Berlin's famed nightclubs, losing customers, face an uncertain future • Hacker News Board

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

#321

Post by ungamedplayer » Wed, Nov 08, 2023, 7:37 AM UTC

kodapoda wrote: post #184

ungamedplayer wrote: post #173

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Prep work.. like the years of study practice pays off . What kind of prep is required to go out to drink and fund someone else's business? I will never be going as I am too old and too busy for the "scene" so please explain it to me in laymen terminology.

You need to know how to look and set the right expectations if you want to experience the most highly regarded techno club in the world. If you show up there with a group of drunk mates wearing sweatshirts or office attire - don't expect to be admitted. It's not that hard really, exclusive places have special rules.

Dress code is an admirable expectation. I didn't even consider this to be prep work. Seems sensible. Thank you for taking the time to reply.

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

#322

Post by pallas_athena » Wed, Nov 08, 2023, 8:02 AM UTC

munksbeer wrote: post #316

LeanderK wrote: post #244

Earlier quoted context omitted.

during the final stages of covid you could only buy tickets beforehand and therefore there wasn't really a hard door to get though. It sucked and destroyed really any unique character. For example, usually sissy is more colourful, more festival-like, easy going but being there during the last civid-stages it sometimes felt like an after-work event. With young professionals who look like they are being spat out of co-…

> With young professionals who look like they are being spat out of co-working spaces, wearing chinos and all. Oh god, the horror. How did you cope? Did you still manage to express yourself with these soul sucking chino wearers nearby? It's a good thing that indiviualism is so non-judgemental huh.

Dress codes are a thing, you know.

And paying to get into places where you couldn't get otherwise (by "vibes" only) is enough to tell you're out of place.

Elon Musk tried to enter Berghain and was refused; Kanye West tried to jump the line at Mustafa and was sent back.

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

#323

Post by LeanderK » Wed, Nov 08, 2023, 4:03 PM UTC

pallas_athena wrote: post #322

munksbeer wrote: post #316

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> With young professionals who look like they are being spat out of co-working spaces, wearing chinos and all. Oh god, the horror. How did you cope? Did you still manage to express yourself with these soul sucking chino wearers nearby? It's a good thing that indiviualism is so non-judgemental huh.

Dress codes are a thing, you know. And paying to get into places where you couldn't get otherwise (by "vibes" only) is enough to tell you're out of place. Elon Musk tried to enter Berghain and was refused; Kanye West tried to jump the line at Mustafa and was sent back.

After the experience during covid, I think that dress-codes also serve also a social function besides the purely aesthetic/vibe. You communicate to the door that you paid attention and know what's going on and how to behave. It's not perfect but we really can't do better I think. These nightclubs are a safe-space for many to express themselves and it is important to keep it that way.

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

#324

Post by projectazorian » Fri, Nov 10, 2023, 4:51 PM UTC

explaininjs wrote: post #320

projectazorian wrote: post #319

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But the bouncers at Berghain aren't just there to keep troublemakers at bay like the bouncers at your local venue or, you know, almost any other club in Berlin. We're supposed to believe they're engaged in some sort of vibe curation process to attain the perfect crowd for the night. There's this weird purity aspect to it that is more than a little problematic.

Given the endless endorsements in this very thread that club has the exact “vibe” they want, it seems the bouncers are doing a damn good job at their job. It is the fool that tells the industry-proven expert that they know better.

Lots of people have been primed with the notion that Berghain is some sort of peak experience, so if they make it past the door when they visit Berlin, they're probably going to view the experience with rose-colored glasses.

It's amazing brand strategy but that doesn't mean it actually is the best thing going, of course.

I trust the Berliners I know (and those who have posted here with similar opinions) who don't view it quite so favorably. From them I hear it's a very good club but usually not worth the hassle of the lines and the arbitrary door policy.

This rings true with my own experience as someone who has been to Berghain multiple times over the years - I've never had a bad time, but it's gone downhill, and other Berlin clubs offer equivalent or better experiences without the annoying exclusivity.