While Detroit is known to be the cradle of techno, it is now deserted by most DJ’s and is currently experiencing an unprecedented financial crisis since 2013. Mike Banks, Theo Parrish and Omar-S met last week with mayor Mike Duggan to discuss the role of techno as a motor for the economic revival of the famous ‘Motor City’.
Last week, in the building that houses Submerge, the historic record store, Mike Banks – founding member of Underground Resistance -, Theo Parrish and Omar-S determined to make electronic music a motor of economic development for their hometown. Facing them, Mike Duggan, Democratic Mayor of Detroit since 2014, listens carefully to the proposals made by the three musicians. Is music a possible solution for the renewal of the city ?
Detroit teems innumerable talents that are forced to export to other places in the world because of the lack of Detroit’s local electronic music scene. A huge problem according to the three producers since other cities are profiting from the massive techno industry.
“Around the world, when you ask people about Detroit … what they say is cars and music” said Cornellius Harris, UR label manager. “Electronic music is a $ 6.5 billion industry globally. It was created here. The question is, of course, how much of this money goes into the city? And the answer is very little.“
Faced with this, the three DJs are determined to change things, and deeply want to make Detroit the new destination for techno nights.In order to do so and inspired by Berlin, which for a number of years has been experiencing a real economic boom thanks to music tourism – Berlin’s Minister of the Economy has estimated the turnover of e-tourism at more than 900 million dollars a year – artists are calling lax policies to loosen restrictions surrounding nightlife. Suggestions included a nightlife liaison to his workforce and the creation of a district dedicated to parties, where the closing time of the clubs would be extended and raves would be organized in less conventional places.
“We can bring people back, we can do all that” said Harris. “We don’t need help from the city for that, we’re just looking for an environment that’s amenable for that kind of thing happening”.
If the mayor seems to be ready to appoint a representative for nightlife, the creation of a district devoted to parties is not on the agenda because, according to him, if the government designates a place where people have to go, surely they will not go. It is in their nature.
Regarding the extension of closing hours for clubs already present in Detroit, Mike Duggan expressed his support.
“I don’t have any problems with it, I was supportive of the 4am bar activity.” he said, referring to the new law that allows certain parts of the city to stay open for a few nights of the year. “We need to do it in a way that’s sensitive to neighbors and the like, but I think if we plan it together we can do it.” he concluded.
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