A personal-analytical journey, narrated to smashing four-to-the-floor drum beats at 130 bpm.
I turn left and lean against the thin metal wall next to me, the cool stainless steel nestling against my overheated skull. I’m dizzy, sweat running down my forehead. “So, what are we doing?” the familiar, rough female voice has this authoritarian and determined sound to it. A flash of light illuminates my vision—the dusty yellow light bulb’s reflection on the shiny, sterile surface of a mobile phone. Snow gently trickles; seven sweaty, half-naked bodies in a confined space, in need of a clear mind—or wings to fly again. The bass wafts underneath our feet, the sound of a toilet flushing next door.
What am I doing?
Looking at it superficially, I lost control over my life—yet, from a deep analytical point of view, I’m doing everything just right.
Read on…
by Andy | Party, Stories
Electronic music seems to pulsate through Berlin’s veins like a never-ending energy flow. A rhythm that has been pushing the city and its people forward for decades, four-to-the-floor, one bass drum at a time. Berlin is a place where raves are endless, where nights become days, and you can lose yourself between beats and lights. Often, the music on the dance floor becomes an energetic swirl. And, already the next day, we forget what the DJ made us move our bodies to all night. What we do know is: We were living for it!
iHeartBerlin to the rescue! Luckily, we are pure dance floor enthusiasts who can’t get enough of House, Techno and everything in between. In the last years, we have spent some time dancing, listening, researching and, with the help of some useful mobile applications, we curated a list of tunes that have fired up many Berlin dancefloors night after night. So, here is a selection of 40 timeless evergreens, recent dance floor hits, and aspiring newcomers – a four-hour pre or post party delight for all electronic music lovers. Enjoy the trip.
Read on…
by Andy | Music
Admit it, you’re a people watcher. Whether it’s ogling eccentric passersby, eavesdropping on the U-bahn, or pretending not to stare through the uncurtained windows of the flats opposite, we’ve all been there. And club nights are no exception.
I’m sure you can relate when I confess that, no matter how otherworldly the musical offerings in this city, sometimes there are much more entertaining things to watch on the dance floor than the hypnotically rhythmical nods of the DJ and the feigned enthusiasm of his Klingon Krew – and boys, I’m not talking about girls’ skirts. Read on…
by Guest Author | Party, People
Before we all buckle up for this little joyride, let me start with a disclaimer: the selection of places below is a very subjective one, intending to highlight the wide range of leisure options available around Warschauer Strasse, but even more so to convey some of its unique spirit and direct your attention at a few lesser-known spots. Therefore, I am going to include some of the more or less immediate vicinity, fully aware of the fact that Schlesi is in Kreuzberg, and leave off some distinguished venues like Berghain, since they’re doing a great job speaking (raving?) for themselves. Read on…
by Michalina | Friedrichshain
If Berlin were the solar system, Berghain would be the sun for a looooot of people. Some days it seems like everything and everybody is circulating around this place. Throughout the weekend and sometimes on Mondays, I see tons of people wandering through Friedrichshain and over Warschauer Straße, magnetically drawn to Berghain. And as mythical as the place is, as various are the myths of how to get in. In various Italian blogs I read absurd guides on how to be let in by Sven and co. One of the most common (and silly) assumptions is that you have to look gay to get in. But there are many more false assumptions about what the doormen of Berghain like and what they don’t.
A very funny and unique clarification of the myths out there is this cute guide created by talented illustrator Sophia Halamoda. In 28 drawings she presents her own tongue-in-cheek wisdom of how entering Berghain works. Enjoy the hilarious illustrations below.
If you enjoy the comic you might want to check out our new book Like A Berliner which we did together with Sophia. The Berghain Comic is inside of the book as are many other amazing club stories and comics about the life in Berlin.
Read on…
by Claudio | Art, Party
Berlin loves trash. Especially when it is on the interdisciplinary intersection between performance art and club culture. This Friday is the premiere of a A Lovely Piece of Shit, a dance theater performance at the club Mensch Meier by the Swiss theater company Extraleben. This piece is all about a fairy tale land called Wummerland where unicorns eat techno bass, the mirror always smiles back at you and nobody ever thinks about tomorrow. I don’t know about you but this setting reminds me a bit the Fusion Festival, where everybody escapes once a year to have a colorful peter pan experience. In any case we are really looking forward to this attempt to combine theater and party experience. Also I think that it is a wonderful opportunity to check out this new club that everybody is speaking about right now. Check out some photos and the trailer after the jump. Read on…
by Claudio | Clubs, Theater
Mark your calendars, kids, on January 24th 2013 Berlin will get a new playground for experimental and excentric ideas and events. The Aktionsforum Shift will officially open its doors at the Kraftwerk Mitte, the same building that is also home to the Tresor Club and the big event space where the Show And Order fashion trade show takes place during Berlin Fashion Week. Shift will not just be another random club, it will be a space for performances and theatre, music, exhibitions, workshops, film screenings and much more. The preview event of the space during NYE already presented a very eclectic event with a live performance by Aerea Negrot (former vocalist of Hercules & Love Affair) and an experimental video installation which you can see part of after the jump. Stay tuned to our event guide for everything going on at Shift!
Read on…
by Frank | Art, Clubs, Galleries, Mitte, Places, Theater
We are often following the hypes of people we like. We follow the recommendations of our friends and enjoy things they like to do because in the end everything can be good and bad depending of your perspective. I heard so many beautiful stories of Nicolas Jaar concerts of people I trust blindly in their taste of music that I wanted to go in any case to the concert he was giving on Monday at Berghain. In the end I was a little disapointed. Not because it was bad, but just because it couldn’t measure up with the hype my friends build around it. For people who are less susceptible as I am I recommend definetly to check out one of his concerts for example tonight at Berghain.
by Claudio | Music
Das Hotel is a small charming bar and club in Kreuzberg close to Paul-Linke-Ufer. I particularily like this place for its rustic charme, the nice non-pretentious mixed crowd that comes here and the big bouquets of lilies normally spread out all over the place. Wednesday to Saturday they open their basement club that offers a mixed program of live music and parties. Dispite its name Das Hotel is not a hotel, however they do rent out charming private flats and rooms. More infos and pictures after the jump.
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by Frank | Bars, Clubs, Kreuzberg, Places
Last night the highly anticipated new club Flamingo opened underneath the S-Bahn tracks at Monbijoupark. Even though it’s done by the same makers, it’s not another Rio, or Scala, or Broken Hearts Club. It’s something new. We had loads of fun at the opening. I love those golden plant lamps! You can see some impressions of the party after the jump on two pages. Or you can check it out in person this Friday and Saturday at the official Flamingo opening weekend!
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by Frank | Party
