Detroit techno great Juan Atkins will perform an outdoor set at the Aretha

While the coronavirus pandemic has put most live music on hold for the foreseeable future, some venues have been getting creative with ways to throw scaled-down, socially distant performances.

The Aretha, Detroit's riverside venue formerly known as Chene Park, recently launched a series of DJ events called the "Lake Lounge." The series kicked off a few weeks ago with a show by Inner City, the group led by one of the "Belleville Three" of Detroit techno originators, Kevin Saunderson.

On Saturday, Sept. 5, the series continues with another member of the Belleville Three: Juan Atkins, who was a member of the seminal Detroit techno group Cybotron.

Organizers at the Aretha say it's Atkins's debut performance and "an intimate show that will never happen again!" Atkins will also be joined by his daughter, Milan Ariel Atkins.

Tickets start at $25 and are available here. Space is extremely limited so organizers advise arriving early. The show starts at 8 p.m.

"After much consideration, we have chosen to get into it," organizers wrote in a statement. "We are proceeding with caution and humility, learning as we go and making adjustments as necessary. We cannot sit back and wait for solutions to come to us, but we are committed to progressing thoughtfully and intentionally, and we refuse to rush the process or recklessly put our community at risk in doing so."

Organizers ask guests to wear a mask upon entry and for the duration of the performance. Guests should seat themselves with the groups they arrived with, and are asked to keep six feet of distance between them and guests they did not arrive with. Table reservations are strongly recommended. Masks can be removed for drinking and eating.

The event is on, rain or shine.


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