This is a belated post on Movement 2008 which was held Memorial Day weekend.  This was my first year attending – well last year I was on the inexpensive side of the fence – and I cannot imagine missing the festival in any years to come.  My phat pants were pulled out from my youth for the occasion.  Techno reverberating off the freighters was a novel backdrop to Hart Plaza’s delightful, but ludicrously expensive, playground.  Despite the oppressive heat of the days and the plunge into frigid nights the weekend was wonderful.  Diesel Boy was my favourite performer but watching Moby close out one night was even more awe striking.  The scandalous attire of the Paxahau girls was not even the best people watching; day glow slinkys adorning pigtails and Milla Jovovich’s outfit from the 5^th Element were but a few of the novelties sported by festival goers.  A week after the festival I was flying out of Detroit International and proudly spotted a tourist sporting a Detroit Techno Militia shirt.  I have done a modest amount of traveling around the states and the Detroit Techno Militia symbol is one that I have happily seen far and wide.  Techno, be it your thing or not, is something that puts Detroit on the map.  Thank you world for coming out and supporting our city during the Detroit Electronic Music Festival.  We look forward to hosting you in years to come.    

The event that Scotter has mentioned in a few posts below, the fire at the Forest Arms apartment building will be the focus of a relief concert at Atwater Block Brewery. The owners of People’s Records will be involved, as well as a few other local artists (OK, I forgot the flyer at work and now I can’t remember who…). Each artist is donating 100% of their time, so all proceeds will go to benefit the residents of the building.

Are you cynical like me? OK, then. Stand up for the little guy? Me too. That said, I can’t vouch for the definition of “residents” that will benefit from this concert. A few of the relief funds that I’ve seen started have been to benefit those residents who were university students. About 40 or so Wayne and CCS students were residents of this building, but that leaves about 60 or so folks (many who were senior citizens) who aren’t receiving as much attention or funding. Being a Wayne student myself, I don’t speak small of their loss, I just want the wealth spread evenly. I’m crossing my fingers that this event will end up helping all involved so that their rebuilding process can begin.

Either way, the concert sounds like it’s going to be a good time - and the suggested door charge is only $5, which is a lot less than it could be, and it’s for a good cause - plus Atwater has some seriously good brews and snacks, including a soup made from the two most heavenly things on earth, cheese and beer. It does NOT get much better than that.

The shin-dig starts at 7:00pm, hope to see you there!

And…Formative Edit - the concert is this Friday.

it’s me…i’m the new guy and they call me Max. to get the ball rolling i’ll introduce myself by telling you what i’m all about so here goes something: i’m about 50% rock & 50% roll. wether the wheels i’m rolling on are attached to an SE Floval Flyer, a Dogtown longboard or a ‘31 chopped & channeled Ford Coupe it’s fine with me. i’m about driving fast and listening to Van Halen; i’m about driving slow and listening to Loretta Lynn. i’m about chicks in guys pants instead of the other way around. i’m about not feeling guilty about guilty pleasures. i’m about waffle soled Vans. i’m about getting a tattoo that you’ll still think is cool twenty years from the day you got it. i’m about an un-restored Vespa scooter. i’m about Generation X…the band, not the pop culture label. i’m about the search for Animal Chin. i’m about the sexiest girl you’ve ever seen who can’t go out with you tonight because she has to change her oil…but she tells you to stop by her place later if you want to, she’s got a sixer of High Life and she’s willing to share and most importantly i’m about not being bought & not being sold which means that greedy, corporate, fat-cat, blowhards will always have more time and money than i do but i believe that ultimately i’ll end each day not looking over my shoulder as i lay down for a good nights sleep. i understand that only one out of ten of you will get this so you other nine can either skip my posts or learn to deal with it. i’ll try not to ruffle any feathers here but don’t quote me on that, sometimes i get all worked up and let the un-checked facts, half truths, lies, slander and non-sense hit the ol’ Air King. so to quote the mighty Steve Perry, “i come to you with open arms”.