Brian McCollum

Detroit Free Press Pop Music Critic

The unexpected phone call that came into the Movement offices last summer ultimately led to "the most exciting booking of our career," says festival director Jason Huvaere.

Kraftwerk, the German group whose '70s machine music was among the most crucial influences on Detroit techno, had long been an elusive act for Movement, the annual Hart Plaza electronic music fest.

"We wanted to book them for the last 10 years," says Huvaere. "This was the year they were ready. We were willing to do whatever we needed to accommodate them."

That initial contact from Kraftwerk's management planted the seed: The group might be interested in bringing its visually rich 3D stage production to Movement. It would be a daunting task. Hart Plaza's main bowl is a tricky configuration for even the simplest of shows, and Kraftwerk's exacting production standards required some clever thinking.

In the ensuing months, the proposal "kept inching down the line, becoming more and more real," says Huvaere. "It was an incredible ride."

The biggest stage in Movement history, 60 feet wide and 40 feet deep, has been erected to accommodate the group's Saturday-night set. An extensive sound check will be conducted the prior night to ensure that all loose ends are tied up.

For the show itself — a live visual collage tracking the classic work of Ralf Hutter and company — fans will don 3D glasses, available Saturday across the Movement grounds.

"I'd just recommend you get your spot early," says Huvaere.

And by the time Saturday night wraps up, Detroit's techno festival is likely to have logged one of the most memorable milestones in its history.

"I know this is important to Kraftwerk," says Huvaere, "because they're the ones who reached out to us."