Montreal:
My summer of '69 arrived a quarter of a century late, in the middle of a cornfield near Keosauqua, Iowa. In exchange for a ride, a high school friend said he would get me a ticket to Ravestock, a "future arts festival" to be held in the geographic center of the United States, which also doubles, it turns out, as the middle of nowhere.
It was billed as three days of P.L.U.R.-filled fun in the sun, set to the driving beats of electronic dance music. (For those unschooled in early-1990s rave lingo, P.L.U.R. stands for peace, love, unity and respect.) Unlike others, I did not wave glow sticks or wear a Dr. Seuss "Cat in the Hat" hat, though I did sleep uncomfortably in my car.
But by late on the second day, as the crowd boogied to the Latin house beat of the D.J. Little Louie Vega, I had become a convert. For the next few years I found myself a regular on the techno-tourist circuit, traveling from Detroit to Berlin to Tokyo. I'm years beyond sleeping in a car, but there's still a special magic in meeting up with old friends on the dance floor, especially in an unfamiliar city.
Today the circuit has a thriving subculture based on techno, a catchall for a variety of electronic music genres like dubstep, electro-pop and minimal techno. Techno tourists travel around the United States and beyond to an informal network of festivals, following their favorite performers -- Carl Craig, Ricardo Villalobos and Richie Hawtin, to name a few -- many of whom are mainstays on the circuit.
Techno has grown up, and so have its fans. Many, when not bogged down by their day jobs or family responsibilities, still grab ear plugs and comfy shoes and hit the road. Others even take their children along, paving the way for the next generation. And there's more fresh blood in the scene from jam-band fans, who groove to techno's extended loops and intricate beat patterns.
David Day, 35, is such a regular that he recently started his own techno festival, Together, in Boston. "I go to these festivals to be with like-minded people who also live and breathe electronic music," he said. "This year, I immediately went onto Orbitz after hearing that Villalobos was playing at Movement." (The Movement festival, in Detroit, unofficially kicks off the summer festival circuit over Memorial Day weekend.)
On June 2 legions of techno tourists will arrive here for the start of Mutek, an annual five-day festival of electronic music that has become a major stop on the international circuit. Next are stops in Boulder, Colo., and Seattle, followed next winter by Boston and Miami.
Techno tourism remains a relatively underground phenomenon in the United States and Canada; in Europe, Barcelona and Berlin are centers of the techno scene. Mutek-branded tours have rolled through 40 countries, including Mexico, Chile and China.
But touring is making inroads on this side of the Atlantic; this spring Mutek D.J.'s toured the United States for the first time. Last year Mutek had more than 25,000 paying attendees (more than 70,000 if you include the free events, festival organizers say).
"We had a 70 percent increase in attendance, and about 55 percent came from outside Montreal," said Alain Mongeau, 48, Mutek's founder and director. "Many are faithful festivalgoers who come back year after year."
Patti Schmidt, 41, a CBC radio host who grew up just outside Quebec, helped organize this year's Mutek, the 11th. She was weaned on indie rock but as she grew older soured on that scene's holier-than-thou outlook -- what she called a "church of hush" mentality. She became a dedicated techno tourist, traveling to Barcelona and Krakow, Poland, and to so many Muteks that Mr. Mongeau finally asked her to help with this year's edition.
Ms. Schmidt and Mr. Mongeau say they program artists who they feel represent the most innovative of the many different styles of electronic music currently being produced all over the world, from avant-noise (Nurse With Wound) to improvised jazzy dub (Moritz Von Oswald Trio) to fist-pumping house and techno (Theo Parrish, Henrik Schwarz).
"I was already playing a lot of these artists on my radio show, so it was a natural fit," Ms. Schmidt, said, adding, "Otherwise, I'd still just be a dirty groupie!"
Mutek will take place in four indoor and two outdoor spaces. The four indoor spaces are all in Montreal's former red-light district, which is being rezoned as an arts district. One is the opulent 117-year-old Monument National, where Édith Piaf once sang -- a seated site for the more experimental sonic and visual artists. Those looking to dance should head around the corner to Club Soda or the Métropolis, which have the more beat-oriented artists and are open very long hours each night of the festival.
Señor Coconut, the German producer based in Santiago, Chile, who in 2000 released "El Baile Alemán," Latin-acoustic covers of classic Kraftwerk tracks, is playing a free show on Saturday evening at the Place des Festivals, the main outdoor site of Montreal's annual international jazz festival. Finally there's the Piknic Électronik daytime party on Sunday in nearby Parc Jean-Drapeau, with its prime vista of the St. Lawrence River.
Montreal is an ideal location for the festival, partly because of its vibrant electronic music scene, even without Mutek. The city also has many terrific restaurants and bars. Just up the block from Metropolis is Les Foufounes Électriques, or Electric Booty. In the early '90s, this sprawling, art-filled club played host to bands like Nirvana and Green Day, but Mondays belonged to Tiga Sontag (now just Tiga, a world-famous D.J.). A student at McGill University, he spun techno records to a confused though receptive crowd and helped introduce post-disco electronic music to the city.
"Foufs," as Montreal residents call the space, maintains an underground veneer: the management still pulls out a half-pipe on Wednesdays so kids can skate, and it's a eclectic spot for a happy-hour beer (try the Boréale Rousse, $2.25).
Casa del Popolo, in the Plateau, is another hot hangout, with live indie bands and D.J.'s playing everything from Rihanna to Le Tigre. (It also serves vegetarian food and has a full bar.) A few blocks down Boulevard St.-Laurent, Montreal's informal night-life corridor, is Laika, a good spot for brunch and for catching up-and-coming D.J.'s who spin all day and night.
Buvette Chez Simone is a great place in the increasingly trendy Mile End area to graze on a delicious assortment of meats and cheeses. For a nightcap, try Bily Kun bar, where, in a cockeyed Buñuelesque mash-up, ostrich heads peer out from wall plaques, and D.J.'s spin until 3 a.m. (At least I remember ostrich heads.)
Best of all, Montreal is a friendly city with a leisurely pace -- perfect for the visitor who might have been dancing into the wee hours.
It was billed as three days of P.L.U.R.-filled fun in the sun, set to the driving beats of electronic dance music. (For those unschooled in early-1990s rave lingo, P.L.U.R. stands for peace, love, unity and respect.) Unlike others, I did not wave glow sticks or wear a Dr. Seuss "Cat in the Hat" hat, though I did sleep uncomfortably in my car.
But by late on the second day, as the crowd boogied to the Latin house beat of the D.J. Little Louie Vega, I had become a convert. For the next few years I found myself a regular on the techno-tourist circuit, traveling from Detroit to Berlin to Tokyo. I'm years beyond sleeping in a car, but there's still a special magic in meeting up with old friends on the dance floor, especially in an unfamiliar city.
Today the circuit has a thriving subculture based on techno, a catchall for a variety of electronic music genres like dubstep, electro-pop and minimal techno. Techno tourists travel around the United States and beyond to an informal network of festivals, following their favorite performers -- Carl Craig, Ricardo Villalobos and Richie Hawtin, to name a few -- many of whom are mainstays on the circuit.
Techno has grown up, and so have its fans. Many, when not bogged down by their day jobs or family responsibilities, still grab ear plugs and comfy shoes and hit the road. Others even take their children along, paving the way for the next generation. And there's more fresh blood in the scene from jam-band fans, who groove to techno's extended loops and intricate beat patterns.
David Day, 35, is such a regular that he recently started his own techno festival, Together, in Boston. "I go to these festivals to be with like-minded people who also live and breathe electronic music," he said. "This year, I immediately went onto Orbitz after hearing that Villalobos was playing at Movement." (The Movement festival, in Detroit, unofficially kicks off the summer festival circuit over Memorial Day weekend.)
On June 2 legions of techno tourists will arrive here for the start of Mutek, an annual five-day festival of electronic music that has become a major stop on the international circuit. Next are stops in Boulder, Colo., and Seattle, followed next winter by Boston and Miami.
Techno tourism remains a relatively underground phenomenon in the United States and Canada; in Europe, Barcelona and Berlin are centers of the techno scene. Mutek-branded tours have rolled through 40 countries, including Mexico, Chile and China.
But touring is making inroads on this side of the Atlantic; this spring Mutek D.J.'s toured the United States for the first time. Last year Mutek had more than 25,000 paying attendees (more than 70,000 if you include the free events, festival organizers say).
"We had a 70 percent increase in attendance, and about 55 percent came from outside Montreal," said Alain Mongeau, 48, Mutek's founder and director. "Many are faithful festivalgoers who come back year after year."
Patti Schmidt, 41, a CBC radio host who grew up just outside Quebec, helped organize this year's Mutek, the 11th. She was weaned on indie rock but as she grew older soured on that scene's holier-than-thou outlook -- what she called a "church of hush" mentality. She became a dedicated techno tourist, traveling to Barcelona and Krakow, Poland, and to so many Muteks that Mr. Mongeau finally asked her to help with this year's edition.
Ms. Schmidt and Mr. Mongeau say they program artists who they feel represent the most innovative of the many different styles of electronic music currently being produced all over the world, from avant-noise (Nurse With Wound) to improvised jazzy dub (Moritz Von Oswald Trio) to fist-pumping house and techno (Theo Parrish, Henrik Schwarz).
"I was already playing a lot of these artists on my radio show, so it was a natural fit," Ms. Schmidt, said, adding, "Otherwise, I'd still just be a dirty groupie!"
Mutek will take place in four indoor and two outdoor spaces. The four indoor spaces are all in Montreal's former red-light district, which is being rezoned as an arts district. One is the opulent 117-year-old Monument National, where Édith Piaf once sang -- a seated site for the more experimental sonic and visual artists. Those looking to dance should head around the corner to Club Soda or the Métropolis, which have the more beat-oriented artists and are open very long hours each night of the festival.
Señor Coconut, the German producer based in Santiago, Chile, who in 2000 released "El Baile Alemán," Latin-acoustic covers of classic Kraftwerk tracks, is playing a free show on Saturday evening at the Place des Festivals, the main outdoor site of Montreal's annual international jazz festival. Finally there's the Piknic Électronik daytime party on Sunday in nearby Parc Jean-Drapeau, with its prime vista of the St. Lawrence River.
Montreal is an ideal location for the festival, partly because of its vibrant electronic music scene, even without Mutek. The city also has many terrific restaurants and bars. Just up the block from Metropolis is Les Foufounes Électriques, or Electric Booty. In the early '90s, this sprawling, art-filled club played host to bands like Nirvana and Green Day, but Mondays belonged to Tiga Sontag (now just Tiga, a world-famous D.J.). A student at McGill University, he spun techno records to a confused though receptive crowd and helped introduce post-disco electronic music to the city.
"Foufs," as Montreal residents call the space, maintains an underground veneer: the management still pulls out a half-pipe on Wednesdays so kids can skate, and it's a eclectic spot for a happy-hour beer (try the Boréale Rousse, $2.25).
Casa del Popolo, in the Plateau, is another hot hangout, with live indie bands and D.J.'s playing everything from Rihanna to Le Tigre. (It also serves vegetarian food and has a full bar.) A few blocks down Boulevard St.-Laurent, Montreal's informal night-life corridor, is Laika, a good spot for brunch and for catching up-and-coming D.J.'s who spin all day and night.
Buvette Chez Simone is a great place in the increasingly trendy Mile End area to graze on a delicious assortment of meats and cheeses. For a nightcap, try Bily Kun bar, where, in a cockeyed Buñuelesque mash-up, ostrich heads peer out from wall plaques, and D.J.'s spin until 3 a.m. (At least I remember ostrich heads.)
Best of all, Montreal is a friendly city with a leisurely pace -- perfect for the visitor who might have been dancing into the wee hours.
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