Unlike City Guides

With Gallery Weekend Berlin throwing open overwhelming 50 doors...

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0200

With Gallery Weekend Berlin throwing open overwhelming 50 doors on 50 exhibitions this weekend you could find yourself adrift in a sea of choices. Keep your eyes and ears peeled and pricked up for Swiss kinetic sculptor Zimoun’s new set of installations taking over the Opernwerkstätten. Taking simple everyday objects (think cardboard boxes and cork balls) and fitting them with a shed load of dc-motors, Zimoun takes the simple and turns it into monumental sound sculptures. Check it.

Zimoun | Opernwerkstätten | Zinnowitzer Straße 9 | 26 April - 24 May

We all know that Berlin is a veritable wonderland for electronic...

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 16:05:00 +0200

We all know that Berlin is a veritable wonderland for electronic music devotees. But if your interest reaches beyond the occasional 24-hour club rampage, and instead is more about making solid quality music, it’s CDR that should be stamping your arm. An event held every two months in the old indoor pool of Prince Charles—it’s a music platform for sharing your ideas, and works in progress. Even better, it takes the structure of workshops led by gods of the genre—former events have held the likes of Modeselektor and Peaches. This time taking the reigns is the Mancunian acid house pioneer, A Guy Called Gerald, and Thomas Fehlmann, member of seminal electronic collective The Orb.

You play your track, and then the feedback comes flying in. Pretty good opportunity, some might say.

CDR | Prince Charles | Prinzenstraße 85 F | 20:00 | Thursday 4th April 2013

A fair amount of films have tried to capture the essence of...

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 11:12:00 +0100

A fair amount of films have tried to capture the essence of Berlin’s anything-goes party culture. Most have failed, and not least ‘cos of the city’s prevalent no-cameras-allowed policy. That’s until two plucky filmmakers managed to crack open the toughest of nuts: Berghain. It’s an after-hour like you’ve never seen. Steffen Köhn and Phillip Kaminiak released wild animals to explore the confines of the empty former power station; their natural inquisitiveness throwing the brutal architecture into some seriously stark relief. This upside-down short film premieres tonight from 7pm, as part of the Kultur: Stadt exhibition.

After Hours | Kultur: Stadt | Akademie der Künste, Hanseatenweg | 15 March - 26 May

Mercedes-Benz’s #untamed campaign is underway and the...

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:21:00 +0100

Mercedes-Benz’s #untamed campaign is underway and the insta-frenzy is well and truly on, with submissions pouring in by the hour. There’s an abundance of awesome stuff – dazzling cityscapes, surrealist head-benders and more than a few photos to which you can’t help but elicit the words ‘how the hell did that happen!?’ And it shouldn’t really come as a surprise—the CLA car being supported by this campaign is, in Mercedes’ words, “an enemy of the average”.

As readers of Unlike—the sworn enemy to the average city guide—there’s no one better to put the uncut, untamed and unadulterated digital cherry on top of this insta-cupcake. No one. So run forth brothers and sisters, get involved, go nuts, and don’t forget to take a photo.

All you have to do is upload three of your best to the official site, get your personal #untamed rating, then cross your fingers for an invite to the final Paris photo installation. And keep an eye out this week for Unlike’s contributions coming soon to an Instagram feed near you…

Got skills with words? Read on...

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 12:10:00 +0100

Unlike’s on the hunt for a one-day-per-week editorial intern in Berlin for a 3-month period, offering perks, good times and experience galore. Helping to power-up our dynamic Berlin team you’ll be working on the front line sniffing out the coolest spots around, and sharing your opinions and recommendations with Unlike’s global community.

Interested? Then write to luke@unlike.net, introduce yourself, and whip up a 150 word demo review of a location of your choice to show off your chops. We’re looking forward to hearing from you.

Even though Berlin boasts three opera houses, its general vibe...

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:57:00 +0100

Even though Berlin boasts three opera houses, its general vibe is more Hartz-IV homeboy than Hurrah Heinrich. That said, there’s no reason to choose between high society and street life, because bringing you the best of worlds this weekend is Kiez Oper. After sell-out summer shows at Wilde Renate, it’s now back for two nights only in the tiled confines of Stattbad Wedding. Hundred-year-old classics—from Gesualdo, Handel, Vivaldi, Bach and more—are being brought screaming into the 21st century. The disturbing tale of a woman’s descent into madness is being told by a 20-strong international cast, backed by a full Baroque ensemble. Of all the madcap experiments on Berlin’s cultural scene this is a real breath of fresh air, reminding us that it’s all about the Kiez, so show it some love.

Kiez Oper: Insanity | 22nd - 23rd February | Stattbad Wedding | Advanced Tickets €12

The Berlin Film Society is turning one and coinciding with the...

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:04:00 +0100

The Berlin Film Society is turning one and coinciding with the Berlinale, it’s celebrating in typically grandiose style with a screening of 1982 Golden Bear recipient Veronika Voss, the penultimate film of Rainer Werner Fassbinder. But this is far more than your usual cineplex jaunt, instead get ready for an all-encompassing cinematic experience. In perfect unison with the faded grandeur of the film’s star—a Third Reich-era movie starlet struck by post-war obscurity—is the setting of the screening itself: a giant abandoned theater and opera prop factory in Mitte. That’s not it either—-there’s an open Jameson Whiskey bar and food from pop-up cuisine merchants Pret A Diner to chow down on after the screening. Buy your tickets online here, and if you fancy the dinner option, RSVP to rsvp@berlinfilmsociety.com today.

Berlin Film Society | Zinnowitzer Straße | 10115 Berlin | Weds 13th & Thurs 14th February 2013

Los Angeles is a mess. Sprawl, smog, clogged arterial freeways...

Sat, 02 Feb 2013 02:45:00 +0100

Los Angeles is a mess. Sprawl, smog, clogged arterial freeways and just general congestion are symptoms that have long defined the city’s ill-repute to any number of people coming from the East, unused to such a colossal example of “urban expressionism”. Yet take one step backwards and the city’s preeminence begins to come together – from the global influence of Hollywood to the architecture articulated by Neutra, Frank Lloyd Wright and seen in the Eames and Gamble Houses. The city has long been a cauldron of experimentation, and still remains as one perhaps as a lasting characteristic of L.A.’s spontaneous growth.

Over the past few years, photojournalist Ethan Pines has documented the constitutive building blocks of Los Angeles and its surrounding cities. From aerial landscapes of the city’s farthest reaches, to revealing portraits of single-family homes, Pines has created a compelling dialogue on the unique forms of Los Angeles and their peculiarity. Tomorrow, February 2, NEW THEME Gallery presents the first solo exhibition of Pines, which highlights the eccentricity of L.A.’s distinct urban forms, as well as proposing a future sustainable architecture for the city based on NEW THEME’s design of the Hollywood Hills residence of photographer Jill Greenberg.

The opening reception takes place from 7PM-10PM at NEW THEME Gallery. Click here for more information on the exhibition and to RSVP.

News that a 10 year old has curated his own Berlin exhibition...

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 12:11:00 +0100

News that a 10 year old has curated his own Berlin exhibition was bound to provoke a few snide remarks. But before we consign this young upstart to the art-history dumpster, let’s take a look at his credentials. His daddy is the artist Robert Barta and together they have visited over 400 exhibitions. While that doesn’t prove much, the idea of seeing the art world anew through the eyes of an infant is an intriguing prospect. Children perceive the world differently so you can expect a bolder, more sensory selection than the usual concept-heavy gallery fare. And if further proof were needed, the boy is rather appropriately named: Cata J. Dibelius. It’s now on show for the next month.

Daddy YOU can’t make a cactus…this has been done ! | 18th January - 17th February | Grimmuseum

It’s more than a pop-up restaurant, it’s a dining experience...

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 18:03:00 +0100

It’s more than a pop-up restaurant, it’s a dining experience beyond compare. Pret a Diner is where the fusion of edibles, drinkables and art make for a shared experience that diners will be chewing on long after they’ve finished their food. The sensational Opernwerkstätten premises are ready to impress Berliners until the last meal is served up in little over a month, so get your dinner while it’s hotter than hot.

Want to win a free meal for two? Sure you do. Tweet us a big HELLYEH @unlike, or drop a friendly mail/plea to editor@unlike.net for your chance to win a 3-course menu and accompanying wines between January 21st and February 28th.

A four day marathon of collage film takes place at the renowned...

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 16:55:00 +0100

A four day marathon of collage film takes place at the renowned Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona as part of its Xcèntric Festival this week. There’s new talent, old talent and a whole host of audiovisual cut and paste wonder on show, kicking off tonight with a screening of Vera Chytilová’s Daisies, an absurd comedy at the centre of the 1960’s New Wave of Czech cinema. Add in a host of workshops and CCCB’s latest event looks like quite the cultural smorgasbord.

Festival “Collage exquisit” | 10-13th January 2013 | CCCB - Auditorium, Montealegre, 5, Barcelona

More a phenomenon than simply an event, the bi-monthly party...

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 13:11:00 +0100

More a phenomenon than simply an event, the bi-monthly party CONCRETE has reshaped the Parisian electronic music landscape, forming a space of confluence that goes against the city’s reputation of catering to only fragmented, insular musical scenes. Tomorrow on January 6^th, 2013 will be reined in with a line-up featuring Rick Wilhite, Tama Sumo, Fred P and Professor Inc who will collectively weave a thread through the cities of Detroit, New York, Berlin, Paris and Hamburg on the banks of the Seine. The 20 hour party begins at 7 in the morning on Sunday and, in classic Berlin style, will continue until Monday at 1AM.

Check out more info on the event here, and view the full line-up on CONCRETE’s website. And, as an apt teaser, check out Fred P aka Black Jazz Consortium doing his thing at CONCRETE’s party this past February:

Kompakt kid Sebastien Bouchet hails from Paris but plays to a...

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 11:14:00 +0100

Kompakt kid Sebastien Bouchet hails from Paris but plays to a different tune from the omnipresent electro that you might (still) find in the French capital. Tonight he’s descending upon Le Nano as it opens its cabaret doors up to an evening of electronic percussion you might as well find in Berlin or Cologne. And what could be a better warm-up for the all-day CONCRETE party ahead on Sunday…

Entry is free, and it all goes down at 22:30. Check out more info here.

NEW THEME Gallery did a pretty unique thing this year when they...

Sat, 15 Dec 2012 22:41:00 +0100

NEW THEME Gallery did a pretty unique thing this year when they set up their space on Melrose as an extension of their eco-conscious mindset (as well as to promote their custom-crafted furniture). Now they end the year on a high note, as they celebrate their artisan wares with wine, music and a special 20% discount for all of those who attend. On Sunday, December 16, from 4 to 8PM, stop by NEW THEME on 8178 Melrose Ave. to take your pick of some of the most uncommon, custom wares this side of the 101. From TASCHEN books to ingeniously-designed knife holders or even installation art, it’s a full-on presentation of all the inspiration you’ll need for your gift-giving mindset.

Check out more information here.

Tonight, in Los Angeles, Boiler Room finishes up 2012. The live...

Sat, 15 Dec 2012 01:17:00 +0100

Tonight, in Los Angeles, Boiler Room finishes up 2012. The live vidcast party, which debuted earlier this year, has already left an impression on the city’s electronic music scene, informing the world that L.A. still gets the party going even when the cops, zoning and liquor license laws have tried their best to prove otherwise. As captured so well in this year’s Clubbing in Los Angeles feature by Resident Advisor, the dedication and plurality of the scene keeps it strong, vital and sharp as a condition to stay alive and well.

Starting at 7PM tonight, Boiler Room joins up with one of the foremost institutions of clubbing culture in the city, A CLUB CALLED RHONDA, and presents us with an early present. Rhonda Resident GODDOLLARS meets broken-beatmaker Groundislava as well as the bass-inflected grooves of the UK jockey Julio Bashmore, who will also be playing later on at Rhonda’s year-end party as well. Watch BRLA’s last 2012 transmission from 7-10pm on http://boilerroom.tv/ and join-up in person at Los Globos from 9PM to put yourself in the party.

The vintage mecca of Berlin is choc-a-bloc with pop-up stores,...

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 15:13:41 +0100

The vintage mecca of Berlin is choc-a-bloc with pop-up stores, but Holy Shit Shopping takes it to the next level. Filling the cavernous two-level, 3500sqm Postbahnhof, it promises not just fashion but also jewellery, accessories, art and photography. And as it’s Berlin, there’s naturally a great list of electro-spinning DJs throughout the day to supplement the festive retail therapy. Avoid the bright neon commercialized hazards of Alexanderplatz and Potsdamer Platz, and ride the S-Bahn down to Ostbahnhof for some hyper-hip buys this yuletide.

Holy Shit Shopping | Saturday 15th December, 12:00-22:00 & Sunday 16th December, 12:00-20:00 | Postbahnhof, Straße der Pariser Kommune 8

Just like the advent calendar you busted open on the weekend,...

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 16:58:00 +0100

Just like the advent calendar you busted open on the weekend, the Unlike Global Feed just doesn’t stop giving—there was a flurry of guides shared by our users this weekend. Take Sven Berg’s selection for Copenhagen’s hip nerve center, Nørrebro as an example, or Sara, a ‘fotografie’ aficionado who put together this list of London photo-based locations. All good stuff, and we’re after more…

We love the guides you make with the unlike apps (we do, really), so this week, we’ll be retweeting the best of the newly created guides so y’all can get a good look. Grab the app (if you don’t have it already), hash together a guide or two, then tweet us @unlike. Get posting!

Move over, John Cage – Heavy Listening presents the latest...

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 15:06:27 +0100

Move over, John Cage – Heavy Listening presents the latest effort from Carl Schilde, touted as the world’s most minimal record ever made. Entitled WOW, this limited edition vinyl release contains a single ultra-low frequency.

Sound boring? You couldn’t be further from the truth. This slice of vinyl turns reality on its head. Effectively playing your record player, the frequency adjusts depending on the components of your machine. Get a few systems going, then spin several discs at once and the air around you will start pulsating.

Nice, huh? And the vinyl has special visual qualities too – hold it up to the light and you’ll witness it splitting into myriad colors of the spectrum.

Check out the free official launch from 18:00 tonight, as one of Berlin’s most beautiful churches hosts an interactive WOW installation featuring massive sub-woofers and several record players.

WOW | 18:00-22:00, Thursday 29th November | St. Johannes Evangelist Kirche | Auguststr. 90, 10117

Taking a nontraditional approach to classical music,...

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 11:21:00 +0100

Taking a nontraditional approach to classical music, Nonclassical has been a fixture of London’s nightlife for nearly 10 years, bringing strings, winds and brass into club settings. This Wednesday at Chalet, founder/composer/DJ Gabriel Prokofiev offers the first Berlin edition, joined by fellow Londoner Peter Gregson, performing pieces from their collaborative album ‘Cello Multitracks’.

Rounding out the lineup is a pack of local talent: Brandt Brauer Frick percussionist Mathias Engler reinterpreting Steve Reich, cello loopist Stella Veloce, Matthew Conley debuting a new piece on trumpet by Aziza Sadikova, and double bassist Caleb Salgado, plus transgenre DJ Joey Hansom.

We’ve got 1x2 guestlist spots for one lucky winner – just tweet us @unlike ’NONCLASSICAL’ to enter the giveaway.

Nonclassical | Nov. 28, 20:00 | Chalet | Vor dem Schlesichem Tor 3

As much as we love gathering in a former Berlin city bath to...

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 23:51:00 +0100

As much as we love gathering in a former Berlin city bath to watch the latest electronic talents flex their mixing muscle, sometimes we just have to expand our horizons. Boiler Room, known for its DJ-centric vidcast, brings its L.A. arm into full gear tonight with an impressive West Coast lineup brought in by local label dublab. Expect frenetic bass action from the likes of Dntel, Daedelus, Total Freedom, Blase and Slayron of Peaking Lights. It all goes down at 7PM PST, which is 10PM in New York and, well, 4AM in Berlin just in case you need that extra momentum to keep your eyes open during the early morning hours.

Tune in this evening (or morning) at boilerroom.tv/live as it unfolds.