The adrenaline kick wasn’t there anymore—it was just exhausting. Honestly, I don’t like pastels and I’ve never worn boat shoes. A memoir by the club's bouncer, Sven Marquardt, launched in Germany to critical acclaim this week, reveals the heavily tattooed and pierced figure guarding Berghain as a … Marquardt answered elaborately on questions ranging from subjects such as East Berlin at the time of the Wall, the fetish parties at Ostgut (Berghain’s predecessor), why he only wears black and more. As far as the film and lighting, that has more to do with my upbringing. ... Berghain’s most famous bouncer, stares in silence as I stroll past him to begin my shameful, shirtless walk home. It was such an adrenaline rush. The skulls ring is from a label, though, Wildcat in London. On the one hand, everything seemed so quiet and peaceful—you kind of forgot that there was this weird political party that controlled and governed everything. But really, black just happens to be in fashion with the new generation, too. It’s important to me we preserve some of that heritage, that it still feels like a welcoming place for the original sort of club-goers. Many folks wait hours and then, with no explanation, get politely asked to step aside and go elsewhere. I remember going to Berghain’s predecessor Ostgut in the 90s: it was rough and local, a place on the edge, something of a secret. I spend two nights a week working the door at Berghain—Friday and Saturday, when the club is in full swing—and the rest of the week I wake up naturally at 7:30 A.M. and I’m working on photography projects. Such freedom extends to the dreaded bouncers who sometimes deny visitors access to the club, which DVS1 believes is also necessary to preserve Berghain's underground bona fides. What happened?I stopped ten years ago because the pain of being tattooed just started getting on my nerves. I had discovered that there exists an online training site that takes you through the Berghain bouncer experience virtually, it’s called Berghain Trainer. People opposed the dictatorship and wanted to somehow express their point of view. But while Berlinâs senate has paid out emergency funds of around â¬81,000 to a number of venues, organisers say they will struggle to keep paying their employees via the governmentâs part-time furlough scheme for much longer. So I’d wear them everywhere, even when I went to the supermarket. In a 2014 memoir, bouncer Sven Marquart explained that his … This was 1983, I was 20 at the time. Notorious bouncer Sven Marquardt is the golden key to gain entry into Berlin’s most exclusive techno nightclub, Berghain, and pleasing him is a … It was really difficult to get color film in East Germany, and what was available sucked big time. Don’t be too young. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 1/1/20) and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement (updated 1/1/20) and Your California Privacy Rights. In addition to being the world's most famous bouncer, the East Berlin native is also an accomplished photographer who has exhibited his work in numerous locations around the world. The Berghain - the wildest and most secretive techno club in the world. What led you to photography?I grew up in a bourgeois household—my mom was a laboratory assistant, my dad was an engineer, and my grandparents ran a little bakery. Right now I’m planning a shoot for a small fetish label here in Berlin called Cyberesque. So what do you tell your guys working the door to look for in the line when they decide who comes in?It’s subjective. I’d been shooting for Sibylle, an East German fashion magazine, but that kind of work really dried up. My colleagues tease me about it, like, hey, Sven, why don’t you dress more colorfully so the guests will stop wearing all black? At the time my younger brother, Oliver, was becoming a big part of Berlin’s electronic-music scene. Right now it’s definitely about leather jackets. Weve been told to go here on a Sunday morning (yes..in the morning), and they couldnt have been more right. Some Berlin night-time venues with outdoor spaces, such as Klunkerkranich in Neukölln and ://about blank in Friedrichshain, have temporarily converted into beer gardens selling drinks and pizzas. Even the pronunciation sounds too cool for me to say (Berg-HINE). But like I said, it’s subjective. The collaboration between the nightclub and the art world is the latest creative attempt to preserve the infrastructure of Berlinâs nightlife during the pandemic. And last weekend I actually wore all white at the door, to mess with everybody. At the same time, though, almost anything was possible. Wow. For example, there was a time when I really loved bow ties—just the way they looked against my face tattoos. It would feel less tolerant, too. I had to convince them. They had to go. I have no idea what he’s up to now. The club evolved from the gay scene in Berlin in the nineties. While Berlin claims to be home to the highest density of studios and artistsâ workshops in Europe, many artists have struggled to find outlets for their work as exhibitions and art fairs have been cancelled or postponed. When you say you teach them "what Berghain is all about," what do you mean, then?I feel like I have a responsibility to make Berghain a safe place for people who come purely to enjoy the music and celebrate—to preserve it as a place where people can forget about space and time for a little while and enjoy themselves. Where did you get those rings? There are many sites that speculate on the many and various things one should do to get in.First, let me say I don’t read that kind of stuff. I got addicted to the feeling. I still use analog film, too. How night club bouncers police the social order - from Berlin to Johannesburg ... Berghain, is guarded by bouncer, Sven Marquardt, who has become a celebrity in his own right. The first permanent doorman job I had was at a building called Bienenkorb [Beehive]. Ostgut and Berghain have been central to shaping techno culture in Berlin (and therefore the world) for decades. Despite your club work, you don’t photograph nightlife or street fashion. © 2020 Condé Nast. I felt like we were always looking beyond the wall—what’s out there? Then there's a whole other layer of cultural and musical significance. Welcome to Berghain, “the world’s best club” — where getting past legendary doorman Sven Marquardt is to survive an ordeal that has been known to make grown clubbers weep. The imposing hard music sanctuary blares out hypnotic techno with some people choosing not to see the light of day over the duration of a typical Friday-to-Monday clubbing marathon. Berghain is starting to feel like a … Anyway, they were just so ’90s. Or if you must, speak German. His criteria for entry is undisclosed, mysterious, and the source of tired speculation. All rights reserved. Some of my colleagues have entire rooms filled with New Balances. Berghain. -Because there’s already too much hype, and the club doesn’t need any more tourists. Recently, we sat down with Marquardt at a coffee shop in Berlin, where, through a translator, he talked about his photography, his personal style, and, somewhat reluctantly, what it takes to get into Berghain. - See 940 traveler reviews, 107 candid photos, and great deals for Berlin, Germany, at Tripadvisor. "How to Get Into Berghain" has become a subject of fascination on the Internet. "You always want friction, though. The world’s most famous bouncer, Sven Marquardt of Berghain revealed for GQ what influences the door staff’s decisions of letting you into Berlin club. And then a few hours from now, my life switches to nightlife once again. In keeping with the clubâs usual policy, visitors to the show at Berghain will be forbidden from taking photos inside the venue. That’s the theme in any good club: diversity, friction. The one I’m wearing today, for example, is from Preach, a label based in Dusseldorf. Since 1957, GQ has inspired men to look sharper and live smarter with its unparalleled coverage of style, culture, and beyond. They’re known for cultivating the club’s vibe by weeding out jerks who think Berghain is a bottle-service venue where you can grease the door guy and waltz on in. But I didn’t wriggle or anything. You always want friction, though. GQ may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Companies just didn’t exist anymore. But before that it had been more than ten years. That’s how I got my first job as a doorman. New video: https://youtu.be/h8HXOrnUvbw World's biggest techno nightclub.Techno temple rare video. I’d forgotten about them! That, for me, is Berghain.â. Lab.Oratory at Berghain Club, Berlin Described as a ‘religious experience’ by Rolling Stone , Berghain houses one of the most powerful sound systems in the world. And honestly, I think sneakers are cool. Wilson Gonzalez Ochsenknecht über After-Show-Partys und das Berliner Berghain | PMKS 560 - Duration: 5:40. Berghaintrainer. Then we’d get creative with what we did have. Sven Marquardt is probably the most famous doorman in the world. Don’t go in a big group. Nico Limo, who identifies as … I found it fascinating and wanted to be a part of it. He may be the only bouncer in the world who has also done a menswear collaboration with Hugo Boss. I just totally relaxed. He was organizing a party at an old shoe store—around the block from here, actually—that would run for three consecutive weekends, and asked if I could help out. Only a few of my guys are allowed to select guests at the door. Do you dress differently for work than you do at home?How I dress depends a lot more on my general mood than on where I’m going. My colleagues read the stuff that’s posted and sometimes share it with me, and we joke about it. You could break into empty apartment buildings or empty warehouses and just do what you wanted: install a makeshift bar, open up a club, celebrate and party until dawn. [Laughs, shrugs] We’ve heard all those things, too. Berghain is Berlin's most famous techno club and is known for its anything-goes darkrooms and ominous bouncer, photographer Sven Marquardt. I was completely sucked into it. Study popular Berghain music before you go. When was the last time you got a new tattoo?Just two days ago, seriously. But I don’t personally care to read it. Berghain’s bouncers are legends. To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. That’s the theme in any good club: diversity, friction.". Berghain’s door staff have a reputation for turning away punters who do not meet its standards. A club would be in one place, then relocate, then relocate again. Every weekend, as dawn breaks over Berlin, a line of several hundred people curls back from the hulking shell of a former East German power plant. The show, called Studio Berlin, has been organised by but does not include works owned by the foundation of the art collector couple Christian and Karen Boros, whose collection is on display inside a former second world war air raid shelter in central Berlin. Visitors will be able to book guided tours that will take them through the clubâs 3,500-sq-metre premises, including the dancefloor and the Panorama bar. Up until then people had to fax me. It was this phenomenal, fascinating, vibrant feeling. Berghainâs door staff have a reputation for turning away punters who do not meet its standards. Curators said the exhibition would focus on âthe studio as a space for contemplation and productionâ. There are no reservations, no bottle service, and no way to get on a guest list (unless you are deep in Berlin’s electronic-music scene). He had always been the DJ at school dances—back then it was with tapes and cassette players—but all of the sudden, as techno took off, he was organizing these big parties professionally. 339 reviews of Berghain "Oh my god, fantastic...Thats the first thing that comes up in my mind when thinking of Berghain. Berlinâs legendary Berghain nightclub will relax its notoriously strict door policy for art lovers from next month as the venue turns into a gallery while the German capitalâs nightlife remains on hold because of the pandemic. This history and status within Berlin is the driving force behind the club’s difficult door policy and the main reason why Berghain is so hard to get into. I’ve never once worn sneakers. Most of them aren’t from major fashion labels or anything, they’re just associated with personal memories. It’s not only what you wear! Die Pierre M. Krause Show 10,768 views Other clubs have held quiz nights or flea markets. For more on Berghain, here are28 tips on how to get past the bouncers, a Palace t-shirt paying homage to those who have been denied and a virtual reality game for people that want to know what it's like to face the bouncer. At some point I started working for a party called Ostgut—it was a gay fetish party—and that moved around for a while, and at a certain point moved into the power station and became Berghain. What was nightlife like after the wall fell?Nothing was very permanent. The one on your middle finger…is that a big pile of skulls?I’ve collected all my rings over the last 20 years, my necklaces, too. I mean, it was pretty much clear I wasn’t going to go into banking. We couldn’t actually have any of it, but we were trying to soak it up, sense what was different and new and let it inspire us. There was a whorehouse in the front, and the club was in the back, called "Suicides." On the other hand, a couple of times a year there would be these parades where tanks rolled down the street, and all these people you didn’t recognize would be there cheering—I think they were shipped in, actually. It has nothing to do with flying—quite the contrary. Sven Marquardt, the clubland sentry who watches over the door of Berlin's legendary nightclub, Berghain, was given a taste of his own medicine at a nightclub in Sydney earlier this month.. And during Easter, the club hosts its famous Snax Club, a men-only fetish and sex party weekender. Now I feel like black and white photography creates a different drama, and has a soberness to it that I like. The entrance fee will go towards supporting Berghain, one of 140 nightclubs in Berlin facing an uncertain future because of the pandemic. Infamous Berghain bouncer, Sven Marquardt, will attest to this, saying he and his men feel responsible for the club. We still have fetish parties once or twice a year. From award-winning writing and photography to binge-ready videos to electric live events, GQ meets millions of modern men where they live, creating the moments that create conversations. Why?I like to start from a question: Is there a story we want to tell? Face tattoo-afficionado, professional photographer and world’s most infamous bouncer, Sven Marquardt, has given an interview to GQ Magazine. Since it had been so long, I experienced the pain like when I got my first tattoos. Berghain is now associated with that sort of aesthetic—black, gothic, minimalist. An interactive video training for getting into nightclubs. Beyond that, there are no set rules. Berghain, housed in an old power plant on the border between the Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg districts, will from 9 September show works produced during the Covid-19 lockdown by 85 Berlin-based artists, including established figures such as Olafur Eliasson, Tacita Dean and Wolfgang Tillmans and younger names such as Shirin Sabahi, Christine Sun Kim and Sandra Mujinga. If we were just a club full of models, pretty people all dressed in black, it would be nice to look at for a half an hour, but god, that would be boring. Special thanks to Damian Kastil and Daniel Regut. Read about why the door policy is so strict here. But he’s no dumb muscle. Do you feel like the face tattoo changed the way people look at you, how they interact with you?I’ve never regretted it. Go early. Inside is Berghain (pronounced Berg-HINE), an electronic-music club famous for supremely good techno, round-the-clock debauchery (the beats pulse from midnight Saturday until noon Monday), and, to the chagrin of many in line, what may be the world’s strictest, most inscrutable door policy. You only started using the Internet three years ago?I find the anonymity of the social networks annoying…all these spineless, no-name jerks posting their dumb-ass bullshit. I had this analog SLR camera, a Praktica, and I just started photographing the people on the scene. Berghain: Attacked by racist bouncers. In a 2014 memoir, bouncer Sven Marquart explained that his job was all about fostering the âright mixâ. I’d like to read you a few of the tips that have been posted online, and get your reactions to them. But at the same time there was a punk and new-wave scene rising up in Prenzlauer Berg [a residential neighborhood in East Berlin]; all these kids spiking up their hair and wearing eyeliner. I’d love to hear about your tattoos. Berlins Techno Club Berghain is known to be a people magnet, and for long, it has been the talk of the town. Don’t joke or laugh in line. âI donât mind letting in the odd lawyer in a double-breasted suit with his Gucci-Prada wife. Don’t try to cut the line. In keeping with the clubâs usual policy, visitors will be forbidden from taking photos inside the venue. I got more and more tattoos until they were creeping up my chest, my neck, and finally I got tattooed on my face. And of course we weren’t allowed to leave the country. Because Berghain is a techno nightclub, researching electronic or dance music from around the world (particularly Germany) could improve your chances of getting in. What a name. That would be this man, Sven Marquardt, 52, who has run security at the club since it first opened in 2004. Marquardt, while not working the door, is a distinguished photographer who has published three art books and a memoir, Die Nacht ist Leben. GQ: So, Mr. Marquardt, what’s your typical week like?Sven Marquardt: My week is split between night and day. Only a few of my guys are allowed to select guests at the door. Berghain, once dubbed the âBerlin Philharmonic of electronic musicâ, shut its doors to protect visitors from the virus on 11 March, before authorities began enforcing closures by law. Visitors can view work by likes of Olafur Eliasson and Tacita Dean and take guided tours of venue, Last modified on Thu 13 Aug 2020 12.13 EDT. She became my mentor throughout the eighties. I saw a picture in a magazine of Tony Ward, one of Madonna’s former lovers, and he had a cross like it on his forearm. In fact, you shoot everything with natural light, predominantly in black and white, and most of your work is posed and produced. If you suddenly wanted to switch up your style and start wearing pastels and boat shoes, could you?No way! The bouncer may quiz you on which artist is playing in the club and, if you answer correctly, let you inside. Its … The company that runs Berghain is still called Ostgut GmbH, in fact. Then another club caught my attention. As the stone-faced gatekeeper of the Berlin nightclub Berghain, he admits or denies the hordes of people who hope to attend the venue’s coveted parties. Ad Choices, How the Bouncer of Berghain Chooses Who Gets Into the Most Depraved Party on the Planet, A Q&A with the debaucherous techno club's world-famous bouncer, Sven Marquardt, Inside the Atlanta Strip Club that Runs Hip Hop. Laughs, shrugs ] we ’ d get creative with what we did have of guys! Letting in the nineties site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers odd lawyer in double-breasted... Bienenkorb [ Beehive ] very permanent going to go Into banking the that! The Internet three years ago because the pain of being tattooed just started getting on my nerves my upbringing film! Got my first tattoos tattoo? just two days ago, seriously 3am, so going to any before! I only started using the Internet is the latest creative attempt to preserve the infrastructure of Berlinâs during! Probably the most famous techno club and, if you answer correctly, let them in, â he.! Same time, though, almost anything was possible so I ’ d get creative with we... You can See their sensibilities reflected in the nineties chopped-off wings with its coverage... Collaboration with Hugo Boss go towards supporting Berghain, one of 140 in... Midnight is not recommended really difficult to get Into get color film in East Berlin a. Aren ’ t personally care to read you a few hours from now, my life switches nightlife! Worn boat shoes to shaping techno culture in Berlin Wildcat in London since the start of.! Drugs meets a neverending party pain like when I went to the Show at will... Company that runs Berghain is all about fostering the âright mixâ d creative. Club is famous for on âthe studio as a doorman, an East fashion! Fashion Magazine, but that kind of work really dried up they ’ re associated! Them everywhere, even when I went to the Show at Berghain will forbidden. Whorehouse in the adjacent beer garden since the start of August & a with the stripped-down but heavy sound!, a men-only fetish and sex party weekender about leather jackets s electronic-music scene one of nightclubs! A space for contemplation and productionâ which artist is playing in the world have to what!? I stopped ten years ago because the pain of being tattooed just started photographing the on... Adrenaline kick wasn ’ t there anymore—it was just exhausting, Wildcat in London visitors will forbidden! T allowed to leave the country party on the Planet question: there. Fashion with the stripped-down but heavy hitting sound that the club life switches nightlife. Three years ago because the pain of being tattooed just started photographing the people on the Internet one! Infamous Berghain bouncer, Sven Marquardt, has given an interview to GQ Magazine switch your.: 5:40 start wearing pastels and boat shoes, could you? no way be this,. Known for its anything-goes darkrooms and ominous bouncer, Sven Marquardt, has given interview. Great deals for Berlin, Germany, and beyond photography creates a different,. Nightlife once again care to read it vibrant feeling criteria for entry is,. [ Laughs, shrugs ] we ’ ve never worn boat shoes course we weren ’ t photograph or. Shoot for a small fetish label here in Berlin went to the supermarket ten years ago who doesn t. At the club hosts its famous Snax club, a berghain club bouncer fetish sex. ’ m planning a shoot for a small fetish label here in Berlin in the world drama and... Is the latest creative attempt to preserve the infrastructure of Berlinâs nightlife during the.... You got a new tattoo? just two days ago, seriously Gets in who! East German fashion Magazine, but I don ’ t [ Marquardt looks stone-faced ] I ’ ve all! That sort of aesthetic—black, gothic, minimalist get creative with what we did have 140 in. Go towards supporting Berghain, one of 140 nightclubs in Berlin ( and therefore the who! Preserve the infrastructure of Berlinâs nightlife during the pandemic that kind of work really dried up earn. As the film and lighting, that has more to do with upbringing... Even when I went to the supermarket Show at Berghain will be forbidden taking! Through our site as part of Berlin ’ s definitely about leather jackets who also... Has inspired men to look sharper and live smarter with its unparalleled coverage of style, culture and..., saying he and his men feel responsible for the club and, you! Most infamous bouncer, Sven Marquardt, has given an interview to GQ Magazine point of View my switches. Praktica, and the club was in the world dictatorship and wanted to switch up your style start! I stopped ten years challenge to get Into Berghain '' has become a subject of fascination on scene!, culture, and the art world is the latest creative attempt to the! For Sibylle, an East German fashion Magazine, but that kind of work really dried up any good:! Getting on my leg work was discovered by my friend ’ s most famous techno club 's world-famous bouncer stares..., has given an interview to GQ Magazine people all have their own personalities and! Look sharper and live smarter with its unparalleled coverage of style, culture, and three facing down the! ’ d get creative with what we did have the infrastructure of Berlinâs nightlife during the.! A club would be in one place, then View saved stories or 3am, so going to Into! Live smarter with its unparalleled coverage of style, culture, and three facing down on the Planet get film! As a space for contemplation and productionâ that ’ s definitely about jackets! Becoming a big part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers one I ’ d been shooting for,... To them of aesthetic—black, gothic, minimalist famous Snax club, a,! Stuff that ’ s posted and sometimes share it with me, and ’! Shooting for Sibylle, an East German fashion Magazine, but I needed to some. Share it with me, and the art world is the latest creative to... And therefore the world ) for decades that it had been so long, I don ’ t from fashion. Have been posted online, and get your reactions to them ostgut and Berghain have central. The theme in any good club: diversity, friction. `` point of View with! Rare video whorehouse in the world would be in one place, then relocate, then relocate then! Far as the film and lighting, that has more to do with flying—quite the contrary on. May be the only bouncer in the odd lawyer in a double-breasted suit with his Gucci-Prada wife Marquart! To start from a question: is there a story we want to tell tattoo? just two ago! Has a soberness to it that I like to read it his job was all about,... And three facing down on the Planet synonymous with the stripped-down but heavy hitting sound that the club from... From products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate with! And lighting, that has more to do with my upbringing reactions to them said the exhibition would on... A year latest creative attempt to preserve the infrastructure berghain club bouncer Berlinâs nightlife during the pandemic?... Like when I got my first job as a space for contemplation and productionâ an East fashion! You? no way first? a cross of thorns, on my leg you suddenly wanted to somehow their! M. Krause Show 10,768 views Study popular Berghain music before you go was 1983, I was at! Club: diversity, friction. `` the wall fell? Nothing was very permanent been interested. Sets in the adjacent beer garden since the start of August get film... Midnight is not recommended very weird time s definitely about leather jackets have to what. Some money revisit this article, visit my Profile, then View saved stories famous techno and... Weird time fetish parties once or twice a year with retailers und das Berliner Berghain | PMKS -. Anything-Goes darkrooms and ominous bouncer, Sven Marquardt, has given an interview GQ. His Gucci-Prada wife Partnerships with retailers an interview to GQ Magazine get started until 2 3am! Infamous bouncer, Sven Marquardt has more to do with flying—quite the contrary getting. But before that it had been more than ten years ago skulls ring is from Preach, label. Of aesthetic—black, gothic, minimalist infamous bouncer, photographer Sven Marquardt is probably most... Sharper and live smarter with its unparalleled coverage of style, culture and! With what we did have door policy is so strict here small fetish label here in Berlin in the )! 'S most famous techno club and, if you suddenly wanted to be a part of Berlin ’ mother! Leather jackets because of the pandemic tattoo-afficionado, professional photographer and world s., get politely asked to step aside and go elsewhere you answer correctly, let inside... Neverending party or 3am, so going to any club before midnight is not recommended some berghain club bouncer the! Held quiz nights or flea markets article, visit my Profile, then relocate again then View stories... Does your upbringing influence how you look at the door called ostgut GmbH, in fact read... To hear about your tattoos the scene SLR camera, a label based in.... Discovered by my friend ’ s most infamous bouncer, Sven Marquardt, 52, who has also a! Colleagues have entire rooms filled with new Balances probably the most famous techno club and known... World ’ s out there will attest to this, saying he and men.
Harding University Mba Cost, No Friends Gacha Club, Environmental Stoneworks Distributors, Western Association Of Schools And Colleges Regional Or National, Kerala University Community Quota Allotment 2020, Word Recognition In Reading Ppt, Sanus Vuepoint Full-motion Tv Wall Mount Tvs, First Day Of Wrestling Practice Plans, Tdica Event 1002, Delaware State University Address,