Berlin Atonal is the festival fuelling the electronic avant-garde
There’s hardly a festival that embodies Berlin’s free spirit better than Berlin Atonal. Launched in 1982 by Dimitri Heggemann at the legendary SO36 venue, Atonal quickly became synonymous with the radical avant-garde ethos of its programming, which featured the likes of Einstürzende Neubauten, Test Dept, Laibach, Psychic TV, 808 State, Die Haut and more.
Registration is now open for Ableton's LOOP 2020
Ableton's LOOP Summit returns to Berlin in 2020, having spent a year in LA in 2018. Registration is now open for the conference, taking place at a new venue Silent Green Kulturquartier and the adjoining contemporary art spaces Savvy, Ebensperger Rhomberg and Luxoom Lab on April 24th to 26th. Ableton are offering 80 subsidised passes which creators and music makers can apply for here, alongside Student, Summit and Youth passes.
The wild freedom of the ‘90s Berlin techno scene is charted in this new photo book
A new photo book documents the 1990s Berlin techno scene.
People are boycotting Berghain following changes in door policy
Berghain has been making some changes to its entry policy over the course of this month with the club opting to switch from its previous trusty stamping system to giving patrons wristbands upon entry to its lengthy Klubnacht parties.
Another change, which seems to have particularly got the backs up of some attendees, is the club's decision to introduce a €5 charge in order to re-enter the club. It was previously free to leave and come back and costs €18 to get in initially.
History of Berlin club culture to be explored in new exhibition, No Photos On The Dance Floor!
The history of Berlin club culture is explored in a new exhibition, fittingly entitled No Photos On The Dance Floor! Berlin 1989 - Today.
Taking place at C/O Berlin, in the German capital's Charlottenburg district, Felix and Heiko Hoffmann have curated a collection of images charting three decades of nightlife and rave in the city.
Swedish House Mafia announce Berlin pop-up store
Swedish House Mafia have announced a new Berlin pop-up store.
Hosted by 032c Workshop, the store will feature a range of bespoke, exclusive items that will only be sold ahead of their headline Lollapalooza Berlin show on Saturday, 7th September. It will open between 10am-7pm on Friday, 6th September and 7th September.
The address for the pop-up is Alexandrinenstrase 118-121 at 10969 Berlin.
Native Instruments lays off 20% of staff ahead of 'fully integrated platform' launch
Ahead of the 2020 launch of a "new, unified and fully integrated platform", Berlin-based music tech company Native Instruments have reportedly laid off around 20% of their staff. The redundancies will impact the teams across the sales, marketing, administration and engineering departments.
There’s a flea market dedicated to rare synths in Berlin next month
A flea market for rare synthesizers and modular equipment is being held in Berlin next month.
Taking place on the 1st September at Fabriktheater Moabit in the city's Mitte district, the event is being hosted by Berlin collective Sonic Ground and will run from 3PM until 9PM.
The flea market will be free entry, with sellers able to take advantage of making sales on a no-fee basis.
Alongside the sale of rare synths and equipment, the event will also feature live improvisitions and DJ sets from members of Sonic Ground, including h1, Oblique and Huelkerve.
Berlin Atonal finalises 2019 line-up with Mala, rRoxymore, Forest Drive West, more
Berlin’s Atonal Festival has capped its incredible 2019 lineup.
The latest additions include rRoxymore, Forest Drive West and Mala, who join previously announced names like Bambounou, Buttechno, Objekt + Ezra Miller, SHYBOI, Terrence Dixon, James Ruskin, Umwelt, Solid Blake, and Fever AM founders Mor Elian and Rhyw, who’ll play back-to-back.
Atonal takes place from August 28 to September 1 at the cavernous and industrial Kraftwerk.
The techno sound of Naples
"For us it was... where everything started from. It was in the middle of mountains, so you have that view from the stage. The first time they did a party for two days, there were people with caravans, tents — it was that kind of rave.”
“Everything that is around you influences you. Think about Berlin — it’s very dark, the city is quite like that. In Napoli, we have sun, sea... it’s more Latin. So maybe we are bringing that through,” Madonna says, explaining how the lush-yet-gritty landscape might impact the city’s aural output. He seems to have forgotten industrial might.
We’re told Neapolitans have a phrase — wherever you go, there is always Coca-Cola, Martini and someone from Naples. As much as the port brings in, it puts out, leading to a roaming band of dedicated local disciples at any date in the world, that books someone from the city. But a trade deficit has also emerged. The demise of clubs such as Old River and the 5,000-capacity indoor Metropolis betray a wider struggle in the dance community.
Markantonio, meanwhile, is still in Naples’ charmingly crumbling centre. Like Madonna, he’s proud of the city and its identity, but agrees there are issues. “Everything we do here is 10 times more difficult than in Holland or Germany or wherever.” Genny Mosca also understands. After two decades in the Neapolitan promotions game, while running a label and artist agency, he’s seen all sides of the dance industry.
