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Comment by siva7 | Hacker News Reader

Don't confuse this list with actually very popular djs. Many clubs in this list host mostly resident and local djs (like Berghain as the club name/culture is the main reason people go there, not the lineup) instead of popular touring djs who have a big fan base of their own (and are more expensive to book).

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They also have something like a 2 month ban on playing elsewhere after you DJ for them. And it doesn't seem like the pay is great to compensate. The upside is exposure, because their lineups are phenomenal and consistent, You don't really have to go there for the music, it's guaranteed to be good.

https://www.scribd.com/document/639992014/Untitled#:~:text=R...

people go to a club because the music is good, even at the shittiest of popular venues everything follows from there

I don't know you can state that universally. A lot of people go to a club because it's the "in" spot to be seen at (not that clubs are in any way unique in that regard)

Music is not the only aspect. Even more important is the vibe.

Setting / atmosphere / vibe also plays a role.

If a know a place that has angry bouncers or annoying rules, I rather go to a place that he less then ideal music.

One local club has a rule that you can't drink water from the bathroom tab, and they even turn off the cold water. I'm not going there, even when the music is fire.

I've never once when to a club because of the music they play, and I can't remember my friends ever suggesting we go to a different one because the music is better.

It's more about the atmosphere, who's there and the mood you're looking for that night.

People definitely go to BH for the artists. Of course plenty just go for clout too, but other than the cult that goes almost every weekend that is a pretty new thing.

You may be interested to learn they pay a flat fee for all bookings (not sure about residents). The booked artists are also forbidden to play anywhere else in Berlin for a period before and after (1-2 months, IIRC), and the fee is ridiculously low. Artists don’t even get many GL spots.

The idea that people supposedly don't go to Berghain for the artists is the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

OP didn't say that. They said a lot of people go to Berghain a) just because it's Berghain, arguably the most famous techno club in the world, and b) because you're pretty much guaranteed to have some good artists if you do go.

Their famously strict door policy also means that it's entirely possible to try to go there for a specific artist and get denied entry.

https://www.euronews.com/culture/2025/03/26/berghain-more-be...

OP said that was the main reason, but that's complete nonsense. Most people go there primarily for the music. The artists there are world-famous DJs who tour around the world in their particular niche of electronic music. The visitors are mostly enthusiasts who like this particular type of music and are well aware of the differences between the various artists. If you know what you're doing and why you're there, the chances of being rejected are actually relatively low.

Berghain doesn't cater to world-famous djs for various reasons. The visitors are usually enthusiasts (like many are in the berlin club scene) but from my experience the Berghain community and culture is much less about a lineup than in other techno communities.

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