One of Berlin’s night life highlights turns 36 – and since the number 36 plays an important role in the club’s history, there will be a great party week celebrating this 36 year anniversary.
Named after the back then wild wild East part of Kreuzberg (postal code Südost 36 (South East) or short SO36) it kept rocking all ups and downs a club can rock: punk gigs, riots, roller disco, , bingo – SO36 has seen it all.
As a Berlin based music lover I have enjoyed many many gigs here – and as a musician I very much enjoyed playing here as well. I have to say the backstage never really earned the attribute ‘comfort zone’ – always too hot (in a good and bad way) and never enough air – just to mentions two details… But who needs to rest backstage when you can party on the dance floor anyways? For me the SO36 also always was a venue where you could be close – or at least feel close: close to the stage, close to the stars, close to the people you’re close with. I just hope, the SO36 will never have to close. Have (at least) another swell 36 years!
Couple years ago the venue was actually close to closing – but support by bands and fans finally enabled the venue affording an anti-noise wall so the neu-Kreuzbergers could dream their little dreams, while the SO36 could keep on rocking…
SO36 birthday party – dance floor
The birthday week fest event schedule:
14.08. 35 years of EA80 – 36 years of SO36
15.08. Dancing with Tears in Your Eyes “SO36 Special”
16.08. 36 years SO36 – The Gala (Queershow, Live Act Eat Lipstick, DJs, Party …)
17.08. Café Fatal (Dance * Ballroom * Disco)
18.08. ROLLERDISCO
20.08. Night Flea Market // Nachtflohmarkt
21.08. Vika Goes Wild
22.08. Core Tex Fest Hardcore Day CANCELLED
a gig at SO36 / view from backstage, 1999 (archive)
Visit the venue’s homepage: http://www.so36.de/
Learn more about legendary venue SO36: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SO36
PS: I think I don’t have to mention any silly comparisons with New York’s CBGBs, or underline the importance for the Berlin music scene / punk scene / cultural scene, or point out, that “The S.O.” is (and always was) one one the most liberal, queer friendly, anti-racist, open minded, dank-but-colorful surroundings ever, or even start name dropping (Kippenberger, Terrorgruppe, Einstürzende Neubauten, Dead Kennedys) because you can find out all of this yourselves :P