Honing in on some favorite moments at Movement Electronic Music Festival, what the mix guest is looking forward to, how they are preparing, and some tips for first-time attendees.
09.05.2022 // Vincent Patricola & Jesse Cory
detroit.dance: What does Movement mean to you?
Vince: Movement to me is a statement about our city, its growth, and positivity in underground music and art. It all comes together with the dancers, the music… Movement is something I never thought would work when they first did it. I thought Memorial Day weekend, how the hell are they going to get people there? I knew they would draw. But I never knew like that. People come from everywhere. The word’s gotten out and a lot of that was because of the hard work of the people who were playing it and putting it on. It’s really blossomed into something beautiful.
Jesse: Movement to me feels so much like a family gathering. You see people you haven’t seen in a while, and there’s people that are not from here that come every year and they’re like your family. The early years of the festival were people playing out of tents that they were also vending out of, which was a unique component. While the festival itself has matured, it’s still very much so a family gathering.
detroit.dance: What are you guys most looking forward to this year?
Vince: Oh, my God. I haven’t really even thought about it. I mean, it’s just the whole experience. I can’t really label one or two people that I want to see. I want to see it all. I just want to wander from stage to stage and see what’s going on. I’m obviously looking forward to playing with Jesse. But it’s the overall experience. I’m glad to be a part of it. It’s a big honor.
Jesse: I’ve worked at the festival pretty much every single year since it started, but this is the first time I’m playing at it. I’m really looking forward to looking out from the stage view and being able to share the music that influences us with people that are there, and that will be unique because I’ve never had a chance to do that.
detroit.dance: What is a memorable festival moment that you’ve had?
Vince: Oh man, that’s a tough one. One was when Larry Heard was playing…his set was so warm and it brought all so many house heads out. Larry Heard is such an institution. It was a family experience, like Jesse mentioned previously. I was meeting different people who have similar interests in music during that set. It was so much fun and the dancers were getting down deep and smart.
Another one was when Richie Hawtin was playing one year, and I stayed until the very end. I don’t usually stay until the end, I usually bounce around doing several things. In that crowd, looking over the massiveness of everything and how we have it all in our backyard was a really amazing moment with the city in the background.
Jesse: It is like a field of dreams. You know, it kind of comes up out of nowhere. I know there’s a lot of hard work that goes into making it happen, but it just kind of pops up and for a short period of time and the convergence of energy happens and then it kind of disappears and you hope it comes back again. It’s a thing that’s always a part of our ether – people in the dance music community. Leading up to Movement is months of anticipation. Then after it’s over, it’s months of afterglow, and then it’s the holidays and then it’s like oh my god Movements coming soon. So I think the most memorable point is that it’s always a part of our psyche and our calendar.
detroit.dance: How are you two preparing for your set this year?
Vince: I don’t think you really prepare. We both know that we have heavy ammunition.
Jesse: We have been preparing every Thursday for months. We are always testing out new material, and the things that do well we keep in our pocket for the following week. So we are bringing the best of the Thursdays at Spotlite. I think when you’re DJing a lot and people are dancing, it’s really important especially on a weekday event where it’s not as packed that you are very strategic with the grooviness of the music. You have to make sure you keep people there or they go home. We’ve really been honing that style and our set at Movement will be our opportunity to showcase what we’ve been doing for a while at Spotlite.
detroit.dance: Do you have any tips for Movement first-timers?
Jesse: Pack a sweater and raincoat and some swimming shorts…flip flops, sunscreen, and earplugs. Just go for it. I’m one that likes to get there early and I like to stay late. I like to be in the moment and experience all the people that I know, and all the people that I get to know and I think everybody has a similar experience. At a large public gathering like that you find so many new people that share your same values, and you share special moments with those people. Where I’m from, I don’t share the same values with anyone. But when I land at Hart Plaza, I find my tribe at whatever stage I happen to be at.
Vince: Like Jesse said, it’s just the change in the weather. You really don’t know. You’re going to get a sunburn and you’re going to get wet.
detroit.dance: Spotlite is gearing up for a busy weekend of events during Movement – what are some highlights for you?
Jesse: Body & Soul. As guys that really love house music, knowing that that’s the first time that Francois K and Joe Claussell and Danny Krivit have all played in Detroit but not as Body & Soul is pretty unique. I’ve also always been a fan of what Theo Parrish has done on Memorial Day weekend at Artist’s Village so to have that at Spotlite is also super special. Where do you stop? We’ve got Carl Craig b2b Seth Troxler, the Beatdown party on Thursday, Shigeto and a full live band on Sunday, Osunlade is bringing a band from St. Louis on Monday… Ash Lauryn came to Roula (my wife) the day after Movement ended the last year we had and said she wanted to do a day party the following year, so we booked that too. That’s going to be really dynamic. The weekend ends with one of our residents DJ Minx with guests like Justin Martin. DJ Minx has such a bold and important story for our scene and community. She recently retired from an automotive company. She’s been making records. She has an amazing label. She came out this year in a real bold way. We lit up pride month with Minx and it was so full of love and pride and expression. We’re running three days straight without closing. It’s like our own festival within the festival.
Vince: Yeah, it’s gonna be great. More is more you know? That. That’s how I kind of look at it. Some people see afterparties as competition but I don’t see it that way. We’re pretty good at building each other up and we’re not, you know, we’re not trying to knock anybody down.
Jesse: Most afterparties are sold out or lines go around the block, so for as many afterparties as there are, there’s not enough. I think that’s why the Art Park has always done so well with their free party because if you didn’t make it to any other party, you can get there by daylight and there’s 3000 people in a field, it’s free and you don’t even know who’s DJing and it does not matter. Unfortunately their parties won’t happen this year because they’re renovating, so again there’s still not enough capacity for everyone.
It’s a global industry event. Detroit bookmarks the beginning of the season, and then ADE bookmarks the end of the season. I think it’s going to be exhausting, exciting, dramatic, and dynamic. And I hope I’m still hydrated.