Airdrop Records, Agency & Blog

Ok, so it has taken a bit longer than planned to recuperate from the best weekend of the year! The Movement (not DEMF for reasons I now somewhat know) started on Friday night for us, with a short stop by Corktown where ex-Detroiter now-new-found New Yorker, Eric Cloutier did some high pace mixing. Punisher would later on take the reigns and bring more fury to the dancefloor. But, Friday’s mission was to make it to the mothership, and so we did. Voodeux was about to make its live debut and Monty Luke was properly getting the people warmed up (free booze and sick venue) did help. I just hope all the beautiful art on the walls stayed safe and the end of this monster pre-festival party…

Next couple days….

Saturday marked the first official day of this year’s festival and definitely had an all-star line up from the chilled deeper more experimental sounds of Lusine to Adam Beyer’s banging techno. Of course without forgetting the sets of Heidi, Damian Lazarus, Steve Bug and many others. A great moment occurred when Heidi destroyed one of our favorite tracks, “Just a Spoonful”, also happens to be off of our homeboy Tanner’s debut Voodeux album (monstrosity!!). To top the spoon, Damian Lazarus – who we had the chance to interview after his set (read here) – dropped another track from Voodeux’s Paranormal album. Damian’s real treat would only come later on in the weekend…

When at the festival you do not feel like you are in the US city with the highest crime rate… The city is still beautiful in many ways, it’s just too bad that as soon as you start to walk the Detroit streets you are constantly begged for change.. Any first timer at DEMF undergoes a wow effect. Detroit is not the morose run down place many people have come to expect, but a sunshine filled city with some interesting architecture and a beautiful view on the river (at least from the Hart Plaza area). When it comes to the festival, people instantly notice the impeccable production, the ease of accessing it and bouncing from one stage to the other.

My one major criticism of the production was the Made In Detroit area. It’s great that there is a stage that is completely weather proof, underground, “Detroit” artists, but unfortunately this year they built out the stage so much that the DJ- fan interaction was hardly existent. Maybe lowering the stage back to the way it was in 2008 and adding a chill-out spot could make this part of the festival as strong as it should be.

A certain “Miami effect” was to be felt in Detroit during the festival: the after parties are starting to take over even more… This is amazing, yet potentially detrimental at times. Too many after parties also implies higher chances for desolate ones. As more and more people travel from NY, San Francisco, Chicago, LA, Atlanta, DC, and beyond; it is only normal that we/they get involved as well; however let us proceed in precaution and with some unison… After all Detroit promoters don’t have it that great, their scene has become smaller, the fans fewer and facing a tougher economy, so lets try to work with them when possible and continue to grow Memorial day weekend in Detroit the way we enjoyed it the first time!

Saturday night had some amazing parties as well. Notably, the Resolute party, which was the best after party for DEMF 2008, definitely did not deceive this year and held up to its stellar reputation. Before they had even announced their lineup the event had a higher roll call on RA then the actual festival! They say a picture is worth a 1000 words….

We also heard great things about The Other 9 to 5, which boasted some of our favorite artists such as the Hello?Repeat crew (Bruno Pronsato, Jan Krueger & Daze Maxim) alongside Clink artists Camea, Tim Xavier, Elon & Insideout + Friends. That night also had Cassy at Oslo for a Detroit edition of Beyond Booking’s House n’ Home party!

DAY 2-3

A few highlights of Sunday’s all star lineup were deep sets by Osunlade and Dennis Ferrer. Innervisions Live: a critical mass (Henrik Schwarz, Ame, Dixon) was very highly hyped, which it should be, given the 4 musicians behind the project; however I wanted more! Loco Dice vs. Luciano, Tiefschwarz, Wighnomy Brothers, Guy Gerber (Live), Octave One (Live), Marc “MK” Kinchen & Scotty Deep (live) and RJD2

Following all this festival excitement, it was time for the afterparties! For the first time, we decided to put a party together with Punisher who runs Hej Records: HEJDROP featuring artists from both Airdrop (Soul Clap, Tanner and Sergio) and Hej (Pun, Sassmouth, Kyle, John & Fred) as well as special appearances by Steve Bug, Mikael Stavostrand and Tim Xavier. Also on that night was the big and bold “I’m on a Boat,” which took the cream of the festival’s line up for a cruise on the Detroit Princess. There were definitely a bunch of other quality after parties as well. Regardless of the afterparty you went to, it was only a stop on the way to the ultimate after party: Need I say more!

Jamie & Damian tag with our special moustache disguises while everyone chills out a bit..

For those with the super energy or who did not participate in the Sunday night madness, there was another big day ahead at the festival to be followed by another round of afterparties. With a lineup including some of the finest acts (many Detroiters): Carl Craig (not smiling), Los Hermanos (live) (definitely something to see!), Kevin Saunderson, Derrick May, Adultnapper, Ellen Allien, Lee Curtiss, Seth Troxler, Audion (live), Tiga, Afrika Bambaataa…

CRASH TIME…..