Before the massive crowds and international acts that the Movement Electronic Music Festival in Detroit has grown to attract, electronic and dance music in the city was largely underground. In the 80s and 90s you had to catch names like Jeff Mills and Carl Craig in warehouses or after hour Detroit clubs. 

The late Ken Collier is considered to be Detroit’s “godfather of house” The DJ was known for his iconic sets at Club Heaven – a well known Black LGBTQ afterhours spot in the city.

At a time when people were ostracized for unconventional lifestyle, Collier’s work and many other regulars at Club Heaven made it a place where Black LGBTQ+ folks in Detroit could find support and guidance. 

Damon Percy came of age during that time. He is a member of the House of Charles at Club Heaven, a cultural historian, and a writer who has been working to preserve the club’s history. He is the archival producer for the upcoming film “Heaven in Detroit,” which is loosely based on his own experience there.

Damon Percy joined the program to talk about his experience. 

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Tomorrow, Detroit turns its attention to Movement Music Festival, so for our final show before the weekend, we’re setting up the energy accordingly. We revisit our conversation with beloved Detroit photographer Patricia Dorsey, better known as “Grandma Techno,” who has become a cherished part of the festival’s culture and a familiar presence at Hart Plaza since first attending the festival in 2005. 

Closing out the show, In The Groove welcomes Detroit producer and DJ Kyle Hall into the studio for a special live set. A longtime force in the city’s dance music scene, Kyle has built a reputation for blending house, techno, jazz and soul into a sound that feels distinctly Detroit. Catch his set on Saturday, May 23 at 3 p.m. at the Star Gate Stage at Hart Plaza. 

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above. 

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for May 22, 2026 

• “Fishbrain” – Mount Kimbie 

• “I Wanna Be Adored” – The Stone Roses 

• “Mind’s a Lie” – High Vis 

• “So U Kno” – Overmono 

• “Cos-Ber-Zam Ne Noya (Daphni Mix)” – Daphni 

• “Katmandu (Jazzanova Remix)” – Ivan Conti 

• “better” – Joy Orbison & Léa Sen 

• “oh baby (lovefingers remix)” – LCD Soundsystem 

• “Leave Your Life (Lonely Hearts Mix)” – Alex Kassian 

• “Peter and Sylvie” – Michael Andrews 

• “Boy Moves the Sun” – Michael Andrews 

• “Paradise Valley” – Jay Daniel 

• “Blind (Frankie Knuckles Remix)” – Hercules & Love Affair 

• “The Whistle Song” – Frankie Knuckles 

• “Home is Where The Hatred Is (feat. Lisa Fischer) [Main]” – Brian Jackson, Masters At Work, Kenny Dope & Louie Vega 

• “Lady Day & John Coltrane (feat. Rahsaan Patterson) [12″ Version]” – Brian Jackson, Kenny Dope & Louie Vega 

• “Can’t Stop (Dennis F’s Falling 4 U Mix Edit)” – Reel People, Angela Johnson & Dennis Ferrer 

• “Sidepoint” – Vlad Caia 

• “NoLov4Me” – So House 

• “You Are Love (Jose Carretas Son Liva Mix)” – Glenn Underground 

• “Down” – Kyle Hall 

• “Echoes In The Dust (Vinyl Preview)” – MICHELE MANZO 

• “I Can’t Believe I Loved Her” – Peven Everett 

• “Thank U” – Julio Navas & David Amo 

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org. 

Continuing our lead-up to Movement, In The Groove welcomes Detroit house music DJ Delano Smith into the mix. A respected figure in the dance music community and a longtime architect of deep house sounds, Delano takes over the final hour of the show with a live DJ set, bringing decades of Detroit club culture and groove into the studio.

Catch him live on Monday, May 25 at Hart Plaza, where he’ll perform on the Movement Stage at 4 p.m.  

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above. 

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for May 21, 2026 

• “Respectable Street” – XTC 

• “New Age” – Blitz 

• “I Don’t Live Here Anymore” – The War on Drugs 

• “Head Over Heels / Broken” – Tears for Fears 

• “Outdoor Miner” – Wire 

• “Lie In the Gutter” – Peel Dream Magazine 

• “Heaven (Nicolas Jaar Remix)” – Kasper Bjørke 

• “Heaven Scent (feat. Chloe Sevigny)” – Soulwax 

• “Gut Feeling / (Slap Your Mammy)” – Devo 

• “Trash” – New York Dolls 

• “Give Me Back My Man” – The B-52’s 

• “Si, Si, Si (feat. Quantic)” – Abelardo Carbono 

• “Sage Motel” – Monophonics & Kelly Finnigan 

• “Primos” – Adrian Quesada & Hermanos Gutiérrez 

• “Cajun Moon” – J.J. Cale 

• “Hey Joe” – The Jimi Hendrix Experience 

• “Melliflous Manner” – Setwun 

• “Through Your Soul (feat. Bubz Fiddler & J Dilla)” – Amp Fiddler 

• “I’m Doing Fine (feat. Amp Dog Knight)” – Moodymann 

• “Sun Circles (John Beltran Project Remix)” – Gratts 

• “RETRO ON THE STREET (Bonus Song)” – Samuel Gelabert González 

• “Like Paradise” – Timmy Tom & Melanie Brown 

• “City Lights” – The Kollective 

• “Short Short Man” – Gillette 

• “War (Eltonnick Remix) [Mixed]” – Julien Jabre 

• “So what…. its a jazz thang” – John Julius Knight 

• “Flirty (Wez Whynt Dub)” – Danny J Lewis & Mike City 

• “Things Are Gonna Change” – Raffaele Ciavolino 

• “I Want Your Love” – Timmy Regisford & Romanthony 

• “Feelin’ Good Tonight (Kai Alcé Remix)” – Louie Vega, Willy Soul & Funki Cadets 

• “Saisei” – Altinbas 

• “Verlucent” – Altinbas 

• “Reflection” – Altinbas 

• “Sharivari 2013 (Aux 88 Digital Mix) [feat. A Number of Names]” – Aux 88 

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.