On August 27, Enemy Records and ARTS took over Berghain for a 36 hour record label party that has been referred to as legendary due to outrageous circumstances. To start, Sunday ended up being one of the hottest days of the summer in Berlin. Registering at 34c/94f with sunny skies, Berghain remained packed from the early hours right until the club closed.

However, during the night time a massive storm came through and lightning struck the club. It triggered emergency lighting in the club for 4 hours while the air conditioning was knocked offline. The club-turned-sauna sent everyone into a frenzy. Party people turned into animals and raved with the lights on during Par Grindvik’s entire set. Eventually, it got so hot that much of the dancefloor started shedding most of their clothing without and shame or regret. Here is more about the night in the word’s of the performers:

Enemy Records label head Dustin Zahn, on his 8 hour closing set:

The Enemy/Arts party at Berghain / Panorama Bar was incredible! I played for 8 hours but it felt like 30 minutes! It was easily my most memorable closing set experience! For those who weren’t there or may have heard, it was a special night for a few different reasons…

The club was packed during the hottest day of the summer but around 22:45, a storm came through and lighting struck Berghain (Dax J brings thunder wherever he goes). The emergency power kicked in, which turned on every light in the house and killed the air conditioning. For 5 hours, the lights remained on and the place kept getting hotter with people ramming the dance floor going crazy to pär grindvik‘s now legendary set. 10 minutes before I took over, they fixed the light situation and the crowd went crazy.

With the lights off, a new vibe took over and 3/4 of the dance floor was topless. There was no separation of class, sex or race: just skin, dancing, and great, positive vibes. During all my sets, I’ve never seen anything like this from the Berghain DJ booth before (snax excluded). Thank you to everyone who braved the heat and stayed late. And of course, thank you to Berghain and everyone involved in the planning process! Until next time!

Adrenalin is still running through my veins. Last night at Panorama Bar got burned into my memory. Lightning struck the building during my set, the sound went off for minutes, the air condition shut down completely, as almost all lights at the bar did. People took off their clothes because the place became a sauna, never saw so many topless girls and boys in a club. At Berghain the emergency light went on and couldn’t be switched off for hours. I will never forget that view from the iron stairs down on that ocean of naked flesh waving and pulsating. Wish i had a photo of that scenery, but, well, what happens inside these walls stays there and its good that it is the way it is! Thanks to everybody who came down for these memorable 4 hours and danced with me!

ARTS label head and Saturday night performer Emmanuel:

I waited patiently for a long time this moment, the night started already with a big heat, the floor was packed when I arrived, Denise did a very nice Job. The set wasn’t planned, like all my gigs, but this time I felt some sort of energy coming from the building and the people in it, I felt like I had to write something for the whole crowd that was so hungry, and so prepared for this. My set was for me a total bum. I put all I had inside it, and I saw the result after some hours when I was actually looking at the people in the crowd. Can sounds really strange but this building sucks your energy when you play, especially when you concentrate yourself so much, you totally get lost in it, in the music in the people in the Atmosphere, and the light. The light was a crucial part of this particular night, as you now noticed, there was an energy shot down, the light come up and the AC went totally down right when Dax played the last record (Shed), and for the whole set of Par there was total light in the room and not air at all, i never ever saw a crowd dancing with so much energy in a room full of Light and Heat for so long. Z.I.P.P.O did an insane debut, I went to rest and i got back for Dax, which did his best set since i know him, and i know him since long. Par become a legend in my eyes after this performance, he kept the full house with light and SUPER HEAT for all his set. And My dear Dustin, this guy is probably the best complete Dj i know, and i am lucky enough to say that he is my best friend in this city. He did a closing that was more than a set, and more than a ” moment ” in the best club i know. Thank you all, words can’t describe these emotions, but here it is.
Vielen Dank.

Reverend Z.I.P.P.O on his Sunday morning sermon:

What can I say, Berghain was definitely one of my greatest experience of the year and this was my last track for everyone who asked me. Intense, emotional, true.

Berlin-favorite Freddy K’s set kept everyone inside during an amazing afternoon:

Actually i don’t have words every time to describe what i feel playing at Berghain / Panorama Bar
they are always moments to not forget
that place (our place) , that warmth, that intensity,
that crazy love in the air…
I really feel being a DJ and i consider this as a special art …
and simply i like do it with all my love , passion and experience
thank you for supporting me
thank you for existing !!

Denise Rabe started off the party:

Like you can imagine Berghain / Panorama Bar was a great experience. I hope you had as much as fun as I had! Thanks a lot to those who came from the very beginning stamping, screaming, whistling and supporting the ＡＲＴＳ & Enemy Records family night. I was stunned and I still am! I Fell asleep with a big smile on my face.