Clubs and Culture: A Journey through Berlin

The first time I stayed in a hostel, I didn't know what to expect. I'd heard through friends of the utter debauchery that went on in these places; no sleep, endless drinking, the real party lifestyle, and it first, it seemed the rumors were true. Despite the very noticeable sign in the hostel's reception saying 'NO DRINKS IN DORM ROOMS', nobody seemed to abide by these rules. However, it's far from the 24-hour party place that it's portrayed as in mainstream media and popular culture. Though of course, this wasn't a problem. We were in Berlin, the city that holds the crown for having the best clubs in Europe. So, with this in mind, we prepared ourselves to leave the hostel and get going. Of course, we decided on Berghain, a place famous for it's rigorous selection process on entry. That, and the world class DJ's they regularly host. So, we hopped on the world-famous Berlin U-Bahn. Sitting down, and seeing all of the twenty-somethings heading in the same direction, we couldn't help but wonder how many of these people were also Berghain hopefuls; they all spoke with heavy German accents, and there was something about these people that made them seem like Techno fans. We got the impression that these people knew Berghain, and had spent their fair share of nights in the building, dancing away, and that they had so much more chance of being granted access than us.

Half an hour later, we stood in the queue. Trying to look trendy. Trying to look cool. The abandoned factory loomed above us, simultaneously intimidating and awe-inspiring, as the distant 'boom, boom, boom' made its way out into the open air like the growl of some ginormous creature, an incredibly intense and fierce siren song. Suddenly, I began to fantasize about the music and the lights, being carried along by the steady rhythms and the energy of the crowd inside, the sheer passion and drive of the DJ. Heaven.

Eventually, we got to the front of the queue. The bouncer, emotionless, looked us up and down and spoke a sentence quickly in German. I looked him square in the eyes, as if something in them would grant me entrance to the club. Instead, he raised his hand and waves us aside: access denied.

Disheartened, we stood to the side, watching the lucky few being admitted, and decided what to do next. Eventually, we opted for another of Berlin's famous clubs, Watergate. But we couldn't help but think about Berghain, and what awaited those who were given access to that temple of Techno.