Post: #1

Anyone here frequent the Berlin Techno clubs? I find them interesting and am considering traveling, maybe taking after a few European Trance festivals.

'baller

Post: #2

The best-known is probably Berghain but I hear that the wait can be way too long and it's more a place to be seen now than to enjoy the music. But I don't know from personal experience.

Generally my impression is that Berlin is a bit mainstream now compared to the freak show (in a good way) that it was after the fall of the wall, when it pulsed with freedom.

As for places with that kind of energy, outside of Berlin? I would like to see what Dresden holds.

(07-31-2015 12:18 PM)lowbudgetballer Wrote:  Anyone here frequent the Berlin Techno clubs? I find them interesting and am considering traveling, maybe taking after a few European Trance festivals.

'baller

Post: #3

(07-31-2015 01:10 PM)Yeti Wrote:  The best-known is probably Berghain but I hear that the wait can be way too long and it's more a place to be seen now than to enjoy the music. But I don't know from personal experience.

Generally my impression is that Berlin is a bit mainstream now compared to the freak show (in a good way) that it was after the fall of the wall, when it pulsed with freedom.

As for places with that kind of energy, outside of Berlin? I would like to see what Dresden holds.

(07-31-2015 12:18 PM)lowbudgetballer Wrote:  Anyone here frequent the Berlin Techno clubs? I find them interesting and am considering traveling, maybe taking after a few European Trance festivals.

'baller

Interesting. I do Vegas clubs and SoCa trance. I want to see other things. I was thinking of going to Tree of Life and Luminosity in Europe. I would love to read a book after the Berlin clubs after the fall of the wall, but I doubt any exist. There was New Yorker article I read recently about Berlin Techno clubs, but it was pretty dry. Not sure when it came out, though. Found it in a database.

'baller

Post: #4

While living in Germany, people kept hyping Berlin up and people talked about the awesome club scene there. I first went there in 2008 and returned again in 2013. Over a period of several years it appears to have become extremely hipster and closed off. It was my least favorite city to visit in Germany over the course of several different trips. I usually don't have a rough time getting into clubs or lounges but I had hell in Berlin. I hope you have better luck getting into Berghain or Watergate than I did. I had a great time in Germany and enjoyed the nightlife with Berlin being the worst experience. I was finally able to find a few places where I had success and fun. However for a city with the rep and size of Berlin I was disappointed. If you are a 22 year old hipster or can blend into that scene it might be a good place for you. However, give me any other location in Germany any time over Berlin. If you really enjoy the club/trance music scene there are much better places throughout Europe. Just my two cents.

Post: #5

Article on Berghain

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/b...b-20140206

Post: #6

Difficult to enter:

Berghain (open all weekend)
Golden Gate
Tresor


For these, find other Germans and go with them, preferable girls or alternative looking peeps.
Try to be 2 guys maximum.

Easier to enter:

Weekend
Watergate
Ritter Butzke

Resident Advisor is a good place to look: http://www.residentadvisor.net/events.aspx?ai=34

Expect a lot of drugs, darkness and debauchery, more so in the 'difficult' to enter clubs than the others; there are plenty.

I stayed at the St. Christopher's Inn 4 years ago and it had a bar below; you can get a double bed and still have the hostel social vibe with a lot of hotties from around the world.

Edit: Hamburg is becoming the new Berlin and apparently Reeperbahn is also decent but I haven't been. I know Diynamic is based in Hamburg along with a few other record labels so a big deep house and techno following there.

Post: #7

I've been to Berlin 3 times. Berlin is awful. Its full of unattractive hipster girls with Skrillex haircuts. And to make matters worse, they're German - the most unfun, unfriendly people in Europe. Large parts of it are also god-awfully ugly thanks to the GDR's legacy. It is surprisingly cheap for a Western European capital city though, so thats a positive I guess.

If you want to go to the best clubs in Europe go to Ibiza. Higher quality clubs, better DJs, more relaxed door policy, less Germans. And better weather.

If you want to go to Germany, go to Munich. A much prettier city, and the Southern Germans are friendlier, drunker, and the girls are far prettier.

Post: #8

The wait for Berghain is very long because there's a strong demand to get in. And yes those that don't get in do a walk of shame all the way past the queue. The doormen need to be selective in order to create the right vibe. I was told by a local that I would look a little too "pretty boy" for their door policy, he suggested going with some manscara (no joke), piercings and some sort of alternative look. Haha I'm not saying you should, jus some food for thought. They can test you a little bit at the front door by asking you basic questions auf Deutsch, such as "Wie alt bist du?". Answer back auf Deutsch if you can, if you can't it's certainly not a dealbreaker though.

And your assertion is incorrect, Berghain is still very much about enjoying the music. Germans are very self-critical and will say that all types of shit is too mainstream compared to the old days. Yes, of course the city isn't as grimy/underground as days past, gentrification is inevitable, but it's still the best city in Europe for so many reasons I don't even know where to begin.

Leipzig is also a good place to visit if you wanna see some old "ostblock" vibes... anarchist squats and ostalgie etc.

(07-31-2015 01:10 PM)Yeti Wrote:  The best-known is probably Berghain but I hear that the wait can be way too long and it's more a place to be seen now than to enjoy the music. But I don't know from personal experience.

Generally my impression is that Berlin is a bit mainstream now compared to the freak show (in a good way) that it was after the fall of the wall, when it pulsed with freedom.

As for places with that kind of energy, outside of Berlin? I would like to see what Dresden holds.

Yes Hamburg is cool in its own right, but it's certainly not the new Berlin.

(07-31-2015 12:18 PM)lowbudgetballer Wrote:  Anyone here frequent the Berlin Techno clubs? I find them interesting and am considering traveling, maybe taking after a few European Trance festivals.

'baller

Post: #9

Berlin is hugely overrated

Have you considered Amsterdam ?

Post: #10

I completely agree with Berlin being overrated. I had much better times in Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich, Heidelberg, Frankfurt, Nurnberg, Augsburg, etc. and the list goes on. However, a lot of guys love Berlin. It just isn't for me.

Post: #11

(08-01-2015 03:34 AM)Noir Wrote:  Edit: Hamburg is becoming the new Berlin and apparently Reeperbahn is also decent but I haven't been. I know Diynamic is based in Hamburg along with a few other record labels so a big deep house and techno following there.

I spent a lot of time in Hamburg 2 years ago and any kind of house/techno scene was almost non existent. Great city (I prefer it to Berlin) but much more of a bar scene than a club scene.

Berlin is great for meeting people from all over the world. Crazy place, I remember in one club meeting an 18 year old kiwi and pushing her round in a shopping trolley all night before skinny dipping in the river spree at dawn. You just dont get that in Ibiza or London.

Post: #12

Berghain apparently is super exclusive but I am not sure if it's worthwhile. I heard it hosts a dark room and had a swing as well. You get the picture. I went to Tresor a few years ago and it was banging hard techno. But then again it attracts a lot of chemical heads and I don't really enjoy that crowd too much. east Germany including Berlin certainly has some hard techno but the harder the venue the weirder the crowd.

Post: #13

First of all, I loved Zatara’s post. Sure, I’ve considered Ibiza. I wanna catch those djs at SLS Life in Vegas as much as possible. It seems a little mainstream, though. And I think I heard as an American at least, it’s harder to meet people in Vegas.

I’m 40-ish and straight looking and about half the time traveling with an attractive Asian woman. I probably could freak myself out, but I tend to dress for the Vegas nightclubs. Otherwise shorts and mma or psychedelic t-shirts—maybe some candy. I can fake low-level German language, though I read much better.

The reason I liked Berlin was because when raves stopped in the 90s, I started listening to electronic and space music. Berlin seemed like that mixed with the post-industrial vibe of abandoned warehouses and mental patients. Anyone ever read the Industrial Culture Handbook or listened to the noise band SPK? I want the techno, the debauchery, but could skip the homosexuality. I guess I wanna go to whatever the current Goa/Ko Phangan is, but for the music and unity.

'baller

Post: #14

Prince8,

You slipped past me. Fill me in. I've only traveled in North America and Asia.

'baller

Post: #15

(08-03-2015 10:41 PM)lowbudgetballer Wrote:  First of all, I loved Zatara’s post. Sure, I’ve considered Ibiza. I wanna catch those djs at SLS Life in Vegas as much as possible. It seems a little mainstream, though. And I think I heard as an American at least, it’s harder to meet people in Vegas.

I’m 40-ish and straight looking and about half the time traveling with an attractive Asian woman. I probably could freak myself out, but I tend to dress for the Vegas nightclubs. Otherwise shorts and mma or psychedelic t-shirts—maybe some candy. I can fake low-level German language, though I read much better.

The reason I liked Berlin was because when raves stopped in the 90s, I started listening to electronic and space music. Berlin seemed like that mixed with the post-industrial vibe of abandoned warehouses and mental patients. Anyone ever read the Industrial Culture Handbook or listened to the noise band SPK? I want the techno, the debauchery, but could skip the homosexuality. I guess I wanna go to whatever the current Goa/Ko Phangan is, but for the music and unity.

'baller

Ibiza is actually still mostly underground/techno dominated. The island has a huge anti-American, anti-EDM, anti-Commercial House vibe - it tries very hard to be "underground and cool" despite being extremely commercialised and expensive. Have a look at the calendar of events in the big clubs here:

http://www.ibiza-spotlight.com/night/clu...gust_i.htm

Ushuaia is very mainstream, but other than there and the odd night in Pacha/Amnesia its relatively 'underground'. Certainly by Vegas booking policy standards. Bear in mind thats just the 'big' clubs too, smaller places are even less mainstream.

If you wear shorts and an MMA tshirt to a Berlin techno club you'll be shunned as a Jersey Shore-ish American. Its really aggressively hipster - you wouldn't get in to almost any major club in that outfit. The dark rooms of Berghain may sound sexy, but bear in mind its majority homosexual still. So its mostly just dudes in leather fisting each other (I've seen this first hand, unfortunately...).

Holland does the abandoned warehouse scene better currently. Friendlier people and more realistic drug policies (testing stands inside clubs etc).

Your best bet would be to read a lot of actual recent reviews of the club scene in any city you're thinking of. Things can change massively in 5 years (people, music, and legality wise) - so basing your travel choices off of older perceived images is risky.

Post: #16

I definitely wouldnt say Ibiza is anti-edm, anti-comercial house vibe.
There are much more underground clubs than clubs playing david guetta. Guess what.. david guetta makes 500euro a minute, and he still plays twice a week (ushuaia and pacha) in ibiza, every week of the season.
It would be financially impossible for every club sustain a mainstream lineup everyday for 90 days.
Its way cheaper to produce an underground party with way less known djays, also easier to book them

If you look at ushuaia (best club in the world, imo), the line up is sunday: avicci, monday: david guetta, tuesday: hardwell, wednesday: sebastian ingrosso, thursday: armin van buuren, friday: martin garrix, saturday: ants (a more underground music)

this doesnt exist anywhere in the world (vegas have been focusing more in parties, now that casino revenues went down due to macau growing - and they opened a day club that, even the stage, looks like a copy of ushuaia)

so i would say that if you like mainstream music and djs, ibiza is the best place in the world.
but guess what ? if you dont, its also the best place in the world
the number os clubs is so huge, that everyone had to adapt.. so there are clubs for every taste
just have in mind its a very expensive city

-

about amsterdam (only been once) - compared to berlin (also only been once) - I also had the impression the amsterdam its way more friendly. Berlin try SO HARD to be cool, bouncing people on the clubs with no apparent criteria*. And i have few dutch friends that says underground music/club scene is still very very good.
The city is also much prettier, and girls too (imo)

*i went to a club in berlin, on new years night, around 3-4am prolly. Me and my friend got in the line.. my friend passed, and just after the bouncer directed me to out of the club. I didnt understand anything. Never had been bounced in a club. My friend stood there, before the cashier to pay to get in. After a few min (with me standing next to the bouncer), i get in the line again (there was no one in the line), showed my id again.. and he let me in.

Post: #17

Ushuaia is very much the exception, though. It alone focuses on commercial music for the majority of its nights. It's also the most similar in both artists, and general vibe, to Vegas.

Most of the clubs who have commercial nights only have them once or twice a week (ie Amnesia or Privilege) - the rest of the week its more experimental. Then look at the lineups for Space, Sankeys, DC10 etc - even though they're still some of the biggest commercial clubs in the world I'd wager most Americans wouldn't have a clue who most of the headline acts are, seven nights a week. Its very much still the land where Sven Vath and Richie Hawtin are king. Nevermind the smaller scale parties, which are even more obscure artistically.

I think if someone is into EDM/commercial house and is already in North America, they'd be better off going to Vegas these days. Hakkasan, Omnia, and XS have acts like Above & Beyond, Kaskade, Afrojack, Tiesto, Skrillex, Axwell, Martin Garrix etc playing this week alone. Vegas is becoming a real rival to Ibiza in terms of drawing power. The owners of quite a few Ibiza clubs have given interviews recently bemoaning the fact that DJs can earn so much with residencies in Vegas these days, that its driving up market rates.

But if someone (like the OP) is looking for techno Ibiza is the best place in the world for it, still, in my opinion.

Agreed on the points re Amsterdam/Berlin, though.

Post: #18

As i said, ibiza has the best of both worlds

Cant speak as an american because im not american. But Ibiza seems like a much more pleasant place to be than vegas. Of course, leaving from US can cost much more to go to ibiza

Post: #19

(08-01-2015 07:21 AM)zatara Wrote:  I've been to Berlin 3 times. Berlin is awful. Its full of unattractive hipster girls with Skrillex haircuts. And to make matters worse, they're German - the most unfun, unfriendly people in Europe.

Great thread. I'm reading through, now.

Ushuaia looks like Omnia. I truly love XS. I know Vegas clubs are copies of Ibiza clubs. I want far more obscure music, perhaps Leipzich. lol

I actually thought German/Czech girls would be pretty hot.

I never got Jersey Shore douchebag dressed like that here in the US, so I got a good laugh out of that one.

'baller

Post: #20

I know the parties in Berlin and Amsterdam.

Berlin is famous among the party people in Amsterdam, because it is so underground and crazy and everything. Pretty cool to go to Berlin a weekend, to enjoy the parties a weekend.

But Amsterdam and the rest of the Netherlands have a better crowd on the parties, in Berlin almost nobody smiles and in Amsterdam almost everybody smiles.

Ibiza: I've been to Amnesia and Ushuaia, the clubs are great, but the crowd is less fun than the crowd in Amsterdam, not bad but nothing special either. And overpriced.

From what I have seen, Amsterdam is definitely top notch with regards to techno parties (although deep house, techhouse might be more popular now).

Go to the Netherlands, drug policy is most tolerant and the crowd is more fun. I can recommend open air festivals during the summer, Amsterdam Dance Event in late October, during the winter it is all about indoor parties. Club Trouw shut the doors last winter but alternatives are popping up.

If you want seriously obscure music, Germany might still be the place.

Post: #21

Planning to go to Berlin for 2-3 weeks in June for the first time. I'm mostly going to experience their underground techno and tech house scene. Why exactly is it hard to get into clubs? If I don't speak German or know anybody in Berlin then how should I go about getting into the better clubs?

Post: #22

Hi, some info in Berghain:

I lived in Berlin for 3 years and went to Berghain often.

It's actually not really that hard to get in, you just have to know that there is definitely a dress code. What I can recommend: dress all black, get a hipster haircut, and wear a sportswear item (black nike sneakers, black nike track pants etc.) If you are dressed very colourful you will not get in. T-shirts are better than button down shirts. Basically look like you're just coming from a soccer match with your hipster friends.

Also, the gay scene at the club is obviously very large. It's quite common seeing gays assfucking at the club. There are dark rooms at the club, but they are 100% gay.

The music is quite nice, but I personally am not really much of a fan of Berghain. There's a very distinct scene at the club, due to the door selection obviously, and it can all seem pretty uniform. But I guess that's always the case at clubs that have a strict door policy.

What I like to do though is go there at around 1pm on Sunday, go to the top floor (Panorama bar) and get a coffee and a sandwich and just have breakfast there. It's nice getting your Sunday started while around you there's a techno party going where most people have been partying for around 10 hours on drugs.

If you have any questions about Berghain you can just ask me.

Post: #23

(04-10-2016 03:29 AM)travolta Wrote:  Planning to go to Berlin for 2-3 weeks in June for the first time. I'm mostly going to experience their underground techno and tech house scene. Why exactly is it hard to get into clubs? If I don't speak German or know anybody in Berlin then how should I go about getting into the better clubs?

If you are there until the beginning of July, I would recommend the FREQS OF NATURE festival. It´s located right outside of Berlin in some old army bunkers.
The music is Psy trance. They have 4 different outside concert areas, each area has a different style. I think it´s 6 days of non stop music. I think they normally get around ten thousand people there.
I was there 3 years ago, and had a blast. An amazing festival.

The website : http://www.freqsofnature.de

Youtube clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27MVPoMNK5c