Movement 07, the Detroit Electronic Music Festival, is steaming up Detroit’s Hart Plaza, despite rain and the admission charge.

“It was a slow start,” says Jason Huvaere, president of Paxahau Promotions Group, which produced this year’s festival. “But after 4 p.m., people never stopped coming in.”

He said he’d grade Saturday a “B+” and by 9 p.m. Sunday, he was giving the second day an “A.”

“The weather finally broke, the mood is awesome and everyone’s having a good time,” said Huvaere.

Performers have ranged from Monolake, above, to ambient artist Robert Rich.

Rich said he usually turns down invitations to play outdoor festivals like Movement. But his set on Sunday was met with whoops and hollers, and prompted calls for an encore he couldn’t play because of time restraints.

“I’m used to playing in much quieter settings,” says Rich, who prefers small auditoriums and planetariums. “But there’s a time and place for everything, and it was fun getting out here and rocking out a little bit.”

Even as the rain came down, though, fans continued to move and gyrate in front of the stage.

Lauren Theil, 18, of Dublin, Ohio, sees the festival as a tradition that must, no matter what, continue. “This festival helps to keep this city alive,” she said.

via Detroit News

Photos: TheBeej, Plaubel Makina, Stirhouse, shawnvanbrunt