i am an american living in berlin since a few months ago, and i finally was able to get into berghain (after a few failed attempts) and it was such a wonderful experience.
i’ve probably had one of the worst months of my (short) life and to make myself feel better, i decided to go solo clubbing since it really helps to dance, chat with people, and physically just be in touch with my body.
I arrived Sunday morning (right after midnight) where there was already a super queue and I had to wait two hours. When I got the front, one of the bouncers asked for my ID and saw we are from the same area back home, which is always fun to know and made me really happy. The bouncer also said I had a baby face…which isn’t always fun to hear, but still sweet to say.
I’m sad to admit that I enjoyed my time there so well (I was hoping it would be overrated), and I met and talked to so many amazing, beautiful people. The dancefloor was immaculate, sound system is really dope, and I learned so much about techno/berlin nightlife from people. I sadly couldn’t continue all the way till closing, but will try in the future.
I’m not sure when I’ll try to go to another KN, but at least I know the vibes will be immaculate.
Also a random side note: going out in Berlin makes me so excited to be older ❤️
Awesome! Glad you made it. Still, after20 years, every time I leave BH on Monday morning, the thought that a place like this exists (especially in Germany) is super surreal. Don’t know if that changes if you’re someone going every weekend (probably yes) but as me, who always went no more than 10 times a year (now as an audio engineer with two kids only 1-2) it’s always a blessing. I’d recommend not exaggerating it and keep that delight close to you :) And: If you want to stay for the closing + want to avoid queueing too long -> Sleep well and get solid rest from Sat to Sun, have a solid breakfast, pack magnesium and stuff and then queue Sunday morning easily at 9.30am or so. This comes with the advantage on top that you can queue again if the the door shift had changed around 11. dunno if these times are still valid but I think so.
Welcome aboard, captain 🥰
You describe your experience in the most delightful way, thanks for sharing it
I've gone to Berghain solo and it's the absolute best.
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well, i get that point. I have been to central and south america and legit everyone hates it when people from the USA call themselves "american" but don't act very american if you pay attention to their politics :D
welcome to the club man (literally and figuratively) 😉
What do you mean “you are American”?
Like… okay? Mexican? Canadian? Texan? Californian? Why is that even relevant here?
And starting with that already shows the misunderstanding.
Techno isn’t a nationality badge, a personality trait or a milestone you unlock after X failed Berghain attempts.
Techno (at least in Berlin) is:
It’s anonymity, respect, endurance, letting go of ego and expectations.
It’s a subculture that lives from restraint, not narration.
That said:
Glad you had a good night. Glad dancing helped. Glad you met kind people.
That part is real, and that part is fine.
Just don’t confuse having a great time with understanding what techno means.
Those are two very different things.
But hey...still happy it meant something to you
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What I was reacting to was mainly the phrase “I am American.”
That framing is inherently ethnocentric.....it centers one country as the default for an entire continent...It already signals a cultural blind spot, and that’s where the cynicism comes from.
This is not about denying anyoness experience or joy.
Itss about pointing out how language reflects perspective....especially in spaces that value anonymity over identity labels.
Call it harsh if you want.
Its still a fair observation.
what is wrong with you? saying they are american isn’t ethnocentric, just like saying you are european, asian, african, etc isn’t. it says what area of the world you come from, which could be important for context when someone is trying to say they haven’t experienced anything like that before because maybe such an experience can’t be found (easily) where they are from.
also, these spaces aren’t anonymous in the sense that you are trying to make it. our identities are us, and we can’t strip them or lose them simply by walking into a space that plays a center genre of music.
your comment is simply unnecessary and annoying. you are not a pleasant person and are definitely unsafe. you should not be in these spaces.
oh wow, this is getting interessting :) :) :)
let me just mirror your comment real quick so you can maybe see how it sounds from the outside.
thats not an argument. thats just starting with an insult.
yeah… that comparison doesnt really work. europe / asia / africa = continents.
the US = a country. using one nation as the default name for a whole continent is literally how ethnocentric thinking works btw.
not really. “american” is super vague and very centered.
it avoids being specific instead of adding context.
no one said identities magically disappear.
anonymity just means identities are not centered - espically not nationality as some kind of narrative badge.
cool, thats your feeling. still not a counter-argument.
and here is where it gets wild.
calling someone “unsafe” because you dont like their critique and then telling them they dont belong is actual gatekeeping. ironic, no?
so yeah, just to end this very clearly:
if disagreement already feels unsafe, then whats being asked for isnt safety — its silence.
silence that protects comfort, not people
Completely bananas
This is quite an odd thing to write…