Berghain
Encyclopedia
Berghain is a Berlin
nightclub, named after its location on the border between Kreuzberg
and Friedrichshain
. Philip Sherburne
described it in 2007 as "quite possibly the current world capital of techno, much as E-Werk
or Tresor
were in their respective heydays."
The club is located in a former power plant in Friedrichshain
, behind the Berlin Ostbahnhof
railway station. The building is distinguished by its enormous dimensions, which accommodate an 18 meter high dancefloor and space for 1500 guests, and also its minimalist interior design
, dominated by steel and concrete. The club contains a "cavernous" main room, as well as a smaller upstairs space called the Panorama Bar, which is decorated by enormous Wolfgang Tillmans
photographs and tall windows with a view of East Berlin. Only half of the building is currently in use.(The second half of the building will soon be used as a concert hall)
Berghain has a strong reputation for decadence and hedonism; a New Zealand Herald article describes "people openly indulging in sexual acts" inside the club, and the basement contains a dark room
specifically set aside for that purpose. Photography is strictly forbidden. The door policy is selective and mostly random, but there are no VIP entrance or VIP areas. Special guestlist is restricted to a few guests for each dj and maximally two guests for each staff member. As a special feature, no mirrors or reflecting surfaces can be found anywhere in the club. Like many Berlin clubs, Berghain hosts extremely long events; a Philip Sherburne
column in Pitchfork Media
describes a Carl Craig
set that began at 3:00 Sunday afternoon and continued until the club's ending time. Jesse Rose has described "Entering Panorama Bar is like going back in time to an age when people went out to really party."
Berghain is the reincarnation of the "legendary" club Ostgut (1998–2003). This club itself emerged out of a men only fetish
club night, called "Snax", which was held in different locations before it found its permanent home at the new club "Ostgut" as a part of a new concept. Quickly the "Ostgut" developed into a focal point of the Berlin techno-subculture since the venue was now open for all genders on regular nights except on those "Snax" club nights six to eight times a year. "Ostgut" closed down on January 6, 2003 following a 30-hour farewell event, and the former railway warehouse which housed it was subsequently demolished. Berghain opened in 2004. The name "Berghain" is a composite of the names of the two quarters, which flank the building south and north: Kreuzberg (former West Berlin) and Friedrichshain (former East Berlin). "Snax" is still held once a year on Holy Saturday in the main room (Berghain), while only the Panorama Bar is open for a mixed crowd.
The music is mostly techno
, tech house
, detroit techno
, and minimal techno
. The Panorama Bar hosts well known house and electro DJs. Nick Höppner, a resident DJ who manages the club's record label, states that "The simple division is that Panorama Bar more or less caters to house... and Berghain is really the platform for purist techno."
In 2005 the club's owners started a record label, Ostgut Tonträger (or Ostgut Ton
). The label's first releases were by Berghain/Panorama Bar residents such as André Galluzzi, Cassy, and Ben Klock. In 2007, Berghain collaborated with the Berlin Staatsballet to create "Shut Up and Dance! Updated" a ballet for five dancers that was performed at the club in late June and early July. The ballet's soundtrack (released on Ostgut Ton on May 29) is made up of five specially composed tracks by prominent minimal techno artists such as Luciano, Âme, Sleeparchive and Luke Slater
(here using his pseudonym The 7th Plain) . The soundtrack received some positive reviews, including a five star review in The Guardian, although the ballet itself was panned by Resident Advisor
.
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
nightclub, named after its location on the border between Kreuzberg
Kreuzberg
Kreuzberg, a part of the combined Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg borough located south of Mitte since 2001, is one of the best-known areas of Berlin...
and Friedrichshain
Friedrichshain
Friedrichshain is a part of Berlin's borough of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, and like Kreuzberg across the river it has its own distinct character, with the result that the new double name is hardly ever used outside government administration. From its creation in 1920 until Berlin's 2001...
. Philip Sherburne
Philip Sherburne
Philip Sherburne is an American journalist, musician and DJ based in Barcelona. He coined the term "Microhouse" and appeared in the film Speaking In Code.-External links:* *...
described it in 2007 as "quite possibly the current world capital of techno, much as E-Werk
E-Werk
The E-Werk was a techno music club in Berlin, which was previously an electrical substation. Located near Checkpoint Charlie, it was for many years one of Berlin's most well known techno clubs. It closed on 24 July 1997....
or Tresor
Tresor
Tresor is an underground techno nightclub and record label. The club was founded in March 1991 in the vaults of the former old Wertheim department store in Mitte, the central part of the former East Berlin, next to the famous Potsdamer Platz, however the history of the club goes back to 1988 when...
were in their respective heydays."
Overview
Friedrichshain
Friedrichshain is a part of Berlin's borough of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, and like Kreuzberg across the river it has its own distinct character, with the result that the new double name is hardly ever used outside government administration. From its creation in 1920 until Berlin's 2001...
, behind the Berlin Ostbahnhof
Berlin Ostbahnhof
Berlin Ostbahnhof is a mainline railway station in Berlin, Germany. It is in Friedrichshain, now part of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district, and has undergone several name changes in its history. It was known as Berlin Hauptbahnhof from 1987 to 1998, a name now applied to Berlin's new central station...
railway station. The building is distinguished by its enormous dimensions, which accommodate an 18 meter high dancefloor and space for 1500 guests, and also its minimalist interior design
Interior design
Interior design describes a group of various yet related projects that involve turning an interior space into an effective setting for the range of human activities are to take place there. An interior designer is someone who conducts such projects...
, dominated by steel and concrete. The club contains a "cavernous" main room, as well as a smaller upstairs space called the Panorama Bar, which is decorated by enormous Wolfgang Tillmans
Wolfgang Tillmans
Wolfgang Tillmans is a German Fine-art photographer and artist. His comprehensive and diverse body of work is distinguished by observation of his surroundings and an ongoing investigation of the photographic medium’s foundations. In 2000, Tillmans was the first photographer and also the first...
photographs and tall windows with a view of East Berlin. Only half of the building is currently in use.(The second half of the building will soon be used as a concert hall)
Berghain has a strong reputation for decadence and hedonism; a New Zealand Herald article describes "people openly indulging in sexual acts" inside the club, and the basement contains a dark room
Dark room (sexuality)
A darkroom or dark room is a darkened room, sometimes located in a nightclub, gay bathhouse or sex club, where sexual activity can take place...
specifically set aside for that purpose. Photography is strictly forbidden. The door policy is selective and mostly random, but there are no VIP entrance or VIP areas. Special guestlist is restricted to a few guests for each dj and maximally two guests for each staff member. As a special feature, no mirrors or reflecting surfaces can be found anywhere in the club. Like many Berlin clubs, Berghain hosts extremely long events; a Philip Sherburne
Philip Sherburne
Philip Sherburne is an American journalist, musician and DJ based in Barcelona. He coined the term "Microhouse" and appeared in the film Speaking In Code.-External links:* *...
column in Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
describes a Carl Craig
Carl Craig
Carl Craig is a Detroit-based producer of techno music, and is considered to be one of the most important names in the Detroit second generation of techno producers and DJs...
set that began at 3:00 Sunday afternoon and continued until the club's ending time. Jesse Rose has described "Entering Panorama Bar is like going back in time to an age when people went out to really party."
History
Sexual fetishism
Sexual fetishism, or erotic fetishism, is the sexual arousal a person receives from a physical object, or from a specific situation. The object or situation of interest is called the fetish, the person a fetishist who has a fetish for that object/situation. Sexual fetishism may be regarded, e.g...
club night, called "Snax", which was held in different locations before it found its permanent home at the new club "Ostgut" as a part of a new concept. Quickly the "Ostgut" developed into a focal point of the Berlin techno-subculture since the venue was now open for all genders on regular nights except on those "Snax" club nights six to eight times a year. "Ostgut" closed down on January 6, 2003 following a 30-hour farewell event, and the former railway warehouse which housed it was subsequently demolished. Berghain opened in 2004. The name "Berghain" is a composite of the names of the two quarters, which flank the building south and north: Kreuzberg (former West Berlin) and Friedrichshain (former East Berlin). "Snax" is still held once a year on Holy Saturday in the main room (Berghain), while only the Panorama Bar is open for a mixed crowd.
Music
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
, tech house
Tech house
Tech house is a subgenre of house music that mixes elements of minimal techno into simple, 4-to-4 beats found in soulful deep house. The genre came to prominence in the late-1990s atmosphere of American clubs as soul influenced Detroit-style techno that also borrowed elements from house before...
, detroit techno
Detroit techno
Detroit techno is an early style of electronic music beginning in the 1980s. Detroit, Michigan has been cited as the birthplace of techno music. Prominent Detroit Techno artists include Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson...
, and minimal techno
Minimal techno
Minimal techno is a minimalist sub-genre of techno. It is characterized by a stripped-down aesthetic that exploits the use of repetition, and understated development. This style of dance music production generally adheres to the motto less is more; a principle that has been previously utilized, to...
. The Panorama Bar hosts well known house and electro DJs. Nick Höppner, a resident DJ who manages the club's record label, states that "The simple division is that Panorama Bar more or less caters to house... and Berghain is really the platform for purist techno."
In 2005 the club's owners started a record label, Ostgut Tonträger (or Ostgut Ton
Ostgut Ton
Ostgut Ton is the label owned by the club Berghain in Berlin. Nick Höppner is the label manager.The label's first releases were by Berghain/Panorama Bar residents such as André Galluzzi, Cassy, and Ben Klock....
). The label's first releases were by Berghain/Panorama Bar residents such as André Galluzzi, Cassy, and Ben Klock. In 2007, Berghain collaborated with the Berlin Staatsballet to create "Shut Up and Dance! Updated" a ballet for five dancers that was performed at the club in late June and early July. The ballet's soundtrack (released on Ostgut Ton on May 29) is made up of five specially composed tracks by prominent minimal techno artists such as Luciano, Âme, Sleeparchive and Luke Slater
Luke Slater
Luke Slater is an English electronic musician, DJ and record producer, who has concentrated on techno since the beginning of the 1990s....
(here using his pseudonym The 7th Plain) . The soundtrack received some positive reviews, including a five star review in The Guardian, although the ballet itself was panned by Resident Advisor
Resident Advisor
Resident Advisor is an online electronic music magazine dedicated to the global dance music scene. The website won a People's Voice award in the 12th Annual Webby Awards in 2008.-Site History:...
.
External links
- Official Website
- Ostgut Ton at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...