Going to Berghain alone
- Thread starter utagaura
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amber-leaf
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wear rubber with a zip at the crotch
kimajy
Well-Known Member
Well, I went alone on Sunday so figured I may as well post my ramblings here !
Words almost can't describe (8))….. I am still haunted (in a good way !) by Sunday's revelry in Berghain.. so I'm going to expunge with a write-up to help me get back down to planet earth…
Arriving in Berlin's soon-to-close Tegel Airport from Heathrow at 10am on a bright but hazy Sunday morning having been up all night travelling, the first thing I'm reminded of is the effortless order and efficiency of it all. Such a contrast to the stress and chaos of UK, France, Spain, Italy …..
A bus leaves ‘on the dot' for the short ride to Hauptbahnhof. I already know my platform and a 10-minute train to Ostbahnhof delivers me a 3-minute walk to my digs at the spotlessly clean DDR Hostel, less than an hour from touch-down. For 2,30 Euros. Berlin's cheap efficient public transport system has converted even a car-obsessed person like me to use it
It's 4 hours before check-in time - but for the asking, a double room hasn't been used last night and I pay a few extra Euros (35 in total to be precise) to get in early to a bright airy room the size of a junior suite most places. All in atmospheric former East German style but with wooden flooring, double glazing, an efficient en-suite shower room, dining table, and super-comfy beds. Worth every cent.
It takes around 1 ½ hours of acclimatisation before the urge to go worship takes over. A little adrenaline rush of excitement washes over me to push away fatigue – helped by a huge can of Red Bull. I hope against hope it's going to be a good party today - and that I'm going to be a good fit. Berghain is a short stroll away. Look in the mirror – yep, reckon I could just about pass for a (skinny) German today – with the right body language. I'm sober and have been up way too long to look anything but calm. Everything helps. Let's do this !! 
It's Klubnacht – and the party's been rolling since midnight Saturday. It's a big one this week and from 1pm, Ben Klock joins Marcel Dettmann for a B2B – with Ben on solo from 6pm to close (probably gone midnight !). In Panorama, Andre Galuzzi, Steffi and Carl Craig are in charge before Nick Hoepner hits the decks at midnight Sunday to close on Monday. It's looking hopeful – should get some decent hours in out of that lot for sure !
Pushing all fear or doubt out of my mind, I walk calmly to the door and round the barriers. Two solo German guys make up the ‘line'. Now we are 3. Each of their brief verbal exchanges succeeds and both guys ahead of me are admitted 8). I am alone, at the gates of the temple, and all eyes turn from the door towards me. It's that moment of reckoning again. The doorman looks me dead in the eye and I calmly engage, arms at my sides, standing straight. The facial engagement seems to last for ages – as if waiting for me to crack. I raise half an eyebrow and smile warmly. We exchange “knowing nods†and I show no further emotion as I am waved inside.
There are still a few people being checked out who must have arrived just before me. One of them is cracking up a bit mid-search. Probably for one of any number of reasons ! With the skill of a pick-pocket my cigarette packet is already out of the side of my cargos and is being checked. Do I have a camera ? No. Do I have a phone ? Yes. No pictures. “Of course notâ€. 12 Euros and it's in to the theatre wardrobe store – I mean cloakroom ! Trousers and t-shirts are off and being checked in ahead of me 
.. but I leave it at my hat, coat and scarf ! I can hear the music. This is going to be a blast.
Up the big stairway and from the ‘off' the music is great. Really great. It's an ‘in-between' time and pretty quiet in Berghain. First red bull with vodka of the day from my favourite bar (the big one on the right as you get up the steps, with the swing seats, sofa backing the glassed-off dancefloor and carved stone on the huge wall behind the bar). Smokers are liberally catered for. In fact, everyone is well catered for – just as long as they are polite and respectful at all times and it's “with adult consentâ€â€¦ against the backdrop of jaw-dropping techno, a monster sound system and the occasional fog blast. Pure decadence has never felt so civilised, understated or natural as at Berghain. 100% free of pretence it's there to be enjoyed for what it is – somewhere like nowhere else on earth. 8) 8) 8)
Upstairs, Andre Galuzzi and Steffi were dishing out some good fun stuff. I popped up a couple of times and stayed for a cocktail and a boogie. In London (or many other places) this would be a dream crowd and a dream party. A cross-section of the world's grooviest mature clubbers were totally loving the love, the music was deep but the vibe was light and hands were making it above shoulder-level on a grander scale than down below.
The toilets were civilized enough for more of the ladies to handle too – anyone who's experienced an apocalyptic Berghain cubicle 12 hours in to a big night .. well … knows what I mean !! However, Panorama Bar is something of a kindergarten in comparison to the Berghain floor.. where things were building into one of its most epic afternoons of the year. And that is where I, too, blissfully spent most of my hours there.
On a side note, one of the downsides of vast quantities of red bull fuel at my age is the number of times you wind up nipping to the loo - which interrupts the dancing flow somewhat ! Was quite the regular in the first hours ! The gang of polite German guys based in the chill-out room beside the loos were a reserved and close-knit but ultimately friendly bunch. Seems they'd agreed on football shorts and stripy socks, or leather pants/straps/feather-hats (Vagabundos-stlyee) as today's fetish themes. Eventually on one of my walk-pasts, we greet each other, exchange some light-hearted banter and agree the music's really kicking today 8).
Four very hefty German guys emerge from a cubicle as my turn in the line comes up, looking very calm and collected – my mind will never rationalise how they all fitted in there and also got the door open again.. could only have been intertwined together like a giant meccano construction – must have come from years of practice !
But enough of the memorable toilet micro-community and its visitors.. I won't discuss anything more here about goings on at the club away from the dancefloor. Suffice to say it's very liberal in a climate of mutual respect and tolerance. Berghain itself is both civilised and very raw at the same time. If you're going to get offended wandering around and stumbling across a consentual “prison sceneâ€, please go elsewhere…. But that's never ‘in your face' or indiscreet. If you can embrace this open-mindedly as being an integral part of a free society, behave well and respect all others who go to the club, whatever goes on, then there's only one thing more to consider. If you also like the music policy then you'll likely really dig this place. I certainly do.
On the crowd “mixâ€, alongside the fetish crew there were fewer muscle men in evidence in Berghain than I've seen – mainly just regular build guys with some impressive tattooing on their chests and backs. Together they only made up about 25% of the floor number and contributed over 50% of the energy and dynamic atmosphere 8). They obviously dig the Techno as much as I do (I usually keep my shirt on these days) and danced even harder (fists not fingers if you punch the air please – and not too high or too often – Ja ?!!).
The remainder were more regularly dressed urban types (with a hint of lesbian leather) and some hard-ass party girls in evidence properly going for it. One-off odd-balls. A pony-tailed guy in a formal designer jacket and smart shoes. Endless “individuals†I won't catalogue - all in all a proper “mix†with all ‘types' represented to some extent and all perfectly behaved. As is the way here.
As far as the music goes, well it's at this point where words really cannot do justice. Against the backdrop of this unique place, with Dettmann and Klock on tip-top form surprising even the regulars with their drops of old and new techno masterpieces and (in Ben's case) expertly delivered ‘techno-tools', the energy was electric. Never seen so many Germans head-back grinning for so long on a techno dancefloor and the shirtless boys on the boxes could have been professional dancers when the big guns came out of the DJ booth. They were not, of course - just some club regulars expressing their appreciation with their feet.
Dancing on that floor, I felt like I was at a rave in another time. In the best possible way . It was all at once envigorating, refreshing, elevating, nostalgic and emotional. Wild and hard, yet calm and orderly. It was everything that makes German partying at its best really special. I could even say ‘superior' … but that is the wrong take on it. Perfectly suited to Techno would perhaps be most appropriate. It will not make you like or appreciate hard played-out Techno. But if you really do already and also appreciate its roots - then you will most likely also fully appreciate this experience . You'll find it hard to get near it outside Germany.
I didn't linger long round the bars much on Sunday save to order and drink my drinks, and exchange surprisingly deep ramblings with some new friends. They were all club regulars living in Berlin – and dancefloor companions sharing the parallel universe, each of us bonded together but at the same time enjoying our individual private worlds. My exchanges were all followed by warm hugs and it really felt like a happy family – one I would feel welcome in any time 8). That's really rare these days. I did not have to wait long for my 6,50 Euro vodka-red bulls or 2,50Euro water bottles either .. here, three or four orders are taken together from everyone standing in an area of the bar – and are delivered with amazing efficiency in a heartbeat ... with a reserved but friendly smile ! Fantastic. 8)
Half six is passed and it's heading towards 7 now. Ben Klock is dishing it out nice and hard and I make one last trip to the loo to save getting caught short after leaving. I have other fun planned and my time in Berghain has been truly awesome. I don't want the mood to gear down while I am still there and resolve that I'm content to be grateful for what I've had 8). Whilst I feel I could stay in this alternative reality forever, it will have to end at some point.
Spotlighters are round the corner and I really want to meet up with them. As I go downstairs to get my coat, the cloakroom ‘line' is huge with new arrivals and re-entrants. I'm barely near the tables wondering where's most efficient to slot in and return my dog-tag (very useful if you decided to go fetish or strip down) when some guy randomly breaks the line, runs across, lifts me clean off the floor and spins around..
I'm a bit bewildered and just say in my very limited German “sehr gut in Berghain“.. I'm nearly crushed in a bear hug. When I'm finally put down to his reply - “Ja, Jaâ€, I smile, pat him on the back and and leg it over to retrieve my stuff for a sharp exit.. thanking the doormen on the way out for a great time, and waiting for the inevitable shock I'm anticipating to really hit.
Stepping outside is way more of a head-f*ck than stepping in. Of course it's dark now. I fight the disorientation and try to pull myself together. Berghain really is ‘other-worldly'. Like anywhere, the music admittedly isn't consistently the best at the club every time. But it was as good as it gets anywhere on Sunday and Berghain fully lived up to its “Temple of Techno†nickname this time . I went in to Berghain alone, but came out feeling I'd been part of a happy family for the last few hours. I feel very grateful to have been given the chance to experience that afternoon - Sunday, 20th November, 2011. Wow.
Some links to tunes dropped on Sunday are given below, IDs courtesy of a regular who posted them up on RA along with a very nice write-up of his own there - and far more about the tracks actually played (link at end) than I can ever paraphrase. And of course, I have no photos or videos – just the amazing memories.
Laurent Garnier – Acid Eiffel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPuA-Zun4rk
Green Velvet – I want to leave my body
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3gF9-Il-Zw
Ben Sims – The Afterparty
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79vMuQMn5eM
http://www.residentadvisor.net/forum-read.aspx?id=158694&page=1
Words almost can't describe (8))….. I am still haunted (in a good way !) by Sunday's revelry in Berghain.. so I'm going to expunge with a write-up to help me get back down to planet earth…
Arriving in Berlin's soon-to-close Tegel Airport from Heathrow at 10am on a bright but hazy Sunday morning having been up all night travelling, the first thing I'm reminded of is the effortless order and efficiency of it all. Such a contrast to the stress and chaos of UK, France, Spain, Italy …..
A bus leaves ‘on the dot' for the short ride to Hauptbahnhof. I already know my platform and a 10-minute train to Ostbahnhof delivers me a 3-minute walk to my digs at the spotlessly clean DDR Hostel, less than an hour from touch-down. For 2,30 Euros. Berlin's cheap efficient public transport system has converted even a car-obsessed person like me to use it
It's 4 hours before check-in time - but for the asking, a double room hasn't been used last night and I pay a few extra Euros (35 in total to be precise) to get in early to a bright airy room the size of a junior suite most places. All in atmospheric former East German style but with wooden flooring, double glazing, an efficient en-suite shower room, dining table, and super-comfy beds. Worth every cent.
It takes around 1 ½ hours of acclimatisation before the urge to go worship takes over. A little adrenaline rush of excitement washes over me to push away fatigue – helped by a huge can of Red Bull
. I hope against hope it's going to be a good party today - and that I'm going to be a good fit. Berghain is a short stroll away. Look in the mirror – yep, reckon I could just about pass for a (skinny) German today – with the right body language. I'm sober and have been up way too long to look anything but calm. Everything helps. Let's do this !! It's Klubnacht – and the party's been rolling since midnight Saturday. It's a big one this week and from 1pm, Ben Klock joins Marcel Dettmann for a B2B – with Ben on solo from 6pm to close (probably gone midnight !). In Panorama, Andre Galuzzi, Steffi and Carl Craig are in charge before Nick Hoepner hits the decks at midnight Sunday to close on Monday. It's looking hopeful – should get some decent hours in out of that lot for sure !
Pushing all fear or doubt out of my mind, I walk calmly to the door and round the barriers. Two solo German guys make up the ‘line'. Now we are 3. Each of their brief verbal exchanges succeeds and both guys ahead of me are admitted 8). I am alone, at the gates of the temple, and all eyes turn from the door towards me. It's that moment of reckoning again
. The doorman looks me dead in the eye and I calmly engage, arms at my sides, standing straight. The facial engagement seems to last for ages – as if waiting for me to crack. I raise half an eyebrow and smile warmly. We exchange “knowing nods†and I show no further emotion as I am waved inside. There are still a few people being checked out who must have arrived just before me. One of them is cracking up a bit mid-search. Probably for one of any number of reasons
! With the skill of a pick-pocket my cigarette packet is already out of the side of my cargos and is being checked. Do I have a camera ? No. Do I have a phone ? Yes. No pictures. “Of course notâ€. 12 Euros and it's in to the theatre wardrobe store – I mean cloakroom ! Trousers and t-shirts are off and being checked in ahead of me .. but I leave it at my hat, coat and scarf ! I can hear the music. This is going to be a blast. Up the big stairway and from the ‘off' the music is great. Really great. It's an ‘in-between' time and pretty quiet in Berghain. First red bull with vodka of the day from my favourite bar (the big one on the right as you get up the steps, with the swing seats, sofa backing the glassed-off dancefloor and carved stone on the huge wall behind the bar). Smokers are liberally catered for. In fact, everyone is well catered for – just as long as they are polite and respectful at all times and it's “with adult consentâ€â€¦ against the backdrop of jaw-dropping techno, a monster sound system and the occasional fog blast. Pure decadence has never felt so civilised, understated or natural as at Berghain. 100% free of pretence it's there to be enjoyed for what it is – somewhere like nowhere else on earth. 8) 8) 8)
Upstairs, Andre Galuzzi and Steffi were dishing out some good fun stuff. I popped up a couple of times and stayed for a cocktail and a boogie. In London (or many other places) this would be a dream crowd and a dream party. A cross-section of the world's grooviest mature clubbers were totally loving the love, the music was deep but the vibe was light and hands were making it above shoulder-level on a grander scale than down below.
The toilets were civilized enough for more of the ladies to handle too – anyone who's experienced an apocalyptic Berghain cubicle 12 hours in to a big night .. well … knows what I mean
!! However, Panorama Bar is something of a kindergarten in comparison to the Berghain floor.. where things were building into one of its most epic afternoons of the year. And that is where I, too, blissfully spent most of my hours there. On a side note, one of the downsides of vast quantities of red bull fuel at my age is the number of times you wind up nipping to the loo - which interrupts the dancing flow somewhat ! Was quite the regular in the first hours !
The gang of polite German guys based in the chill-out room beside the loos were a reserved and close-knit but ultimately friendly bunch. Seems they'd agreed on football shorts and stripy socks, or leather pants/straps/feather-hats (Vagabundos-stlyee) as today's fetish themes. Eventually on one of my walk-pasts, we greet each other, exchange some light-hearted banter and agree the music's really kicking today 8).Four very hefty German guys emerge from a cubicle as my turn in the line comes up, looking very calm and collected – my mind will never rationalise how they all fitted in there and also got the door open again.. could only have been intertwined together like a giant meccano construction – must have come from years of practice !
But enough of the memorable toilet micro-community and its visitors.. I won't discuss anything more here about goings on at the club away from the dancefloor. Suffice to say it's very liberal in a climate of mutual respect and tolerance. Berghain itself is both civilised and very raw at the same time. If you're going to get offended wandering around and stumbling across a consentual “prison sceneâ€, please go elsewhere…. But that's never ‘in your face' or indiscreet. If you can embrace this open-mindedly as being an integral part of a free society, behave well and respect all others who go to the club, whatever goes on, then there's only one thing more to consider. If you also like the music policy then you'll likely really dig this place. I certainly do.
On the crowd “mixâ€, alongside the fetish crew there were fewer muscle men in evidence in Berghain than I've seen – mainly just regular build guys with some impressive tattooing on their chests and backs. Together they only made up about 25% of the floor number and contributed over 50% of the energy and dynamic atmosphere 8). They obviously dig the Techno as much as I do (I usually keep my shirt on these days) and danced even harder (fists not fingers if you punch the air please – and not too high or too often – Ja
?!!). The remainder were more regularly dressed urban types (with a hint of lesbian leather) and some hard-ass party girls in evidence properly going for it. One-off odd-balls. A pony-tailed guy in a formal designer jacket and smart shoes. Endless “individuals†I won't catalogue - all in all a proper “mix†with all ‘types' represented to some extent and all perfectly behaved. As is the way here
.As far as the music goes, well it's at this point where words really cannot do justice. Against the backdrop of this unique place, with Dettmann and Klock on tip-top form surprising even the regulars with their drops of old and new techno masterpieces and (in Ben's case) expertly delivered ‘techno-tools', the energy was electric. Never seen so many Germans head-back grinning for so long on a techno dancefloor and the shirtless boys on the boxes could have been professional dancers when the big guns came out of the DJ booth. They were not, of course - just some club regulars expressing their appreciation with their feet.
Dancing on that floor, I felt like I was at a rave in another time
. In the best possible way . It was all at once envigorating, refreshing, elevating, nostalgic and emotional. Wild and hard, yet calm and orderly. It was everything that makes German partying at its best really special. I could even say ‘superior' … but that is the wrong take on it. Perfectly suited to Techno would perhaps be most appropriate. It will not make you like or appreciate hard played-out Techno. But if you really do already and also appreciate its roots - then you will most likely also fully appreciate this experience . You'll find it hard to get near it outside Germany. I didn't linger long round the bars much on Sunday save to order and drink my drinks, and exchange surprisingly deep ramblings with some new friends. They were all club regulars living in Berlin – and dancefloor companions sharing the parallel universe, each of us bonded together but at the same time enjoying our individual private worlds. My exchanges were all followed by warm hugs and it really felt like a happy family – one I would feel welcome in any time 8). That's really rare these days. I did not have to wait long for my 6,50 Euro vodka-red bulls or 2,50Euro water bottles either .. here, three or four orders are taken together from everyone standing in an area of the bar – and are delivered with amazing efficiency in a heartbeat ... with a reserved but friendly smile ! Fantastic. 8)
Half six is passed and it's heading towards 7 now. Ben Klock is dishing it out nice and hard and I make one last trip to the loo to save getting caught short after leaving. I have other fun planned and my time in Berghain has been truly awesome. I don't want the mood to gear down while I am still there and resolve that I'm content to be grateful for what I've had 8). Whilst I feel I could stay in this alternative reality forever, it will have to end at some point.
Spotlighters are round the corner and I really want to meet up with them
. As I go downstairs to get my coat, the cloakroom ‘line' is huge with new arrivals and re-entrants. I'm barely near the tables wondering where's most efficient to slot in and return my dog-tag (very useful if you decided to go fetish or strip down) when some guy randomly breaks the line, runs across, lifts me clean off the floor and spins around.. I'm a bit bewildered and just say in my very limited German “sehr gut in Berghain“.. I'm nearly crushed in a bear hug
. When I'm finally put down to his reply - “Ja, Jaâ€, I smile, pat him on the back and and leg it over to retrieve my stuff for a sharp exit.. thanking the doormen on the way out for a great time, and waiting for the inevitable shock I'm anticipating to really hit.Stepping outside is way more of a head-f*ck than stepping in.
Of course it's dark now. I fight the disorientation and try to pull myself together. Berghain really is ‘other-worldly'. Like anywhere, the music admittedly isn't consistently the best at the club every time. But it was as good as it gets anywhere on Sunday and Berghain fully lived up to its “Temple of Techno†nickname this time . I went in to Berghain alone, but came out feeling I'd been part of a happy family for the last few hours. I feel very grateful to have been given the chance to experience that afternoon - Sunday, 20th November, 2011. Wow.Some links to tunes dropped on Sunday are given below, IDs courtesy of a regular who posted them up on RA along with a very nice write-up of his own there - and far more about the tracks actually played (link at end) than I can ever paraphrase. And of course, I have no photos or videos – just the amazing memories.
Laurent Garnier – Acid Eiffel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPuA-Zun4rk
Green Velvet – I want to leave my body
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3gF9-Il-Zw
Ben Sims – The Afterparty
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79vMuQMn5eM
http://www.residentadvisor.net/forum-read.aspx?id=158694&page=1
I
icebaer69
Guest
top review kimajy 8)
ps:
ps:
... Four very hefty German guys emerge from a cubicle as my turn in the line comes up,
looking very calm and collected –
my mind will never rationalise how they all fitted in there and also got the door open again..
could only have been intertwined together like a giant meccano construction –
must have come from years of practice !
But enough of the memorable toilet micro-community and its visitors ...
wtf ??? TELL - i´m all ears
kimajy
Well-Known Member
wtf ??? TELL - i´m all ears
I'm sure you have seen it all before - and more, icebaer
Just disappointed that the gimp was not represented in "the mix" this time - the only one I saw was on my wrist stamp
- lacked a bit of "variety" as a result. Or maybe one was there all the time but hiding .......... you ...... know ....... where ........... Minimarc - reckon you would have definitely got in if wearing a rubber suit with zip - and would have been an instant "hit" with the toilet micro-community for sure
! Something maybe to think about for next time ?
kimajy
Well-Known Member
8) .. hope you're spared any door dilemmas when the gang arrives and all get to share the experience. Worst comes to worst you'll hopefully have had a dose of yours and scored a wrist stamp by then - so you have some options.
Through the cloakroom and heading upstairs around 1pm-ish. Out again sometime short of 7. I think Berghain went on beyond midnight and upstairs well beyond that. However, no-one was really sure when exactly Berghain would wind up.
.. chasing pints
- thanks a bunch for those btw ... and for stumping the taxi tour to the surreal madness of Wilde Renate 8). 'twas all great fun and great company.
I
icebaer69
Guest
Only when you're in groups bigger then 3, a tourist, looking too cool, being drunk making loud noise and when you can't speak German
Going to Berghain alone all the time and never got rejected. For me it's the best club in the world these days. Getting a stamp, getting in and out of the club, open endings, cheap drinks, great crowd, great atmosphere, stunning sound system and good music!
tristanbaldock
Active Member
great hostel near berghain - really good standard rooms and really friendly staff who will play pool with you at 4am (and a lovely dog called cooper)
http://www.ip-hostel.com/de.html
http://www.ip-hostel.com/de.html
kimajy
Well-Known Member
Too funny not to share : http://wundergroundmusic.com/george...ain-after-732-consecutive-days-in-dark-rooms/
am i the only one who just get this whole Berghain thing or clubs like it with outrageously difficult door policies, i spoke to someone who got in and they said while it was good they expected a whole lot more, it's been overhyped to bits in my opinion, i can't be dealing with clubs like this at all actually, give me a small club with no door policy and good music and for me that is much better.
stivi
Well-Known Member
you're opening pandora's box with the above comment. I understand both points of view really, very much depends on what you want.
as for berghain overhyped - up to a certain degree yes, with that I mean all those stupid articles made by some of the online dance music online portals. it gained huge popularity because of that and too many people that don't fit in there were made aware of it and try their luck to get in. at the same time I think no, it's not overhyped, because the club just impresses me every time I go: music policy, sound quality, entry and drink prices and yes, especially the crowd is simply great.
as for berghain overhyped - up to a certain degree yes, with that I mean all those stupid articles made by some of the online dance music online portals. it gained huge popularity because of that and too many people that don't fit in there were made aware of it and try their luck to get in. at the same time I think no, it's not overhyped, because the club just impresses me every time I go: music policy, sound quality, entry and drink prices and yes, especially the crowd is simply great.