- Being a clubber in Berlin is a little bit like being a judge in the Cannabis Cup. With so much quality to go around, it's easy to become jaded. The third weekend in October had Seth Troxler, Derrick May, a Dumb Unit showcase and Ellen Allien all playing, while the Amsterdam Dance Event was just a train ride away. With choices like that, a promoter really has to make their event stand out. Nervmusic's strategy was simple: Pick one thing and do it right. The niche of choice was minimal techno, and those who braved the gloomy night had high expectations as they took the elevator up to Weekend.
The cold weather meant that the club's rooftop terrace was closed, and because of a private function only one of Weekend's indoor floors was open for business. Benjamin Fehr started things off well with a dark and psychedelic mix. His self-described "groove noir" style was seriously scary at times. (It's easy to see why the man is a favourite of Troy Pierce.) Argentinean producer Rudolf turned up next. He's not quite a (minimal techno) household name yet, but his releases on Mean, Archipel, and Thema have seen him gaining momentum. A spot-on mix kept the crowd excited and warm tech-house tracks like Tim Oe's "Privado" were a welcome change from the conditions outside. One small problem: During almost every breakdown, he kept the hi-hats and snares going. This seems to be a trend with a lot of DJs these days, and it's unfortunate because it means that you don't get a break from the high frequencies.
Russian duo Easy Changes followed. Nervmusic stalwarts, their entourage was taking pictures throughout the night—no small feat considering this was a Berlin club. Their DJ set continued the theme of stripped-down tracks while building some nice synth melodies over top. The great atmosphere on the dance floor helped take people's attention away from the unattractive make-out sessions taking place next to the bar (an unpleasant side effect of Berlin's pro public hook-up policy). After the Moscow duo, Cabanne continued the high-quality music for the rest of the night. Reflecting on the party, a little more variety would have been nice, as they all had very similar styles. (A live act perhaps would have been a nice touch.) But as far as minimal techno goes in Berlin, the Nervmusic showcase lived up to its promise as a Class A event.