After a long-standing hiatus, the world renowned trio most closely associated with the birth of Detroit techno, The Belleville Three, are reuniting for their first performance in years at Coachella 2017 this upcoming April. This performance is to be followed by a special set at Movement 2017 this coming May. Made up of Kevin Saunderson, Juan Atkins, and Derrick May, these pioneers of the genre are responsible for shaping electronic music in America and their influence can still be felt all over the globe. Techno’s founding fathers, who attended Belleville High School in Detroit together, haven’t performed as a unit since 2010.
Operating close to the cold, unforgiving climate of post-industrial Detroit, the Belleville Three forged their own sound in the 80s, making use of open possibilities created by new electronic tools; stitching together cassette mixes picked up and played immediately by their mythical radio idol, The Electrifying Mojo; and creating an environment, rooted around a serious philosophy of egalitarianism and independent thought, in which techno music could flourish creatively. Pooling a remarkable combined century’s worth of expertise, experience and exposure, with the added impetus of making a definitive mark on the movement they started, there is considerable cause for excitement for what’s to come in the next chapter of the Belleville Three.
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