Movement Festival 2023: What To Know As The Techno Music World Converges On Detroit
The heart of techno music is still beating in Detroit, and it's going to rock the whole city this weekend.
Memorial Day carries one of Detroit's most distinctive cultural traditions, as electronic music festival Movement takes over Hart Plaza and late-night reveler parties take place across the city.
From Saturday to Monday, the Movement has the largest lineup to date, with more than 120 artists on six stages. Weekend passes and day tickets are available.
This is Detroit's 22nd annual Memorial Day weekend techno festival and the 16th hosted by Paxahau, the Detroit-based promoter who started the festival in 2006.
Here is an overview:
First female headliner
Belgian DJ producer Charlotte de Witte was just beginning to make her mark internationally when she made her underground debut in 2018's Movement Festival and will be the first woman to headline Detroit Techno Festival since its creation in 2000.
De Witte arrives in Detroit with his new EP "Overdrive" and the single "High Street". He will enter the field at the Hart Plaza Bowl on Sunday at 10:30 p.m.
They'll also front two veteran UK duos: Basement Jaxx of 1999's Red Alert will take to the main stage on Saturday, and the festival wraps up Monday when Underworld finally performs "Movement" after booking the band for 2020. COVID 19 shutdown has been interrupted.
Skrillex will play a solid set Monday at 8 p.m., skipping last year's festival to finish work on two albums that were released in February, Quest for Fire and Don't Get Too Close."
Saturday's highlights include Three 6 Mafia and the Zeds Dead, while Sunday's headliners include Caribou, Green Velvet and the premiere of Defected Records directed by Kevin Saunderson. Monday - House of Doll with John Summit, Kaskade Redux and more.
Detroit shows its muscles
The movement has built a reputation for curating taster-approved global talent as well as local Detroit DJs, who remain the spiritual center of the event.
Techno godfather Juan Atkins will take to the main stage on Sunday under his Cybotron moniker, revisiting the early '80s work that helped start Detroit's electronic music revolution. Techno house pioneer Kevin Saunderson and his son Danthez will collaborate on the Stargate stage that evening.
Carl Craig and John Dixon will headline Saturday afternoon's presentation titled "Detroit Love," which will also feature Muddiman's hometown, Octave One, DJ Holographic and more on the Stargate stage.
Eddie Fowlks and Robert Hood will headline the main stage on Sunday, while other weekend Detroit show headliners include Aux 88, Seth Troxler, Cash Doll, Stacey (Hatwax) Hale, Suburban Knight and Shiffy McFly.
Tribute to real techno
Respect the Artists, an exhibition dedicated to key figures of Detroit's techno boom, will return for a second year to the Hart Plaza underground space, this time with an updated exhibition dedicated to musicians such as Delano Smith, Mike Huckabee, Mike Banks, Kelly. Hand and others.
2023 Movement regulars Amy Fisher Price and Kelly Golden will open a media facility near the Pyramid Stage called Detroit Techno City, while equipment company Sweetwater will feature a music and technology studio near the Detroit Stage.
"God said give him drum machines" on the big screen
This dynamic tech documentary premiered last August in Detroit at a screening hosted by Big Sean and the Freep Film Festival, with a second local screening Friday at 7 p.m. at the Michigan Science Center. At the end of the screening, a meeting with the directors.
Tickets for Friday's screening of the Tribeca-Approved Document are $20 and can be purchased through Eventbrite.
Directed by Christian Hill, "God Said Give 'Em Drum Machines" chronicles the boldness and drama of Detroit's burgeoning 1980s techno scene with outstanding visuals and performances from many pioneers of the genre.
The film crew will also host a documentary filmmaking workshop on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at the Detroit Museum of History.
2023 movement holiday calendar
SATURDAY
Stage on the road (Saturday)
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.: Stacy Hale
6:00-7:30 p.m.: Ida Engberg
7:30-9:00 p.m.: Stacy Pullen
21:00-22:20: Maceo Plex
10:30 p.m. to midnight: Basement Jaxx (DJ set)
Waterfront Stage by JARS (Saturday)
3:00-4:45 p.m.: Party at the house (J House and Masquenada)
4:45-5:45 p.m.: Shigeto with Dez Andres (Live)
5:50-6:30 p.m.: M.Ya. Nebreda
6:30-7:45 p.m.: DJ The Godfather
7:45-8:45 p.m.: UNIKV3
8:45-10:00 p.m.: The Zeds are dead (status change)
10:15 p.m.–10:45 p.m.: Kash doll
11:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.: Three 6 Mafia
Stargate Stage (Saturday)
love in detroit
14.00-15.30:00
3:30-5:30 p.m.: Kyle Hall b2b Byron Aquarium
5:30-7:30 p.m.: Sad man
7:30-9:00 p.m.: holographic DJ
9:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.: first round (live)
10 p.m. to midnight: Featured Carl Craig. John Dixon (live)
Underground Stage (Saturday)
3:00-4:00 p.m.: Erika
4:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m.: BMG
5:30-7:00 p.m.: Akua
7:00-8:30 p.m.: Onivaa
8:30 p.m.–10:00 p.m.: Marc Balai
10 p.m. to midnight: Surgeon
Pyramid Stage (Saturday)
Showcase House Your life
2:00-3:00 p.m.: Al Esther
3:00–4:30 p.m.: Sean J. Wright
4:30-6:00 p.m.: Magda B2B Mike Servita
6:00-7:30 p.m.: TSA
7:30-9pm: Derrick Carter b2b Mark Farina
9:00-10:30 p.m.: DJ Minx
10:30 p.m. to midnight: Teachers at work
Stop in Detroit (Saturday)
15.00-16.00: Lady Like
4:00-5:00 p.m.: Milan Atkins
17.00-18.00: CARMEN SILLYGIRL
6:00-7:00 p.m.: Fusegrad
19.00-20.00: 2 hours
20.00-21.00: depending.
9-10 p.m.: Shiffy McFly
10 p.m.-11 p.m.: AUX 88 (live)
VIP area (Saturday)
6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.: Soul Clap presents House of EFUNK
Sunday
Road Scene (Sunday)
4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.: Mnemonic Huey
5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.: Eddie Fowlkes
6:30-8:00 p.m.: Ben clock
8:15-9:15 p.m.: Cibatron
9:30-10:30 p.m.: Robert Hood (live)
10:30 p.m. - midnight: Charlotte de Witte
Waterfront Stage by JARS (Sunday)
3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.: Kevin Reynolds (live)
4:00-5:30 p.m.: Mr. Joshua
5:30-7:00 p.m.: Cassia
7:00-8:00 p.m.: Paranoid London (live)
8:00-9:30 p.m.: special requests
9:45-10:45 p.m.: Ella is smaller
11:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.: Caribou.
Stargate Stage (Sunday)
KMS Records presents Defected Showcase
2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m.: wonderful
3:30-5:00 p.m.: Meli
5:00-6:30 p.m.: Ash Lauryn
6:30-8:00 p.m.: Divine Sam
8:00-9:30 p.m.: Port Adamo
9:30-10:30 p.m.: KiNK (live)
10:30 p.m. to midnight: Kevin Saunderson b2b Danties
Underground Stage (Sunday)
3:00-4:30 p.m.: Jay York b2b decoder
4:30–6:00 p.m.: Lindsey Herbert
6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m.: AMX
7:30-9:00 p.m.: Ben Sims
9:00-10:30 p.m.: DJ Nobu
10:30 p.m. to midnight: Chris Liebing
Pyramid Stage (Sunday)
14–16: Ryan Crossan b2b Sean Reeves
4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.: Matthew Johnson (live)
5:30-7:00 p.m.: Postcard
7:00-8:30 p.m.: Seth Troxler
8:30–10:30 p.m.: Ricardo Villalobos
10:30 p.m. to midnight: Green Velvet.
Stop in Detroit (Sunday)
3:00-4:00 p.m.: Drew Ruiz
4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.: Craig Gonzalez
5-6 p.m.: Rebecca Goldberg (313 Acid Queen sets)
6:00-7:00 p.m.: Asher Perkins
19:00-20:00: Santonio Schools
8-9 p.m.: Buzz Gorée
9:00-10:00 p.m.: Scan7 (live)
10:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m.: Suburban Gentleman
Ephemeral VIP area (Sunday)
6:00-9:00 p.m.: Detroit Techno Militia: T. Linder, DJ Seoul, DJ Cent, Joe Hicks
Monday
Movement Phase (Monday)
4:00-5:00 p.m.: Laurent
5:00-6:30 p.m.: Audio (live)
6:30-8:00 p.m.: Bonobo (DJ sets)
8:00 p.m.-9:15 p.m.: Skrillex
9:30-11:00 p.m.: Another world
Waterfront Scene (Monday)
2:00-3:30 p.m.: brain cell
3:30-5:00 p.m.: Lucas Hess
5:00-6:30 p.m.: Lauren Flex
6:30–8:00 p.m.: DJ Seinfeld
20.00-22.00: Fjaak
10pm–11pm: SCHOOLS (Surgeon & Speedy J) Hardware Live
Stargate Stage (Monday)
3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.: beige
5:00-6:30 p.m.: Georgia Angiuli (live)
6:30-8:00 p.m.: Lee Foss
20:00–21:30: Sun Dolla b2b John Summit
21:30-23:00: Waterfall Redux
Underground Stage (Monday)
3:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.: Henry Brooks
5:00-6:30 p.m.: LSDxoxo
6:30-8:00 p.m.: Sarah Landry
8:00-9:30 p.m.: SPFG
9:30-11:00 p.m.: Klangkunstler
Pyramid Stage (Monday)
2:00-3:30 p.m.: Father Prince
3:30-5:00 p.m.: Ladymonix
5:00-6:30 p.m.: Heidi
6:30-8:00 p.m.: Pronunciation
8:00-9:30 p.m.: Stefan Bodin (live)
9:30-11:00 p.m.: FISHING
Stop in Detroit (Monday)
15:00-16:00: Ben Scott
4:00-5:00 p.m.: Javontte and Isaac Prieto - Hybrid scene
5-6 p.m.: Who is it?
6:00-7:00 p.m.: Audi
19.00-20.00: Beatnok
8 p.m.-9 p.m.: left
9-10 p.m.: Sound Killer
Ephemeral VIP area (Monday)
6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.: Mija & Friends birthday party
This article originally appeared in Detroit Free Press: Movement fest 2023: What to know as the world of techno converges in Detroit.