You should be aware of the fact that Pop-Kultur is always supporting creativity and young talent. And by that we mean talents from all different sorts of areas. Yes, that also includes colouring. This year’s programme (which you can download right HERE) will – besides great articles and information – also include illustrations by Cajsa Holgersson. Why? Because it’s awesome and we’d like to support childlike creativity. And the world could definitely need a bit colour right now anyway, don’t you agree?
You can download the illustrations directly right here, print them out, use photoshop or pencils and basically the more creative the better. Surprise us, surprise the artist as we’re definitely going to pass these ones on to them.
So, what now?
Well, post them on our Facebook wall, tweet them to us, write us an E-Mailor share your art via Instagram by also using the hashtag #popkulturberlin. You’ll get rewarded with exclusive free tickets for the entire Pop-Kultur Festival 2016 in the form of exclusive wristbands of creating something unique. So, please let’s just have some easy fun here, shall we?
What about colouring the A-Wa ladies?
Algiers drummer Matt Tong is still missing here. Maybe you’d like to add him.Fatima needs a bit more colours!
Neon light? You could definitely use some on the Messer front man.
Make SassyBlack fabulous again!Let Selda drench in an amount of colours she deserves!
More colour for Mr. Moore, please!
You can find the Download of all illustrations right here.
Pop-Kultur is wishing you a maximum amount of fun!
One, Two … Oh, hello! … Just one moment … We’re almost ready … 13, 14 … 14! Only 14 days left until the start of Pop-Kultur, dear Readers
Just two more weeks to go to the next edition of Pop-Kultur, starting Wednesday, August 31st. Well, on the evening before we’ve already set up a not-so-small concert with Mogwai in the Admiralspalast (you have been informed), but that brings us directly to an everyday problem, concerning young festival enthusiasts and old hands alike: to be spoilt for choice. Exactly, whom should you go watch when and where, if there are this many concerts, talks, readings, DJ-Sets and even an exhibition?
That’s why we reinstated our movement-promoting modular system. Means: You can put together your own individual festival program to see as much as possible of Pop-Kultur, to wander through the district of Neukölln, to dance, listen – and you’re only paying for what you really want to see.
For example the magically dark Alternative Pop of Cat’s Eyes in the Heimathafen or the sunny DJ-Set of Metronomy mastermind Joe Mount in Huxley’s Neue Welt. And some of you like it more sweaty and mosh to New York’s dirtiest Punk export Show Me The Body in the Keller or become euphoric to ABRA’s hot R&B vibes in the SchwuZ. And we didn’t even talk about the Arabic singing, Israeli Pop trio A-Wa, not to mention the Turkish legend Selda Bağcan. You might notice: there’s a lot going on. But of course, some people have to leave earlier on a Wednesday night than on a Friday. We understand and have collected high-value tips by experts such as DJ Phono, Robert Stadlober or Sonja Eismann. You can find their personal program schedules under the moniker “How to Pop-Kultur”.
Curiosity will be rewarded: With three tickets you’ll get a total discount of 10%, with five tickets, it’s even 20% discount in our Ticketshop.
Thus, we couldn’t be talked out of making our festival even bigger: Simi Will brings her legendary Kiez-Bar-Talkshow to the Prachtwerk. For this unique special edition, she’ll be joined by Christian Brandes (»Schlecky Silberstein«) and Eva Löbau (»Tatort«). We’re also adding the crafted Israeli newcomer Noga Erez to the first night at the SchwuZ. The prospective Broadcast-Successors Virginia Wing are the formidable replacement for No joy who are unfortunately tied up in business. Jenni Zylka talks to Jens Balzer about Pop and beyond. Roosevelt is not only playing live but takes you to his own personal disco in a DJ-Set. And Phil Collins screens his film » Tomorrow Is Always Too Long« in the Passage Kino.
A lot to take in indeed. Pop-Kultur in all its facets and pre-modulated perfectly for you. Now, it’s your turn: Modulate with us. Combine and put together your own schedule. And then we’ll see each other in two weeks.
You’ll probably have noticed it already. Maybe because you are allergic to grass pollen (Drinking helps!) or maybe because your calendar is bursting. It’s May. Holidays. Memorial Days. Release Days… It’s getting hard to stay in the loop. And now we are popping up and claim:
Forget May! The change of August into September is the true summer!
What shall we say? Where shall we begin? We booked more than 70 artists. Old heroes, the local scene and the German debuts of some of the most promising newcomers of the year. Once more, we are not “just” showing live music, but concerts, DJ-Sets, readings, film premieres, talks. And again, the special charm of Pop-Kultur is that almost everything you’re going to see is something new – from the premieres of new albums to a lot of newcomer’s first ever shows in Germany. If you do not show up, you’ll be missing out. Sometimes, it’s that simple.
Two weeks ago, we were able to present you with some extracts of our 2016 program. Today, we want to introduce another 50 (fif-ty) names. But that would flood your inbox – and this newsletter. That’s why we allow ourselves to most politely throw all the confirmed acts at you, in alphabetical order, while sweetening the deal with a nice GIF. Moreover, we kindly refer you to our website, where all the acts and their specific endeavors at our festival are presented extensively. The headliner is whoever you think is your personal highlight.
Just as we did in 2015, we divided the festival into different modules. Thusly, each guest only has to pay for the parts of the program he or she really wants to see. The tickets cost between 5 € – e.g. for a talk-module in the Prachtwerk or the Passage-Kino – and 25 € for one of the three large concerts at Huxleys (e.g. Brandt Bauer Frick with Roosevelt or Selda Bağcan & Boom Pam plus Keøma); plus pre-sales fee. But the best part is that you can put together your individualized festival ticket, including the 10% Pop-Kultur Discount if you buy more than two tickets.
Furthermore, there are still tickets available for Mogwai and their live performance of the soundtrack for the film »Atomic« on the eve of the festival. More information on Pop-Kultur Nachwuchs, our workshop program for talents from all areas of the music business will soon be released.
And for all allergy sufferers: Stay strong, in the end of August, you’ll be fine.
To all Lovers, dear Community: We lied to You, in a way. But we don’t think we have to apologize for it now. Quite the contrary! So, Pop-Kultur doesn’t last for three nights this year, it’s actually four.
On August 30th, already one day ahead of our 2016 edition – taking place from August 31st to September 2nd – we organize a special event in Berlin’s Admiralspalast, outside of our regular program: On August 30th no other than the Scottish instrumental rock band Mogwai introduces their new album Atomic as a unique film concert for the first time live in Germany. The album is the soundtrack for an impressive, eponymous BBC-documentary about nuclear energy and its dangers, that brought the band and the film team to Hiroshima among other places. Advance sale (30,00 € plus advance booking fees via AD Ticket) was just opened on our website.
Afterwards, we move to Neukölln. Pop-Kultur and the seven… well, eight Venues – that’s the title of this years little fairy tale. If you followed us in the social media (If not, you should change that immediately through the links at the end of this email!), You could spot red velvet, glittering décor and mysterious dance floors in the last couple of days. Some of you might have recognized their favorite club, for everyone else we’ll lift the veil now:
Thus, »Pop-Kultur« is less tied to Grimm’s fictions, then to Berlin’s rich history. The legendary queer event center SchwuZ, now residing in the Rollbergstraße, will be this year’s festival main base. This is, where once the Kindl-Brewery was erected in 1872 when most of Neukölln was still grassland. Nowadays, the bass pumps through the former head office of the brewery. Already in 1867, a beer garden opened at the Hasenheide. After the century turned, it was updated with a large hall – today housing Huxleys Neue Welt. The building survived the moved modern times of Berlin and was later stage to concerts of Jimi Hendrix, Udo Lindenberg or Patti Smith – and now the acts of »Pop-Kultur«.
All further information on the program and the advance ticket sale will soon follow. Remain in our favor and lend us a heart (or two) on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.
2. After death metal, glam rock & pogo the city will enrich the international music scene once again with a new impulse.
3. Everything will be taking place from August 26 to 28 at Berghain.
4. Yes, THAT Berghain. Pop-Kultur will be utilizing every room of this special location – including Panorama Bar, Halle am Berghain, Garderobe and Kantine.
5. Pop-Kultur shines a light on Berlin’s busy scene while meeting standards of internationality and diversity one can expect to experience in 2k15.
6. The festival advocates interdisciplinary exchange, including contemporary scientific discourse on music, society, and urban development. Its programme comprises live concerts, performances, talks, and readings.
7. Visitors can experience various international and German premieres. It began in Berlin! – is our motto for good reason. Over the course of three days, the festival turns into a one big productive laboratory for the most ambitious of ideas.
8. So… who’s coming? Bianca Casady of CocoRosie is. As Bianca Casady & the C.i.A. (US/FR), together with internationally acclaimed dancer Biño Sauitzvy, she will be presenting her newest musical performance and her upcoming solo debut album to a German stage for the first time.
9. Sophie Hunger (CH) will play an exclusive gig with a number of illustrious guests. The (super)moon is just the base camp for her!
[vevo id=”CH4931500030″ aspect_ratio=”16:9″]
10. Robbie Williams won’t be joining us.
11. But Matthew Herbert (UK) will. Living up his reputation as a man of many, many talents the British musician and producer will not only be presenting his newest full-length “The Shakes” for the first time live in Germany with his band, but will also participate in a talk and and conduct a workshop.
12. Icelandic duo Kiasmos (IS) weave their epic techno tapestries into the Berghain air. This electronic project is the newest brainchild of BAFTA-winning Ólafur Arnalds and Blood Group’s Janus Ramussen.
13. The “Ärger mit der Unsterblichkeit” (The trouble with immortality): the book written by Sven Regener and German underground legend Andreas Dorau (DE) about the latter’s life will be read out by the duo for the first time in Berlin.
14. Bernard Sumner(UK) will be also reciting from his new autobiography, while his New Order compatriots – Gillian Gilbert and Stephen Morris – will appear in a joint talk with Mute founder Daniel Miller (UK) and musician/composer Owen Pallett(CA). This will be held in the spectacular environment of the former Schlackehalle, where numerous tons of coal were melted down to slag every day, supplying East Berlin with power.
15. Hollywood actor and label owner Elijah Wood and his partner Zach Cowie, also known as Wooden Wisdom, will be joined by DJ Fitz to form a dancefloor conquering troika.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. WingNut Films/The Saul Zaentz Company, 2001 (bearbeitet)
19. You’ll find the complete festival line-up with more than 60 acts on this website by Wednesday, April 22nd.
20. Pop-Kultur is all about making decisions.
21. The schedule is divided into single modules, each including up to four different gigs at the same venue. Tickets can only be bought for this slots.
22. Hence, there will be now day or festival passes, but you will still be able to create your own personal pass by combining the different modules.
23. Single tickets are between 5 and 25 EUR plus advanced booking fees.
24. Pop-Kultur presale opens in two weeks, on Wednesday, April 29 via this website.
25. We did not invite Beautycrush, nor Stampylonghead. Sorry
26. Instead, we do invite young talents of all disciplines to join our workshop programme Pop-Kultur Nachwuchs.
27. At the studios of Bühnenservice der Stiftung Oper Berlin (which is next to Berghain) we will pair you up with professional musicians, economical and political leaders and decision-makers out of the music industry. You can expect both inspiring and productive talks right in the middle where the creative production of the city’s theatre and opera stages take place.
28. You will be able to apply for participation in Pop-Kultur Nachwuchs very soon.
29. Pop-Kultur can be seen as more than just a typical music festival. It also functions as a new and open space for Berlin, where the local music and art scene melds with its international peers and representatives of politics and economy.
30. But that doesn’t mean that there will be an “accreditation for professionals” after all! More art for everyone, less snacks!
31. Mingling spots to meet and converse can be found all over the festival area: on the lower level of the Halle am Berghain, in the beer garden, and also –by invitation– at the Diskogarten.
32. If you want to stay on the pulse with Pop-Kultur and receive further information, register for our newsletter now and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Fatima needs a bit more colours! 
Let Selda drench in an amount of colours she deserves!
One, Two … Oh, hello! … Just one moment … We’re almost ready … 13, 14 … 14! Only 14 days left until the start of Pop-Kultur, dear Readers
