The Next Day #18: Berlin Weekend Guide
From 21 until 24.09
Hallo, hallo!
As summer bids its farewell, Berlin's vibrant agenda continues to sizzle. We kick off with a must-see: Tirzah's concert on Thursday, unveiling her new album 'trip9love…?' 🎶
Hör is celebrating its birthday in style, offering a night of concerts and a party on two different days. Classical music fans can't miss the bauhaus music weekend, commemorating the Bauhaus Week's centennial. For experimental music and sound art enthusiasts, the Future Soundscape Festival at silent green beckons.
Gropius Bau opens the "General Idea" exhibition with a garden party (last chance this season). Brace yourself for the provocative "Paul McCarthy: Them as Was Is" exhibition at Max Hetlzer. This sensory journey might challenge the faint-hearted.
For performing arts enthusiasts, Hamlet takes center stage – but remember your "Suche Karte" signal for a chance to buy a ticket in front of Schaubühne, as it's sold out!
Our guest contributor, the music fanatic Brendon Hooper, shares his favorite Berlin's rock bars, unmissable concerts, and a sneak peek at October's musical delights.
Lalai & Mateus
🎹 Concert
Tirzah
The UK songwriter Tirzah launches her third album, "trip9love…?", followed by a tour, gracing Berlin with an intimate performance of her new music. Expect more silky R&B vocals with her signature playful minimal sound. For this show, she will be accompanied by multi-instrumentalist Coby Sey.
Thursday, 21.09, 8 pm. Trauma und Kino Bar, Heidestraße 50, 10557 - Berlin. Ticket: 30 €.
180 min with Dasha Rush & Kangding Ray (live jam)
Dasha Rush, a Berlin-based DJ and producer, known for her immersive audiovisual creations, will perform alongside Kangding Ray, exploring the boundaries of experimental and dance music. They play for 180 minutes, followed by a cool-down set by the supporting act.
Thursday, 21.09, 7 - 11:59 pm. Zenner, Treptower Park, Berlin. Tickets: 25 €.
4x4 - HÖR 4-Year Anniversary Weekender
HÖR, one of the best electronic music broadcasters, is celebrating its 4th anniversary with two parties this weekend. The first night will feature live concerts with Dopplereffekt, dBridge, and Golden Medusa at silent green. On the second night, the party will continue at Zenner for 12 hours of dancing.
Thursday, 21.09, 7 - 11 pm. silent green Kulturquartier, Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin. Tickets: 22/30 €.
Saturday, 23.09, 11:59 - 12 pm. Party at Zenner, Alt-Treptow 15, 12435 Berlin. Tickets: 18/25 €.
bauhaus music weekend
The project “bauhaus music weekend” explores the connection between music and the Bauhaus movement. The event will include concerts, talks, tours, and workshops showcasing how music influenced the Bauhaus movement and its members. The program will feature works from 1923 and compositions by Bauhaus members and guest composers.
Friday, 22.09, 12 pm. the temporary bauhaus-archiv, Knesebeckstraße 1 10623 - Berlin. Free entry with registration in advance.
Sat-Sun, 23-24.09. Various time from 3 pm. Meistersaal am Potsdamer Platz. Köthener Straße 38 10963 - Berlin. Ticket: 15 € + tax.
Future Soundscape Festival
This festival invites you on a journey into the audiovisual future. It presents artists at the intersection of music, media art, and sound art. With Bruce, Hannan Jones & Shamica Ruddock, Klara Lewis & Nik Colk Void + Pedro Maia, Oval, Simone Aubert, Sofie Birch, upsammy + Jonathan Castro, Zoë Mc Pherson + Alessandra Leone.
Fri-Sat, 22-23.09, 7 pm. silent green Kulturquartier, Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin. Tickets: 25/41 € weekend pass.
Alceu Valença
Alceu Valença's tour promises a musical journey blending rich Northeastern Brazilian rhythms with contemporary sounds. Iconic hits like "Anunciação" and "Tropicana" showcase his unique style. Valença's commitment to preserving cultural traditions and his global appeal, seen with "Belle de Jour," make this tour a celebration of his enduring musical influence.
Saturday, 23.09, doors open: 8 pm. Festsaal Kreuzberg, Am Flutgraben 2, 12435 - Berlin. Ticket: 40/45 €.
James Blake
Musician James Blake needs no introduction. He's coming to Berlin to showcase his latest album, "Playing with Robots into Heaven," which is more pop than his previous work. Kicking off the evening is the British artist Actress.
Sunday, 24.09. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Concert begins: 8 pm. Velodrom, Paul-Heyse-Straße 26, 10407 Berlin. Ticket: 67,25 €.
Rossano Snel - Im Wald
The Brazilian composer returns to the Zwingli-Kirche stage after 2 years. Rossano will perform a two-part show: solo piano, Indian harmonium, and synthesizer improvisation in the first part, and then joined by Marcelo Politano, who will play Amazonian flutes and tenor saxophone during the latter part of the performance.
Sunday, 24.09, 7 pm. KulturRaum Zwingli-Kirche, Rudolfstraße 14 - 10245 - Berlin.Donation based.
Party
Berlin Dubcafe Double Espresso
Berlin Dubcafe hosts a dub party with a cool lineup: PINCH, DANGERMAMI, Giotto Beattz, and Tom Battery. Expect powerful tunes with the Superpower System pushed to the limit. At the same time, Roots Daughters deliver a warm Roots Dub Sound on the second floor.
Friday, 22.09 - 11 pm. Gretchen, Obentrautstr. 19-21 - 10963 Berlin. Ticket: 10/17 €.
Toy Tonics presents Italomania
For those who love disco music, the weekend's hotspot is the Toy Tonics party, taking over both floors at Oxi. The lineup features artists like Daniel Monaco, Furor Exótica (LIVE), Paul Older, Vio PRG, Donald Dust, Karolina Bnv, and REES.
Friday, 22.09 - 11 pm. Oxi, Wiesenweg 1-4, 10365 Berlin. Ticket: 16/20 € + taxes.
Exhibition
General Idea
”General Idea” was an art collective formed in late 1960s Toronto. Its founders, Ronald Gabe, Slobodan Saia-Levy, and Michael Tims, initially lived together and engaged in unconventional projects, like creating fake window displays. These early experiments evolved into larger public installations, working in ephemeral media such as mail art, performance, and photography. The new exhibition at Gropius Bau presents more than 200 works from the late 1960s to the early 1990s.
Thursday, Sept. 21, 7 pm - Opening reception with free entry to the exhibition and a DJ set by DJ Marcelle/Another Nice Mess on the summer terrace. Until 14.01.2024. Gropius Bau, Niederkirchnerstraße 7, 10963 Berlin.
Asta Gröting & Ming Wong | Fortune
The exhibition explores the evolving relationship between the artists Asta Gröting and Ming Wong and their perspectives on work, space, and art in a changing city. It features two new films capturing the essence of the artist's studio through innovative technology. The gallery space transforms into an immersive experience, blending sculpture and film, reflecting the fragility of creative spaces amidst external pressures.
Until 18.11.23. Tue-Sat, 11 am - 6 pm. carlier | gebauer, Markgrafenstraße 67, 10969 - Berlin.
Paul McCarthy: Them as Was Is
Artist Paul McCarthy's "Them As Was Is" exhibition juxtaposes his early sculptures and recent "A&E" project. The ground floor displays 18 sculptures blending different periods, including the playful "Colored Carbon Fiber Group" works. On the second floor, visitors can view drawings created during improvised performances and videos from the provocative "A&E" project exploring cultural conventions and identity through the Adolf and Eva figures.
Until 21.10. Tue-Sat, 11 am - 6 pm. Max Hetzler, Potsdamer Straße 77-87 - Mercator Höfe, 10785 - Berlin.
Edvard Munch: Magic of the North
The "Magic of the North" exhibition highlights Edvard Munch's influence on Berlin's art scene in the early 20th century. Munch's work sparked the "Munch Affair," marking the onset of Modernism in Berlin.
Until 22.01.24. Berlinische Galerie, Alte Jakobstraße 124 – 128 - 10969 - Berlin. Ticket: 9/15€.
Performing Arts
You Know the Feeling
"You Know the Feeling" is a theater and concert performance where three artists explore loneliness and community through covers of Christine and the Queens' "People, I've Been Sad." They examine the balance between individual expression and collective experience, creating an intimate, public exploration of their lives.
Thu-Mon, 22-25.09, 8 pm. Duration: 90 minutes. Language: German and English. Balhaus Ost, Pappelallee 15, 10437 Berlin. Tickets: 10/15 €.
Hamlet
Hamlet descends into madness amidst family betrayal and political intrigue. He feigns insanity, inadvertently kills Polonius, and faces a power-hungry court. Shakespeare's play examines the clash between intellect and political reality, reflected in the production's shifting identities and deception. Director: Thomas Ostermeier.
From 21 until 24.09, 7:30 - 10:15 pm. Schaubühne, Kurfürstendamm 153, 10709 Berlin.
Staatsballett Berlin: LIB / Half Life
"LIB" by Alexander Ekman brings humor and virtuosity, featuring costumes inspired by hair artist Charlie Le Mindu's Chewbacca creations. "Half Life" by Sharon Eyal explores the tension between man and machine, techno and contemporary ballet, with hypnotic music by Ori Lichtik. Both pieces push dance boundaries.
Dates: 22.09, 24.09, 28.09, and 01.10, 7:30 - 9:30 pm. Staatsoper Berlin. Unter den Linden 7, Mitte - 10117 - Berlin. Ticket: 10/80 €.
Die Nacht Von Lissabon
"The Night in Lisbon" explores escape from fascist Europe through the port of Lisbon. Hakan Savaş Mican's adaptation mirrors contemporary migrant journeys, questioning belonging and the value of life tied to passports. It's a tale of hope, love, and solidarity, portrayed with visuals and a live performance. With English subtitles.
Saturday, 23.09, 7:30 pm. Maxim Gorki Theater, Am Festungsgraben 2, 10117 - Berlin. Ticket: 12/40 €.
Fairs
Miss Read: The Berlin Art Book Festival
"Miss Read" fosters a community for discourse on artists' books and publishing as an artistic and political practice. This year, it focuses on publishing practices from the East, particularly Asia and the Middle East, aiming to decolonize Art Book Fairs and nurture diverse cultures and communities worldwide.
Friday, 22.09, 5–9 pm, followed by a party until 3 am with DJs Minatha and Denya
Sat-Sun, 23-24.09, 12 - 7 pm. HKW, John-Foster-Dulles-Allee 10, 10557 Berlin. Free entry.
HHV Diggin Days
Missed for four long years, the Diggin Days will finally retake place this year. A vast selection of records encompassing genres such as hip-hop, soul, funk, jazz, rock, house, and techno, totaling 14,000 records.
Sunday, 24.09, 12 - 8 pm. Gretchen, Obentrautstraße 19-21, 10963 Berlin. Free entry.
Cinema
I Remember the Crows by Gustavo Vinagre
"I Remember the Crows" is a personal and insightful film, featuring an interview with Julia Katharine, a Japanese-Brazilian trans actress-filmmaker. Shot in a single all-night session, Julia candidly talks about her childhood, family, romances, desires, self-destructive impulses, and love of cinema. Julia shares her insecurities, and desire for honesty, and discusses the various films that shaped her identity. The film offers an intimate portrayal of Julia's life and journey in the film industry.
Thursday, 21.09, 7 - 9:30 pm. daadgalerie, Oranienstrasse 161, 10969 Berlin. Free entry.
Lalai invites Brendon Hooper
Originally from England, freelance writer and self-confessed music fanatic Brendon Hooper has been living in Berlin for three years, and prior to that, Munich, London, and Liverpool. He says he loves being in Berlin and having so many options for discovering diverse music and culture – for him, it's like nowhere else in the world. He's amazed how even after three years here, almost every week he's still finding a new gig venue, bar or club he's not been to yet, and interesting new people to meet.
Brendon’s places to check out:
Tommy-Weisbecker-Haus: Named after a young anarchist who was shot dead by the police in 1972, the Tommy-Weisbecker-Haus is revolutionary as not only one of the first squats and self-managed social centers in Berlin, but also one of the city’s purest alternative/punk music venues. Wilhelmstrasse 9, Kreuzberg, Berlin.
Schokoladen: One of Berlin’s best scuzzy 'n' smoky little live music/clubnight venues, tucked inside a former chocolate factory in Mitte. It's my almost weekly stop for discovering brilliant new alternative/rock/punk bands and drinking cheap Berliner Pilsners! Ackerstrasse 169, Mitte, Berlin.
Brendon’ Save the Date
Elephant Stone: Canadian psych-pop troubadours bring their wonderfully hazy, droney and sitar-tinged soundscapes to Berlin’s Monarch, a unique bar with huge windows overlooking the heart of ‘Kotti.’
Saturday, 30.09, 19:00, Monarch Berlin, Skalitzer Strasse 134. Ticket: 17 €.
The David Watts Foundation: Straight after the Elephant Stone gig, scoot across town to 8mm for the official aftershow, where DJ Sascha Gottschalk will be spinning vinyl-only 60s and modern psych, post-punk and Britpop – think Kinks to Kraftwerk, CAN to Cure, Beatles to Black Angels. 10 pm - 4 am, 8mm Bar, Schönhauser Alle 177B
Berlin Ramen Festival ’23: After the heavy night, I'll be making a pilgrimage (pilgramenage?) here to binge on a tonne of diverse ramen creations and Japanese dishes, while drinking a bottle or five of one of Berlin’s best inner-city brewed beers. Sunday, 01.10, 12 - 11 pm. Berliner Berg Brauerei, Treptower Strasse 39, Neukölln. Tickets: 3/6 €.
Brendon’s October rock gig highlights:
Das Lunsentrio, Schokoladen (02.10)
Golden Hours, Kulturhaus Insel (09.10)
Patti Smith & Band, Pierre Boulez Saal (11/12/14.10)
Should we hire Brendon to share his cool rock’n roll tips?
Save the Date
Sissy Smut Vol. 2 - feat. Brontez Purnell: The event includes transgressive queer short films from various artists, followed by a live performance and reading by Brontez and guests, blending older and new material directed by Lambert. Wed, 27.09, 8:30 pm. Volksbühne, Berlin.
Tanz by Florentina Holzinger: Defying genre and smashing gender clichés, ‘TANZ’ dissects traditional dance and theater narratives. The performers undergo a rigorous “training in action” ballet, learning how to use their skills in a genre of spectacle to penetrate space and gain knowledge about flying. Don’t miss it! Sun-Mon, 28-30.10, Volksbühne, Berlin.