Dear readers, somehow, we are hurdling toward the end of summerâŚ
After a brief escape to fantasy land AKA Bavaria to say goodbye to Blitz and record the Radio 80000 breakfast show with my bestie and roving rave reporter Cristalyne (who you should absolutely be following via her Substack), Iâve returned for another sweaty round of Berlin summer survival.
Luckily, there is plenty on the horizon to keep us distracted: This weekend Magma Festival expands across two days with multiple stages dedicated to experimental pop, leftfield electronics and the wider UK club continuum after last summerâs split between MAGMA and its faster, techno-focused twin LAVA.
If youâre looking for a more aquatic escape, the VolksbĂźhneâs temporary swimming pool opens this weekend. Free tickets are offered three days in advance, so set your alarms for 2pm to avoid missing out.
And finally: the political posters have started multiplying around my neighbourhood, which means weâre now six weeks out from Berlinâs local elections. With Die Linke currently polling in first place (hell yeah!), itâs time to pay attention, get informed and show up. Letâs see if the city can surprise us. Summer isnât over yet. Letâs make the most of it.
đ¸ On view now | Friedrich Kunath, âBar Va Beneâ | Pace Gallery Berlin
Kunathâs built a working replica of his own studio bar right in the middle of the gallery! Thursday to Sunday, 5â10pm, actually pouring drinks, with a companion text from Timon Karl Kaleyta. Go for the show, stay for the fact that this is possibly the only Pace exhibition where you can get properly drunk on-site.
đ§ 07.08 - 25.11. 18:00â20:00 | I LOVE MUSIC | Hansabibliothek
GROTTOâs new listening series invites neighbours, musicians and friends to play their favorite pop songs and confess a secret track ID or two. Nine sessions running through November, plus one special concert at Kaiser-Friedrich-Gedächtniskirche during Berlin Art Week.
đź08.08, 15:00â22:00 | Menace Systems x THF Radio | Tempelhofer Feld
THF Radio closes out their rooftop open airs with the final terrace date atop the old airport tower. Expect finest bass sounds curated by Menace Systems, with secret guests pulled from Spe:c and Ilian Tape and stunning wraparound Tempelhofer Feld views. Doors from 3pm, âŹ5.
đ 08.â09.08 | MAGMA Festival @ RSO Berlin
Run by the team behind MELT, MAGMA Festival returns to RSO for a two-day weekender mixing underground pop and left-field electronic music all stars. Personal highlights: Lauren Duffus, electronica duo New York, Erika de Casier, DJ Python doing his deep-fried dembow-house thing. As a treat, the lovely team at Magma is offering a reduced ticket link for the Place to Be community: Day 1 and Day 2.
đ 12.08 | Reading Room | Hansabibliothek
Silent reading returns for another summer edition, this time in the garden courtyard of Werner DĂźttmannâs 1957 Hansabibliothek â glass fronts, quiet greenery, that rare Berlin feeling of being tucked away and still central. Chairs, blankets, and non-alcoholic drinks on a donation basis; bring your own book and someone elseâs peace and quiet.
đł 12.â16.08 | Sound in the Garden | Neue Nationalgalerie Sculpture Garden
This concert series held at Neue Nationalgalerie was launched as âJazz in the Gardenâ in the â70s and ran through the mid-80s. Running again since 2022, this yearâs lineup spans generations: ambient pioneer Gigi Masin and Krautrock icon Michael Rother (NEU!, Harmonia) alongside younger experimental voices like upsammy, Valentina Magaletti and Slauson Malone 1. Sunday closes it out with sound installations honoring Fujiko Nakayaâs fog sculpture. Book your tickets via RA.
đż 15. Aug | nayĂĄ nĂĄya: workshops on memory, food and belonging | Cheeky Berlin
nayĂĄ nĂĄya is a new trans-disciplinary collective in Berlin. For their first event, join Alexis Convento for Tracing through Food, an atchara pickling workshop and Anna Bernice for Eulogies for the Living, a writing session exploring stories and remembrance. Workshops are in English, open to all, with limited capacity. RSVP via Instagram to reserve a spot. Suggested donation: 5 EUR for materials.
đ 22.08 | Sidequest | Lake, 40 min from Berlin
21+ hours by the water starting at 1pm and a set by the fabulous DJ Fart in the Club sounds just right. Bring a towel and stay till dark. Additional highlights: ND Baumecker, Jana Falcon and Lara Fein.
đ 29.08, 18:00â00:00 | Lange Nacht der Museen @ HKW | âCrime in Berlinâ
This yearâs theme chases the cityâs night creatures across a program that swings from a kidsâ scavenger hunt about wildlife protection to a queer, non-binary furry performance blurring virtual and physical worlds. In between: a spoken-word reading by Zack Darsee, an immersive tour for blind and sighted visitors alike, and a closing picnic with a communal howl at the moon, DJ set by Discoteca VolperĂa Grandiosa included.
đ¤ 24.â30. Aug | Pop-Kultur | Main venue: silent green Kulturquartier
Pop-Kultur holds a particularly soft spot in my heart: back in 2015, I was an intern at its inaugural edition, which took place in the hallowed halls of Berghain â the festivalâs only time at the club â before it found its current home(s) across Berlin. Now spanning a full week, this yearâs edition kicks off in Wedding before moving through silent green, Kino Arsenal, Festsaal Kreuzberg, Kulturbrauerei and Pierre Boulez Saal.
Highlights include Avalon Emerson & The Charm, Bar Italia, Dis Fig, GĂśksu KĂźnak, Horse Vision, Margaux Gazur, Sassy 009 and The Notwist, alongside talks and workshops.
What weâre been listening to
Martin Brugger, âThe Shellâ (released June 26 via Squama)
Five years after his debut Music for Video Stores, the Squama co-founder is back with a stunning record sprinkled with field recordings and contemplative melodies â melancholic without tipping into maudlin. âWounded Doveâ samples kidsâ play and laughter from somewhere off in the distance under a melody that keeps drifting in and out of focus. Ambient, technically, but weirdly summery: put this on to soundtrack lazy afternoons and snoozing with the windows wide open.
emer feat. UgnÄ Uma, âYou and Meâ (released July 7 via Stroom)
Stroom keeps going from strength to strength. The Belgian label run by Nosedrip continues its streak of unearthing artists that sit somewhere between the strange, the beautiful and the impossible to categorize. Iâve been obsessed with UgnÄ Uma since discovering her at Meakusma in 2024, and sheâs steadily emerged as one of the most exciting voices in the experimental pop / crossover R&B space (highly recommend checking her out live if you get the chance). Her latest release You And Me â a collaboration with emer â is a dreamy, genre-blurring gem.
Shameless self-promotion
Recently, I interviewed Nadia Murad and curator Mateusz Kozieradzki, who manages the Natalia LL foundation dedicated to the pioneering Polish artist for Fräulein Magazineâs issue themed âAt Peaceâ.
Crime of the season
Usually, this space is reserved for jokey, unserious observations from around the city. But the terrorist attack at Berlinâs Christopher Street Day on Saturday, 25 July, is no laughing matter. In the days since, new reporting has raised difficult questions around prevention, policing, public safety and the treatment of queer demonstrations â leaving many Berliners angry, exhausted and with more questions than answers.
In moments like these, itâs easy to feel disillusioned. With anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes in Germany rising sharply in the last few years, the attack is a devastating reminder that queer joy and visibility are still met with violence.
While political parties and brands may happily cash in on the visibility of the main parade, Pride has never been just a party. Itâs a protest, a memorial, and a declaration that queer people deserve to exist safely and publicly. With local elections coming up next month, itâs also worth paying attention to who is actually standing with the community beyond the rainbow branding. Take care of yourselves, and take care of each other. â¤ď¸ â¤ď¸
Thank you for the shoutout đ xoxo roving rave bestie