Preview: Sylvester, Patron Saint of Party Animals

-
Time now for my long overdue roundup of Silvester parties! Silvester is the German name for New Year's Eve. The name comes from Saint Sylvester, who passed away on 31 December 335. Since his death has become synonymous with one of the biggest celebrations on the German calendar, I assume that old Sylvester must have been a bit badass. I'm picturing a 4th century dilettante, stumbling around a monastery strewn with empty barrels of sekt, his followers draped over their pews with robes askew, groaning in hungover agony. But, historical speculation aside, here is my preview...

If I'm too impatient to wait for the night of the 31st, I might start with a warm-up at Golden Gate's Saturday after-hours, which starts around noon. It promises to provide "madness as usual". Nice!

After that, Blo Atelier and PK22 will be hosting the intimate, Berlin-friendly party Kiez 2.0. One 5 euro ticket will get you into two venues: one in the heart of Prenzlauer Berg and the other in the heart of Friedrichshain. The double do's seem to be a form of positive protest against the fact that "only people with money can celebrate the New Year in this city", which fits nicely with Saint Sylvester's notions of hospitality. Both venues are DIY yet stylish, and both will offer veggie food as well as low-priced drinks. Given their associations within Berlin scene, there will probably be a healthy dose of underground culture present at both locations. All proceeds from the door go to local community projects.

Last Silvester, the only fireworks display I saw was a blitzkrieg of misfired missiles that had me running for cover in one of Berlin's trendy eastern kiezen (and I'm no coward about pyrotechnics, having lived through a dozen Guy Fawkes nights in some of London's dodgier boroughs). This year, I hope for a more dignified fireworks experience; I'd like check out an official display from the relative safety of Leap. The Mitte arts space is hosting a masked party which costs just 7 euros. Like Kiez 2.0 they are sharing the proceeds with charity instead of using it to finance their January sun break - again, Saint Sylvester would be proud. As an added bonus, Leap's vast plate glass windows will provide spectators with protection against stray fireworks. Yey!

After that, I will be off to Love Lite's Balkanska party (9 euros) which will feature Balkan beats, house and disco on two floors. It is bound to be crowded with a range of cultural cross-breeds so be sure to bring your grapes, lead figurines, marzipan, white clothing, masks, old coins... basically, every symbol of Silvester that you can think of from your corner of the world.

Some time in the morning hours, I would like to end up at Griessmuehle. This Neukoelln party mill will offer four floors, indoor and outdoor areas, fireworks, live shows and more. At 10 euros I think it will give the bigger and giddier Silvester parties (Oddysee, Hippie New Year, Sisyphos*, Bodywerk) a run for their money.

That's all for this year. Guten Rutsch!
*FYI, Sisyphos is not in Neukoelln or Friedrichshain or Mars or wherever its PR team is claiming it's located these days - it is in LICHTENBERG. Good thing to know when one is planning one's journey there, though the club doesn't seem to agree.

Comments

  1. Anonymous29 December 2011 at 19:14

    starting silvester on saturday noon in golden gate sounds awesome :D

    ReplyDelete
  2. Miss E30 December 2011 at 13:02

    Glad to have inspired you... or maybe 'corrupted' is a better word ;-)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Preview: It's "Garbicz", Not Garbage!

-
Image
"Magic becomes art when it has nothing to hide." I just found out that I am going to be working at the Garbicz festival this year. This is good news! I've heard a fair few people around town whinging that it's too expensive / fancy / hippy / slow mo [delete as appropriate] but I found it to be a very experiential and grown up Bacchanal. By which I mean, it focusses whatever it's good at into a high intensity beam that illuminates a very personal, but alluring vision of what openair raving could be.  It's at a really lovely location on an ancient Polish river, with azure waters that look like something from Neolithic times... or a backdrop for a Neolithic fashion shoot, if you will. There are some very decked out modern primitives in this wilderness, as my dusty photos from last year suggest.  The place has a brilliant energy that feels right for working magic of whatever kind: dancing, delirious, holistic chaos magick, but without sacri...
Read more

Review: Gegen 8ternity @ KitKat Club

-
Image
Gegen 8ternity flyer. (Artwork copyright: Gegen Berlin) Saturday January 5th,  2:00 a.m. "They have new rooms now, down in the basement," says my wide-eyed friend Rene in a husky voice, before taking me by the hand and leading me down the steps into KitKat's apparently infinite cellar. (My balance is a bit off, it must be whatever I drank earlier). We trace a wavy path through the rambling subterranean hallways, around translucent pennants that hang on alternating sides of the hall, printed with tasteful nudes doing tasteless things, undulating fluidly in the body temperature air.  The hall opens out into a bar, which opens out into a fakeshift hospital ward. We pass doubled-over bodies getting whipped & spanked; protruding buttocks scarred with lashes and splattered with red wax. There are hips rolling on gurneys, glistening bald heads and tossing manes, camp laughter and almost inaudible moans. And then that room opens on to Gegentanz: a wide...
Read more

Review: Brunnen 70 Puts the 'Art' Into 'Party'

-
Image
 Deutsch I love art and I love parties and when you put the two things together, I'm in seventh heaven. Cassiopeia and Tacheles are well known examples of venues which combine clubbing with culture... and climbing too, if that's your cup of tea, but I find them a bit crowded and impersonal. That's why I am always on the lookout for places which attract the masses without feeling mass-produced. Last weekend I finally checked out Brunnen 70 and what I saw there put it at the top of the list. I went there with a friend on a Saturday night.  After passing the chilled security check, we were ushered into a small room, empty except for an old-fashioned settee against the far wall, and two door staff who were propping up a table with a shoe (labeled 'tips') on it. They smiled at us as a second steel door slid closed behind us, sealing the room shut. My friend and I were slightly freaked out. "Wow, okay... this is a small club..." I began to say, befo...
Read more