Detroit’s Movement poised to celebrate 20 years of electronic music glory

Local Spins’ ‘Looking for the Perfect Beat’ columnist Todd Ernst previews the Memorial Day weekend spectacle in downtown Detroit, a ‘techno Mecca’ unlike any other.

 

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One of the advantages of being around as long as I have been, is witnessing not only the advent of foundational events like DEMF (Detroit Electronic Music Festival), but also the emergence of its successor we now know Movement.

Celebrating 20 years of parent entity Paxahau now at the helm of what I often refer to as ‘Techno’s Mecca’, its easy to forget DEMF saw its fair share of struggles during the first six years, so it’s critical that we give the respect due to the indie festival team that really hasn’t changed much since its inception and introduction of Movement.

An absolute reflection of Detroit’s work ethos, the founders of Paxahau aren’t flashy, so you’re not going to find them doing TikTok’s or within Instagram reels, and therein lies the magic of the Movement experience on Hart Plaza, as what they deliver every Memorial Day weekend is as real as it gets.

“Movement is one of my favorite festivals,” said Australian house DJ and producer Dom Dolla. “The history, the scope of performers and range of people coming together from multiple generations and backgrounds, make it one of the most meaningful events to play.”

The Aussie would know as he is currently one of the most in demand DJs in the world, quickly established himself as one of Movement’s fan favorites with appearances in three of the last four years, and will be headlining the Movement main stage on Monday night (May 25).

With three days worth of top-notch programming, the appeal of Movement in its diversity in talent offerings as there is something for everybody. That said, the techno purists don’t need much help finding their way over the weekend. “Looking for the Perfect Beat” has always served as an on-ramp of sorts, so for those descending on Detroit the first time, below are a handful of performances worthy of your efforts.

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Carl Cox (Sunday May 24, Movement Stage) – If techno as a genre had a global ambassador, there’s hard to imagine it would be anyone other than Carl Cox. A veteran DJ of 40-plus years now, the 63-year-old Cox shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon and is quite literally at the top of his game. The amazing part of Cox’s sets is you never entirely know what you’re in for: His depth and range are almost unprecedented, and it’s not uncommon for him to take a hairpin turn of sorts midway through his set with his signature smile leading the charge.
https://www.instagram.com/carlcoxofficial
https://soundcloud.com/carl-cox

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Sara Landry (Saturday May 23, Movement Stage) – Often referred to as the “High Priestess of Hard Techno,” Sara Landry is known for leaving her dance floors in waste with her dark, driving and divinely feminine sound. Detroit responded en masse to both Charlotte de Witte and Anfisa Letyago last year, so it’s not hard to imagine all hell is going to break loose on Saturday night with Landry at the helm with her main-stage and underground appeal.
https://www.instagram.com/saralandrydj
https://soundcloud.com/sara-landry-dj

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Eli Brown (Sunday May 24, Movement Stage) – If online/social forums are any indicator, Eli Brown is in for a treat when he arrives in Detroit, as he is one of the most requested and talked-about artists to appear at Movement. If you’ve read my column before, you know my reverence for DJs that defy genre specificity, and Brown’s driving techno and techno-house sound laced with ’90s rave-era synth stabs is a perfect concoction for the varying generations within Hart Plaza.
https://www.instagram.com/elibrownbeats
https://soundcloud.com/elibrownbeats

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Ayybo (Monday, Stargate Stage) – The L.A.-based producer saw his moonshot moment coming out of the COVID19 haze with his hit track, “Hypnosis,” that racked up over 10 million listens on Spotify. He’s known best for his driving funky sound infused with proper instrumentation and hip-hop samples alike. When Local Spins had a chance to see Ayybo at EDC Orlando in 2025, it was impressive to see how quickly he had his crowd moving in unison.
https://www.instagram.com/ayybomusic
https://soundcloud.com/ayybo

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Tinzo & JoJo (Monday May 25, Pyramid Stage) – The Brooklyn-based brother (JoJo) and sister (Tinzo) DJ duo made a name for themselves with their immensely popular YouTube channel and party called “Book Club Radio.” With a decidedly Gen-Z approach, Tinzo & JoJo are perhaps best known for their unapologetic “no phones on the dance floor” policy, which allows attendees to focus on the inclusive connection that dance floors often provide.
https://www.instagram.com/tin.zo
https://www.instagram.com/imjojolorenzo
https://www.youtube.com/@tinzoplusjojo

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TICKETS

• General admission, three-day passes are $398.43; one-day passes are $227.45. Three-day VIP passes for those 21-and-older cost $533.14. Get tickets online here: https://wl.eventim.us/event/tickets/655986?afflky=Paxahau

• For overnight stays, Delmay & Partners are the official hotel provider for Movement. Get details and listings of hotels online here.

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DETROIT TECHNO CITY

• Campus Martius Park is more or less the hub of downtown Detroit, and is barely a quarter mile from Hart Plaza. It’s a great spot for photos, and there are typically food trucks in near proximity.

• After Hours: When Sinatra coined New York as “the city never sleeps,” he clearly hadn’t experienced Detroit. There is an expansive list of sanctioned after-parties on the Movement website, and no shortage of non-sanctioned parties with a simple search in social media.

• LYFT/UBER: While getting to an after-party around midnight isn’t a huge issue, getting back to your hotel at 5 a.m. is a bit trickier. Each app has an option to make a reservation, just plan ahead and be prepared to be flexible.

• Food: While there is no shortage of a great dining option in downtown Detroit, two of my favorites are Cadillac Square Diner for breakfast, and Grand Trunk Pub for lunch or dinner. No journey to downtown Detroit would be complete without a stop through next-door neighbors American and Lafayette Coney Island, which ironically are separate businesses.

• Weather: If you’re from Michigan, you know all four seasons can show up in one weekend, so it always helps to have layers, or something to throw over your shoulders for when the sun goes down.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Todd Ernst has been an electronic music DJ and promoter for 35+ years, and performs as the artist TELLURIUM. While his days are spent as the owner of an indie real estate brokerage; he also owns EXSIGN, which is an experiential entity that designs and manages corporate, non-profit and nightlife events alike.

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MOVEMENT 2026: THE SCHEDULE

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