Stepping inside, you are met by a systematic, efficient yet surprisingly friendly cloakroom. In exchange for your personal belongings, you get a small metal medallion with a number stamped into it. In this moment you get a sense of being indoctrinated to what is known as the Church of Techno. The ground floor, rather fittingly, consists of a war memorial next to a staircase which leads you up towards the source of sonic, cosmic and in many ways primal sound.
Berghain’s power lies in its unique ability to self-manifest a reality within itself, in isolation from the disruptive, judgemental and expectation driven impressions of the outside world. There are no reflective surfaces inside of Berghain, meaning that the only constant you have left is ‘time’, which itself warps into an abyss almost instantaneously.
On this occasion, Function was at the helm of the famed DJ booth. Function has been a part of the underground techno scene for close to 20 years, taking charge of Sandwell District and most recently becoming an ever present member of the Ostgut Ton label. Early Sunday morning is a difficult spot for DJ’s to play in Berghain. There are still survivors from Saturday night occupying the dancefloor, whilst the fresh influx of dancers lurk in the shadows, becoming familiar with the frequencies whilst waiting for their moment to take centre stage in the stonewalled coliseum. At around 4pm, Function threw caution to the wind and played Rrose – Mirror. This 11 minute track creates an atmosphere of seething, vaporous sounds and a substantial and driving kick drum. It takes its time to build up a network of time warping synths, which are the trademark of Rrose’s unique sound.
Throughout the day, acts such as Happa (a 18 year old from Leeds, United Kingdom) and Kobosil (Marcel Dettmann Records/Ostgut Ton) showcased their respective styles, varying from step techno to heavier rock, cold wave and dark synth influenced sounds. Sunday evening brought Fidel to centre stage, an artist who has held residency at Berghain for an extended period. The confidence that has been shown in him by Berghain’s booking policy really reflected in the manner in which he played. He transitioned from track to track with a fluency and confidence that was noticeable, even to the sober mind. This was a fitting set up for the finale, which would be directed by Ostgut Ton, Klockworks and all round Berghain legend Ben Klock.
The anticipation in the air was palpable. The room at this point was swarming with people who made their way from all corners of the abandoned power plant to see the man who is perhaps, the most iconic figure in contemporary techno. Fidel soon ended his set to the cheers and appreciation of the dancefloor. Klock received a warm welcome to the DJ booth and began, rather surprisingly with a melodic acid track that was typical of the late 90’s era. This was a fitting beginning for a man that helped shape the identity of Berghain in the early 2000’s. Given that Berghain has no strict closing time, it was impossible to predict how long this marathon set would last.
Nine hours later and Klock was still playing techno track after techno track. The crowd had filtered through to the techno purest. It was in these final two hours that one got a sense of the magic that Berghain holds within itself. It was an exhibition in how to push the human body and mind to the very limits. There was a synergistic energy between the relentless, visceral sound emitting from the stack of Funktion One sound systems and those who had made it through to the final phase of the journey.
For those that chose to be in attendance during those hours, it was apparent that it is this desire for something higher that has etched Berghain into underground folklore. The atmosphere took on an apocalyptic feel, not in the ruthless sense, rather an exodus into death and rebirth. This primal feeling takes away from you all of the irrelevant, mentally draining baggage that we seem to accumulate throughout our lives in society. More than anything, Berghain offers an environment where you can be fully present in the moment, at least for a few hours
Once it is all over, you begin to reflect upon the concept of techno. The time spent watching people filter back into society whilst smoking in the courtyard, shielding eyes from the blinding sunlight in Dracula fashion, is perhaps the most beautiful part of the whole experience. You begin to wonder how it is possible to experience something so primal and powerful in modern day society, where only a few hundred metres away lies a public transport system which carries people to and from their sedentary jobs. During this period of re-adjustment to society, you feel a great sense of gratitude towards to the experience. To experience something so visceral is to an extent quiet surreal when you take into consideration the fact that it is occurring in a concrete building filled with people and sonic vibrations.
To appreciate the level of euphoria that can be found in the intimidating darkness of Berghain, it requires a certain degree of commitment. When you go to Berghain you go to stay.
Lupus
Listen to the sound of Berghain:
Function - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GviyP_F2RTE
Ben Klock - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saD7QHHMPfk
Ben Klock - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhTtizyUDTE