Berlin Club in Chicago submitted Description
BERLIN NIGHTCLUB is...
ONE OF CHICAGO'S BEST DANCE CLUBS - Digital City
HOURS
Open 7 Days a Week
MONDAY 10:00pm - 4:00am
TUESDAY 8:00pm - 4:00am
WEDNSDAY thru FRIDAY 5:00pm - 4:00am
SATURDAY 5:00pm - 5:00am
SUNDAY 8:00pm - 4:00am
(DJ Starts between 10 and 11pm every night)
DOOR POLICY
You must be 21 to enter. This is strictly enforced.
Please be ready to show your Driver's License, State ID, or Passport prior to entry.The city of Chicago requires that we card everyone. Berlin follows the Secretary of State's "Operation Straight I.D." guidelinesand will confiscate and turn in any card hat is fraudulent or that does not belong to the person presenting it.
Student IDs, Gun Licenses, Green Cards,
Work IDs, or other non-state Issued IDs will not be accepted as primary forms of identification.
Berlin History
From it's modest beginnings as a quirky video bar in 1983 to its current status as one of the city's best dance clubs, Berlin has maintained its reputation as one of the most unique institutions in Chicago nightlife. Berlin was created as a neighborhood bar for everyone: a place that celebrated diversity, it successfully mixed tattoos and transvestites, pinafores and platforms, dada and go-go, Nina Hagen and Nina Simone, All My Children and Art of Noise, homo and hetero. Everyone was welcome and everyone had a great time...
Berlin's reputation grew quickly, drawing capacity crowds. No one wanted to take a chance of missing something: bartenders dancing on the bar, avant garde/custom video clips playing on the screen, Outrageous performers (like the Del Rubio Triplets, Judy Tenuta, and Edith Prickly) hamming it up onstage.
During the 80's, when excess and decadence were modus operandi, Berlin changed the décor almost as much as the clientele changed their outrageous outfits. Early "installations" (as they were called) were introduced every month or two and would play fabulously on comic juxtaposition. Some worked better than others, but they were never boring… Memorable early themes included such gems as "Day Of The Dinosaur", "Road to Morocco", "Underwater Wonderland", "Berlin Does Barbie", and "Animal Kingdom", which featured an actual live petting zoo.
Berlin was originally ½ it's current size, and although some overcrowding relief could be found in the outdoor beer garden during the summer months, Berlin's overflowing crowds made it necessary to expand. Ironically, in an example of art imitating life, the wall between the current dance floor and the original bar came down at the exact same time as the real Berlin Wall's demolition in Germany. And so it goes….
Berlin evolved into a critically acclaimed dance emporium, all while maintaining it's reputation for outrageousness and creativity. Dion Labriola, kept the décor installation tradition alive, creating arguably some of the greatest installations in Berlin's 20 year history (Click the links on the left to view the galleries). Dion has also helped shape the signature sound of Berlin, contributing his DJing skills and eclectic taste for 13 years.
In the 90's, The art of performance was still alive & well at Berlin, with outrageous theme events. Berlin's Sunday Night "Drag Race" contest was a hoot, attracting a colorful cast of spectators and cross-dressing spectacles. Many other notable drag personalities & club kids performed over the years, entertaining and shocking the patrons with their own twisted brand of female illusion. Daisy Mae, Vicki Spykee, Boa Boa, Byrd Bardot, Mz. Allana, Jojo, TJ Mozzarella, Gina Taye, Terry Michaels, Delilah Bouvier, and the fabulous Pussy Tourette were just a few.
Berlin played host to various one-time theme events, including "Beyond The Valley of Berlin", "Spam Obsession", "Moonlight Moonshine", "Androgyny", "Men In Skirts", and many more., Fetish & Fashion events were also popular, with shows from designers like House of Harlot, Skin Two, Geoffrey Mac, Paul C. Leather, Joe Boxer, Taissa Lada, and Mandra Star.
Berlin was also on the cutting edge of music during the 90's exploring the far reaches of electronica and chicago house. With the influence of DJs Greg Haus & Dion, It was the first major chicago club to feature European trance and breakbeat sounds as part of it's regular weekend programming. Berlin was always ahead of the trends, breaking popular artists like Chemical Brothers, Underworld, Bjork, Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, and Moby months... sometimes years... before they hit mainstream popularity on American Radio & MTV.
But electronica was only part of the story. Some of the city's best chicago house music also pulsed through Berlin's speakers, with Michael Serafini, Ralphi Rosario, and Mark Kelly breaking killer anthems and deep underground grooves and maintaining the ever popular Tuesday & Thursday boy's nights.
Like the current Monday industry night & the new Sunday event "MODified", Berlin would always find time in it's schedule to take a break from the thump of house and techno. It was also one of the first chicago clubs to feature regular Disco and New Wave retro nights, attracting fun-loving, attractive crowds who liked to don the garb of an era affectionately remembered. DJ Bobby Marley created a unique event called "Horrible Hits", which featured tunes from the past you loved to hate. For a time, Scary Lady Sarah brought her unique blend of modern gothic and ethereal music to a monthly event. And for several years now, "Chicago Nation" dedicates the entire last Sunday of every month exclusively to Prince , which is currently known as "The NPG Music Club".
Today, Berlin has one of the best sound and lighting systems of any club its size in Chicago. The DJs, have been getting national and international exposure as of late, spreading Berlin's sound across America and the Globe. The bartenders are, of course, stars in their own right with devoted followings of loyal customers. With all the good press it has been getting in recent years (from Rolling Stone, Spin Magazine, New City, 1000 Words, The Daily Herald, Citysearch.com, Digitalcity.com and others giving us Best of Chicago or Top 10 status), the Berlin family is dedicated now more than ever to maintain our status as one of the hottest nightspots in Windy City, if not the country.....
... come see what all the fuss is about!