t The Berlin Philharmonic at Musikfest Berlin, a classical music festival
Whether you enjoy an evening of classical music or prefer to spend the weekend on the dancefloor, Berlin has it covered. With everything from world-class venues and annual festivals to alternative clubs and infamous parties, you’ll find every genre has a home in Berlin.
t The Berlin Philharmonic at Musikfest Berlin, a classical music festival
For classical music connoisseurs, and anyone who wants to experience the best of Berlin, a concert at a grand, traditional venue such as the Konzerthaus will show you why Berlin is one of Europe’s leading classical music destinations.
Most of the big pop and rock acts pass through Berlin on their European tours and there are several exciting venues where you can catch them. The most central is the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Friedrichshain, which hosts a mix of German and international stars, while the tent-shaped Tempodrom is one of the city’s most popular and idiosyncratic venues.
Berlin is a magnet for all forms of alternative culture, and music is no exception. Here you can find an array of local, national and global indie stars at cool clubs across the city, including punk favourite SO36 in Kreuzberg. There’s also a collection of venues – Cassiopeia, Astra, Suicide Circus – at Friedrichshain’s RAW Gelände complex.
Berlin’s jazz scene may not get much press, but locals can tell you it remains an integral part of the city’s musical landscape. Long-standing traditional jazz venues such as A-Trane, Quasimodo and B-Flat are as popular as ever, thanks to their consistently highquality line-ups of international and local players. There is also a slew of underground and alternative venues where musicians (both German and global) fuse jazz with soul, pop, rock and electronica. There are also jazz-themed events all year round, culminating in the city’s long-running Jazz Festival each November.
Berlin and electronic music have gone hand in hand since the Berlin Wall fell to the bassheavy sound of underground techno. House and techno still rule the roost, with clubs like Berghain, Watergate and Salon zur wilden Renate now legendary for hosting parties that can last for days.