Berlin has a lively techno and house scene with roots to punk and ideals of revolution, progress, and change. Throughout the city you will find “unique” individuals with artistic silver metal jewelry, doc martens, eyeshadow and eyeliner, pixie and wolf cuts, giving off an alternative mood. As you walk down the streets you will happen upon beer gardens and coffee shops filled with plants, relaxing music lacking words, and a cool looking worker dressed in all black with red or platinum blond hair making your organic coffee and handing you your muesli/yogurt. Parks and funky thrift stores line the streets, jazz music spills out of little cafes where friends sit sharing spritzes in summer, couples pushing baby carriages walk along the brick streets, modern yet aged. A city with so much history, before a strict dictatorship marked by control and prejudice, now completely the opposite, filled with quirky individuals who go out at night dressed in all black or strange kinky outfits, experimenting with drugs, music, and enjoying drinks, a place where it is harder to get into a club as a straight man than a girl or gay. This is summer in Berlin.
I was first introduced to this scene by my wonderful friend Gianna. A lively girl with a big brown afro who loves to dance, laugh, shop, and explore. A couple summers ago we went on a trip together to Ireland and Germany. It was completely her idea but I’m the friend you come to when you want someone who’s down for anything (the yes woman). Our trip combined hostels, bar crawls with work exchange in the countryside.
However, entering into clubs in Berlin is a little unusual. Depending on the club you aim to go to, the dress code is different. For example, for Kit Kat, you must dress what they deem “kinky”. Usually all black with little clothing. But for Sisyphous, the dress code is colorful and expressive. I was told upon arriving at the hostel that my sneakers would not cut it, I would immediately be rejected. When I asked others at the hostel who went out the night before, these girls from New Zealand replied that I needed black boots and could thrift some at a shop down the street.
You may ask, what’s with the strange dresscode and why do some get rejected even when seemingly dressed properly? Well first off, the techno and house scene goes back decades in Germany, the aim, from what I’ve gathered, is to preserve the techno scene. The purpose is to enjoy music, be authentic, experiment, have fun, and most importantly be safe. Bouncers may ask what artist you are interested in seeing. They always make it clear that risky dress and expressing yourself is allowed but harassing or making others feel uncomfortable is strictly prohibited.
But then there are times when you may ask, is this strict border to admission necessary? Is it a crime to not let all who want to, enjoy the music? Some clubs may reject you simply off your vibe. You need to be cool and confident while not being performative or a threat to the scene they are looking to preserve. If you are deemed worthy to enter, you are always required to handover your phone or cover your camera with a sticker, so you don’t spoil the experience for others. That way, any crazy acts are kept secret. Essentially what happens in whatever abandoned warehouse club or underground bunker stays there. What do you think? Would you visit Berlin?
