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Berlin's famed nightclubs, losing customers, face an uncertain future

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Re: Berlin's famed nightclubs, losing customers, face an uncertain future

#81

You also have tik tok ravers. A generation which built their own culture in isolation in the pandemic now flooding the dance floors not knowing anything about techno culture. For me it's a big part of not wanting to go anywhere anymore. Before, your outfit didn't matter, phones, photos and videos were discouraged. Nowadays these kids dress to impress and point there phones everywhere. They consume the techno culture…

This rings of "get off m'lawn" vibes. As a gen Z myself, I question what's wrong with "tiktok ravers" wanting to dress up and enjoy music? The whole genre will fade away if it doesn't curate to the next generation, as the originals get too creaky to dance.

The problem is not being dressing up, the problem is dressing up and then doing photo ops in areas where usually you don't really wanna be photographed. There always been an expectation of privacy on the dance floor at more underground places, but people seem to be getting a bit more shameless regarding not caring about the privacy of others.

Re: Berlin's famed nightclubs, losing customers, face an uncertain future

#82
A few years ago I spent a week in Berlin, intending to party after having heard its reputation. The clubs were a parade of "oh, you don't know who's DJing? Can't come in" and "you're wearing a scarf, can't come in" (it was December, so cold and presumably not peak partying season). At Berghain it was something like "sorry, private event." Fuck Berlin clubs, if they want to turn down customers trying to give them money, let them succeed at their attempted suicide.

(Having said that, while having what was supposed to be my last drink of the entire trip on my last night, I met an Austrian guy who told me about some club in walking distance he swore was good, so we went and it in fact was so good I missed my flight the next day, so it's not all clubs that are raging dickbags to would-be customers at the door, the exceptions are just hard to find.)

Re: Berlin's famed nightclubs, losing customers, face an uncertain future

#83
post #68

Europe in general, and Germany in particular is getting old. Clubbing is predominantly a young person’s pass time. All youth oriented activities will increasingly wither there as the years advance.

Clubbing might be a young persons pass time, but techno and dancing is not just young people's pass time.

Re: Berlin's famed nightclubs, losing customers, face an uncertain future

#85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For many older people it died in the 90s. When people stopped dancing and treated the DJ like it was a concert I felt it had changed into something else. I watch some of the old VHS I took and people are crowding the speakers and the floor is alive, while nowadays so much of what I see is people all facing a DJ lit up by a spotlight and just standing their bobbing their head.

The new generation have ruined their generation being unlike the older ones, alas!

“Kids these days” - My toddler, 30 years from now

Re: Berlin's famed nightclubs, losing customers, face an uncertain future

#86
post #80
post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I said "underground image". Go find an illegal rave if you want underground. Go to a punk dive bar if you want punk. Berghain simply wants to make sure that it's not overrun by tourists, because once that happens, the only thing you can do afterwards is close shop. At least it's not discrimination through money like in plenty of other clubs. You cannot buy a VIP table at Berghain. That's pretty refreshing.

It's already over run by tourists, except now only tourists who can afford to look the right way on social media are allowed in.

Is that you personal experience?

In my experience there is no "right way to look" when going to Berghain, most people online have no idea what the club actually is and just keep repeating the same old tired clichees - like the fantasy that you have to be dressed all black or something to get in.

In my experience the bouncer just sees if you will have a good time at the party or not. And that is what they select on. Once you worked some years at a club door you can see instantly who should get in and who shouldn't. Clothing is an indicator but its not the important one. Its about the look in your eyes.

Re: Berlin's famed nightclubs, losing customers, face an uncertain future

#87

I think the closing point is pretty good: these businesses are complaining about declining revenues... but also turning people away? If that's how the nightclub business works, it's better for the government to stay away from subsidizing them. Let them run their business in their own way - but without taxpayer funding.

This. The truth is that those clubs are more elitist than the opera house.

Not true. Only the most famous ones are that selective and the opera is still many times more expensive - plus you actually need a certain dresscode at the opera.

Re: Berlin's famed nightclubs, losing customers, face an uncertain future

#88
post #18

What I love about the tiktok generation is seeing them in small groups with a sizable Bluetooth boombox having fun in parks and outdoor places. No need for entrance fees and gatekeeping, they can listen to any DJ from the world live or recorded. I think clubs are overrated, small gatherings and ad hoc parties are way more interesting.

[deleted]

Re: Berlin's famed nightclubs, losing customers, face an uncertain future

#89

I think the closing point is pretty good: these businesses are complaining about declining revenues... but also turning people away? If that's how the nightclub business works, it's better for the government to stay away from subsidizing them. Let them run their business in their own way - but without taxpayer funding.

If Berghain let in even 50% of the people who try to go to Berghain, the party would be terrible and repulsive every night.

I’ve been there a million times and even one person who doesn’t know techno and the way our scene works can ruin a few dozen square meters of dancefloor with boorish leering.

If you want to party in a sea of drunken tourists because they let everyone in, there are plenty of other clubs that aren’t nearly as protective of their dance floor vibe. Berghain is the exception, not the rule.

Re: Berlin's famed nightclubs, losing customers, face an uncertain future

#90

I’m not really a big nightclub person, but during a trip to Germany, got a chance to meet up with a former colleague and friend in Berlin who offered to take us out to a nightclub situated in a very old castle. One of the coolest experiences of my life and it’s unfortunate to think that we’ll lose something like that from our culture just because of market forces and the next generation’s unwillingness to carry the t…

>the next generation’s unwillingness to carry the torch when it doesn’t align completely with their sensibilities.

Where did you get this from? Its more the generation that started clubbing is now all grown up, complains about the noise, and drives up property prices.

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