Berlin Post #3: The Berghain

Aah, the Berghain, the Berghain — where do I begin with this one? At base, the Berghain is a club/bar. But it is no more a regular club/bar than Avatar is a regular movie. In the same way that the 3-D version of Avatar seems to have the supernatural ability to transport its viewers to another world, so does the Berghain seem to have the ability to transport its visitors to a whole other plane of existence. And this does not just apply to those of its visitors who chose to partake in the questionable substances known to be sold there from time to time. Thanks to its two giant dance floors, multiple bars, world-class DJs, smoothie- and sandwich-café, dark room (another Berlin specialty, though not for the light-of-heart), brain-gelifying speakers and the fact that it is open 24 hrs/day on the weekends, the Berghain is one-of-a-kind in its ability to make those within its walls feel like the rest of the world has ceased to exist.

To give you an idea of the Berghain’s popularity: on a recent flight from London to Berlin, I couldn’t help but notice that the body of the man sitting next to me was covered in tattoos. This I knew because he was wearing a tank top (Note: the only people for whom a sleeveless shirt should be considered acceptable plane attire are babies.) Anyway, I also couldn’t help but notice that this man was listening to techno music on his iPod at a decibel level usually reserved for the hard-of-hearing. Before debarking in Berlin, I had to ask him what had brought him to the city. “The Berghain,” he said in a perfectly posh British accent, “I am going to the Berghain.”

This, I later learned, has become a popular pass time for residents of all ages of many European capitals: booking a round-trip flight to Berlin on the weekend, arriving on Friday evening and departing Sunday. Beyond this, no planning is done: no hotels booked, no restaurant reservations made, no cars rented. These adventurers simply hop off the plane in Berlin and head straight for the Berghain, where they proceed to spend the next 48 hours straight dancing, drinking, and experiencing all that is the Berghain, at the end of which time they head straight back to the airport.

Lucky for most of you, this sort of intensity is not necessary if all you want to do is get a taste of the Berghain. For some fantastic electronic music and the opportunity to dance to your heart’s content, just get in line. The wait to get in can last upwards of 2 hours on Friday and Saturday nights, but it is well worth it, especially if what you’re after is a uniquely Berlin experience. Alternately, you can always go after a relaxed Sunday brunch (as mentioned, the Berghain is opened 24 hrs/day on the weekends), at which point the line is usually much shorter. Forget about getting on the guest list – there is none, thanks to the fact that no one knows who owns the place and the doormen couldn’t care less who you are. For the address and DJ line-up (unfortunately no pictures  – they’re not allowed inside), visit http://berghain.de/