music magazine & concert calendar number fourteen april 2017 free
E D I T O R IA L Howdy Partners,
Hallo!
A bunch of us Choppers just got back from enjoying some rockin’ times at SXSW in Texas. We saw lots of really cool bands play and then got to watch giant corporations exploit those bands and convert their cultural capital into actual capital that they hoarded to themselves and laughed as people trying to present their art played for free at the largest showcase festival in the world. But through this process I got a free backpack, so no complaints. It’s nice to be back though. The rashes on my skin from eating processed American food have almost gone away (totally worth that Pizza Pocket) and the jet-lag which keeps me up till 5AM is a great excuse to watch Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Einige von uns Choppern sind frisch zurück vom SXSW in Texas. Wir haben viele coole Bands gesehen und zugeschaut, wie große Konzerne diese Bands ausbeuteten und deren kulturelles Kapital in richtiges Kapital umwandelten, das sie für sich selbst horteten und lachten, als Leute, um ihre Kunst zu präsentieren, kostenlos auf dem weltgrößten Showcase Festival spielten. Aber durch diesen Prozess habe ich einen kostenlosen Rucksack bekommen, also kein Problem. Trotzdem ist es schön zurück zu sein. Der Ausschlag auf meiner Haut vom amerikanischen Essen ist fast wieder weg (war die Pizzataschen auch wert) und der Jetlag, der mich bis 5 Uhr morgens wach hält, ist eine super Ausrede „Star Trek: Deep Space Nine“ zu gucken.
Well anyways, April is looking to be mighty juicy, music-wise. All of these great albums dropping and just look at that calendar. Plus, we’re announcing the opening of a new venue! It’s almost too much for my fluttering little heart. Be sure to keep this copy tucked away in your bag. You never know when a radler on the canal is going to turn into 6 and that itch for a show starts working ‘atchya. Don’t fret, dear reader. Chop’s got your back.
Wie dem auch sei, der April scheint musikmäßig ganz schön saftig zu werden. Eine Menge großartige Alben kommen raus und schaut euch bloß mal den Kalender an. Außerdem kündigen wir die Eröffnung eines neuen Venues an! Das ist fast schon zu viel für mein kleines Herz. Passt auf, dass ihr diese Ausgabe sicher in eurer Tasche aufbewahrt. Man weiß nie wann aus einem Radler am Kanal sechs werden und das Verlangen nach einem Konzert aufkommt. Keine Sorge, die Chop ist für euch da.
See you in the sun,
Wir sehen uns in der Sonne,
Ryan
Ryan
The Chop Team – Amande Dagod Anita Richelli Dori Düsn Joe Kelly Glu Ten Lulu La Certa Martin Dziallas Maya Roisin Slater Ryan Rosell Sören Bill Yannis Trouinard – The Chop Issue #14 April 2017 Auflage : 750 Stück Free – www.thechop.de FB : @thechopmag hello@thechop.de – Cover photo by Sophie le Roux www.suphiel.com – Submit your events to shows@thechop.de – You want to contribute ? editor@thechop.de
Get your Chop Chip !
NEGLECTED ESSENTIALS
Discounted entry to select shows by :
Some of the best cuts from bands on this month’s calendar along with some suggested songs by our featured artist Itaca ($). Tracks followed by the * symbol come from local bands or artists.
Puschen M:Soundtrack Shameless/Limitless Paper and Iron Booking Co. Fourtrack on Stage Fête D’Adieu Cranky Booking Future Sailor Concerts Plus FREE entry to ALL Chop Events ! For more info : contact hello@thechop.de
Itaca — Mi Manchi * Tirrenian — Today $ WOW — Arriva arriva $ Matita — Matita $ Transport — Tanz um den Melkeimer * Helen Fry — Plasticine * Jom Comyn — Dream Deep Repetitor — Oper Jak Fake Laugh — Ice * Horse Lords — Bending the Lash Get a listen at : mixcloud.com/TheChopBerlin
2
I
T A
The first time I met Itaca they were sound checking at Antje Oeklesund (RIP). As I was slicing lemons behind the bar, Ossi Viola approached me, her shoulder-padded blouse sparkling in the dim, smokey light. I began counting out her allotted drink tickets when she stopped me. “That’s alright” she said, “I brought my own.” Ossi handed me a case of of pre-mixed campari sodas. On the box was printed “Prodotto in Italia”. Itaca are a duo both on stage and off. The band is comprised of Lo Selbo and Ossi Viola: two Berliners who met in Italy then moved back to Berlin to create an Italian Band. Lo Selbo is enthusiastic and poised. When you talk to him, you get the feeling that he is listening and reflecting on what you are saying. Ossi Viola is warm and bubbly. She constantly claimed throughout the interview to be embarrassed, but seems confident and open. When we met for a chat at Ankerklause, it was clear that they’ve been a couple for a long time. They unconsciously use the same hand-gestures when telling a story, finish each other’s sentences, and navigate the interview like seasoned sweethearts, calmly discussing with each other what is on the record and off the record. This translates to their performances as well. On stage they’re constantly talking to each other during instrumental parts about who is too close or moving their hips too much. Their dance moves are primarily not choreographed, yet they always seem to be in sync. At one point they stop me completely to talk about how they could be doing the interview better together. Lo Selbo says, “I need to talk less.” Ossi says, “I being way too honest.” Neither disagrees. The meeting is adjourned and the interview continues. Itaca was founded 4 years ago. Before this synthy/Italo-pop/schlager project, Lo Selbo was in the noise/math-rock scene and Ossi Viola making krautrock. Although seemingly anomalous, this radical shift was very much intentional. “It was no accident,” Ossi said. “We have a very strong relationship to Italy, and we wanted to be seen as an Italian band. To be able to tour in Italy really out of curiosity and love for the language and the country.” The band has indeed allowed them to see much of their beloved land. While Itaca was seemingly on everyone’s show line-up in Berlin last year, they tour almost exclusively in Italia.
C
A
Finding Authenticity Through Imitation Interview by Ryan Rosell
“It’s like scratching a foreign, very rare animal that you don’t understand and you obviously scratch it the right way.” Ossi: At first we were really nervous to play there, but the initial reactions were way better than we expected and way better than Berlin. And very deep. At the second concert there were two guys crying, one of them crying and coming on stage, kissing Lo Selbo. After the show we were so hysteric and just had to go out to the car and have a moment to think, “What the fuck just happened?”. WE don’t even know what is happening to them. It’s touching them so deeply, we even doubt if we can even identify. Lo Selbo: It’s like scratching a foreign, very rare animal that you don’t understand and you obviously scratch it the right way. While they, may not understand its impact, Itaca’s dedication to their music is immense. They obsess over the band, and have to set conscious boundaries to keep it from taking over their lives. Lo Selbo: Whether you want it or not, the problem with these kinds of electronic records is very often you get this perfectionism: a fetish. But during the recording process we got to know this Italian band, Chrisma. They were doing electronic music at the end of the 70’s and their records sound very nice.
They are very nicely produced, but they are not perfect at all. And we tried to do this too. To make it as perfect as possible, but in some strange moments the discipline of the record is really loose. Ossi really doesn’t like to have anything perfect and I think in these moments it is really helping to keep us out of the fetish zone. Ossi: It’s the culmination of 2 years’ work. I was crying so many times, I was at my limit. I was taking nasal spray to not be swollen any more after crying in desperation; because I didn’t hit the notes after ten-thousand times. It is with this dedication that Itaca has earned their stripes both in Berlin and Italy. Their earnest commitment to the music and Italian enables them to escape the label of “hiply ironic pop project” that so many “real” musicians have. While many bands choose to sing in English to fit into the homogenized umbrella of modern pop music, Itaca limits their accessibility and instead focuses on what is important to them. – continued page 4 3
Lo Selbo: I really hate the idea of authenticity, or the discourse in the music scene. It’s a statement relevant to what people think. For example, I was playing noise rock and this is a scene that is full of understatement. People trying to be modest and having nothing to say as a quality, but obviously the people were different. They were tyrants. They had a lot to say. But they wouldn’t use the mic because it wasn’t cool. I didn’t like the discrepancy there and I felt that maybe we should just do what we like to do. Of course I’m not really Italian, and I don’t pretend to be. Ossi: The band just adds a wildly romantic thing to our lives. I cannot separate them. I see myself going to Italy with my boyfriend with a car to singing songs, which is wonderful. After years of pinballing around the Berlin scene and gaining a small cult following in Italy, Itaca singed with the Italian label Aloch Dischi. They release their first album “Mi Manchi” this month, a heart-throbbing, al dente, work of art about the ends we go to for love. It will be released on April 29th at Kantine am Berghain. – http://itacamusica.it Photo credits : Red Your Blues (page 3) and Macello Orlando (above)
Q&A
Q&A mit Sylvain Livache über das neue Tonstudio Salon Berlin. Von Dori Düsn.
Ich sitze mit Sylvain in der kleinen, hell erleuchteten Studioküche und wir schlürfen FAK-Tee. Sein Redeschwall ist kaum zu bremsen. Er erzählt mir aufgeregt vom Studiobau im letzten Jahr, von seinen Visionen und der großen gemeinsamen Leidenschaft mit Christian Mevs: das Gefühl von Live auf Platte einzufangen. Wo befinden wir uns eigentlich? Wir sind auf dem Gelände der FAHRBEREITSCHAFT. Das war so etwas wie der Limousinen-Service der DDR. Heute ist es eine kreative Gemeinschaft mit Ateliers und Werkstätten. Das Studio wurde in eine ehemalige Sauna eingebaut. Hier haben sich also früher nackte SED-Bonzen gegenseitig die Eier geschaukelt. Wer ist Salon Berlin? Das sind Christian Mevs und ich. Christian ist Gitarrist bei der Punkband Slime. Er war früher bei den Hamburger Soundgarden Tonstudios und hat einen riesigen Erfahrungsschatz. Christian hat die UndergroundMusikszene in den 80er und 90ern stark mitgeprägt und hatte Bock hier in Berlin etwas Neues aufzuziehen. Und da wollte ich dabei sein, weil es schon immer mein großer Traum war, im eigenen Studio zu arbeiten. Christian und ich haben uns über Amigo Tropical kennengelernt. Er hat sie produziert und ich habe sie auf meinem Label Twaague herausgebracht. Ende 2015 haben wir dann angefangen das Studio zu planen und jetzt ist es da.
Was will Salon Berlin? Wir sind beide stark von der Live- und Bandkultur geprägt. Christian vom Punk, Noise und Wave - ich vom Indieund Noise-Rock. Haben aber beide auch die digitale Wende der Neunziger voll auf die Fresse bekommen und wurden so auch stark von elektronischer Musik beeinflusst. Das Studio ist dafür konzipiert, dass Bands hier live einspielen können. Wir wollen die Atmosphäre, die während eines Konzerts draußen auf der Bühne live entsteht, hier drinnen einfangen. Uns haben beim Bauen des Studios auch komplette Bands geholfen. Meine Vision ist es daher, hier ein Netzwerk dieser netten Berliner Musikszene entstehen zu lassen und sie bei ihren großartigen Musikprojekten zu unterstützen. Was ist das Besondere an eurem Studio? Wir haben einen großen Aufnahmeraum, eine Sprecherkabine und zwei Regieräume mit sehr guten ADT Analogmischpulten und anderer externer Analogtechnik. Alles mit einer ganz tollen Raumakustik. Wir haben einen gemütlichen Aufenthaltsraum für Bands und befinden uns im Indust riegebiet.
Man kann hier also sehr gut nachts arbeiten und fühlt sich abgenabelt von der restlichen Welt. Man kann sich hier super gut konzentrieren. Aber das Beste ist unser Treppenhaus. In dem können wir für den „Bonham-Sound“ sorgen und Drums sowie akustische Instrumente mit realem Raumhall aufnehmen. Eure Pläne in diesem Jahr? Aufnehmen. Aufnehmen. Aufnehmen. – Eröffnung des Salon Berlin am 29.04. von 15 - 20 Uhr mit Muskel, Schnick Schnack und World Brain. Eintritt frei. – dev.salonberlin-recordings.com Facebook : @salonberlinrecordings and @twaague
4
Keeping cool in heated pools Chatting with Helen Fry about her new EP by The Chop Helen Fry is the project of long-time Berlin music scenester Sarah Dudda. She used to get down with Touchy Mob, performed live with Magic Island at the album release show last month, and currently shreds with local bands Tendre Biche and Slow Steve. Needless to say, Sarah’s got clout. With with this power she releases her debut album, Future Light Cone: an oozing, synth-heavy EP with melancholic overtones punctuated by catchy pop grooves. Accompanied on stage by Slow Steve front man, Rémi Letournelle, they are a sexy duo playing sexy music. Hips gyrate as synthesizers oscillate while the duo pulls on one another like binary stars. The retrofuturist pop gems also pull in the listener, until we’re all stuck in one giant sexy black-hole together. The Chop asked Sarah some questions about her music because we’re a music magazine and that’s what we do. Where does the name Helen Fry come from?
Do you have tours planned following the release?
Well, I like to fry things. It’s crazy, you can fry everything like: potatoes, mars bars, ice cream and so on. Also it’s a name of a song I liked when I was 17. But that’s a boring story.
We’ll go on a tour to Poland in the end of April. I am polish and i love polish food, I hope Remi will like it too. And then in the later Summer we’ll play some German shows I guess.
How has the album been received so far?
How does your project work in conjunction with Slow Steve? Do the two ever conflict?
I mean, the five people who heard it already, they liked it. Otherwise it’s not released yet, so let’s see. My Mom likes it too, she said it’s experimental music. You just came back from the South By South West festival. How was it? Can you tell us a fun story about your time there? Uuuh. That was fun. I ate 50 burgers. And I drank a few margaritas. We also played some shows. One in front of three people swimming in a pool. It was a heated pool, so they could stay for the whole show. Also we went to a party at some millionaire’s house. It looked like a castle and had seethrough floors. And also a pool, also heated, I went in of course. Was nice. Tell us about the release party. Any special treats we can look forward to? I promise: there will be some live music. Also from other Polish artists: Karolini and Normal Echo. It will be a nice party with drinks too. Everybody should come and check it out. I’m already excited.
Haha, nice question. We try to keep it smooth. If you play in 3-4 Bands like Rémi and I do, there has to be some kind of planning. A lot of rehearsals and so on. Sometimes there is an offer for a show you really wanna play, but at the same day, another band of ours is already booked. So you can’t dance on all the dance floors at the same time. A lot of your music is about family and love, but also strongly focuses – both lyrically and sonically – on the digital era. What role does Helen Fry think electronics have on the future of relationships? I am fascinated by inventions. They don’t even have to be digital. But it’s crazy how close the future feels, but you’ll be never able to touch it. I mean, 10 years ago there were tiny little 3Dprinters that could print some tiny little ugly plastic thing. Now they make houses with 3D printing, or human organs. Then of course in the social sector, we are so connected. Who knows where this will lead too. Also people are working on contraceptive microchips.
To be controlled via an app. virtual reality sex stuff - the list is very long. There will be devices you could give your partner a blow job in a long distance relationship, it’s called „Telletong.” Cheers to that. You are on the hot n’ hip local label, Mansions and Millions. How is that going? Is it hip? Is it hot? Has the fame and fortune going to label owner Anton Teichmann’s head like everyone is saying? When I met him he was a poor student. But now he is wearing gold chains, driving a BMW and likes to take his artists out to strip clubs. I mean, I liked him before too. I don’t mind so much. Everyone can do whatever he wants. Other then that, I am very happy that I met him. And very happy that he likes my music. Thx Anton. I heard someone call your set “Intoxicating”. If Helen Fry was a cocktail what cocktail would Helen Fry be? Cocktail sounds so fancy. I’d say a vodka shot with a shot of gherkin water after. It’s a good combination. Very healthy. The vodka disinfects, the gherkin water hydrates you. – Helen Fry release show on April 6th at ACUD.
5
H
O
P
C
H
I
P
S
H
O
W
03
Sleep Signal* + Sothiac* — Madame Claude
[sold out] Slowdive + Fenster* — Festsaal Kreuzberg
Bubu + Felix-Florian Tödtloff + Zs — Urban Spree
Monday / Montag
04
# Music Cities Convention — Rotes Rathaus
# Jenseits von Millionen Bingo — Cafe Royal
Electric Wizard — Columbia Theater
Fake Laugh* + Mother of the Unicorn* + Venture Lows* — ACUD
Pussy Mothers + Jack Chosef* — Loophole
Hauschka — Funkhaus
Tuesday / Dienstag
05
Drugdealer + Aldous RH — Urban Spree
Moses Sumney — Silent Green
Devendra Banhart — Columbia Halle
The Lemon Twigs + Lo Moon — Frannz
Beth Ditto — Lido
Wednesday / Mittwoch
06
04.04 Fake Laugh* + Mother of the Unicorn* + Venture Lows* — ACUD 06.04 Kometenmelodien with Low Leaf & The Ascension Orchestra — Berghain Kantine 12.04 Fourtrack on Stage with Mauno + Soft Milk* — Schokoladen 14.04 Repetitor + I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream* +Bis Aufs Messer DJ*— Berghain Kantine 14.04 Horse Lords + Cloud Becomes Your Hand + Fenster DJs — Marie Antoinette 19.04 M:Soundtrack & Lou Fai with Jolly Goods + Mile Me Deaf — ACUD 26.04 Lesung+Musik: Krupski meets Angela Aux with Angela Aux + Krupski — Tennis Bar 29.04 Cindy Lee + Omen* — ACUD 29.04 Release Show with Itaca* + Martha Rose* — Berghain Kantine
C
# Tomorrow’s Relics with islandic DJ Set — Oh! Calcutta
# Free! Music (concerts, films, talks) — Haus der Kulturen der Welt
Kometenmelodien with Low Leaf & The Ascension Orchestra — Berghain Kantine
Torstraßen Festival Warm-Up with Helen Fry* (release show) + Karolini* + Normal Echo* — ACUD
Telefon Tel Aviv — Gretchen
01
Itaca* + Light the Bob + No Chappi Bourgeois — XB Liebig
Niranium with Biinds + Full Moon Fiasco* + Nikaya + Osta Love + Sugarskull + Sun & The Wolf* — Panke
Saturday / Samstag
07
Elvis Depressedly
Adventure Team* + Hayung* — Schokoladen
Supercomfortable* — Tiefgrund
Clash Symbols #1 with Paper Spook + Snøffeltøffs* + Voodoo Beach* — Bei Ruth
Messer Chups — PrivatClub
08
# Shameless/Limitless x Keith (DJ set) — Keith
Drangsal + Friends of Gas + Gewalt* + Hope — Festsaal Kreuzberg
Jesper Munk + Languages* + Rancune* — Urban Spree Biergarten
Fujiya & Miyagi — Urban Spree
Merchandise + Unhappybirthday — ACUD
06 > 09 Free! Music (concerts, films, talks) — Haus der Kulturen der Welt
Friday / Freitag
09
02
# Vegan Soli Brunch — Tennis Bar
Release Show with Transport* — Projekt Klunkerkranich
Mulatu Astatke — Gretchen
Konono N°1 + Stella Chiweshe — Festsaal Kreuzberg
Landlady — Monarch
Sunday / Sonntag
Calendar key : * local band – # non live music event but music related (party / Dj set / market) Bolded shaows are Chop Chip Shows (discounted access for Chop Chip owners and free entry to The Chop’s events) – Venues addresses and U/S-Bahn stops listed on page 11 – Send your concert listings to shows@thechop.de
APRIL 2017
Michelle Gurevich — Heimathafen Neukölln
Thursday /Donnerstag
S
24
17
10
Andreja Andric* + Skrei* — Madame Claude
Ex Cult + Balagan — Westgermany
The Jesus And Mary Chain — Huxleys Neue Welt
Temples — Festsaal Kreuzberg
Just Friends And Lovers + Robotra — Schokoladen
25
18
11
Hand Habits + Highest Sea* — ACUD
Gonzalo Pantoja + Jom Comyn — Madame Claude
Jens Lekman — Silent Green
Princess Nokia — Festsaal Kreuzberg
Mark Ernestus’ Ndagga Rhythm Force + Master Musicians of Jajouka — Festsaal Kreuzberg
Timber Timbre — Huxleys Neue Welt
26
19
12
Hush Moss* — Loophole
Kiezsalon with Greg Fox + Stella Chiweshe — Musikbrauerei
Lesung+Musik: Krupski meets Angela Aux — Tennis Bar
Aluk Todolo + Cobalt + Oranssi Pazuzu — Urban Spree
M:Soundtrack & Lou Fai with Mile Me Deaf + Jolly Goods* — ACUD
Die Regierung + Belgrad — Berghain Kantine
Fourtrack on Stage with Mauno + Soft Milk* — Schokoladen
27
20
13
14
Smells Of Music with Das Große Wettrüsseln + Twit One (DJ) — Schrippe Hawaii
Horse Lords + Cloud Becomes Your Hand + Fenster DJs — Marie Antoinette
15 # Mobile Kino : Gimme Danger - Iggy and the Stooges - A Jim Jarmusch Film — Kino Babylon
Club K + Highest Sea* — IPA Bar
LVL UP — PrivatClub
16
Circle — Westgermany
Dwarphs* + Molde* + Villages — Finale Sportsbar
Eric Shoves Them In His Pockets + Strand Child* — Projekt Klunkerkranich
Fotos — Lido
Amigo Tropical* + Electric Anthillman* + Jarno Varsted & the Black Sliders* + Killing Popes* — ACUD
Decibelles + Razor Kunts* — Bei Ruth
Roosevelt + Coals — Kulturbraurei (Kesselhaus)
28
21
# Damo Suzuki & Sound Carriers : Live at Marie Antoinette (film screening + DJ sets) — Westgermany
Nurse With Wound — Sophienkirche
22
Pharmakon — ausland
29
Grand Opening with Muskel* + Schnick Schnack* + World Brain* — Salon Berlin
Release Show with Itaca* + Martha Rose* — Berghain Kantine
Bounty Island — Urban Spree
Cindy Lee + Omen* — ACUD
Release Show with Mutter — Festsaal Kreuzberg
28 > 30 [sold out] Deserfest 2017 — Astra
Release Show with Monika* + Valerie Renay* — Madame Claude
She Owl + Highest Sea* — Culture Container
The Prince Tribute with various artists — Festsaal Kreuzberg
Candellila + Petula* — Berghain Kantine
Ata Kak + Esa Williams (DJ set) — HAU 2
30
23
FREE Release Show with Furious Few* — Monarch
20 > 23 Nothing Nice To Say Festival with Omen*, Pretty Hurts*, Hank Wood and The Hammerheads, Blood Pressure, Gorilla Angreb, Crazy Spirit, Black Heino*, Indian Nightmare*, Sievehead and many more at Westgermany, Köpi/AGH, SO36, Tommy Haus, Rauchhaus, Koma F, Wowsville Bar
13Year Cicada + Fabian — Schrippe Hawaii
Repetitor + I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream* + Bis Aufs Messer DJ Set* — Berghain Kantine
Kind Dude — Lido
+ Hekla + TV Girl — Urban Spree
FEATURED SHOWS April 14th - Urban Spree How low can lo-fi go? Pretty damn low thanks to degenerate indie trio Elvis Depressedly. Hailing from Asheville, North Carolina this distortion drenched synth heavy group artfully manages to make abject sadness sound kind of dreamy and fun. In other words, if you thought emo died in the early ‘00s this show will do wonders to assure you of its sordid revival. April 16th – Finale Sportbar Molde, Dwarphs, Villages : these three entities are touring Germany together and will stop by the Kegeln spot for an evening of loud rock. When Molde & Dwarphs shared the bill last year, the crowd had been hypnotized by the duality in their similarities. It made sense back then, ask around.
Anywho, Dresden-based Villages might just give a whole new meaning to their relationship. Or beat them playing skittles. April 19th to 22nd - Various venues The second edition of Nothing Nice To Say Festival again comes with a proper line-up with loads of local bands combined with international acts. It shows how the punk and hardcore networks work and flourish, also reflected in the venues: Main shows will happen at SO36, other shows and after-parties at Rauchhaus, Tommy Haus, Koma F, etc. and West Germany will host an art exhibition throughout the whole festival. There’s presale tickets for SO36, but everything else is first come first serve, so you better chose what you really want to see and be there in time.
Cooking with #5 For this month’s Cooking With, I prepared something a bit different for you. I’ve been traveling for the last five weeks so I didn’t really get the chance to cook with bands or at least with bands who are based in Berlin and who haven’t participated yet. I was at SXSW in Austin, Texas. You probably have heard about it, it’s huge. And it’s far. So it costs a lot of money for bands to get there and then to survive while being there. I mostly spent my time running around with Slow Steve and Helen Fry and occasionally with Magic Island and Anton. I’m pretty sure we missed a lot of free food opportunities but I didn’t go there especially for the food and also, my stomach was quite unhappy after my trip in Mexico City (but I ate fried grasshoppers and nopal which is a cactus for the first time). So this month I will share tips about feeding bands for free during SXSW. Next month I’ll be back with a new homemadeby-local-band recipe and if you’re so desperate, just check out the past issues of The Chop for tasty recipes.
1) Visit the Artist Village Lounge. Although international bands don’t get paid for playing, they get a free backpack and access to the Artist Village Lounge where they can have food everyday and 2 free drinks per day (for example Magarita). I had to wait outside because I didn’t have access but the bands were nice enough to bring me back food. Menus varied from burgers (a classic but also veggie burgers), salami pizza and smoked meat sandwiches, not very haute cuisine or super healthy but it fed the bands. 2) Find the events organized by export offices from each country or festivals. For example, Anton had a free breakfast at the Canadian house. There was curry wurst and potato salad at the German Haus during the Brandenburg / Berlin showcase. The highlight was the Wunderbar Lunch, also at the German Haus. I’ve never been so happy to see vegetables although I couldn’t eat them (I had mashed potatoes instead). Different kind of salads (rote bete, asparagus, grilles zucchinis, lentils), 3 kinds of meat (sausage of course, beef brisket, chicken) and veggie patties, 2 kinds of desserts and
by The Chop
April 29th - ACUD Cindy Lee is the new project from Patrick Flegel, ex-singer/ guitarist of Canadian giants, Women. Coming to Berlin for the first time; Cindy Lee is not just a project, she is her own woman. Some songs are thrashy lo-fi slacker jams and others are so gentle they verge on ambient. Dressing in drag, freaky tunes, and cheaper entry with a chop chip. Things are gonna get weird at Acud that night. – Also not to miss : Drugdealer and Aldous RH, Messer Chups, Friends of Gas, Horse Lords, Mile Me Deaf, Mauno, Candelila, Hand Habits, Hush Moss, Greg Fox, Bounty Island.
Special Report from SXSW by Amande Dagod
open bar (including Bloody Mary and Prosecco). I don’t know who was the Chef but good job, it was awesome and that comes from a french person! Reeperbahn Festival have a food truck every year where they give away burgers and veggies burgers plus fries andbeers, prosecco and soda from 4pm to 7pm. Just make sure to go early because they sell out pretty fast. We also got free bretzels and Emma (Magic Island) gave us some quesadilla con pollo that she got for free because they took a wrong order. We also had the sweetest host family ever (hello Jim and Edward!) who were so nice they got us breakfast everyday and took us for our first Tex-mex. Somehow it was also easier to find free booze than free food and I ended up at a Margarita party in a Mexican restaurant for a french event... So now you know and in case you’re planning to go next year, you’ll know what to do. 8
This Must Be The Place(s)
by Anita Richelli
In April 3 bands that I love will play in Berlin. Besides playing great music, they are also made by great humans. Sometimes I think that if we lived in the same city we would hang out together all the time. So I was curious to know about the places where they make their music, where they play etc. So I asked! Here some music tips or suggestions for you next city-break! Enjoy! First of all, who are you and where are you from? Robotra: Juli – Graz, Gabriel – Retz, but now both living in Vienna, and Thomas – Graz Mile Me Deaf: W.M., Rio Zangl, Peter Turbovic, Dolph Braitenthaller; Vienna Repetitor: Ana-Marija, Milena and Boris from Belgrade, Serbia
Best place in your town to see a show? Robotra: SUb at Graz is the place to be. It’s a great DIY place. We played there a lot of times and also organized shows for many other bands and it’s always big fun. Mile Me Deaf: That would be “Rhiz” or “Venster”, both located at the “Gürtel”, which is a pretty nice place for clubs and underground locations in general. Repetitor: Clubs in Belgrade come and go fast these last years. Now it’s Elektropionir, a place really growing on us.
Can you recommend another band from your hometown? Robotra: We can highly recommend Just Friends And Lovers! We are really looking forward to our Germany tour with them. Mile Me Deaf: (here Wolfgang sent a super long list, you’re better ask him in person, he surely has a lot of tips!) Repetitor: Straight Mickey & the Boyz, Vizelj, Dogs in Kavala, Klotljudi, Auf Wiedersehen, Svemirci, Artan Lili, Crvi, ŽeneKese from the present.
What’s your rehearsal space like? Robotra: In Graz we rehearse above a car repair shop. It’s opened 24h, so Best hang out spot? you can be loud anytime you want. We Robotra: The Augarten is a really nice Is there a local band that was inshare it with lots of other bands and two park to hang out and chill in Graz in spiring for you? other projects where 1/3 of Robotra the summer. There is also an outdoor Robotra: Killed By 9v Batteries defiis involved: Cryptic Commands and swimming pool nearby. nitely! Jayden. Mile Me Deaf: In summer it’s always “DoMile Me Deaf: “BulBul” and “Valina” Mile Me Deaf: Yppenplatz Vienna. It’s in nauinsel” - I use to go there by bike and find changed pretty much everything for the basement of a Residential Building. myself a nice hidden spot to make music. me. There are six different rooms with about It’s a paradise. During the winter I meditate Repetitor: Of course, there was this 3-4 Bands in every room. at “Grelle Forelle” - a super ace club where whole recognizable sound of BelRepetitor: It’s a huge building called I love to chill behind the DJ desk. No joke. grade of the 80s and the 90s that is Bigz, that was a big printing company in Repetitor: Too many to name, but our two the core of our foundation, bands the good times of Tito. We have a small favorite rock’n’roll holes are Chillton and Idilike Šarlo Akrobata, early Elektični room on a top of it with a awesome ott. Those are favorite places for musicians Orgazam, Partibrejkers, Disciplina view. We share it with 4 more bands. from alternative rock scene. Kičme and more! – 10.04 Robotra + Just Friends and Lovers at Schokoladen > 14.04 Repetitor + I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream at Kantine am Berghain > 19.04 Mile Me Deaf + Jolly Goods at ACUD
RITA RECORDS Get some wax in your ear with the help of Neukölln’s newest vinyl merchant By Maya-Roisin Slater Hailing from a small German village outside the city of Münster, Daniel Grabala had international big city dreams. Leaving the safety of the continent he ventured to the United States, where he lived for a number of years presumably eating twinkies and listening to Chicago house remixes of the star spangled banner. Eventually though, the krauts called him home and he found himself in the country’s capital, Berlin. A sound engineer by trade, Grabala had trouble finding gainful employment. It was then he decided to take a left turn down the road less followed and open his own music venue, affectionately named KussKuss Küche. KussKuss Küche was a purveyor of organic foods as well as a venue where many musicians, comedians, and filmmakers went to publicise their crafts. Grabala says at one point he was doing approximately 300 shows there a year.
As work doing studio sessions with artists as well as playing in his three bands, Chuckamuck, Fleischvegan, and Cuntholz began to pick up, the constant commitment to nightlife that KussKuss Küche called for began to wear Grabala down in a way not even the largest quantity of mate could remedy. “It was a mix of being bored giving out drinks every night and while it was fun to organize shows, the shows I wanted, like loud shows, I couldn’t do here,” Grabala says. But as the old saying goes, you have to hit a wall before you can break through it. This burnout is what brought us Rita Records. Named after Grabala’s fluffy little dog pal, the space is a record and zine shop selling indie vinyl from around the world as well as cassettes, screen printed posters, and local zines. “The most fun part ness Grabala goes on to mention with this community oriented pursuit in mind, who he is to the project is not important.
In retrospect, a fact that probably would about it is the city boxes,” Grabala says referring to their way of organizing the records by place instead of genre. “So we have Berlin, we have Warsaw, we have Chicago, Zurich.” Much in the tradition of the venue that came before it Grabala will continue to throw parties in the space, but is cutting down to a more manageable two to four a month. “Basically Rita developed out of a thought of a nonmainstream record shop operated and supported by local musicians active in the scene,” he explains. In a moment of pure humblehave been good to know about before we went and did a whole article on the guy. – Visit Rita Records at Nogatstraße 30, and catch the fine folks of Walls and Birds playing there April 1st. 9
By Adrian Rotzscher Tapetenwerkfest Spring Open Air closing party – 28. April 17-24h + 29. April 11-19h – Lützner Strasse 91 Leipzig – All welcome, Come as you are
VENUE LISTING ACUD – Veteranen Straße 21 – U8 Rosenthalerplatz ASTRA – Revaler Strasse 99/RAW Gelände –S/U1 Warschauerstraße AUSLAND – Lychener Straße 60 – S/U2 Schönhauserallee BEI RUTH - Ziegra Straße 11-13 – S Sonnenallee BERGHAIN + KANTINE AM BERGHAIN – Am Wriezener Bahnhof – S Ostbahnhof CAFE ROYAL – Rotherstr. 1 – S/U1 Warschauerstraße COLUMBIA HALLE – Columbiadamm 13-21 – U6 Platz der Luftbrücke COLUMBIA THEATER – Columbiadamm 9-11 – U6 Platz der Luftbrücke CULTURE CONTAINER – Holzmarktstraße 25 – S Ostbahnhof FESTSAAL KREUZBERG – Am Flutgraben 2 – U1 Schlesisches Tor FINALE SPORTSBAR – Sonnenallee 34 – U7/8 Hermannplatz FRANNZ – Schönhauser Allee 36 – U2 Eberswalder Straße FUNKHAUS – Nalepa Straße 18 – S Karlshorst GRETCHEN – Obentraut Straße 19-21 – U6/7 Mehringdamm HAU 2 – Hallesches Ufer 32 – U1/7 Möckernbrücke HAUS DER KULTUR DER WELT – John-Foster-Dulles-Allee 10 – U55 Bundestag HEIMATHAFEN NEUKÖLLN – Karl-Marx Straße 141 – U7 Karl-Marx Straße HUXLEYS NEUE WELT– Hasenheide 107 – U7/8 Hermannplatz IPA BAR – Karl-Marx Straße 195 – S/U7 Neukölln KEITH– Schillerpromenade 2 – U8 Boddinstraße KINO BABYLON – Rosa-Luxemburg-Straße 30 – U2 Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz LIDO – Cuvry Straße 7 – U1 Schlesisches Tor LOOPHOLE – Boddin Straße 60 – U7 Rathaus Neukölln MADAME CLAUDE – Lübbener Straße 19 – U1 Schlesisches Tor MARIE ANTOINETTE – Holzmarkt Straße 15 – S/U8 Jannowitzbrücke MONARCH – Skalitzer Straße 134 – U1/U8 Kottbusser Tor MUSIKBRAUEREI – Greifswalder Straße 23A – M4 Hufelandstraße OH! CALCUTTA – Koloniestraße 9 – U8 Osloer Straße PANKE – Hof V, Gerichtstraße 23 – U6 / S Wedding PRIVATCLUB – Skalitzer Straße 85-86 – U1 Schlesisches Tor PROJEKT KLUNKERKRANICH – on top of Arcaden Neukölln – U7 Rathaus Neukölln SALON BERLIN – Herzbergstrasse 40-43 – Herzbergstr./Siegfriedstr SCHOKOLADEN – Acker Straße 169 – U8 Rosenthalerplatz SCHRIPPE HAWAII – Ziegrastraße 11-13 – S Sonnenallee SILENT GREEN – Gericht Straße 35 – S/U6 Wedding SOPHIENKIRCHE – Große Hamburger Straße 29 – U8 Weinmeinsterstraße TENNIS – Reuterstraße 95 – U7 Rathaus Neukölln TIEFGRUND - Lasker Straße 5 – S Ostkreuz URBAN SPREE – Revaler Straße 99/RAW Gelände – S/U1 Warschauerstraße WESTGERMANY – U1/U8 Kottbusser Tor XB LIEBIG – Liebig Straße 34 – U5 Frankfurter Tor
10
0 0
DJs What Difference Does It Make, DJ Dorsch & DJ Hering, AOLoL
What Who
RERI
TER
e
L XP O
(Berlin/Leipzig)
N
T NE E
Sorry (Halle) Levitations (Berlin) Alte Leute Die Ausschlafen (Berlin) Go Lamborghini Go
2 0
:
IT’S SPRING!
Time for new beginnings! Last year a lot of sad things happened, so we’re here to make things better. Rumors have been spread, that there’s gonna be a new underground concert venue soon. And yes, it’s true! Its name is the same as this old web browser, that’s not Firefox, Safari or Chrome. And you should totally be stoked about it. It’s in Neukölln, in the same precincts as Bei Ruth and Schrippe Hawaii and it’s somehow connected to the good old Antje Öklesund (one of those sad stories of last year…) and all the people around it, so we guarantee the highest quality standards of live music entertainment and fun and partying and all that. The big opening bash is happening on May 6th, with a sweet line-up and lots of great delights, brought to you by yours truly The Chop, the dear Flennen people and fête d’adieu. It’s a must, believe us!
Date
ay 6th
soon M
opening
Y E S
Top of The Chop Beers out of tap
by Joe Kelly Obviously beer is a fairly big deal around here, and with all this pesky gentrification going on you might argue that it’s all getting a bit wild. Craft beer is taking over the world and I guess that’s fine but if the person who serves it to you is a tosspot and you don’t feel welcome you’ll enjoy it a lot less. You still need somewhere nice to sit or a friendly vibe or something otherwise it’s just a weirdly bitter bubble drink that makes you forget. Recently, a bar tender told me that I need to ‘respect the beer’. ‘Lol’ I thought to myself. Anyway, despite the fact that I’m not entirely comfortable having an in depth conversation about the particular qualities of any given beer, I am the sort of person that says they’ve only had three when I’ve actually had five and that makes me an expert (although with some limitations). Here are my top 5 places to get a beer out of a tap... 1. Eschenbräu at Prinzinger
4. Augustiner at Alte Roter Löwe
Eschenbräu is the best beer ever, I can’t really explain why, it just tastes amazing and makes you happy (and it’s not an IPA). I’d also say this is the best bar to go and drink it in. It’s possible they put crack in the drinks because I always have such a lovely time . Only down side is the hangover is pretty rotten if you drink too many of these suckers (could also be the crack). If you go on Wednesday the whole thing is a big kinda bar game where you get given some cards and you can win free drinks by just sitting there. It’s never gone badly for me. > 5 stars
Augustiner definitely tastes better on tap and you don’t see it that often so I gotta give it a mention. I don’t get down to this bar all that often but I went the other day and it was nice. Bonus points for that. The other problem with this list is if I’m not going to one of the top two places on it then I’m either drinking a späti beer or having a Schultscheiss in a dodgy kneipe. You might say I’m really not the best person for the job but then here I am, writing away. > 4 stars for having Everett’s birthday party there
2. Berliner Berg at Das Gift On to some crafty non-sense. Berliner Berg is very tasty and Das Gift is where a lot of my friends hang out, what other reason would you need? The problem with this list is that I like most beers and I pretty much only ever go to same bars all the time. Anyway Das Gift is nice, go and spend all your money there and miss the last ubahn back to Wedding it’s a good laugh. > 4 stars 3. Special beer at Hops and Barley Not gonna lie, I haven’t been to Hops and Barley for about two years. I had a little stint though where I ended up there fairly regularly and always tried whatever the special was and those are some great half memories I can tell you. Perfect for an after work/early evening sit on the street beer. There’s a Schiller Burger opposite too so you can really sort yourself out for a good time if you like. > 4 stars for the memories
5. Anything at Cafe Paradiso Ok so yet again I ran out of actual places that I have experience with. The fact is I don’t do research for this and usually just write about some shit I’ve been thinking about. Recently Eschenbräu has been on my mind so this list came into fruition. I didn’t really know what else to put for this last one so I asked my mate Phil who works at Das Gift for a suggestion. He said, and I quote: ‘bollocks i was going to say hops and barley... just put, like, cafe paradiso or somewhere extremely cheap. It’s the dodgy looking place opposite gift... vile pints, they’re like 1.50 each, guaranteed hangover.’ So there you have it. > 2 stars just for making the cut.
Disclaimer: Turns out those limitations I mentioned earlier really came into play here and I actually know very few places to get a fancy tap beer (well 4). Beer is just beer after all so don’t worry about it. What really matters is your friends, and that point when you’ve had about 3 beers and you feel awesome for a while. Also sun helps and that’s coming now so I suggest you just chill when and wherever you can.
S H OW - R O SCOPE by Lulu La Certa Illustrations by Martin Dziallas The cosmos might not always control your destiny, but when it does, The Chop has experts on hand to keep you in the celestial-know. GEMINI – Sometimes the clothes do not make the man. But who are we kidding? That flamboyant jacket does boost your confidence. Capitalist conditioning has its benefits. CANCER – Sticks and stones won’t kill the boner that you have for your life, right? I thought I heard you shouting that loudly last summer. You can get in that shape again. TAURUS – I’m critical of declaring time as being wasted. But if you spent two hours in front of the mirror looking for something sacred in your eyes, it might be the case here. VIRGO – Who gives a fuck about your problems when you can pay the rent? Some people do and rightly so. Providing for oneself does not make one immune to all of life’s troubles. LIBRA – Your love life is a drag, your job exhausts you and your best friend doesn’t answer the phone? I think you need to re-booty … and do the jitterbug. SCORPIO – The things you dream of, they don’t fall in the laps of no-one. Still you should stop comparing yourself to ostensively successful types. You can only work with what you got. SAGITTARIUS – They say daylight savings time doesn’t make any sense. But nothing looks the same in that spring evening light, am I right? Fill up on that Vitamin D! ARIES – Crushing on having crushes but it’s never going anywhere? You need some time off from that emotion. Recommended alternatives are amusement, joy, relaxation. CAPRICORN – Dodging consequences and letting tensions linger for the sake of “keeping it chill”? That doesn’t sound healthy. If you’ve got something to say, why don’t you say it? AQUARIUS – Letting your shoulders roll and your fingers snap but it doesn’t feel right? Well, it’s true: guilty feet have got no rhythm. Tackle that issue before you tackle the dance-floor. PISCES – A crowded room, friends with tired eyes – I thought life in bars was fun, no? If the beer-fuelled hang-outs wear you out, don’t be shy to admit that. LEO – Supporting your friend’s art is great. But did he just call his farts “careless whispers” in a song? You know that courtesy has it’s limits, especially in friendships.