Unscene Berlin

There are two reasons why I haven't been blogging regularly about Berlin's party scene lately: one good, one bad.  The good reason is that I've been extremely busy plugging away at a book about the rise and fall (and rise again) of London's underground party scene.  I will be publishing that novel in E-book format this spring, with free excerpts and a special price for all Unscene Berlin readers.  Stay posted for updates! The 'bad' reason is that, to be honest, nothing much has changed in Berlin's party scene in a-g-e-s.  There are still tons of parties in Berlin every weekend, and they are still as cheap and liberal as ever, but the sound hasn't changed.  The DJ's haven't changed.  The venues and party names haven't really changed very much either.  Thrill-seeking novelty-junkies like myself are hard-pressed to find a fix in this town, these days.   I'm not saying there's anything wrong with a bit of consistency, but wh...

I've been getting plenty of requests for New Year's Eve tips for Berlin and have been reluctant to provide any suggestions for two simple reasons: 1) I won't be around and 2) frankly, cheap underground parties are as rare as hen's teeth at New Year's Eve.  December 31st is probably the only time of year when the average Easyjet setter is actually better off staying home, as party prices rise enough to offset any of those great deals that they fly across Europe in the hope of finding.  It's a day when buses, tents, backyards and probably even large cardboard boxes sitting unattended in alleys will suddenly be converted, with the aid of a disco ball and a bouncer, into 'venues' charging for entry. New Year's Eve (Silvester as it's known in Germany) is all about finding a place that offers the best quality of experience for the relatively high price.  The Burning Man New Year's Eve party at Urban Spree seems to cover a lot of bases.  Altho...

Last year, I wrote this blog entry about the ongoing commercialization of Revaler Strasse and the RAW Tempel. At the time, a couple of the area's cheap, busker-friendly cafes had just shut down and been replaced by trendier 'shabby chic' bars featuring cocktails and gourmet snacks at prices that buskers cannot afford. Over the past nine months, these new nightspots have contributed some culinary diversity to the RAW scene but little in the way of cultural diversity. Now, another new project in the area has ignited a glimmer of hope. Urbanspree is a gallery, bar and cultural space that has taken over the lot next to Suicide Circus. It is spread across two ramshackle buildings - one built in the 1800s, and the other built by the GDR - and has a sprawling, laid back yard that is perfect for hanging out in nice weather (if the nice weather ever arrives!). Urbanspree's owners also have an itinerary of inclusive, cheap and free cultural events planned for this summe...