Don’t forget to go home

February 27, 2015April 12, 2015 / lusofonetica / 6 Comments

It is not absolutely necessary to wait for the weekend when in Berlin. Often during the week even more interesting things are happening: for instance, the Boiler Room session which took place in Stattbad only last Wednesday. Totally acceptable to the civilised-schedule and rather sober techno-aficionados as it started off as early as 8 pm. There are regular parties happening early-Wednesday-mornings or Sunday-late-afternoon.

There is obviously more craziness going on, but comparing with the past years of the techno evolution (some 20 years ago), Berlin seems like a tranquility mecca, at the same time being not losing its glory of the island of creativity. I have gathered some of the documentary movies picturing the milestones of the city’s history watched through the darkened techno lenses:

Technocity Berlin – epic documentary from the 90s (in German)

Children of Berlin – what was then – this is now

Don’t forget to go home – a short history of Berghain, or rather formerly Ostgut

Watergate X – a journey to one of the weekends at the Spree bank’s famous location…

Meanwhile, the spring has come slowly, but surely and the bleakness of the city seems to be washed away with the rays of sun. And I am so much looking forward to wearing sunglasses not only at night.

Turn on, UN TUNE, drop out

January 26, 2015January 26, 2015 / lusofonetica / 3 Comments

Last weekend the 16th edition of the CTM festival started off with the UN TUNE theme reflecting the ‘adventurous music and art’. Stating the obvious, I have partially chosen Berlin as my destination for the variety of techno-related happenings literally around my corner. And as a rather faithful person I try to visit the local parish, Berghain on Sundays. So the CTM has been on my radar for a while now, even though the price of the pass seemed exorbitant. All in all, I’ve decided just for the two events so far.

Now I have to eat my own words, as the opening concert in HAU and follow up in YAAM (former place of cult Maria am Ufer) knocked me off my feet. Highlights so far? Definitely Thomas Ankersmit who explored the in-ear sounds, professionally known as otoacustic emission. My personally admired photographer and performer Nan Goldin who joined Soundwalk Collective for the World Premiere of ‘Closer to Knive: Memoirs of Desintegration’ inspired by darker than noir shorts from David Wojnarowicz. And the 2014 revelation from the neighbouring Poland: Zamilska.

I did not expect such a sensatory-awakening, limits-surpassing performance, taking it for purely marketing. For those in town who want to explore the CTM’s magic behind the sounds, I recommend the quirky exhibition in the Kunstraum Kreuzberg Bethanien. If you are lucky (?), a special machine will immitate a loud sound one of its kind. You never know when it’d happen, whether it is while discovering the sound of concrete in a special tunes, or visiting one of the endarkened rooms. Not to mention that this Wednesday the ‘sibling festival’, Transmediale kicks off. Makes me wanna say thank God it’s Monday, but actually it’s the whole week that looks incredibly interesting.

Don’t walk. Dance!

January 21, 2015April 12, 2015 / lusofonetica / 3 Comments

The very first profession I ever wanted to be was some sort of a ballerina. As soon as I started moaning about it to my parents when I was around 5 or 6 years old, my rational mother confronted me with the fact that I would substantially need to change my diet habits to pursue my dream destination. My motivation level was close to 0 already, but meeting a ballet teacher at an actual interview convinced my 6-year-old-self that maybe I shouldn’t necessarily take this direction. I ended up in quite an unusual experimental school where we expressed ourselves through art in a broad sense and shaped me greatly.

I eventually ended up doing something completely different, but the joint passion for music and motion made me a good customer of contemporary dance theatres and studios’ performances. Last week I could follow Tanztage (literally Dance Days) in Sophiensaele – a bunch of new, international modern dance productions. Some remarkable and funny including Lea Moro’s Baller for a Single Body interpreting classical Le Sacre du Printemps and Adriana Seecker’s Meet Me As a Stranger.

This made me investigate a little bit more about the Berliner contemporary dance scene, and actually made me think I could come back to dancing. Just for fun, to please my inner child in me? 30 cms above the sidewalks, let’s put on the red shoes and don’t walk, dance.

Swimming in sound

January 20, 2015August 2, 2015 / lusofonetica / 3 Comments

Berlin is definitely a place for water-loving people. I wouldn’t notice it at the beginning when I relocated straight from the Barcelona’s peninsular neighbourhood Barceloneta to hipstery bezirk of Friedrichshein. But now it’s almost three months I’ve been living in Berlin and happily settled in a flat overlooking the river Spree that actually gave partial inspiration to this post.

Winter has not been too extreme so far, but as my thoughts look so much forward to the springtime, I’ve investigated about open air swimming pools, lakesides, etc. The offer looks indeed super-promising, from open air sites to boat rental.

However, lately I’ve visited a very special swimming pool, Stattbad Wedding. Built over 100 years ago, it had served as a public pool for a long while till in the new millenium was turned into the particular cultural centre. During the weekend, Stattbad hosts some of the best deep house and techno line-ups in town, under the labels of Grounded Theory or Stattnacht. Apart from the club scene, various concerts and foodie events also regularly take place.

So, despite the weather, awaiting the springrtime and real water pleasures, I truly recommend to immerse into the sounds of the city and swim along with the happy crowd!

Update: Unfortunately, after happy years of swimming in sound, Stattbad has been closed definitely given the vague decision and anonymous complaints from the neighbourhood in June 2015. Yet one place less on the Berlin’s most interesting guide to clubs…

Feierabends und Boiler Rooms

December 4, 2014April 12, 2015 / lusofonetica / 2 Comments

I will definitely try to dedicate quite a lot of space here for the subjective Berliner nightlife review. The topic goes well with the season’s changes: shorter days, longer nights. Even if it doesn’t really matter if the party takes place when the sun rises or goes down.

The fame of 24/72h-lasting parties in different, quirky spots of the city reflects the blurry reality, even if in a distorted mirror. And its variety is simply overwhelming!

To start off I would love to share the yesterday’s Boiler Room session which takes place quite often here. Enjoy your Feierabend!

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