So the Detroit Electronic Music festival is this weekend and I'm going - although I have to say the lineup is pretty damn pittiful. For a "big time" event like DEMF has been made out to be, the local dj's will rule the stage...Not that that's totally a bad thing, but come on...No Carl Cox, no Derrick May??? Kenny Larken, Stacey Pullen?? Just a couple of names who were there last year who unfortunately aren't going to be there this year...I just don't understand how DEMF went from a festival that had potential with last years line up, to crap...( I guess I'll find out when i go...)

I know it's free which is why D-town is limited in who they can bring in, but I heard there was a lot of quarraling going with some of the dj's that led to this years lineup...u guys have any thoughts on this?

i'd love to go to this sometime but i live in Georgia...wasn't Laurent Garnier on last years lineup?

Yes he was on last year's lineup. The only reason that I'm not going to this is because the lineup doesn't "draw" me there. Oh yea, and it's like a 12 hour drive or something too doesn't help. If I lived like 3-4 hours away I'd definatly be there. 6-8...maybe

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i dont know...i went saturday..and was not impressed...went to motor that night, and my boy KENNETH THOMAS was bangin'!!! better than the festival!!! sunday was WAY too packed..stayed home on monday..the problem with detroit is..they are stuck in "their" scene..the town is desperately needing, and wanting trance to move in.....

Sorry I didn't post this sooner but I just joined the site in anticipation of heading up to Toronto for the AVB show next week. The reason why the DEMF line-up was so weak this year was due to the controversy resulting from the firing of Carl Craig as the event's artistic director. Most knowledgable sources attribute this to the fact that the event's director, Carol Marvin was at odds with Craig, one of the founding fathers of the Detroit Techno movement. She is credited with releasing him just two weeks before last year's festival (2001) commenced. Because of the commaraderie amongst the DJ's in the business, many well known performers opted not to participate in this year's event. Budgetary concernss also played a role regarding the selection of performers for DEMF 2002. It is feared by many in the Detroit area that the event has in fact lost much of its drawing power due to the lack of more note-worthy headliners. Rather than impart a lengthy commentary on the factors/politics that were so prevalent in this years event, please refer to the following link for a more complete dissertation...

http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=3296

I did attend the event and the crowds were there, but much of the international flavor that was evident in previous years was not as noticeable. The crowd was composed more of curious revelers who wanted a taste of the scene by and large. Missing was the abundance of veteran electronic music fans from all over the world that made the sabatical to the Motor City to see the true pioneers of Detroit Techno in the city credited with the advent of the genre. The festival was fun but lacked for diversity. No one act really stood apart from the rest and it was disparging to hear all four stages bangin' the same type of Chicago House music at the same time. Not that I have problems with Chicago House music, it just wasn't representative of the original premise of the festival. But be advised, most of the big name DJ's did play at the myriad of parties and events associated with the festival. That's my $1.88 worth. Hope to meet some TA's at Armin next week......Peace.

I agree that the DEMF lineup was pretty weak... The only reason I went there was to see Frankie Bones on Monday afternoon. granted I did stay for T-1000's set, and a little bit of Advent. But overall, it just wasn't really worth it to me. They need to get better DJs if they want it to be even remotely successful.

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Im from Cali, and i heard of DEMF, i found out about it cuz of this one crew in the Philadelphia area that goes to DEMF- this reply is late so i think what i saw of em was at this recent one youre talkin about. Maybe u heard of em or seen 'em there --> LPC: LiquidPopCollective. From what i hear, they are ReEaLLy good. I got some vids of em too- and damn their shit is pretty ill. So was DEMF any good?> I'd go to it but its pretty far. Over here, and at the time of this post, METROPOLIS is coming up for us - it's like one of the few big events we got out here unlike u guys ova on teh EASt CoaST.