DJ Rolando: Downtown Detroit Is Definitely Safe

Underground Resistance producer DJ Rolando chatted to Skrufff this week about his upcoming performance at this weekend's Movement Festival and stressed it's safe to stroll around the inner city event.

"Whenever you see Detroit mentioned in the media it's always portrayed as desolate or burnt out but it's not as bad here as people make it out to be," said Rolando.

"In some places, sure, it is desolate; you do find abandoned buildings and empty lots (wasteland- US slang Ed) and it looks like nothing is happening but then you turn a corner and it's full of life and energy," he said.

"It's safe to wander around here during the festival, definitely."

The Knights Of The Jaguar producer will be DJing at the Movement Festival as well as performing at a rare Underground Resistance show, taking place at Detroit Summer Youth Space (3611 Cass Avenue) on Monday 31. He stresse, however, that the connection between him and the fiercely political techno collective is solely centred on music.

"The political side is all Mike's thing (UR founder 'Madd' Mike Banks)," said Rolando, "my political stance is probably totally different from his. My main focus is on 12"s and making music for DJs that I imagine will work in a club; on making people dance."

"I don't really get involved in politics in any way, I try to keep that side personal, just to myself," he added.
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