festival, Movement is an experience like no other. Forget the coastline parties, forget the Miami ragers, forget the overseas adventures, it’s time to peel back the layers of modern electronic dance music and experience it where it all started – Detroit.
For tickets, scheduling, and more information, check out the official Movement website.
