How getting rejected at Berghain started a great Sunday Funday

When I decided to go to Berlin, there was one thing I was absolutely sure about having to do and that was going to Berghain. Berghain is a massive techno club in Berlin that gained international fame. There are still many myths surrounding Berghain, which may have to do with people not being allowed to take photos inside the club, as it is customary in Berlin. The other thing that stands out compared to other clubs is that no one really knows what it takes to get inside.

They say that Britney Spears tried to get in but was denied entry.
Even if that’s not true, the determination process of who gets in and who doesn’t feels random. Everyone seems to have their own opinion on how to behave in line to get in and I would summarize as follows: wear black, but not too much black, be funky but not too funky and act gay, but not too gay. Oh, and most importantly: Don’t speak at the front of the line, but if you do, it better be in German. Knowing that didn’t help me though, as I didn’t get in and felt this way:

How to get denied at Berghain. 
There are so many potential reasons you can get denied at Berghain but you’ll never know why it didn’t work out. I don’t know what the problem with us was but it probably had to do with us being in a group. When the doorman saw me and a flatmate at the front of the line, he wanted to let us in but not anymore as soon as he found at that we were in a group of four. For some reason, however, I didn’t feel like having our group get split apart that night. So, our quest for Sunday fun began.

Not good enough for Berghain.

Start as early as you can and have near-constant booze supply. 
That’s how you could summarize the non-existent motto of our Sunday Funday because, yes, you’ve read correctly, we visited Berghain on a Sunday morning. Correction, we visited the front of Berghain on a Sunday morning. (Which usually is a good idea to avoid lines). After being bummed about not getting in and formulating a couple of conspiracy theories on their line policies, we ended up in a great bar (Blechbar Berlin) that felt really laid back and relaxed which isn’t always the case in a huge city like Berlin.

Awesome art at Beate Uwe

I’ve heard about Barefeet at Beate Uwe earlier that week. 
It’s always happening on Sundays as they turn club Beate Uwe upside down, lay out carpets and ask visitors to take off their shoes. By doing so, they gave me a strong feeling of familiarity and ‘home’ which I haven’t experienced in any other club in Berlin so far. I almost felt as if I could trust the people inside more than in a regular club. The music was amazing as well. At many times, I forgot everything around me and just enjoyed the music and dancing to it. I faced the heat in the club by taking off my shirt and so did a flatmate. It was great because the vibe in there didn’t make people feel at a meatshow or a freakshow. It turned out to be a perfect night, not only because of Beate Uwe but also because of the flatmates I’ve been out with who have grown on me so much the last weeks.

Having a day that started off shitty be completely transformed into one of the best days I’ve had in Berlin completely surprised me and only goes to show that sometimes you cannot plan for a good time. You can, however, backup-plan for what to do when you fail at Berghain.

BenLeander