A PROGRAMME OF MUSIC AND ART INSPIRED BY THE MOTOR CITY
FRIDAY 23 OCTOBER 2015, ROUGH TRADE NOTTINGHAM 6.30 - 11pm. FREE ENTRY.
In the early morning hours of July 23, 1967, one of the worst riots in U.S. history breaks out on 12th Street in the heart of Detroit’s predominantly African-American inner city. By the time it was quelled four days later by 7000 National Guard and U.S. Army troops, 43 people were dead, 342 injured, and nearly 1,400 buildings had been burned.
By 1968 Detroit was in a period of middle class (Black and White) flight, Nixon was about to be elected and the city had it’s latest Olympic bid fail. The Tet Offensive by the North Vietnamese Army totally shocked and drew the USA further and more violently into the Vietnam War, Martin Luther King Jr and Bobby Kennedy were both assassinated; the city and the country were reeling. However, it was also a beginning of extraordinary creativity, George Clinton finally abandoned his mainstream dreams and officially formed Funkadelic and the MC5 and The Stooges brought white suburban rage to the city. The sweet melodic naivety of Motown and the San Francisco ‘Summer of Love’ scenes of the 60’s were being replaced by something much tougher and angrier.
It was the beginning of a long period of both urban decline and creative innovation as Detroit moved from aspirational ‘Motor City’ to the first city in the world to declare itself bankrupt.
Revolution And Change brings together film, art and music inspired by and from Detroit’s prolific creative community.
FILM 6.45 - 7.45
‘I Care About Detroit’ - 3mins
An idealistic and frankly silly song by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles from 1968, set to incredible footage of the deterioration of Detroit through the years.
Detroit - City on the Move 1968 Olympic Bid Video (1965) - 20mins
An extraordinary insight into the ‘Ideal of Detroit’ as a booming american city.
Urban Farming Detroit - 7mins
An insight into the amazing and revolutionary urban farming projects that have taken over swathes of empty Detroit as her citizens try to feed themselves.
The Punk in the Funk - 10mins
The Parliaments/Funkadelic live (1969)
Early Funkadelic live performance that shows the shift of Detroit soul from the pop of Motown to the raw energy of funk. The influence of Jimi Hendrix, white garage rock and the later socially conscious music of The Temptations are all over this sprawling, messy three track medley led by the mohawked acid-king himself, George Clinton.
MC5 under surveillance - 1.5mins (1968)
Actual Department of Defense Surveillance Footage of the Revolutionary MC5. Detroit Rock and Roll Legends play Festival of Life. In silence.
Sharevari @ The Scene, Detroit (Remastered) - 4mins
The first ever Detroit techno track (released in 1981) with dancers on Soul Train!
The Ruins of Detroit - 4mins
The abandoned buildings of Detroit, set to Derrick May's Detroit techno masterpiece "It Is What It Is’
Meet Allan Hill, the man who lives In Detroit's abandoned Packard Auto Plant - 7.47Mins
Detroit - Why the Shit Hit the Fan and How Art may Save it - 5.06mins
An introduction to The Heidelberg Project by Jon Chezick of Detroit Experience Factory
Music - 7.30 - 11pm
King Kahlua’s 7 inch ‘68 Selection
The Yard
King Kahlua has curated a DJ set of music from Detroit in 1968 that will be played outside in the yard (weather permitting) alongside a warming bin bomb-fire. Also check out his new mix and artwork on the Truth And Lies Music Mixcloud page.
Joff Casciani - Detroit Jazz meets Techno
The Bar
Joff will be mixing a blend of Jazz and Detroit Techno, two genres of music synonymous with Detroit, although very different on one level, the experimental nature of both genres are closer than you might first think.
Ex-Friendly - Digging for Gold
The Bar/Yard
Detroit has spawned some of the greatest musicians in any genre and invented one of it’s own. Legends of Jazz, Blues, Soul, Rock, Hip Hop and Techno including Aretha Franklin, Elvin Jones, Paul Chambers, Wilson Pickett, Yusef Lateef, Milt Jackson, Kenny Burrell, Ron Carter, Donald Byrd, Alice Cooper, Del Shannon, Sonny Stitt, Alice Coltrane, Betty Carter, Gladys Knight, the mighty Motown stable including Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson, J Dilla, Iggy Pop, the MC5, Mitch Ryder, The White Stripes, Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson, Derrick May, Moodyman, Eminem, Theo Parrish, John Lee Hooker…Ex-Friendly will being joining the dots...
Art
Detroit 1968 - Olympic Graphics Imagined
Detroit’s failed Olympic bid was Mexico’s success. Mexico 68 produced the most iconic Olympic graphic designs in history, designed by American graphic designer Lance Wyman. Nottingham’s very own graphic design heroes Joff and Ollie will be designing an imaginary 1968 Detroit Olympics logo. You can have a go at screen printing on to tote bag!
Simon Raven
The Bar
Nottingham Castle Open Winner, graduate of the Royal College Of Art and Arch-Prankster, Simon Raven, recently visited Detroit and will be showing a video made from footage that he shot on location in Detroit.