Berlin Carnival 2013

Hurray, it’s about that time when Berlin hosts it’s biggest yearly event – the Carnival of Cultures. Originally a procession of the different cultures living in Berlin, it grew over the years and decades to the size we see today. Altough the event has over a million spectators, it still has not the size of Notting Hill Carnival where you sometimes need an hour just to get to the other side of the street.

The “Karneval der Kulturen” has no Caribbean roots, unlike the diasporic Carnivals in London, New York, Miami or Toronto – and this is one of the few things which makes Berlin so unique: Soca trucks with people jumping up next to the Angola and Samba truck, followed by Kurdish moms, a Squaredance Cowboy group or a local youth project.

No doubt the main event is the big parade on Sunday, starting Hermannplatz, moving down Hasenheide to Yorkstrasse. The parade starts at 12 am, the last truck usually reaches Yorksstrasse after 9pm. There’s also a street party from Thur till Sun with several stages (African stage, Latin America stage etc) going down in Kreuzberg near Zossenerstr / Hallesches Tor.

Lusotronics

Besides a whole lot of Soca- and Dancehall-Parties this year we are especially looking forward to Lusotronics, a two-day festival dedicated to the urban digital music of the Portuguese-speaking (lusophonic) world, brought to you by Man Recordings.

The musical styles from Angola, Brasil, Mozambique and Portugal are a staple amongst Tropical Bass listeners and artists – the whole genre is deeply influenced by Baile Funk, Kuduro, Angolan Afro-House, Kizomba, Tecnobrega or Funana.

To quote the Lusotronics website:

“Produced on cheap digital instruments, these genres were born in the shanty towns of megalopolises such as Rio De Janeiro, Luanda, Maputo, Belém or Lisbon and are rapidly distributed worlwide through the Internet. A situation which is in stark contrast to the pre-Internet-age in which these countries considered themselves “peripheral“, with little access to the global pop and culture events. But since Portugal´s former colonies are now online, audio visual information, music and dance styles circulate in unprecendentend velocity around the world, reaching publics beyond language and space barriers. The results of this development are adapted and re-contextualised in the cities of the “first world“ with Lisbon as it´s main hub.”

Well said. Let me just add two words: Zouk Bass!

Curated by Daniel Haaksman the festival on Saturday and Sunday not only brings you a huge line-up with household names like Edu K, Bonde do Role, Batida, DJ Edgar, Bbrave, Titica, DJ Marfox, Gato Preto and more, there will also be lectures and and a movie programme. Perfect to get totally immersed in the lusophonic soundscapes that are predominant from Rio to Luanda.

Saturday, 18th & Sunday 19th, Club Gretchen, see lusotronics.com for timetable and more infos
Facebook Event Saturday
Facebook Event Sunday

MAN RECORDINGS & TROPICALBASS.COM WANT TO MAKE YOU HAPPY! WE HAVE 2X2 TICKETS FOR THE LUSOTRONICS FOR YOU GUYS TO WIN!

HEAD OVER TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND SEE HOW!

Besides the Lusotronics we’ve put a few recommendations for your Carnival schedule together for you:

Friday, 17th

Soca at the beach (Badeschiff)
The must-see location Badeschiff is a swimming pool swimming on the river next to a huge beach bar. Perfect afternoon hang-out with music by international Soca DJs (including TropicalBass.com’s Marflix).
Facebook event

Afro Heat presents Carnival Xplosion (Festsaal Kreuzberg)
The Afro Heat team brings you the Azonto, Dancehall and Afro flavor. Including BBQ and African food.
Facebook event

Carnival Jump Up 2013 (Gretchen)
The traditional Friday Soca event hosted by Soca Twins to get you in the right Carnival mood. Headlined by Peter Ram (Barbados).
Facebook event

Saturday, 18th

Carnival Glow & Soca Family BBQ Lime (Astra)
The Carnival Glow hosted by the Carnival Fever crew is THE event for all you Soca fans out there – wining and drinking crews from all over Europe make this party a total madness. If you miss this one, you haven’t been to Berlin Carnival. Btw: Glow means you must wear white!
This year headlined by superstar Kes from Trinidad.
In the afternoon before the event there’s also the traditional hangout Soca Family BBQ Lime, starting 1pm (come at 4pm and the lime is already HEAT).

Soca Family Lime
Carnival Glow

Sunday, 19th

Great Procession from Hermannplatz to Yorkstrasse
Absolutely do not miss out this one – 77 groups and trucks are parading down the Hasenheide boulevard. If you wanna be on the sure side, come early (starting 12 am), take some pictures of the early groups, grab some drinks and then join the very last truck Yard/Escobar for full Carnival madness! TropicalBass.com crew will be around for sure.
Pro tip: Wear sneakers if you serious about jumping up!

Caribbean Invasion (Yaam)
Official after-party at the Yaam, a very unique hangout and club for Africans and Reggae heads. Live: Stylo G (UK), X-Caliber (Trinidad).
Yaam event page