Thursday, January 10, 2013

Berghain Berlin Face Control


Photo source:media.pointoo.de


I was in Berghain on the 29th December 2012 (yesss haha) 


I read some mystical articles on the internet about what to avoid in order to get in: do not go in groups, do not talk too much or too loud while waiting in the line, avoid aggressive behavior or drunken folks. Of course already on the way there I met a group of very nice but drunk girls from the UK (no groups, remember?....lol) and we went together to Berghain, because I did not know where exactly Berghain is. When we got there I felt a bit like in a Soviet-documentary movie, because it was a place behind some Soviet-style block houses. The building where Berhain is now used to be a water plant.

When we arrived there was a huge line and you could only buy drinks but no cigarettes outside. It was Saturday evening which is said to be the hardest time to get in and I was again approached by a British group which now contained also a hysteric drunken girl (who did not get in at the end).

As we got closer to the door people were getting more and more silent and you could feel that everyone was getting nervous. I never really liked this type of "you are cool, but you are not cool enough"-type of face control, and i never thought that i will ever go to a place who applies these sort of rules, but I was curious about Berghain so I had to go through this process just like anyone else.

I was standing in the line looking up to Panorama Bar and dancing around in myself when I realized that Sven Marquardt noticed that I was staring in to his and the security people`s direction (of course he did, he is a photographer...) and then I thought that the chances that i get in are close to 0. When it was my turn I had to wait there like 5 seconds until SM said sg, the security guys even asked him if he is not letting in any women tonight or what. Then some people started a fight in the line and i turned there to have a look and when i turned back SM turned to the security people and said "she can get in".

After this there was a security check, i had to pay the entrance fee, got a stamp and left my stuff at the cloakroom.

------

I think the mystical atmosphere of Berghain is because of the selection process. After so much waiting and trouble you just appreciate the place you got in and you feel like being "one of the chosen ones" (which is of course based on an illusion and the random factor).

Some words about the inner architecture and the design: i was positively surprised because the place really looks unique, edgy and industrial, and there is nothing too posh what you would expect possibly from a place which has been elected the best club of the world. I felt like being in a design heaven.

It was interesting to me that you could buy drinks only with cash, because here in Finland we pay always with card in clubs. Luckily there were lot of taxis around Berghain and i could go out to Ostbahnhof to get some cash and come back.

I thought that I will like the Panorama Bar more but I liked the minimal techno dance floor more at the end. Marcel Dettmann was playing that night and he did some really good music.

The clothing style of the people was really diverse. I was wearing black jeans with a black long-sleeve designer blouse, and black boots plus some jewelry. Some people were wearing really sporty clothes, others had full sleeve tattoos and rock/metal clothing, other people had "normal" clothes. I really liked the diversity. The bartenders were friendly and there were no long lines at the bar.

Even though I went alone I got to know some people there and had the chance to talk to Sven Marquardt too several times during the evening. There were people from all over the world and the atmosphere was relaxed and friendly.

My best memory is when I was standing at the "balcony" at the stairs going up to the Panorama Bar (next to where the DJs where playing).  I was looking down to the people dancing on the big dance floor. The light was reflecting on their bodies, and made their movements show in slow-motion. The crowd looked amazing and with the music and lights the whole scene felt like being in a movie.

No comments:

Post a Comment