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Movement-DEMF Music Music Events

DEMF 2014 Cancelled, DEMF FEMT Postponed 2015

DEMF 2014 Cancelled – The return of DEMF to Detroit (not Movement) with sister event FEMT has been cancelled for 2014 and postponed until 2015.

Originally we reported DEMF, the original Detroit Electronic Music Festival, would take place 4th of July weekend, 2014. Again, not to be confused with Movement (still taking place), which DEMF was the predecessor.

Their official statement is below but I started to become skeptical about the validity, or possibly just dis-organization, of the event after regular updates surrounding DEMF started to dry up. There was still no lineup and proper functioning website even; a few things essential to creating a following and ensuring enough festival goers for the event.

They claim a combination of an unforeseen limitation on the festival site plan” “as well as a number of exciting festival developments”  have forced the production team to reschedule to ensure the proper presentation.

Apparently they have already sold some presale tickets for the Federation of Electronic Music Technology or FEMT, the workshop/installation/performance portion of the double event taking place at Ford Field (DEMF was billed as a free event). They are offering a refund or a ticket to FEMT 2015 plus a special gift to show their appreciation. (pssst I’d take the refund if I were you)

For now, DEMF 2014 has been cancelled and DEMF/FEMT is postponed until 2015, still taking place 4th of July weekend, July 3-5th, 2015.

I have a few questions. These two separate, duel scheduled events were taking place at two separate locations within Detroit. I find it hard to believe that unforeseen limitations effected both of these sites. I assume these limitations effected only Campus Martius Park, the location of DEMF.

So why cancel both events? Maybe they don’t want one without the other. Maybe they realize they cannot support (a rather expensive) paid event now without simultaneously promoting the free event.

Why not combine the two events to one location then? Move the whole thing to Ford Field and make it free. Maybe they can’t have it at Ford Field and not charge. Maybe a free event can’t support the venue.

Whatever the case may be, I’m sure there’s more to the story than whats just below. Let’s just admit it, these plans where quite grandiose in the first place, right? I mean, bringing a brand back from the dead after a decade, a brand that most fans still associate with the new festival name, and not only throwing one electronic music event in a bankrupt city, but two… simultaneously. One event being free to the public with 4 stages. The other being in a stadium, promising a combination of performance and electronic music tradeshow/workshop/installation and charging a hardy free. Not to mention this all being on 4th of July weekend when people not only want to be at the beach, but there are also other compete electronic music festivals as close as Chicago.

Yeah, you bet they need a little more time to plan.

 DEMF 2014 Cancelled

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