detroit is nothing to fear ... (pictures + videos + reviews from DEMF 2007)

[Guest Philip]

Charles Webster on the main stage was fuckin awesome. Perfect kickoff for me since he was playin just as I walked in.

there is no way i could decide on a favorite set. to many amazing moments every single day. if i had to though, my gut reaction would be Charles Webster. far from the amazing line-up of the mini-tech gods, Webster delivered one of the most emotional house sets i have ever heard.

anyway - just got home after missing my flight. who saw that one coming... ok, everyone did

so much to say about my first DEMF. and not just about the festival or the music, but about the city and the people that live in it. its not all a pretty picture, but its a story that deserves to be told. in fact its story that needs to be told. i walked away from that place with a vastly different perspective of Detroit then when i had arrived. Detroit is a city in trouble, but its not the gun totting town Dan would have you believe. there are reasons for those statistics that became quite apparent within 24 hours of being there. i'll walk the streets of downtown Detroit over downtown Miami anyday. so many of these people have nothing yet they ive never met so many humble and genuine people in three days. and this isnt coming from talking to all the happy pot smokers at the festival. this comes from being in the city at all hours of night and day and experiencing it for myself, personally. one of the most amazing things was how racial barriers are so much lower there than here in Miami. totally

bla bla bla. goodnight

[Guest cbailey]

I came by myself from Virginia for this and I had a far better time in Detroit than I did at WMC with all of my friends. I met a lot of cool people. Some from Miami, some from Germany. It was one non-stop dance party and my legs still feel it today. And work wasn't much fun yesterday.

[Guest ramon]

I came by myself from Virginia for this and I had a far better time in Detroit than I did at WMC with all of my friends. I met a lot of cool people. Some from Miami, some from Germany. It was one non-stop dance party and my legs still feel it today. And work wasn't much fun yesterday.

Good to meet you!

Looking forward to pictures and video.

[Guest cbailey]

Good to meet you!

It was good to meet you too. I keep looking at my pictures and videos wishing I was still there.

[Guest ramon]

Good to meet you!

It was good to meet you too. I keep looking at my pictures and videos wishing I was still there.

I may be back for Paxahau 9 year anniversary Labor Day weekend.

[Guest web_norah]

i heard it was nice and rainy the first couple of days.

[Guest ramon]

i heard it was nice and rainy the first couple of days.

indeed .. dancing to Rhythm and Sound in the rain was amazing.

norah , hit me up i have more mixes for you.

[Guest funk shui]

DITTO!!!

Nice seeing you again Ramon, and to all Miami peeps I did'nt meet, COME BACK NEXT YEAR!!

yes!! i'm going to dare and say DEMF WAS BETTER THAN WMC

as a matter of fact if i had to choose between the two events, hands down DEMF in a heartbeats notice

why?

-its a about quality not quantity! in the 3 days of DEMF the music was far more superior than in the 7 days of WMC

-less hectic no mixing with the spring breakers and hip hoppers everyone that was there was just about he music, schedule was alot less crazy

-the people from the city of detroit where the most down to earth friendly and real as your gonna get, and they embrance the dance music culture, NO LIE i found a 90 years grandma in a stroller dancing her ass off and grilling me about Butane and Tim Xavier

-cheaper, i felt like a european tourist in detroit, i swear there must have been some exchange rate, 3 dollar drinks, i ate like a king in one of the best places in greek town, for less than the price of on drink at Karu, the most expensive party was 20$ - 25$ dollars WOW! i still cant believe i saw damian lazarus for 10$, this man is genious not only was he playing with substandard equip ( the 100s) but he build up a great dark, deep and lovely set

-detroit has a bad rep for no reason and if u believe it your ignorant, downtown detroit was cleaner and and alot less sketchy than down down miami, i'm sure it has its nieghborhoods just like any other cities

-the vibe was incredible

-i thought that i would never see a party better than sunday school, i stood corrected the real degenerates were at the "old miami", pawnshop fell short by a mile, too bad i had to leave early to get some rest

not only am i going back am going back every year!

ask yourself theese questions:

Do you love dance music?

Do you like to have fun?

Do you like to travel?

Do you like meeting interesting people?

if u answered yes to 1 or all of those questions let there be no doubt in your mind you must make the pilgrimage to DEMF!

I LOVE THIS CITY!

;D ;D ;D ;D

[Guest Marina22]

yes!! i'm going to dare and say DEMF WAS BETTER THAN WMC

as a matter of fact if i had to choose between the two events, hands down DEMF in a heartbeats notice

why?

-its a about quality not quantity! in the 3 days of DEMF the music was far more superior than in the 7 days of WMC

-less hectic no mixing with the spring breakers and hip hoppers everyone that was there was just about he music, schedule was alot less crazy

-the people from the city of detroit where the most down to earth friendly and real as your gonna get, and they embrance the dance music culture, NO LIE i found a 90 years grandma in a stroller dancing her ass off and grilling me about Butane and Tim Xavier

-cheaper, i felt like a european tourist in detroit, i swear there must have been some exchange rate, 3 dollar drinks, i ate like a king in one of the best places in greek town, for less than the price of on drink at Karu, the most expensive party was 20$ - 25$ dollars WOW! i still cant believe i saw damian lazarus for 10$, this man is genious not only was he playing with substandard equip ( the 100s) but he build up a great dark, deep and lovely set

-detroit has a bad rep for no reason and if u believe it your ignorant, downtown detroit was cleaner and and alot less sketchy than down down miami, i'm sure it has its nieghborhoods just like any other cities

-the vibe was incredible

-i thought that i would never see a party better than sunday school, i stood corrected the real degenerates were at the "old miami", pawnshop fell short by a mile, too bad i had to leave early to get some rest

not only am i going back am going back every year!

ask yourself theese questions:

Do you love dance music?

Do you like to have fun?

Do you like to travel?

Do you like meeting interesting people?

if u answered yes to 1 or all of those questions let there be no doubt in your mind you must make the pilgrimage to DEMF!

I LOVE THIS CITY!

I am not surprised to hear you sing these praises about Detriot. After our short and horrid conference fiasco we regreted not just staying home and saving up for DEMF instead. Besides a party here or there, I think DEMF will be my conference next year. Hope to party with you all there. In the meantime, Ramon, keep us posted on all the good shit from now till then.

[ryan2772]

i flew home from chicago on the same plane as jorge & adriana...small world....

[Guest Philip]

i flew home from chicago on the same plane as jorge & adriana...small world....

wow! thats crazy! check this one out though-

im at the festival listening to Baby Ford when it looks like some chick is making a beeline for me. i cant really place her but she looks remotely familiar. sure enough she comes right up to me and gives me a big hug and is like "how are you?" etc. i could only make so much small talk before i had to admit i didnt have a clue who she was. she looks at me and tells me she has no idea who i am, yet at the same time we are huggin each other like long lost relatives because there is this weird connection. "where did you go to high school?" "whats your name?". nothing. finally i realize she was the bartender at the Applebee's next to my house (here in Miami) that i had taken out once before she suddenly moved to Michigan.

[Guest ramon]

i flew home from chicago on the same plane as jorge & adriana...small world....

wow! thats crazy! check this one out though-

im at the festival listening to Baby Ford when it looks like some chick is making a beeline for me. i cant really place her but she looks remotely familiar. sure enough she comes right up to me and gives me a big hug and is like "how are you?" etc. i could only make so much small talk before i had to admit i didnt have a clue who she was. she looks at me and tells me she has no idea who i am, yet at the same time we are huggin each other like long lost relatives because there is this weird connection. "where did you go to high school?" "whats your name?". nothing. finally i realize she was the bartender at the Applebee's next to my house (here in Miami) that i had taken out once before she suddenly moved to Michigan.

thats not as crazy as 3 people we dealt with this weekend in way or another being connected to techno.

#1 our waitress at hockeytown gave us afterhours info and was friends with one of our techno producer friends. she had also taken off the rest of the weekend so she could go to the festival. i also saw her at various afters

#2 our waiter at pizza popollis (best pizza in detroit!) was telling us to check out wink's profound sounds vol 3 and he also was going ot the festival later that evening. we then ran into him at a afterhours in a total dive bar with dear and elliot playing

#3 the person who checks in my luggage at DTW asks me why I was in detroit. I said I was here for DEMF. She asks me if I saw Kevin Saunderson and I said no, but I had seen him before. She then tells me she went to school with Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson.

People in Detroit have techno in their blood. What pride they have for their city as well.

[Guest Mattivi]

and dont forget the shawarmas ramon!

[Guest ramon]

and dont forget the shawarmas ramon!

we only ate 6 this year i think.

vitamin energy ftw!!!

[Guest Mattivi]

man, me and ryan wish we could have been home to make this, but with both of us starting new gigs it wasnt in the cards, glad all you guys had a good time. my brother and i used to party with Ryan Elliot back during High School, he was a party animal then and it seems he is still rocking now. ;D

[Guest ramon]

man, me and ryan wish we could have been home to make this, but with both of us starting new gigs it wasnt in the cards, glad all you guys had a good time. my brother and i used to party with Ryan Elliot back during High School, he was a party animal then and it seems he is still rocking now. ;D

hehe he's a damn good dj might i add.

[Guest thelurker]

man, me and ryan wish we could have been home to make this, but with both of us starting new gigs it wasnt in the cards, glad all you guys had a good time. my brother and i used to party with Ryan Elliot back during High School, he was a party animal then and it seems he is still rocking now. ;D

You and Ryan went to school w/ Ryan Elliot?! How did you crack heads end up trance/house addicts and not techno heads? lol. I hope you guys can come with us next year, I had a blast.

[Guest michael^heaven]

-cheaper, i felt like a european tourist in detroit, i swear there must have been some exchange rate, 3 dollar drinks, i ate like a king in one of the best places in greek town, for less than the price of on drink at Karu, the most expensive party was 20$ - 25$ dollars WOW! i still cant believe i saw damian lazarus for 10$

Clubbing in Miami is the most expensive I've ever experienced, worldwide.

-detroit has a bad rep for no reason and if u believe it your ignorant, downtown detroit was cleaner and and alot less sketchy than down down miami, i'm sure it has its nieghborhoods just like any other cities

Detroit used to be really sketchy. I remember reading an article from Laurent Garnier, back in the early '90's, about Stacey Pullen & himself leaving a club after their sets & were shot at several times by some nutbags. Luckily, they weren't injured. They have cleaned the city up quite nicely now, though.

[Guest Mattivi]

we didnt go to the same school he went to another one nearby, he graduated the same year as ryan, had mutual friends. anyways, i like techno, ive gone on and off since the advent of this festival, but i dont like pure techno sets, i like more the Carl Cox style, a little house, a little tech. and unless its old school, i dont listen to trance anymore brotha!!! ;D

[Guest Miss_Digital]

MEXICO CITY!

thats where my long lost friend was from every were i was he was

i move to one party he was there

i moved to one stage to and he was there he hung out with me more than my actual friends did

dance music is a very very small commmunity

if you got to these parties, festivals, and events long enough people start looking familiar

and if you get to talking to them you find out you've crossed paths five times over with out even knowning it

[Guest ramon]

i saw so many people at the old miami that i also saw at pawnshop for sunday school for degenerates

[Guest Philip]

i flew home from chicago on the same plane as jorge & adriana...small world....

wow! thats crazy! check this one out though-

im at the festival listening to Baby Ford when it looks like some chick is making a beeline for me. i cant really place her but she looks remotely familiar. sure enough she comes right up to me and gives me a big hug and is like "how are you?" etc. i could only make so much small talk before i had to admit i didnt have a clue who she was. she looks at me and tells me she has no idea who i am, yet at the same time we are huggin each other like long lost relatives because there is this weird connection. "where did you go to high school?" "whats your name?". nothing. finally i realize she was the bartender at the Applebee's next to my house (here in Miami) that i had taken out once before she suddenly moved to Michigan.

thats not as crazy as 3 people we dealt with this weekend in way or another being connected to techno.

#1 our waitress at hockeytown gave us afterhours info and was friends with one of our techno producer friends. she had also taken off the rest of the weekend so she could go to the festival. i also saw her at various afters

#2 our waiter at pizza popollis (best pizza in detroit!) was telling us to check out wink's profound sounds vol 3 and he also was going ot the festival later that evening. we then ran into him at a afterhours in a total dive bar with dear and elliot playing

#3 the person who checks in my luggage at DTW asks me why I was in detroit. I said I was here for DEMF. She asks me if I saw Kevin Saunderson and I said no, but I had seen him before. She then tells me she went to school with Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson.

doesnt really seem that far out to me. i had the same thing happen to me at the airport. probly the same person. same thing with a cabbie - he also knew the original Detroit tech guys at a young age. all those people you met are from Detroit and are somehow connected to the scene there. the odds of running into the situation i did are a gazillion times greater

[Guest Miss_Digital]

i saw so many people at the old miami that i also saw at pawnshop for sunday school for degenerates

me too

irie yet comforting feeling

[Guest Philip]

i saw so many people at the old miami that i also saw at pawnshop for sunday school for degenerates

yep - me 2

[Guest Miss_Digital]

oh and one more thing!

you dont know how much you like techno until you been to detroit!

Just hearing so much quality tech, at DEMF made me come to that realization!

not just one style either: from detroit techno to ghetto, to hard, to tech house and minimal-tech

by the time your done with Detroit you will be a lover of all things tech!