- "Celebrating 20 years of inspiration since the fall of the Wall," read projections and posters throughout the Prince Bandroom. It was too ambitious a link, but the Beck's Berlin Sessions had drawn on a strange muse for its third installment.
The 16-year stalwart producer of deep house and ambient techno, Move D, would headline alongside Frank Wiedemann of Âme. Both artists were more paternal figures on a bill that also featured lesser-known Benji Frohlich, proprietor of Munich's Permanent Vacation label, but all three were going to exhibit the music that made for a "great night out in Berlin" and create an "experience" that cast the city as a pillar for contemporary club culture and nightlife. And yet, without being too cerebral about the name or motivation of the night, the Future Classic-backed event had sought three acts who had an extremely modest connection with the city itself—not that it did much to quell the crowd's anticipation and enthusiasm.
From the start of Frohlich's set till Move D's last track, the dance floor was the most crowded part of the club. The assembly had occupied the sunken pit in front of the decks, and even though the Berlin Sessions was not sold out, the dense congregation gave the venue an intimate feel. The DJs, bathed in a red burlesque light, wallowed in their smooth beats while strobes hit the crowd from every angle. It was a familiar club setting for those who'd been to Prince before, but the depth of the artists and music gave the club a certain sincerity, as though it was playing host to a most absorbing exhibition.
This musical integrity does not regularly grace Prince's dance floor, which is more accustomed to the "go-to-be-seen" clubber mentality. Prince's PA delivered a crisp sound, throwing the low-end intensity to all corners—and if you happened to make it past the velvet rope and bouncer guarding the smoking area, the sound was just as powerful; a blessing for those who didn't want to miss a beat, but a curse for those who wanted a quiet chat.
Frohlich opened with low-BPM nu-disco. Recent single, "Tic Toc" featuring Kathy Diamond, was as recognizable and as seductive as Frohlich's set got. But it was a nicely crafted opening gambit that left the crowd teetering on the brink of high energy, ready to be let out of the cage given the opportunity.
That chance came when Heidelberg's Move D plugged in, releasing a much deeper, rumbling sound that hit a more congested club. Deep basslines and diva vocals wove in and out of tracks likes Matthew Styles' "We Said Nothing" and though Move D would grace the decks and close the night out after Âme, his two long sets blended into a wonderfully peaceful, yet indistinguishable mesh.
Some would say Âme occupied the unfortunate space between two Move D sets, yet Wiedemann molded a creative two hours after D and a short live set of low-key techno from local hero Christian Vance. Âme's most recent mix was full of cutting-edge house with diverse vocals and jazzy instrumentals, which clearly inspired his Berlin Sessions set. Tracks like Azari & III's "Reckless With Your Love" played into smooth sax licks and, whether by design or not, Wiedemann unleashed a remix of "Heart's a Mess," a track composed by Melbourne local Gotye. Needless to say, the crowd responded.
At the end of the night and 20 years after the fall of the Wall, the Berlin Sessions had celebrated music that was as inspiring as the posters suggested. Whether the two events had anything to do with one another may be a point for discussion, but a more aggressive part of me shouts, "Who cares?" An excellent night was had. And that's all that matters.