DECEMBER 31ST, 2024
This is my third time covering an Interdimensional Transmissions party for Motormouth, and, considering my unwavering allegiance to them and their vision, I doubt it will be my last. With the veteran Detroit institution’s commitment to local roots, underground rave philosophy, immersive venue transformations, and top-notch sound installation, it's no surprise they’ve earned something of a cult following (that I am unashamedly part of) over their three-decade career. That said, upon seeing their stacked New Year’s Eve lineup at Marble Bar, my plans were immediately solidified. What follows is a hazy recount of my blissed-out final night of 2024, and life-affirming first morning of 2025….
Arriving for doors is necessary. I need to settle into the space before the madness and delirium take hold. Plus, there’s no missing a Scott Zacharias I.T. set. Arguably Detroit’s deepest crate digger, Scott’s sets are eclectic and vibey, calling on a diverse range of genres and periods, serving a psychedelic, auditory brew that charges the rest of the night with a certain wonky and drifting affect. Dub, soul, weirdo disco, and kraut jams abound; the boy delivered once again in spades.
Next up, Erika kicked off her set on the patio, which was insulated from the flurries of snow and icy rain swirling just beyond the DJ booth. The I.T. cofounder hit the now-thickening crowd with a heavy onslaught of hallucinatory, freak-strain techno, that mutated into bleeding-edge dubstep that got the legs working and brain scrambling to catch up.
Next was a special treat: Detroit deep house maestro and Sound Signature affiliate Marcellus Pittman was back in town for the party. Pittman’s return boded extremely well and, back on the inside, he was the ideal selector for The Transition from ‘24 into ‘25. A master of precise mixing, his soulful house, classic disco gems, and slinky techno cuts crossed into legitimately psychedelic territory. It was blissful track after blissful track. Midnight came, and though there were cheers and celebrations, they were short-lived, as we focused right back in on the euphoric mixes from this old Detroit sage.
Now it was 2:30 AM. The old year was dying, fading from memory, and the new one, full of potential and promise, was being born as Detroit electro expert BMG and Miami Bass wizard Danny Daze took to the booth outside…
While Detroit’s connection with Chicago and Berlin is a well-established, common fact, the D’s meaningful ties to Miami are often glossed over. Speaking on this, BMG stated, There’s a strong connection between the music of the 2 cities, they’re actually very intertwined. I saw the pan-Caribbean rhythms melt in a scene that equally embraced goth, raving, and highly experimental music where they were communing with aliens. And it was this energy of dancing beyond the boundaries of convention, locale, this solar system, that the pair brought for their highly anticipated back-to-back. Psychedelic, pulsating atmospheres collided with booty bass ragers for hours into the early morning. At a certain point around 5 AM, Danny went solo and, connecting back to BMG’s mention of goth, played dark classics “Tear You Apart” by She Past Away, “Beautiful People” by Marilyn Manson, and an insane mash-up of NiN’s “Closer” and 50 Cent’s “In Da Club”. Dancers’ faces told the story of their set: jaws dropped, eyes widened, and expressions of awe flashed. At some point, I gave in to the fatigue and found myself heading home, the party still healthily raging until who knows what ungodly hour…
I.T.’s New Year's bash set a very high bar for 2025. In a league of its own, the only ones able to top what I saw that night would be the Interdimensional crew themselves. Lucky for us, that seems a promising possibility, as we anxiously await their Anthony “Shake” Shakir benefit party at the beginning of March and their utterly massive Return to the Source weekender in May. Until next time, I’ll fondly reminisce on nights under the parachutes of an Interdimensional Transmissions transformed warehouse.
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