Plus 8 Classics: From their minds to yours at St. Andrew's

By Elizabeth Hill

For the Daily

More than a rave, last Saturday's party at St. Andrews was a seminal event in the history of Detroit Techno. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Plus 8 Records, founded by John Acquaviva and Richie Hawtin.

Dubbed "From Our Minds to Yours," the party was a big thank-you to their loyal fans. And it was held no where else but St. Andrews Hall: Where it all began.

The hall's stone building wore a black velvet cloak lit up by red spotlights looking to the sky. Inside, the chandeliers glowed red as well.

Beats began to pump before reaching the door.

If you were lucky, you befriended those who were almost there and bypassed the two-hour line.

"No Glow Sticks Allowed." So like I said, this was more than a rave.

Upstairs, Theorum, a.k.a. Dale Lawrence, was working a live PA set in the minimal room. The parachute-draped ceiling billowed and burned the brightest white. This was the chill room.

The third floor was a rest, a reprieve from the chaos below. The pumping chaos was so inviting, though. The main dance floor's line-up could not be matched: John Acquaviva, then Kooky Scientist followed by the man himself, Richie Hawtin, sometimes known as Plastikman. The rest of the world tour features only John and Richie.

Detroit, thank your stars for Kooky.

Fred Gianelli is the Kooky Scientist. One of the members of Psychic TV, he runs Telepathic Recordings out of Boston. Enough background, though. The thing is the music.

And Kooky done gots it. His so-danceble beats were all his as Mr. Scientist busted out the live PA, leaving the vinyl mixing to someone else.

No one in the place could keep their body from movin'.

Before Kooky, John spun house and after was the legendary banging techno of the most famous DJ in the world.

But wait. Downstairs in the Shelter, it was a mix of chill, funk, dance and booze. Those of age could grab themselves a Ghetto Blaster beer, but those who under 21 got some dope blastin' anyhow.

The vibe was scary down there. Walls covered with netting so ropey and thick, they nearly carried away the ecstasy-laced young'uns. One alcove was so eerie, the black parachutes seemed ready to swallow you whole and the only light came from cracks in the wall. Cuddlers and the intoxicated alike sought refuge there, but familiar hooks got heads bobbin'.

You know you love a hook. And hooks there were beneath the floor. Almost unrecognizable was disco's "Show Me Love," and definitely in the mix late-night was the funk classic "Flash Light."

You want to know what really got people up, though? When Clark Warner, co-founder of M_nus Records, spun Lou Reed's "Walk On the Wild Side." Normally, Clark Warner is, as LSA junior Tom Ainslie put it, "minimal as fuck, yo." Not so when he flipped on Reed's 1972 classic. As the familiar intro filtered into the electronic attic, eyes peered around and smiles lit up the room. One by one, the seated became the dancing.

Not to omit Stewart Walker, Born Under A Rhyming Planet or the great Kenny Larkin (who goes way back to when Richie H was Richie Rich), the man of the hour must get his due. No other DJ carries with him the silent awe that Richie Hawtin does. The familiar bald head. The thick black glases. The black clothes. The banging, booming, pumping techno beats. That's Richie.

Hawtin opened up with Speedy J's "Evolution," a Plus 8 classic. On the now-cliche decks, efx and 909, Richie kept the beats going, the crowds dancing and eventually asked the people their favorite question, "Can You Feel the Bass?" (a Phortune record).

We could feel the bass, Richie. No need to worry.

Courtesy of Plus 8 Records

The many faces of Richie "Plastikman" Hawtin, who headlined last weekend's party.