This piece appears as part of “BERLIN, BERLIN” — a weekend-long virtual celebration of the city. Head here to see the full series.
After "all this" is over, we’re going to remember, as one of our era-defining moments, dancing in our bedrooms in front of a live-streamed DJ set playing from a laptop. As a tribute to the epochal Zoom rave, Highsnobiety and United We Stream are teaming up for a night of music, featuring DJ sets from Berlin’s Ellen Allien, Dr. Rubenstein, and Patrick Mason live-streamed from the Boros Collection.
Experts and pioneers in the livestream rave format, United We Stream—started by the Berlin Club Commission, Reclaim Club Culture, and nightlife activists in Berlin—began hosting DJ sets live-streamed from Berlin’s most iconic clubs to raise money, right when all the clubs closed down during the city’s first lockdown. Bedroom club kids from all around the world were then able to tune in from their homes, and watch DJs like Laurel Halo, Fiedel, and LSDXOXO play sets from empty clubs like Tresor, Zur Klappe, and Griessmuehle. The project has since expanded globally to over 100 cities.
For BERLIN, BERLIN, we picked three DJ heavyweights who define genres and scenes distinct to the Berlin clubscape. Ellen Allien, who heads the legendary BPitch label, has long been one of techno’s most dedicated and reliable mainstays, headlining countless international festivals. Dr. Rubenstein, a regular DJ at Berghain, is one of the city’s most beloved selectors and a self-described “hardcore raver.” Patrick Mason, a regular on the underground queer scene in Berlin, is an all-around culture maker: DJ, creative director, dancer, and one-half of duo SRVD with Radio Slave.
The building that houses the Boros Collection is also one of the city’s most iconic. As a former Nazi bunker, it became host in the early ‘90s to the early Snax sex parties, whose promoters went on to start the Ostgut and Berghain clubs. The building languished until it was bought by advertising magnate Christian Boros to house his collection, which today features works from Wolfgang Tillmans, Ai Weiwei, and Katja Novitskova.
Watch the stream above, starting at 6 p.m. CET.
