Clubs
So you came to Berlin for the nightlife? Welcome to the club.
Berlins clubs are arguably the city's most important contribution to the nation; the German government ranks a distant second. The variety and numbers are the best in the world. All styles and scenes are celebrated. Unlike NYC, London, and Paris, the cover is cheap, dress code tends to be lax when existant, and there are parties at all times. AT ALL TIMES. It's... it's beautiful.
Today, electronic music is the dominant breed. The rock club is in no danger of extinction, but it is the Era Of The DJ nonetheless. Electro pervades all corners, from the throbbing floors of GMF (every Sunday in Week-end) and Berghain to 'underground'outdoor parties in courtyards and parks all across town. Reunification led to the discovery by DJs and record labels of scores of giant, empty, ownerless buildings all across East Berlin; the outcome was predictable. Real estate was not-all-that-legally occupied, decks and speakers were installed, and clubs opened; when the police came to shut them down, they shrugged, picked up their equipment, and moved it elsewhere.
Today things have stabilized a bit, and the days of Praxis Dr. McKoy, the Walfisch, the Bunker (a WWII-bunker-cum-gabba-punk-apocalypse), the E-Werk and yes, even beloved Tresor are over. Their anarchic party-loving legacy, however, remains honoured by the survivors, and the birth rate of new clubs shows no sign of slowing. Some club goers even argue that we are witnessing a renaissance of sorts, as the visuals get better and better and the genre of electronica continues to mature.
Berlin is very relaxed with entry and dress-codes, but a word of warning, most of the bigger clubs will not allow large numbers in at the same time, so the sensible thing to do is to split into smaller, mixed sex (where possible) groups and go in seperately. Do not worry if the guy on the door says no, as you can see from the lists below there are plenty of other options and keep your ear out for any local, underground parties as these are the best place to discover what Berlin is and was.
Now dance.
