Well its getting to that time where Charlie realizes he has no money, no prospects of any and no housing for October... so I'm jumping ship and coming home to Glasgow. It was inevitable though wasn't it, did Ali actually have a sweep stake? Bastard. I'll be sad to leave - Berlin's been good to me (though not good enough to give me a fucking job!) and I pretty much just love this place. But I'm excited about Glasgow as well. I get to see you all guys again* and have a bunch of plans for what I'm going to do and that's always fun.
I've been entertaing everyone's favorite Sikh this past week and, hell, we've had a ball. We shaved him a moustache and drankl Berlin dry of cheep beer. We went swimming in thee Spree -not quite as bad as swimming in the Clyde, but approximate, we saw boobies -some pretty ladies followed us in, I got kissed - yay!, we took photos, we lost photos, we drank, we daced, we climbed on monstertrucks, we did too much speed, we danced to Ellan Allien at miday on sunday morning, WE SAW CONOR OBERST, HE WAS GOOD. We talked about Real Police, we talked about love affairs and marrige, buisness plans and ageing.
we drank a lot.
So... yeah, got an interview over a webcam with the skinny tomorrow to try and blag a job as clb editor which would be cool. Just finished a new mix which i'll put up on conetoaster along with the new album by Gang Gang Dance (cuz its ace), and I'll be seeing you all soon.
* Yeah I know that I'm talking to about 2 folk who might actually read this blog, but you know what i mean....
Thursday, 18 September 2008
Saturday, 6 September 2008
and I'm spent
here's a short piece i wrote about villalobos/panorama. I'm going to use it in applying for a job so if you've got any suggestions on making it better let me know.
A Night in Berlin
Ricardo Villalobos @ Panorama Bar 5/9/08
There’s a funny way of going about things in Berlin. Glaswegians like to party -but here they just don’t stop, and nobody seems to want to stop them. Having a wee nap before heading out around 4am is perfectly acceptable and a ‘midnight-open end’ door policy is the norm. It takes a little getting used to, but once you do it starts to sort of makes sense – and nothing and nowhere is more suited to Berlin’s 24-hour party aesthetic than Mr Ricardo Villalobos in Berghain’s Panorama Bar.
Ricardo is something of a poster boy for the sunglasses at night minimal party kids – and on arriving at the place it was a bit worrying to see the multitude of drunken trendy/pushy types sprawled all over. The path to the front door was blocked by some cops dealing with a leather jacket wearing, highly hair-cutted young party casualty (who we later saw being thrown out again by an incredibly irate and incredibly large security guard), and on entering the club my friend saw some unfortunate getting punched in the back of the head. Police and punching at Berghain? Its really not meant to be that sort of place.
Berghain is in the strange position of being one of the world’s most famous purveyors of underground club music. Few would claim that the back-to-roots-yet-updated techno of Berghain and its in house label Ostgut Ton, as pushed by Marcel Dettmann’s mix CD or Shed’s new solo album, is really a commercial sound – but it is certainly making waves within the electronic music world. Furthermore, few would argue that a club with such a strict door policy that originated out of, and still to an extent embraces, a quasi-legal men only S&M party could ever really be called mainstream.
Yet Berghain’s clubnights are legendary: the wild hedonistic activities freely engaged in within the club’s dark corners and corridors, the non-stop drug-fuelled parties, and even the menacing power station architecture all add to the mystique and excitement that surrounds the club. In a city that is famous for its techno, Berghain has become one of its leading landmarks. But under such hefty media attention and hype is the club in danger of becoming chiefly a tourist attraction, devoid of the grit and edge that first pushed it into the limelight?
Firstly, I must point out that tonight is not actually even in Berghain, but in its little sister venue the Panorama Bar. Downstairs, in Berghain, it’s a much bigger and darker affair. Pounding techno, leather, and a largely topless male crowd who’ve been coming here for years dominate. Its fun and its hardcore and really not in danger of being over run by anyone whose not suited to it –its that sort of place. However, located on the top floor of the building, the Panorama bar takes a less purist techno stance, catering for a more minimal/house/party vibe with a mixed crowed rather than downstairs’ predominantly, though certainly not exclusively, gay audience.
Ricardo is often called a minimal artist and this is primarily down to his productions –his fabric mix and recent Vasco EP testify to this, but as a DJ it is far from accurate. Sure, there are plenty of beeps and clicks but this is a far cry from Hawtin’s cold, effects-drenched technological monotony. Ricardo plays house music: deep, warm and full of love -music with trumpets, vocals, Latino drums and frequent trips into altogether more psychedelic territory. He does it with just two turntables and he drives the crowd wild.
I’m not sure what time Villalobos started –the place was a heaving mess and getting near the booth while still having a good dance was pretty unrealistic, but by 5am peak-time winners like Sis’s Trumpet and the A-side from La Pena’s newish 12” had folk going silly. He then took things a bit deeper and with extended breaks and slightly off kilter strings before releasing the much anticipated drop to mass hysteria from the floor. I’m not sure what makes him so good, whether its his track selection, creative mixing or just shear experience in making a club dance, but whatever it is everyone in the room seemed to agree: we’re having a pretty fucking great time.
After that Ricardo took a break for a while and a surprisingly fresh faced Zip hit the decks. Similar in style to Ricardo, Zip enjoyed that special time in a Berlin night when the dance floor starts to thin, when casualties go home and where a dedicated, considerate and friendly party crowd remains. And remain they did. By this time the journalist in me had switched off and the sound system (which in both Berghain and Panorama is truly outstanding) owned all. I do know that at some point Ricardo came back on and really let things go wild with very spacey yet funky rhythms twisting you up and taking you out of your mind, pushing people on in there dance-trance energy. It’s at this stage of the night that I think the true face of Berghain/panorama shows itself. It is no longer a tourist destination or a hipster hangout, though of course there are still both tourists and hipsters. It’s a place where people come to dance and celebrate. I’m reminded all the smiling sweaty faces I met of every sort imaginable: an equally heavily tattooed father and daughter lounging and talking in the smoking area; a British dubstep producer raving about his first visit to Berlin; a beautiful Brazilian designer inviting me to an afterparty and an excitable Romanian festival promoter I met the night before at a riverside party with Philip Sherburne. This is really what makes the club special – not hyped up hipster hysteria, drunk on the idea of the hedonistic legend of the place and the DJ, but the people who were actually still there at 2:30 Saturday afternoon, dancing. Ricardo did us proud, as, I think, we did him.
A Night in Berlin
Ricardo Villalobos @ Panorama Bar 5/9/08
There’s a funny way of going about things in Berlin. Glaswegians like to party -but here they just don’t stop, and nobody seems to want to stop them. Having a wee nap before heading out around 4am is perfectly acceptable and a ‘midnight-open end’ door policy is the norm. It takes a little getting used to, but once you do it starts to sort of makes sense – and nothing and nowhere is more suited to Berlin’s 24-hour party aesthetic than Mr Ricardo Villalobos in Berghain’s Panorama Bar.
Ricardo is something of a poster boy for the sunglasses at night minimal party kids – and on arriving at the place it was a bit worrying to see the multitude of drunken trendy/pushy types sprawled all over. The path to the front door was blocked by some cops dealing with a leather jacket wearing, highly hair-cutted young party casualty (who we later saw being thrown out again by an incredibly irate and incredibly large security guard), and on entering the club my friend saw some unfortunate getting punched in the back of the head. Police and punching at Berghain? Its really not meant to be that sort of place.
Berghain is in the strange position of being one of the world’s most famous purveyors of underground club music. Few would claim that the back-to-roots-yet-updated techno of Berghain and its in house label Ostgut Ton, as pushed by Marcel Dettmann’s mix CD or Shed’s new solo album, is really a commercial sound – but it is certainly making waves within the electronic music world. Furthermore, few would argue that a club with such a strict door policy that originated out of, and still to an extent embraces, a quasi-legal men only S&M party could ever really be called mainstream.
Yet Berghain’s clubnights are legendary: the wild hedonistic activities freely engaged in within the club’s dark corners and corridors, the non-stop drug-fuelled parties, and even the menacing power station architecture all add to the mystique and excitement that surrounds the club. In a city that is famous for its techno, Berghain has become one of its leading landmarks. But under such hefty media attention and hype is the club in danger of becoming chiefly a tourist attraction, devoid of the grit and edge that first pushed it into the limelight?
Firstly, I must point out that tonight is not actually even in Berghain, but in its little sister venue the Panorama Bar. Downstairs, in Berghain, it’s a much bigger and darker affair. Pounding techno, leather, and a largely topless male crowd who’ve been coming here for years dominate. Its fun and its hardcore and really not in danger of being over run by anyone whose not suited to it –its that sort of place. However, located on the top floor of the building, the Panorama bar takes a less purist techno stance, catering for a more minimal/house/party vibe with a mixed crowed rather than downstairs’ predominantly, though certainly not exclusively, gay audience.
Ricardo is often called a minimal artist and this is primarily down to his productions –his fabric mix and recent Vasco EP testify to this, but as a DJ it is far from accurate. Sure, there are plenty of beeps and clicks but this is a far cry from Hawtin’s cold, effects-drenched technological monotony. Ricardo plays house music: deep, warm and full of love -music with trumpets, vocals, Latino drums and frequent trips into altogether more psychedelic territory. He does it with just two turntables and he drives the crowd wild.
I’m not sure what time Villalobos started –the place was a heaving mess and getting near the booth while still having a good dance was pretty unrealistic, but by 5am peak-time winners like Sis’s Trumpet and the A-side from La Pena’s newish 12” had folk going silly. He then took things a bit deeper and with extended breaks and slightly off kilter strings before releasing the much anticipated drop to mass hysteria from the floor. I’m not sure what makes him so good, whether its his track selection, creative mixing or just shear experience in making a club dance, but whatever it is everyone in the room seemed to agree: we’re having a pretty fucking great time.
After that Ricardo took a break for a while and a surprisingly fresh faced Zip hit the decks. Similar in style to Ricardo, Zip enjoyed that special time in a Berlin night when the dance floor starts to thin, when casualties go home and where a dedicated, considerate and friendly party crowd remains. And remain they did. By this time the journalist in me had switched off and the sound system (which in both Berghain and Panorama is truly outstanding) owned all. I do know that at some point Ricardo came back on and really let things go wild with very spacey yet funky rhythms twisting you up and taking you out of your mind, pushing people on in there dance-trance energy. It’s at this stage of the night that I think the true face of Berghain/panorama shows itself. It is no longer a tourist destination or a hipster hangout, though of course there are still both tourists and hipsters. It’s a place where people come to dance and celebrate. I’m reminded all the smiling sweaty faces I met of every sort imaginable: an equally heavily tattooed father and daughter lounging and talking in the smoking area; a British dubstep producer raving about his first visit to Berlin; a beautiful Brazilian designer inviting me to an afterparty and an excitable Romanian festival promoter I met the night before at a riverside party with Philip Sherburne. This is really what makes the club special – not hyped up hipster hysteria, drunk on the idea of the hedonistic legend of the place and the DJ, but the people who were actually still there at 2:30 Saturday afternoon, dancing. Ricardo did us proud, as, I think, we did him.
Monday, 1 September 2008
hey, here are some pictures my sister took while she was here:
(me looking like a spaz by the east side gallery)
(thats like where watergate is, and thats pretty cool)
(thats Brandenburger Tor its pretty famous and shit)
(Thats me (looking like a spaz) wandering through the jewish war memorial thing which is actually very good. if you come make me show you it)
(thats a delapidated former seat of power which has a pretty funny story that i'm too drunk to type right now.... make me tell you if you come here.
all for now. but i think i'll be posting a mix tomorrow which will show you what filthy berlin has done to meeeeeeee.
(me looking like a spaz by the east side gallery)
(thats like where watergate is, and thats pretty cool)
(thats Brandenburger Tor its pretty famous and shit)
(Thats me (looking like a spaz) wandering through the jewish war memorial thing which is actually very good. if you come make me show you it)
(thats a delapidated former seat of power which has a pretty funny story that i'm too drunk to type right now.... make me tell you if you come here.all for now. but i think i'll be posting a mix tomorrow which will show you what filthy berlin has done to meeeeeeee.
Saturday, 30 August 2008
hey ho
had my sister staying for a few days which has been lovely, fooding, boozing and exploring. got to take her around and pretend like i know the place, which she humoured rather well i think. last weekend was pretty epic - spent most of it in berghain again think i got to see radioslave and redshape which was pretty fucking great -though i must admit i can't remember radioslave all that well... then on sunday there was a big free techno festival in the park just around the corner from me so i went on to that which, although it was rainy, was super fun and hada great vibe -there were loads of families and children playing around as the adults grooved to the housemusic, currywurst and cheep beer. man i love this town.
going to have a quiet week as i finally am making some progress making music and doing some writing -its certainly not great but it feels good to be doing some.
as to work it looks really unlikely, so current plan is coming back mid october to save up and apply to loads of internships starting over here in april, so fingers crossed...
i get to see villalobos for pretty much all of next weekend so i'm staying in till then - so so so excited! then jas is coming here 9th-19 so that'll be a ball. happy days.
going to have a quiet week as i finally am making some progress making music and doing some writing -its certainly not great but it feels good to be doing some.
as to work it looks really unlikely, so current plan is coming back mid october to save up and apply to loads of internships starting over here in april, so fingers crossed...
i get to see villalobos for pretty much all of next weekend so i'm staying in till then - so so so excited! then jas is coming here 9th-19 so that'll be a ball. happy days.
Thursday, 21 August 2008
updates
Drinking: Sternburg Export (€o.60 get in!); rum and coke from lidle and wonderful "Mexican Libre" Coctails from a bar called Cake in Kruezberg.
Reading: Henry Miller, William Boyd and the internet.
Travel: old rickety bicycle no.1
Dancing: In Berghain to stuff that sounds like this
watching: I watched Wall-E the other day. it was crap. going to see batman (finally) this weekend.
Missing: the halt bar and all inhabitants there of. Also family and any friends who don't happen to have a drinking problem. and english
Doing: Job hunting (bad); friend making (hard, but getting there); Deejaying (hells yeah); writing (only when drunk, dude - i suck); trying to learn german; getting lost on my bycicle as explore this lovely city; clubbing; sleeping; not sleeping; clubbing. Starting to make my own tracks as well but its a slow process and i don't really have all the stuff i need here. how much would it cost to shipp over my midi keyboard do you think?
eating: badly; sandwhiches, eggs, cereal and kebabs. the kebabs here KICK ASS by the way
well, yeah so life's clicking on by here. work seems next to impossible but i have prospects of a 6 month internship with Get Physical starting in april -so if i get that i'll probably come back to glasgow and work my ass of until then, which would work really well i think. cool. so yeah, let me know what you guys are up to? Also i started posting on conetoaster again if you need some new tunes
charlie x
Saturday, 16 August 2008
superstardj
hey so you should all come over to berlin on my birthday as me and liam are throwing a hijack vs throb night in a gallery. oh yeah. we just need to work out what we're doing and how we're going to get folk to come along to it but fuck,
Throb Hijacks RGB, 26th September @RGB Berlin
Throb Hijacks RGB, 26th September @RGB Berlin
Thursday, 14 August 2008
lost on a bike in berlin
yeah so wow.. that took a long time.
was down in kreuzberg showing emma a few trendy bars. took my bike down all cool and that made sure she was on the right way home. step on my usual tram to avoid a big hill lost concentration for a bit then BAMB i'm in the middle of nowhere and too drunk to use a map properly. fuck i was just flying three sheets to the wind trying to find my way home. trip should have taken just under 20mins. fucking two hours later I'm home sipping a berr and not looking forwards to school tomorrow.
in my defence the tram did say M10 on it and i wasnt the only one confused when it went the wrong way. bastards.
i did get to see the sun set from the roof at weekend though, so that was nice.
was down in kreuzberg showing emma a few trendy bars. took my bike down all cool and that made sure she was on the right way home. step on my usual tram to avoid a big hill lost concentration for a bit then BAMB i'm in the middle of nowhere and too drunk to use a map properly. fuck i was just flying three sheets to the wind trying to find my way home. trip should have taken just under 20mins. fucking two hours later I'm home sipping a berr and not looking forwards to school tomorrow.
in my defence the tram did say M10 on it and i wasnt the only one confused when it went the wrong way. bastards.
i did get to see the sun set from the roof at weekend though, so that was nice.
Monday, 11 August 2008
Well i think i just about survived the weekend. Didn't make it to pan pot on friday which was a shame but no one was up for it so i decided to save my pennies, and after all its berlin -they'll play again!
Primary colours festival was really cool -great location and great music. Sadly it didn't seem to be that busy, i just hope it wasnt a financial failure and that they get to do it again next year. Music highlights were Pantha du prince, Guilliuame and the cotou dumounts and jack the rapper. Other highlights involved dancing to really dark tehno in an actual fucking dungeon
i left that at about 7 and headed for the bpitch control night at berghain which was stupidly busy and not the best crowd in the world in panorama bar so i headed downstairs to the shady depths of berghain to dance with topless butch men to the most blistering relentless techno i've enjoyed for a while. really hardcore physical experience, not to mention a bunch of fun.
one of the many cool things about berghain is the crazy selection of people you meet there, from the evil looking, face tatoo'd, I-have-killed-before-and-will-do-again-if-it-comes-to-it head honcho bouncer who, dressed in full tails signals to his minions with a simple nod or shake of the head whether or not your getting in (you don't argue, really) to the always friendly but often scary cast of vampires, bikers, sexslaves, machomachomen, loving lesbians, trainspotters and of course everpresent hipsters (normaly just up in panorama though.)
the toilets are always quite an experience too.
Primary colours festival was really cool -great location and great music. Sadly it didn't seem to be that busy, i just hope it wasnt a financial failure and that they get to do it again next year. Music highlights were Pantha du prince, Guilliuame and the cotou dumounts and jack the rapper. Other highlights involved dancing to really dark tehno in an actual fucking dungeon
i left that at about 7 and headed for the bpitch control night at berghain which was stupidly busy and not the best crowd in the world in panorama bar so i headed downstairs to the shady depths of berghain to dance with topless butch men to the most blistering relentless techno i've enjoyed for a while. really hardcore physical experience, not to mention a bunch of fun.
one of the many cool things about berghain is the crazy selection of people you meet there, from the evil looking, face tatoo'd, I-have-killed-before-and-will-do-again-if-it-comes-to-it head honcho bouncer who, dressed in full tails signals to his minions with a simple nod or shake of the head whether or not your getting in (you don't argue, really) to the always friendly but often scary cast of vampires, bikers, sexslaves, machomachomen, loving lesbians, trainspotters and of course everpresent hipsters (normaly just up in panorama though.)
the toilets are always quite an experience too.
Friday, 8 August 2008
dust settles
so I've been here about 2 weeks now and i'm sort of getting used to it a bit. i mean, not really but i feel i'm kind of getting a hang of this berlin thing. My flats cool -the shower and kitchen are a sham, but the people are nice. my area is really interesting. I'm right on the boarder between the districts of prenzlaurberg (beautiful and expensive) mitte (center) and friedrichastein (cheap trendy and punk as fuck) though and just below that (a 20 min tram ride) is good ol' Kruezberg.
pretty much everything seems to either be a gallery a club a bar or a cafe so yeah lifes pretty sweet.
Beginning to make some friends who aren't tourists which is good, and have made my first friend whose actually fromberlin. He likes techno and is well hardcore. word.
language course is tough but good for me. at times i get frustrated and feel like i'm at school but if i actually do any work outside of class and am not too hungover i feel like i'm beginning to get somewhere. 2 weeks is really not anywhere near like long enough but if it gives me a base to work from thats something.
got a bit of an insane nosleep weekend lined up.... tonight is pan pot at club 103 then a few hours sleep untill off to this all day techno festival (located in the above castle!) which i'll leave at about 7am to go to the bpitch control night at berghain to see miss ellan allien. bring it on!
Tuesday, 5 August 2008
Monday, 4 August 2008
so where were we
well, when did we last meet? did we have fun? i think so... cool.
I'm now all set up in my lovely new flat where the people have really looked after me, got me sorted, got me set. met Guilleuam and kerry fae glasgow today and a feew of their friends whoo live here so thats cool. then got back to the flat and met some folk who are really into the things that i came to this city for so thats really exciting. my flatmates are now arguing about art though so i'm ignoring them and writing this.
got a bike sorted out and a travel pass so i'm no mister mobile oh and i got a german phone and all... you can call me on 017696421244 you maybe need to add some +49 shit infront of it first though but that might not be right so fuck just email me or comment here.
wasn't sure about the deal with having folk here to stay but i've won em over with my scottish charm and whisky so you're all welcome if you bring a bottle of single malt.. Bunnahabhain is preferred. just joking. you can all stay for nought more than a smile maybe.
Started school today. was good. good mixture of hard and easy: Hard cause its ALL in german - no exceptions, easy cause the exercises are like for 4yearolds an that but fuck i think i'll maybe have learnt something in 2weeks.
anyways going to go dj abit now. muchlovetoyerfaces
charlieeees x
I'm now all set up in my lovely new flat where the people have really looked after me, got me sorted, got me set. met Guilleuam and kerry fae glasgow today and a feew of their friends whoo live here so thats cool. then got back to the flat and met some folk who are really into the things that i came to this city for so thats really exciting. my flatmates are now arguing about art though so i'm ignoring them and writing this.
got a bike sorted out and a travel pass so i'm no mister mobile oh and i got a german phone and all... you can call me on 017696421244 you maybe need to add some +49 shit infront of it first though but that might not be right so fuck just email me or comment here.
wasn't sure about the deal with having folk here to stay but i've won em over with my scottish charm and whisky so you're all welcome if you bring a bottle of single malt.. Bunnahabhain is preferred. just joking. you can all stay for nought more than a smile maybe.
Started school today. was good. good mixture of hard and easy: Hard cause its ALL in german - no exceptions, easy cause the exercises are like for 4yearolds an that but fuck i think i'll maybe have learnt something in 2weeks.
anyways going to go dj abit now. muchlovetoyerfaces
charlieeees x
Saturday, 2 August 2008
my flat
I'm living in a room at the back of an artist studio/live in place on the boarder between Friedrichestein and Prenzlauerberg. its a cool flat and the people are lovely. THey've taken me under their wing and looked after me, which is nice. last night we went to an exhibition where i met a a whole load of folk and much fun was had, can't really remember any names though. ah well, same old...
am a bit worried about running out of money as the bank seem to have knocked £500 off my overdraft. i really should have read the letters they sent me. i'm pretty sure i can extend it again but not till after the weekend. it looks like i'm living off whats in my wallet for the next few days, but now i have a place to stay it doesn't matter all that much.
back to berghain again this evening i think... then mobilee are having an outdoor party tomorrow daytime, so if its nice and i'm still awake i might head down there for some sun and techno.
lovely
am a bit worried about running out of money as the bank seem to have knocked £500 off my overdraft. i really should have read the letters they sent me. i'm pretty sure i can extend it again but not till after the weekend. it looks like i'm living off whats in my wallet for the next few days, but now i have a place to stay it doesn't matter all that much.
back to berghain again this evening i think... then mobilee are having an outdoor party tomorrow daytime, so if its nice and i'm still awake i might head down there for some sun and techno.
lovely
Wednesday, 30 July 2008
oh my
so i got a little carried away having too much fun and Serj (the guy who's flat i've been in) was all like, so when can you tidy your shit and move on out? and i was all like um.... shit.
So today i went flat viewing and... I have a new flat. Problem is i can't move in until friday so now i'm stsying in the nastiest megahostel on earth. im in a shitty tiny room that smells of boys and poo. bummer. PLUS I only have 52% battery on my laptop and can't charge it until tomorrow so can't even just ignore everyone and stream smallville all night. today sucks.
However, my flats pretty cool. its sort of like a live in studio space so i'm living with a bunch of lovely artist types. its not quite in the lovely area that i was before but only 10mins away and has great access to all the cool parts of the city and its cheap enough right next to 24hour stores and stuff so i'm happy.
spent most of last weekend in Berghain which is, by the way, the best place in the world. it has to be experienced to really believe but its this huge dungeon of sin and techno with the best DJs in the world and a great crowd. its not just filled with scary leatherclad gy men (though there are plenty...) but just a really nice crowd of people who dig the music and the fun times. on saturday i got there at about 5AM, danced away till 11 then went of with a bunch of party people to this lovely riverside bar/club called bar 25 where they entertained us with sunny minimal house and techno as we watched the day go by. really a happy place for a happy charlie.
i've enrolled and paid for my exciting language course which starts on monday. i really hope i get something from it because its exhausting dealing with a completely alien language 24/7. specially when you're a bit shy and special like myself! I'm getting better at it but it makes everything a little harder.
I also really want to see batman, but its not out here yet. mmmmmmm.
tomorrow i'm going to go see some art cause i've really not done much culturally yet apart from techno. and yes, techno is culture, ok?
met a bunch of folk from glasgow last night. apparently they told me they were coming but i forgot, so it was a lovely suprise. we went to see Andy from Huntley and palmers dj at uber trendy cookies which was cool but drinks were really expensive. i think i'll actually end up drinking less as i got to get out of the glaswegian habbit of constantly needing a drink in hand. if i'm going to be out as long as you stay out in berlin its just not possible -both physically and financially.
right, going to sign of for now since i want to use some of my battery power reading hipinion and watching smallville. then i'm going to find an oppropriate bar and read this
So today i went flat viewing and... I have a new flat. Problem is i can't move in until friday so now i'm stsying in the nastiest megahostel on earth. im in a shitty tiny room that smells of boys and poo. bummer. PLUS I only have 52% battery on my laptop and can't charge it until tomorrow so can't even just ignore everyone and stream smallville all night. today sucks.
However, my flats pretty cool. its sort of like a live in studio space so i'm living with a bunch of lovely artist types. its not quite in the lovely area that i was before but only 10mins away and has great access to all the cool parts of the city and its cheap enough right next to 24hour stores and stuff so i'm happy.
spent most of last weekend in Berghain which is, by the way, the best place in the world. it has to be experienced to really believe but its this huge dungeon of sin and techno with the best DJs in the world and a great crowd. its not just filled with scary leatherclad gy men (though there are plenty...) but just a really nice crowd of people who dig the music and the fun times. on saturday i got there at about 5AM, danced away till 11 then went of with a bunch of party people to this lovely riverside bar/club called bar 25 where they entertained us with sunny minimal house and techno as we watched the day go by. really a happy place for a happy charlie.
i've enrolled and paid for my exciting language course which starts on monday. i really hope i get something from it because its exhausting dealing with a completely alien language 24/7. specially when you're a bit shy and special like myself! I'm getting better at it but it makes everything a little harder.
I also really want to see batman, but its not out here yet. mmmmmmm.
tomorrow i'm going to go see some art cause i've really not done much culturally yet apart from techno. and yes, techno is culture, ok?
met a bunch of folk from glasgow last night. apparently they told me they were coming but i forgot, so it was a lovely suprise. we went to see Andy from Huntley and palmers dj at uber trendy cookies which was cool but drinks were really expensive. i think i'll actually end up drinking less as i got to get out of the glaswegian habbit of constantly needing a drink in hand. if i'm going to be out as long as you stay out in berlin its just not possible -both physically and financially.
right, going to sign of for now since i want to use some of my battery power reading hipinion and watching smallville. then i'm going to find an oppropriate bar and read this
Saturday, 26 July 2008
didn't make it to watergate last night as the queue was crazy. Berlin in general was crazy last night as it was apparently the first really sunny friday in a few weeks. we started off at club de visionaere which was a silly busy riverside bar where everyone was crammed in on boats and decking in the evening drinking beers and listening to das minimal techno (i swear its ubiquitous!). it was a cool place but too busy so we went on to a quieter little garden bar where we got drunk and talked appropriately.
"us" by the way is now Alex -an american dude, and Liam and his girlfriend Sonja. all lovely people.
as i said we checked out watergate, which would have been cool as efdemin was playing but couldn't be doing with the queue. so another bar and some more drinks untill liam and sonja stumbled home.
Then Alex and I headed to the techno behemoth that is Berghain, but sadly he didn't get in -possibly for looking too american or drunk or whatever. I managed to bungle my way in and my god did i have fun...
I'm heading back tonight so will wait untill then to try and describe the place. but god.... its quite something!
Friday, 25 July 2008
I'm going to numbers 1 and 3 this evening....
From RAs top clubs list
10. Sub Club, Glasgow
Sub Club
"Small" and "intimate" are usually code words for "painfully crowded." Not so at Glagow's Sub Club, which works with its "intimate" vibe instead of against it. When you can't really move, you see, you can't do much except dance. That part is helped along by some of the finest DJs Scotland has to offer. Whether it be the ultra-eclectic likes of Twitch and Wilkes, the 20-years-and-still-fresh Harri and Domenic, or the top-flight DJs that fly in from around the world to experience it for themselves, Sub Club is all about the music—and that's the way it should be.
- Sam Louis
09. Amnesia, Ibiza
Amnesia
It's been more than 20 years since the mind-altering DJing of Alfredo turned Paul Oakenfold and Danny Rampling on to the charms of Ibiza. Ever since then, the club has continued to remain in the good graces of the ever-shifting allegiances of ravers. Chalk that up to the constant innovation, hedonism, and care that the club has received. Added to this, the Sven Väth seal of approval means a lot in clubland, and his reign at the club on Mondays has given the crowds one more reason to flock to the White Isle. And don't forget the foam.
- Charles Merwin
08. Cocoon Club, Frankfurt
Cocoon Club
With an aesthetic that melds visions of Star Trek with something that a loved-up H.R. Giger might have designed, Sven Väth’s Cocoon Club is one of a kind. The techno-meister’s ideas, experience, and ambition have transformed the space into an uber-club that's otherworldly, yet organic. At Cocoon, Sven’s party faithful play out on a sound system to die for, while the immersive experience is heightened by multimedia technology. Feast your senses at restaurants Micro and Silk before moving to the main room, where projections flicker over the perimeter wall, which itself appears to pulsate with music. VIPs may hit the pods, but any aficionado wanting to feel the heat will hit the floor, because Cocoon makes music come alive.
- Lisa Loco
07. Robert-Johnson, Offenbach
Robert-Johnson
In club terms, the difference between great and good is a matter of intimacy. Located in Offenbach next to Germany’s financial capital Frankfurt, Robert-Johnson has plenty of it. Established in ’99 by Ata (of Playhouse fame), and named after the legendary blues singer mysteriously rumoured to be in league with the devil, the club succeeds in pushing all the right buttons: a minimalist and ever changing interior design, TV monitors and coloured neon tubes in lieu of a blinding laser show, a wooden floor that’s easy on dancing feet and knees, and a moving sound system meant to massage listeners and dancers alike. The musical programming is just as impressive: landlord Ata provides monthly evidence of his twenty year career in cutting edge selection, supplemented by regular guests such as disco viking Prins Thomas, Ricardo Villalobos, Magda and the Innervisions crew. Good old Bob would have loved it!
- Jason Gern
06. The End, London
The End
Established in 1995, The End is certainly a far cry from being a new kid on the block. It's well-worn surfaces have a comfort, though, that defies trends and pretensions. And it's this lack of trendiness that has allowed the club to age so gracefully. The vibe at The End always seems to be about having fun rather than looking cool. With everything from intimate drum and bass nights to road blocking minimal parties—often all within a given week—the club goes as far as possible towards being all things to all people. (At least as far as quality club music is concerned.) Here's hoping there's no end in sight.
- Colin Shields
05. Space, Ibiza
Space
Space Ibiza is a mecca for clubbers around the world, with many making the annual pilgrimage to immerse themselves within its unique environment. There's no black stone to kiss, but a cheer and fist pump on the terrace—as planes fly overhead—is equally as significant. During the week superstars Carl Cox and Danny Tenaglia host residencies, but the We Love... parties on Sundays are the main attraction. And who can argue with 4,000 disco kids losing themselves, soundtracked by any number of international DJs in a well designed superclub? The fact that it's on the least likely of party days is just icing on the cake.
- Nick Sabine
04. DC-10, Ibiza
DC-10
While the concept of super-clubs died in the UK some years ago, it's business as usual in Ibiza. A consistent oligarchy caters to the larger and more commercial crowds. At DC-10, though, it's not about the DJ's or the big brand. Sure, they've got renowned names on the decks, and Circo Loco is infamous around the world, but it's the up-for-it carnival vibe that has made DC-10 legendary. It's also probably why DC-10 is closed. Without it, there's a sense of something missing in Ibiza. When it's open, on a typical sunny Monday afternoon, DC-10 serves up just the right amount of madness and chaos. The club regularly provides spontaneous moments of exhilaration and escape, leaving memories that linger long after the summer tan has faded.
- Richard Chinn
03. Watergate, Berlin
Watergate
You could hardly ask for a more picturesque setting than Berlin's Watergate. The sublime view of Berlin is delivered via the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the River Spree. Of course, those same windows are only opened after a long night’s dancing, when the harsh glare of sunlight filters in on the LED-drenched dancers. But perhaps what makes Watergate stand out is its commitment to innovation. Far from resting on its laurels, the group behind the club has been quick to book live acts and is looking to take advantage of its reputation to introduce some lesser-known DJs to the world. That sort of attitude is rare in today's market-driven world, and a welcome antidote to excesses elsewhere.
- Sam Louis
02. Fabric, London
Fabric
Good clubs pick up on what's happening, and deliver it to their punters. Really good clubs gain enough trust to take risks with their bookings, opening their crowd up to exciting new sounds. Legendary clubs fundamentally alter the musical landscape. Above all else, that's what puts Fabric in this list. Opening at a time when the UK superclub era was lurching to a messy close, Fabric cannily picked up the pieces, and went about proving that a forward-thinking music policy could work as part of a top-end business model. Throw in a breathtaking soundsystem, a universally professional and friendly team, and a series of mix CDs that arguably define dance music in the modern age, and you've got a club that, despite the occasional bout of griping, is rightly revered as one of the greatest of all time.
- Lee Smith
01. Berghain/Panorama Bar, Berlin
Berghain/Panorama Bar
Berlin's Berghain puts nearly every other club in the world to shame with its impeccable sound, music programming, and unique design. For clubbers, it's a veritable embarrassment of riches. If you're ready to make a night of it, you can head downstairs for the uncompromising techno of Marcel Dettman, or ascend to the Panoramabar and the heavenly house music proffered by Cassy. Famed for its marathon sessions, you can get as lost as you want to be in its cavernous environs.
- Sam Louis
10. Sub Club, Glasgow
Sub Club
"Small" and "intimate" are usually code words for "painfully crowded." Not so at Glagow's Sub Club, which works with its "intimate" vibe instead of against it. When you can't really move, you see, you can't do much except dance. That part is helped along by some of the finest DJs Scotland has to offer. Whether it be the ultra-eclectic likes of Twitch and Wilkes, the 20-years-and-still-fresh Harri and Domenic, or the top-flight DJs that fly in from around the world to experience it for themselves, Sub Club is all about the music—and that's the way it should be.
- Sam Louis
09. Amnesia, Ibiza
Amnesia
It's been more than 20 years since the mind-altering DJing of Alfredo turned Paul Oakenfold and Danny Rampling on to the charms of Ibiza. Ever since then, the club has continued to remain in the good graces of the ever-shifting allegiances of ravers. Chalk that up to the constant innovation, hedonism, and care that the club has received. Added to this, the Sven Väth seal of approval means a lot in clubland, and his reign at the club on Mondays has given the crowds one more reason to flock to the White Isle. And don't forget the foam.
- Charles Merwin
08. Cocoon Club, Frankfurt
Cocoon Club
With an aesthetic that melds visions of Star Trek with something that a loved-up H.R. Giger might have designed, Sven Väth’s Cocoon Club is one of a kind. The techno-meister’s ideas, experience, and ambition have transformed the space into an uber-club that's otherworldly, yet organic. At Cocoon, Sven’s party faithful play out on a sound system to die for, while the immersive experience is heightened by multimedia technology. Feast your senses at restaurants Micro and Silk before moving to the main room, where projections flicker over the perimeter wall, which itself appears to pulsate with music. VIPs may hit the pods, but any aficionado wanting to feel the heat will hit the floor, because Cocoon makes music come alive.
- Lisa Loco
07. Robert-Johnson, Offenbach
Robert-Johnson
In club terms, the difference between great and good is a matter of intimacy. Located in Offenbach next to Germany’s financial capital Frankfurt, Robert-Johnson has plenty of it. Established in ’99 by Ata (of Playhouse fame), and named after the legendary blues singer mysteriously rumoured to be in league with the devil, the club succeeds in pushing all the right buttons: a minimalist and ever changing interior design, TV monitors and coloured neon tubes in lieu of a blinding laser show, a wooden floor that’s easy on dancing feet and knees, and a moving sound system meant to massage listeners and dancers alike. The musical programming is just as impressive: landlord Ata provides monthly evidence of his twenty year career in cutting edge selection, supplemented by regular guests such as disco viking Prins Thomas, Ricardo Villalobos, Magda and the Innervisions crew. Good old Bob would have loved it!
- Jason Gern
06. The End, London
The End
Established in 1995, The End is certainly a far cry from being a new kid on the block. It's well-worn surfaces have a comfort, though, that defies trends and pretensions. And it's this lack of trendiness that has allowed the club to age so gracefully. The vibe at The End always seems to be about having fun rather than looking cool. With everything from intimate drum and bass nights to road blocking minimal parties—often all within a given week—the club goes as far as possible towards being all things to all people. (At least as far as quality club music is concerned.) Here's hoping there's no end in sight.
- Colin Shields
05. Space, Ibiza
Space
Space Ibiza is a mecca for clubbers around the world, with many making the annual pilgrimage to immerse themselves within its unique environment. There's no black stone to kiss, but a cheer and fist pump on the terrace—as planes fly overhead—is equally as significant. During the week superstars Carl Cox and Danny Tenaglia host residencies, but the We Love... parties on Sundays are the main attraction. And who can argue with 4,000 disco kids losing themselves, soundtracked by any number of international DJs in a well designed superclub? The fact that it's on the least likely of party days is just icing on the cake.
- Nick Sabine
04. DC-10, Ibiza
DC-10
While the concept of super-clubs died in the UK some years ago, it's business as usual in Ibiza. A consistent oligarchy caters to the larger and more commercial crowds. At DC-10, though, it's not about the DJ's or the big brand. Sure, they've got renowned names on the decks, and Circo Loco is infamous around the world, but it's the up-for-it carnival vibe that has made DC-10 legendary. It's also probably why DC-10 is closed. Without it, there's a sense of something missing in Ibiza. When it's open, on a typical sunny Monday afternoon, DC-10 serves up just the right amount of madness and chaos. The club regularly provides spontaneous moments of exhilaration and escape, leaving memories that linger long after the summer tan has faded.
- Richard Chinn
03. Watergate, Berlin
Watergate
You could hardly ask for a more picturesque setting than Berlin's Watergate. The sublime view of Berlin is delivered via the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the River Spree. Of course, those same windows are only opened after a long night’s dancing, when the harsh glare of sunlight filters in on the LED-drenched dancers. But perhaps what makes Watergate stand out is its commitment to innovation. Far from resting on its laurels, the group behind the club has been quick to book live acts and is looking to take advantage of its reputation to introduce some lesser-known DJs to the world. That sort of attitude is rare in today's market-driven world, and a welcome antidote to excesses elsewhere.
- Sam Louis
02. Fabric, London
Fabric
Good clubs pick up on what's happening, and deliver it to their punters. Really good clubs gain enough trust to take risks with their bookings, opening their crowd up to exciting new sounds. Legendary clubs fundamentally alter the musical landscape. Above all else, that's what puts Fabric in this list. Opening at a time when the UK superclub era was lurching to a messy close, Fabric cannily picked up the pieces, and went about proving that a forward-thinking music policy could work as part of a top-end business model. Throw in a breathtaking soundsystem, a universally professional and friendly team, and a series of mix CDs that arguably define dance music in the modern age, and you've got a club that, despite the occasional bout of griping, is rightly revered as one of the greatest of all time.
- Lee Smith
01. Berghain/Panorama Bar, Berlin
Berghain/Panorama Bar
Berlin's Berghain puts nearly every other club in the world to shame with its impeccable sound, music programming, and unique design. For clubbers, it's a veritable embarrassment of riches. If you're ready to make a night of it, you can head downstairs for the uncompromising techno of Marcel Dettman, or ascend to the Panoramabar and the heavenly house music proffered by Cassy. Famed for its marathon sessions, you can get as lost as you want to be in its cavernous environs.
- Sam Louis
Thursday, 24 July 2008
sweet
so, Jas is coming to see me on the 15th September to see Mr Conor Oberst, Kate's planning a couple of trips, Aylwyn and Kelly are going to come, Iso's here for my birthday (26th september).
Who else is in?
Who else is in?
first day done. drunkly.
so i sweated my way to my lovely flat then took a turn around the area. I've not stayed in this part of town before but after one day and night here i don't want to leave. By day its all sun kissed cafes, yummy mummies and the aforementioned punk rockers but by night its a wild drunken delight. I made friends with an american artist whose renting the other room in the flat and we went out to sample the local bars, got dumb ass drunk and stumbled around talking rubbish till the wee small hours. was much fun.
Today I get to see Obama talk which is pretty fucking special then i'm going to Weekend (above) to dance to the folk who made that cool 'mumbling yeah' track i was obsessed with a few months ago. i love this city.
Wednesday, 23 July 2008
so... how did you get here?
shit, why's he stairing at me?
He is, isn't he?
I think so...
Fuck, maybe I know him?
.... Looks sort of familiar.
I'll try smiling.
Ah Christ He's smiling back. Going to have to say something....
"Uh, hi."
"Hey there."
"How you doing?"
"Good man, god."
Uh, where you heading?"
"Berlin"
"Ah! Me too!"
"..."
"how long you going for?"
"I'm moving there."
"Cool! Me too!
"Cool"
(whatthefuckishisnamedoievenknowhimfuckhelooksfamiliarermahhmmmmmshouldhaveatethismorninggoingtolookatthefloornow)
aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"....
"
"sorry pal, I've got no idea what your name is."
"Euan"
"Euan. Cool. Hi, I'm Charlie."
He is, isn't he?
I think so...
Fuck, maybe I know him?
.... Looks sort of familiar.
I'll try smiling.
Ah Christ He's smiling back. Going to have to say something....
"Uh, hi."
"Hey there."
"How you doing?"
"Good man, god."
Uh, where you heading?"
"Berlin"
"Ah! Me too!"
"..."
"how long you going for?"
"I'm moving there."
"Cool! Me too!
"Cool"
(whatthefuckishisnamedoievenknowhimfuckhelooksfamiliarermahhmmmmmshouldhaveatethismorninggoingtolookatthefloornow)
aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"....
"
"sorry pal, I've got no idea what your name is."
"Euan"
"Euan. Cool. Hi, I'm Charlie."
landed.
so... one hangover, one flight and one bleeding nose later I'm here in my sunny Prenzlauerberg apartment. I've had some food, I've had a shower, I've had some beer. My area is super lovely -its like the west end should be but with more punks (not that there shouldn't be more punks in the west end but there's fucking loads of them here.
I'm going to try and post on this blog every so often for those of you who either actually care what i get up to on a day to day basis or those who are geeky enough to live on the internet and want another site to add to your morning internet checking addiction (hi Ali).
I've only been here for like 3 hours so I'll post again when i've actually got something to say.
much love to your face.
Charlie
I'm going to try and post on this blog every so often for those of you who either actually care what i get up to on a day to day basis or those who are geeky enough to live on the internet and want another site to add to your morning internet checking addiction (hi Ali).
I've only been here for like 3 hours so I'll post again when i've actually got something to say.
much love to your face.
Charlie
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