Berlin Bashed
My recent trip to Berlin for New Years provided me with an opportunity to exercise my new toy a Fuji digital camera. It's really good in low light and easily pocketable, so I'm looking forward to some good gig photos during 2007. Anyways, here's a few photos and words regarding the Berlin trip.
A bust of Karl Marx at Strausberger Platz on Karl-Marx Allee. This 90 meter wide boulevarde (Stalinallee until 1961) was the greatest flourish of the East German Government's pomposity. The boulevarde was built from scratch between 1952 - 1965 from a blank canvas of utter deriliction along the artery where the Soviet Army grinded their way into Berlin during WWII. The gargantuan apartment blocks lining the Allee on both sides were known as Volkspaläste (People's Palaces) as they offered conveniences such as running hot water, central heating and lifts. A 2KM walk along this boulevarde can really immerse you in the awe that the East German government tried to project upon its citizens and it's an unmissable facet of Berlin.
This 25 meter tall aquarium is the largest cylindrical aquarium in the world and is home to 2,500 tropical fish. There is a glass lift which rises directly through the centre of it. Only in Berlin would you find such a beast in the lobby of a Radisson SAS hotel!
The roof of the Sony Centre at Potsdamer Platz. This thing looks like a massive umbrella which gently floated down to rest on the surrounding high rise buildings. It's an intricate design and slowly morphs colour at night. It's the centre piece of one of Berlin's largest regeneration projects, Potsdamer Platz which is now one of the most modern and stylish areas of Berlin.
In the foreground is the recently opened Holocaust Memorial just south of the Brandenburg Gate and in the background The Reichstag, Germany's immensly impressive and regenerated parliament building. You can see the Reichstag here in the background complete with its huge glass dome which you can walk to a viewing platform at the top of.
The Entertainment options for New Year's night were prolific, but there was only one place to be in town, Berghain/Panoramabar. The place has to be seen to be believed and I don't know anyone who's ever seen anything close to it. You'll just have to go!
The running order for the New Year's Eve Party in Berghain/Panoramabar was something like:
Berghain
1:00 h – 5:00 h Marcel Dettmann
5:00 h – 8:00 h Ben Klock
8:00 h – 12:00 h Andre Galluzzi
12:00 h – 15:00 h Len Faki
15:00 h – Ende Luke Slater
Panorama Bar
1:00 h – 5:00 h Margaret Dygas
5:00 h – 6:00 h Tobias&A Guy Called Gerald (live)
6:00 h – 10:00 h Cassy
10:00 h – 14:00 h Nick Höppner
14:00 h – 17:00 h Boris
17:00 h – 20:00 h Prosumer
20:00 h – 24:00 h (ende) Tama Sumo und nd_baumecker
We got out of there about 6p.m. on Monday evening. I think my body clock has just about recovered today, but I'd do it all again at the slightest opportunity. In the Panoramabar Tobias & A Guy Called Gerald put on an awesome live set, Nick Höppner and Boris put on very different but equally blinding DJ sets while downstairs in Berghain Ben Clock and Andre Galluzi got everyone losing themselves on the dancefloor with relentless abandon. Record of the night had to be Hearthrob's 2006 release Baby Kate which went down like a 10,000 volt sandwich among the revelers when aired in different sets on both floors.
I'm off to check the next window of opportunity for a long weekend + cheap flights to Berlin. In the meantime for a Berlin fix, Dubliners can look forward to the visit of My My (Nick Höppner, Carsten Klemann and Lee Jones) on February 3rd. Although they're touring their widely acclaimed 2006 debut album as My My live, according to their myspace page we'll hopefully get a DJ set afterwards from either Klemann or Höppner, both regulars at Panoramabar and Watergate in Berlin - either would be very welcome!
tags: music, berlin
Published by Paul.
A bust of Karl Marx at Strausberger Platz on Karl-Marx Allee. This 90 meter wide boulevarde (Stalinallee until 1961) was the greatest flourish of the East German Government's pomposity. The boulevarde was built from scratch between 1952 - 1965 from a blank canvas of utter deriliction along the artery where the Soviet Army grinded their way into Berlin during WWII. The gargantuan apartment blocks lining the Allee on both sides were known as Volkspaläste (People's Palaces) as they offered conveniences such as running hot water, central heating and lifts. A 2KM walk along this boulevarde can really immerse you in the awe that the East German government tried to project upon its citizens and it's an unmissable facet of Berlin.
This 25 meter tall aquarium is the largest cylindrical aquarium in the world and is home to 2,500 tropical fish. There is a glass lift which rises directly through the centre of it. Only in Berlin would you find such a beast in the lobby of a Radisson SAS hotel!
The roof of the Sony Centre at Potsdamer Platz. This thing looks like a massive umbrella which gently floated down to rest on the surrounding high rise buildings. It's an intricate design and slowly morphs colour at night. It's the centre piece of one of Berlin's largest regeneration projects, Potsdamer Platz which is now one of the most modern and stylish areas of Berlin.
In the foreground is the recently opened Holocaust Memorial just south of the Brandenburg Gate and in the background The Reichstag, Germany's immensly impressive and regenerated parliament building. You can see the Reichstag here in the background complete with its huge glass dome which you can walk to a viewing platform at the top of.
The Entertainment options for New Year's night were prolific, but there was only one place to be in town, Berghain/Panoramabar. The place has to be seen to be believed and I don't know anyone who's ever seen anything close to it. You'll just have to go!
The running order for the New Year's Eve Party in Berghain/Panoramabar was something like:
Berghain
1:00 h – 5:00 h Marcel Dettmann
5:00 h – 8:00 h Ben Klock
8:00 h – 12:00 h Andre Galluzzi
12:00 h – 15:00 h Len Faki
15:00 h – Ende Luke Slater
Panorama Bar
1:00 h – 5:00 h Margaret Dygas
5:00 h – 6:00 h Tobias&A Guy Called Gerald (live)
6:00 h – 10:00 h Cassy
10:00 h – 14:00 h Nick Höppner
14:00 h – 17:00 h Boris
17:00 h – 20:00 h Prosumer
20:00 h – 24:00 h (ende) Tama Sumo und nd_baumecker
We got out of there about 6p.m. on Monday evening. I think my body clock has just about recovered today, but I'd do it all again at the slightest opportunity. In the Panoramabar Tobias & A Guy Called Gerald put on an awesome live set, Nick Höppner and Boris put on very different but equally blinding DJ sets while downstairs in Berghain Ben Clock and Andre Galluzi got everyone losing themselves on the dancefloor with relentless abandon. Record of the night had to be Hearthrob's 2006 release Baby Kate which went down like a 10,000 volt sandwich among the revelers when aired in different sets on both floors.
I'm off to check the next window of opportunity for a long weekend + cheap flights to Berlin. In the meantime for a Berlin fix, Dubliners can look forward to the visit of My My (Nick Höppner, Carsten Klemann and Lee Jones) on February 3rd. Although they're touring their widely acclaimed 2006 debut album as My My live, according to their myspace page we'll hopefully get a DJ set afterwards from either Klemann or Höppner, both regulars at Panoramabar and Watergate in Berlin - either would be very welcome!
tags: music, berlin
Published by Paul.
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