Movement primed to electrify Detroit for 25th year with all things techno and more

Looking for the Perfect Beat columnist Todd Ernst previews Memorial weekend’s Movement 2025 toasting 25 years since the highly ranked, iconic electronic music festival first launched in the Motor City.

 

SCROLL DOWN FOR THE DAILY SCHEDULES AND TICKET INFORMATION

For those that experienced the first year in 2000 — back when it was called the Detroit Electronic Music Festival (DEMF for short) — it was equal parts remarkable and unbelievable.

Remarkable, because the now global sound called techno (invented in the mid-’80s by the “Belleville Three” of Juan Atkins, Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson) persevered in the ’90s inside abandoned warehouses, under bridges, and just about anywhere these early adopters could find space to activate a proper sound system.

Unbelievable, because Detroit wasn’t the city it is today. Safety was always a concern, and development for the most part was just a word in the dictionary.

To juxtapose the above, it’s easy to forget that massive gatherings we’re now accustomed to were barely a thing 25 years ago. EDC and Ultra started in 1997, Coachella in 1999, and the festival by which most are measured against, Tomorrowland, didn’t even start until 2005.

Fast forward to 2025, and Movement is now ranked at No. 6 in USA Today’s “Top 10 Music Festivals Across the U.S.”. It’s also worth noting that Movement is the only electronic music festival to make their top 10.

If that accolade wasn’t enough, it was just announced a month ago that Movement was Beatport’s “Festival of the Year.” For context, beatport.com is the industry’s leading website for acquiring electronic music.

While Movement — which runs Saturday through Monday — toasts all things Detroit with globally renowned DJs and producers the likes of Jeff Mills, Stacey Pullen, MK and DJ Minx, you’ll also want to earmark the collaboration of Carl Craig b2b Moodyman ft. Mike Banks, and techno pioneer Saunderson joined by his two sons, Dantiez and Damarii.

North American faves joining the celebration this year are Chicago’s John Summit, NYC’s Dennis Ferrer, Boston duo Soul Clap and Kalamazoo native Seth Troxler. Fans of Sara Landry (aka the high Priestess of hard techno) will surely revel in her Monday appearance, after her set at Electric Forest last summer was rained out.

Globally, proper techno ambassadors, Anfisa Letyago, Joseph Capriati, Nina Kraviz, Ricardo Villalobos, along with a b2b of Loco Dice and Vintage Culture, round out one of the more balanced and impressive lineups I’ve seen to date.

As I have stated in previous efforts, darn near any performance at Movement is going to be top notch, and below are a handful of performances worthy of your attention in Detroit over Memorial Day weekend.

---

• Charlotte de Witte, 10:30 p.m. Sunday, Movement Stage – Belgium’s Charlotte de Witte was the first female to headline the Movement main stage back in 2023, and this milestone has served as a catalyst where a rising tide has clearly raised all boats in what has traditionally been a bit of a boys club in the world of techno.

The signature dark and driving techno de Witte is know for laid waste to Hart Plaza, with a hands-in-the-air fury typically reserved for a Metallica concert.

Returning two years later for the identical slot, I expect her closing slot to be no less intense in support of her latest release, an acid-techno burner called “The Realm.”

https://www.instagram.com/charlottedewittemusic
https://soundcloud.com/charlottedewittemusic
https://youtu.be/8PLWU1ma1Ms

---

• Dubfire, 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Movement Stage – The Iranian born and Washington DC raised Ali Shiraznia is as ‘ground zero’ as it gets for me; whether as half of the Grammy Award winning duo Deep Dish, his now 18 year solo career as Dubfire, or his mind bending b3b sets with Nicole Moudaber and Paco Osuna. Dubfire remains at the top of his game due to his non-stop commitment to expand into new forays, work with other producers, and generally speaking being a future forward leader within the world of techno and electronic music. You’ll have two opportunities to see Dubfire over Memorial Day weekend; the first on Sunday afternoon at the Movement Stage, and the other late Sunday night during the “Joseph Capriati Invites” after-party at the Russell industrial Center, as he joins Italy’s Capriati and Detroit’s Stacey Pullen for what is certain to be a thunderous b3b set.

https://www.instagram.com/dubfire
https://soundcloud.com/dubfire
https://youtu.be/PA7z_g2jd40

---

• Joris Voorn, 8:45 p.m. Saturday, Pyramid Stage – All too often, the term “renaissance man” is overused as a bit of a catch all, but the Netherlands’ Joris Voorn is the very embodiment of the phrase. Born to a composer and music teacher, these early lessons cultivated Voorn spending much of his career weaving architecture and photography into his efforts within the world of underground techno. One doesn’t need to look far to recognize respect for his craft across the globe, as he has remixed darn near every major house and techno artist alike. One of my favorite things about the Dutch DJ and producer is his reverence for analog and digital alike, watching Voorn perform is a bit like witnessing a physics professor trying to contain his closeted mad scientist.

https://www.instagram.com/jorisvoorn
https://soundcloud.com/joris-voorn
https://youtu.be/hN6QDVDCLgM

---

• Layton Giordani, 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Pyramid Stage – NYC’s Layton Giordani is one of the better known selectors of techno’s new school, and has seen a meteoric rise in collaborations and production efforts after spending some time under the wing of Drumcode’s Adam Beyer. We randomly met Giordani on Groove Cruise a few months ago while walking though a Central Park-themed courtyard, and it struck me how genuinely kind he was to my wife, which I now regard as a testament to his upbringing and relationship with his family. Regarded as a contemporary voice for a younger generation of techno enthusiasts, I’m excited to see how the festival embraces his efforts as the sun drops along the Detroit River.

https://www.instagram.com/laytongiordani
https://soundcloud.com/laytongiordani
https://youtu.be/j0TiZfS5Ga4

---

• Sonny Fodera, 6:30 p.m. Monday, Stargate Stage – As a proper testament to Movement’s talent buyer – Chuck Flask, is his ability to weave in unexpected bookings of artists that might not typically fit what is viewed as the mold of Movement’s vision. In this instance I am talking about the Australian born and London based house music DJ and Producer, Sonny Fodera. Best known for his pop-facing vocal anthems, no matter where you are on the ever broadening spectrum of electronic music, there is no denying Fodera’s acumen as one of the biggest draws in house music with his signature emotive and groove driven ethos. Monday at 6 p.m. is a magical time for Movement, as it is when the masses arrive for a final night of celebration of all things Detroit, and I honestly can’t think of a better artist to be at the entrance gates of the Stargate Stage.

https://www.instagram.com/sonnyfodera
https://soundcloud.com/sonnyfodera
https://youtu.be/SJMLCyhYvCE

---

Tickets – General admission three-day passes are $365.45; one-day passes, $205.66. VIP passes range from $277.83 (one-day) to $499.47 (three-day), with Monday VIP passes sold out. Get tickets and details online here.

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.

Getting Around: One unfortunate attribute of the Motor City is that with Henry Ford’s vision of everyone being able to afford an automobile, public transportation isn’t what it is in similar cities the same size. That said, I am reading there is now a proprietary bus that will get people inexpensively from DTW airport to downtown Detroit. In addition, the People Mover is pretty good at getting you around the downtown core, and the Q-Line up and down Woodward is a great option as well.

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.

Wandering: From the Detroit River, the Dequindre Cut up to the Eastern Market is an amazing trek. A few blocks away within the Cass Corridor near Wayne State University is unparalleled sight seeing, especially some of the 100-plus-year-old renovated mansions built for 20th Century auto executives. From Cass Corridor, a walk down Woodward past the new LCA where the Pistons and Red Wings play will round a core area of downtown Detroit.

Movement is in pretty good company over two decades later with no signs of slowing down anytime soon, and for those that have been attending since the beginning none of the aforementioned is any sort of surprise.

You won’t find Ferris wheels or fireworks at Movement. The ‘secret sauce’ that makes Movement so life changing is the ability to immerse yourself in one of N. America’s most dynamic cities, sparked by the ingenuity of Henry Ford and anchored by the soul of Motown, Movement is no question celebrating in style.

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.

Copyright 2025, Spins on Music LLC