Party at Body Language: My Second Time Clubbing in Berlin
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I visited Berlin from Toronto October 8-16, 2023. For my first time clubbing in Berlin, see: Dancing at Kater Blau: My First Time Clubbing in Berlin.
My last three nights in Berlin were a wild ride. I went clubbing each night, and this article focuses on my second time clubbing in Berlin at Body Language.
A group of friends and I were having dinner together when A., also at the table, invited us to the “Body Language” party.
Unfortunately I didn’t make note of the actual club location, but “Body Language” appears to be one of those events that can occur in any place (I may be wrong; check the Resident Advisor app or website for the most up-to-date club news in Berlin).
Note: Berlin clubs don’t allow cameras, so there are no photos of the experience here.
Entrance Fee: €20 (Saturday)
Suggested Amount to Take: €50
The Buildup
The location this time was very inconspicuous. Generally, all the club entrances I’ve seen in Berlin have been kind of inconspicuous, but this place in particular looked like a little concrete shack in a random lot. Much smaller and more low-key than KitKatClub, Kater Blau, or Berghain | Panorama Bar.
Another friend from Toronto and I decided to go. I met up with A. first at his apartment to borrow an outfit and settled on a black and gold strapless minidress. (Hot tip: never go clubbing in a strapless top or dress. If you’re going to be doing as much bopping as we did, that dress is not going to stay on.) A. went in drag, and we had a hilarious interlude on the way there as I tried to balance him while he stumbled over cobblestones in his stiletto heels!
The night was cold. We met our other friend at the location, and both of us were swathed in as much clothing as we had. It certainly takes a degree of resilience to go clubbing in Berlin in the fall or winter.
Prepping to party. Photo by Lonely Girl, Lonely World.
There was a long lineup, and A. kindly filled us in on the ins and outs, the dos and don’ts, of Berlin club culture while we waited. For example, the “dancer’s spot” is right in front of the DJ, to their right. This is for people who want to get up close and personal with the groove of the music and really go to town. He told us going out to dance helps him sleep really well at night.
Other things I’ve heard from Berlin locals is that people stay in their own little square of personal space on the dance floor, and that there’s a “Berlin two-step,” where you shuffle from one foot to the other in that square of space. I’ve found this two-step comes naturally from the crowdedness; there’s no need to look up a tutorial!
My Toronto friend and I were freezing, even huddled together. We waited about an hour in line. A. had already made friends with the people around us by the time we reached the door, and they turned out to know him already from previous events. Make the club rounds in Berlin, and you’ll eventually see some of the same locals at each.
The gatekeeper this time was a sweet-sounding girl. A. fielded the questions for us: who’s playing, have we been before, etc. She gave us each the stamp of approval and let us in.
Inside the Club
Turns out the entrance outside hid a much larger patio inside. It looked like a restaurant, with picnic tables and fairy lights. There was another shorter lineup for coat check at a building in the far end. I took this time to head into the toilet by the door to adjust my outfit.
The toilets were unsurprisingly dirty and covered in graffiti. There was no toilet paper left in my stall, so definitely bring your own if you’re concerned about that! There was also no toilet seat, something I’ve learned is common in Europe for hygiene purposes, so it took me some acrobatics to actually use the toilet.
Once inside, the whole place was doused in pink neon lights. Dark and fun, but pink. The main area had a bar and couches for lounging on. There were two DJ rooms, similar to Kater Blau.
The first one was larger and reminded me of a disco dancefloor for some reason. We spent a very short while here, so I can’t remember the sounds. I do remember being introduced to someone A. knew. Again, Body Language seems to attract more locals than tourists.
The second room was much more intimate. The place shone with flashing red and pink LED lights. The air was hazy, and there may have been fog at some point. We wiggled all the way to the front by the DJ, where A. fully threw himself into passionate dancing, grabbing onto the sides of the DJ booth for support.
I wondered what it’s like to DJ or design lighting for a club, given my stagehand background. This DJ had on a pair of headphones and a sleeveless tank (as opposed to the sweater the DJ at Kater Blau was wearing), looking as chilled out as someone on the beach as he worked the audio faders. I’d love to try it out sometime if given the opportunity.
The room was still dark, even with the LEDs, and that helps if you’re conscious of dancing in front of people (or constantly pulling your strapless dress up, like me).
After half an hour, we were all pretty much done for the night. We didn’t even get any drinks. A nice bite-sized dose of pleasure, of you will.
Conclusion
It was a fun night, but the chilling cold and long wait time definitely dampened the experience for me a bit. The thing is, if you’re clubbing in Berlin, you should be ready to commit, but there’s also no need to sacrifice your wellbeing for it. Unless it’s a DJ you really can’t miss, pick a warmer night to wait it out in.
I personally don’t go often to party, but Berlin is one of those places you feel compelled to try it out in at least once.
Berlin club culture started as an act of resistance, freedom, and acceptance. Ironically, there’s no denying the difficulty of getting into one. The bouncers and gatekeepers must make sure the people getting in know what and who the party’s for in order to keep an environment of consent. No troublemakers allowed.
My first time clubbing, I took the U-Bahn back to the hostel with my friends. This time, we hailed taxis. I suggest taking a taxi home after hitting the club if the location is out-of-the-way (but always consider your safety first!). Clubbing takes a lot out of you energy-wise, so sometimes your only priority is to get back to bed as soon as possible.
Now, the next night was really wild… because I got into Berghain! Stay tuned for an article about the whole process and what it’s like inside Berlin’s most exclusive club.
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