Movement Festival
BY Cameron Cook
Every Memorial Day weekend, thousands of ravers make the pilgrimage to Detroit – the birthplace of techno – to attend Movement Festival. The event is one of the longest-running electronic music festivals in the world.
Chosen for: Preserving Culture.
Located at Hart Plaza, the city’s scenic riverfront venue, Movement has hosted hundreds of pioneers, from Moodymann to Detroit legends like Carl Craig and Jeff Mills.
As real heads know, techno is not a monolith – and neither is Movement. The breadth of genre within the line-up is inspiring, with six stages dedicated to all facets of the techno scene. Whether it be the Stargate Stage – which is set up like an inner city block party – the Detroit Stage, which only showcases local acts, or the Underground Stage, which mimics a dank and sweaty warehouse vibe, the producers of Movement have given each platform its own personality.
Movement has taken place at Hart Plaza in some shape or form since 2000, and an entire ecosystem of Memorial Day weekend parties has blossomed in its wake. If you’re in town for Movement, the party doesn’t stop when the festival gates close – if anything, it’s just begun. Take your pick of official or unofficial afterparties, most of which go on well into the following day. For the 2022 edition, Carl Craig DJ’d the Spot Lite until 6am, while the Detroit stalwart OK, Cool party went on at TV Lounge until noon. Detroit is a city with a more than illustrious music culture, and for the past 20 years, Movement has anchored itself firmly in that history.
Movement Festival runs from 27-29 May at Hart Plaza, Detroit.
