Berlin - Day 4
Recessed from the street in a large complex with two floors of dancing, we started the morning at Tresor for Tresor meets Dave Clarke. Deeper still, the basement level had the air of what you’d expect from concrete pillars and metal bars dividing space. The basement level maze held the main floor with a heavy night of Detroit stuff. I couldn’t tell you about the larger techno scene’s consensus of the “new” Tresor, probably something like it’s not what it used to be, but it felt legit outside of the some of the crowd which really was a mix of those in for a slow burn and those more explosive.
Leaving around 5:00am, we made our way to ://about blank for Warning: a Rave Odyssey, a couple day long fest that went from that Friday to Monday. Sun just starting to come up, the ride there was probably one of the highlights of the trip, seeing the city in that dewy light, chasing more and more with the rest of the zombies was perfect.
Kind of a side note but the Photoautomat booths across Berlin are everywhere and honestly so cool. It’s corny to have a nostalgic appreciation for this old tech when in reality, its a format that just produces such a beautiful result it’s a shame we don’t see chemical photobooths in America that much.
Funny interaction with the bouncer when she was trying to gauge if we were wasted, I think she was surprised these Americans had pre-purchased tickets. A pretty thinned out crowd by this point but still a lively dance floor spinning some sparkly trance. Best part was the outside, a pretty big area winding with trails, nooks to lay, and Jurassic period plants now in full bloom. We spent a good chunk of this part just sipping beers and yapping. Super playful and welcoming event.
Feeling pretty good and being in the area, we decided to try our luck with Berghain around 9:00am. Without much surprise, we didn’t make it in. In full daylight by this point, the behemoth of a building is really something to see. This goes to say about other venues in the city, but just walking by and hearing the faint thumping within is such an exciting feeling. Knowing the crowds inside completely unaware of time or at least ignoring it. The way clubbing is done in Berlin with such an extreme and hedonistic release of the self deep in the belly of the city really feels so unique from the puritan way we “play” in America. Pretty basic observation but I think there’s something to learn about protecting and creating more spaces in which the chthonian can be freely expressed and experienced on the weekly. Something about exploring these sides of ourselves more frequently and in varying amounts to become familiar with the ways it bubbles up in our daily lives whether with family, friends, co-workers, or strangers. From an outsider looking in, it feels like Berliners just have a more innate grasp on dealing with and expressing these things. I’ll get into this more with the next post but with the past this city has gone through, it makes sense.
Getting some sleep in, we woke up around 17:00 and left for Schnitzel in Friedrichshain. Sunset pouring down, the streets were so lively and full it was a beautiful mosaic of just more so-muchness.
Not many pics from this day (love that they sticker over phone cameras at the clubs).
