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Photo by René Greffin

For a small section of society, the climate crisis has been a hot topic for a long long time. But it’s only in the past year or so that it’s become more of a mainstream topic, largely thanks to young climate activists around the world speaking up and speaking out.

Nowadays, living a sustainable life is something many people strive toward, but what does that mean? A group of students from a documentary photography course taught by photojournalist Ann-Christine Jansson at the Photocentrum of the Gilberto-Bosques-Volkshochschule Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg decided to investigate and find out different ways people are trying to curb climate change. What they found varies — from beekeepers and upcyclers, to vegan bands and plastic-free proponents.

The result of their exploration is a photo exhibition, Footprints, which will be held between February 14 and March 1, 2020, at the KulturMarktHalle Berlin. Come see the various visions of sustainability as captured through the lenses of 17 different photographers. The Vernissage takes place on February 14th, 2020 at 7 p.m. and the Finissage will be on March 1st, 2020 at 7 p.m. Both will feature live music. If you miss the opening and closing, the exhibition will be open on Wednesdays through Sundays from 1 p.m. until 7 p.m.

For more information, check out the website and the Facebook event. [NC]

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It feels like it was just yesterday when we were talking with the Four Track on Stage folks about the third edition of Down By The River, and here we are about to celebrate double digits of this very special festival. And what an amazing decade it has been! 

Five years ago, DBTR changed its party headquarters to ://about blank, where it has taken place every year since. The location is the perfect space for a fun and intimate celebration, and this year it features three stages—two outside, and one inside—with live music going non-stop from 2pm to 10pm, followed by DJ sets beginning as soon as the bands stop and going until midnight.

This year’s lineup consists of a who’s who of some of the most interesting musicians in Berlin today, along with visiting artists from Iceland, New York City, and beyond. For €17.60 (presale) or €20 (at the door), you’ll be privy to an afternoon and evening of must-hear sounds, and your wristband gets you reentry into the club until 2am for the Saturday/Sunday party that follows.

For more information, see the website, be sure to RSVP on the event page, and don’t forget to check out this playlist in advance to get a taste of what the weekend will bring. [NC]

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We know you can never have too many excuses to dance, so we’ll give you one more: Vittoria Fleet, a Berlin-based electro pop duo, will be bringing their infectious beats to Maria Antoinette on May 4. Rounding out the evening’s lineup are two more local acts, Fangirls and Jim Hickey, making it a show you won’t want to miss.

What’s more is we’re giving away two tickets to one lucky person. Just email us at [email protected] with the name of your favorite track and why. You can get all the details about the show here, and don’t forget to check out the above video for “Like Glue,” from the band’s 2015 full-length, “Greed.” [NC]

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Torstraßen Festival returns in just two weeks. Let’s break it down:

1 - film premiere and panel 3 - days of music 5 - years since it first began 10 - stages this year 15/18 - euros for a festival wristband ~40 - articles performing

Are you ready? [NC]

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The final weekend in May is nearly upon us, which can mean only one thing: Immergut Festival is back.

Now in its 16th iteration, Immergut is operating under the motto “Feste feiern wirkt Wunder” this year. And how!

Last year’s lineup was nothing short of amazing, and we had a great time documenting both days of the festival. This year’s acts are just as solid; with names like The/Das, Tops, Balthazar, Erlend Øye and the Rainbows, Battles, and Ducktails, you really can’t go wrong.

If you aren’t already planning on spending your weekend in Neustrelitz, it’s not too late! Find out where to get tickets here, and then start planning your weekend here. See you there! [NC]

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Unknown Mortal Orchestra has always been among the funkiest, most glamorous acts in psychedelic pop. Though the band first rose to fame with tracks posted on a mysterious Bandcamp account that did not name the artist, UMO has since evolved into one of the most critically acclaimed bands in its genre.

The group’s self-titled debut managed to sound amazingly catchy yet decidedly lo-fi. With 2013’s “II,” UMO moved away from its lo-fi pop origins to a more serious, epically orchestral, and melancholic sound. UMO’s new album, “Multi-Love” (out May 26th via Jagjaguwar) is a magnificently eclectic mixture of reverberant psychedelia, glimmering disco, and electronic beats, further developing and refining the band’s sound while also returning to the debut album’s airy attitude. This Tuesday, Unknown Mortal Orchestra will return to Berlin, playing Kantine am Berghain. We hope you’ve got your tickets already, because the show is long sold out. [MG]

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Earlier this year, our pals over at No Fear Of Pop turned one hand full of fingers. For those not in the know, NFOP has done a stellar job over the past half decade keeping readers informed of the best of the best of new music out there.

Now that warmer weather is here, the NFOP crew is finally throwing itself a much deserved birthday celebration, and, well, we love ourselves a good birthday celebration. This one is certain to be memorable, with music, food trucks, and fun.

So come early for cake and champagne, and stay for the excellently curated lineup of live music and DJs. [NC]

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Back in 2012 we had the privilege of interviewing the two men behind electronic, chillwave synth-pop duo Man Without Country surrounding the release of their debut album, “Foe.” This year, MWC released a new album, “Maximum Entropy” on Lost Balloon Recordings, and will spend much of May on the road around Europe. The two German dates, in Hamburg and Berlin, are put on by the fine folks over at Melt! Booking, and we’re excited to be co-presenting the Berlin show at Kreuzberg’s Bang Bang Club. You can secure your tickets in advance here, or win 2x2 tickets by sending us an email at [email protected], telling us why you want to go. [NC]

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Everyone’s favorite re-creative space, Friedrichshain’s Urban Spree, is gearing up to present a live music and art showcase on May 15. Join the team behind Fifth Floor for the 14HR FACTORY launch party, an event you really won’t want to miss.

The night will be jam-packed full of entertainment for all your senses. Kicking things off are appearances by Berlin-based groups Bernard Handsome and The Mokkers, along with headliners all the way from Italy, The Vickers. But it doesn’t end there. Oscar Valentine will keep things moving at the afterparty, and the artwork and visuals of Gaël Pettinaroli and Bego M Santiago will delight your eyes and your mind. You can see all the nitty gritty details here. And don’t forget to RSVP!

The best part? We’ve got 2x2 tickets to give away. To win, simply send us a message at [email protected] telling us why you should be the one to go. [NC]

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Father John Misty will be bringing his brand of humorous indie-folk music to Heimathafen in Berlin on Saturday night. J. Tillman, the former Fleet Foxes member, recently released a new album, "I Love You, Honeybear," that is garnering rave reviews. In keeping with his non-traditional persona, the EP is available for digital streaming on his website for free. With clever, funny, yet heartfelt lyrics, the intimacy of Tillman’s songs should strike the right chord with Berliners. [JM]

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British alternative soul artist Jessie Ware will bring her understated, captivating vocals to Astra Kulturhaus in Friedrichshain this Friday. Following the success of her first album, "Devotion," which featured the hit single “Wildest Moments,” Ware released her sophomore album, "Tough Love," in October 2014. The new record was executive produced by BenZel, a production team made up of frequent Rihanna collaborator Benny Blanco and post-bass producer, Two Inch Punch. Keeping things eclectic yet cohesive, she also worked with Arctic Monkeys' producer James Ford, R&B star Miguel, and the omnipresent Ed Sheeran on the new tracks.

With a song on the sultry upcoming "Fifty Shades of Grey" movie soundtrack called “Meet Me in the Middle” that’s gaining rave reviews from the press, 2015 is already full of highlights for Ware. Come check her out and join in on the musical high on Friday. [JM]

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Captivating lo-fi magician Amen Dunes will be bringing his trinket box to Berlin tonight, playing an intimate show at Kreuzberg's Monarch. The musical moniker of Damon McMahon, Amen Dunes is a solo project borne from a series of recordings put to tape in New York back in 2006. After a creative lull and a move to China in following years, McMahon revisited his musical roots five years ago. Since then, the trajectory has been one of a gentle unfolding, a paper blossom filled in with increasing detail and color.

"Love," his third full-length LP (released by Sacred Bones Records), continues down this ever-branching path. McMahon's voice is let loose like a pigeon making tracks across wintery rooftops, the fluttering of wings held in his lilting vocal tremolo. A soaring lament, "Splits Are Parted" remains one of the most beautiful songs released this year.

This promises to be a very special show; be sure not to miss it. [CM]

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In case you haven't yet heard the news: The Clientele is back! Merge Records reissued the band's debut, "Suburban Light," earlier this year, and the British indie pop band gave us some new music, including the above tune, "On A Summer Trail."

To round out the year, The Clientele will be playing a show at Marie-Antoinette this coming Saturday, Nov. 29, complete with an afterparty DJ'd by Firestation Records. Wanna go? We've got 1x2 tickets for some lucky indie pop lover and his or her best pal. To win, email [email protected] and let us know your favorite jam from the band. [NC]

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Italian label Deeperfect Records is located in Florence and dedicated to showcasing some of the best names in House and Techno music today. This Friday night, at 23:55, Deeperfect joins forces with Don't Forget to go Home to present a killer lineup featuring the label's very own DJ and producer Stefano Noferini performing at Arena Club. Enjoy the last Don't Forget to go Home night of 2014 as the dance floor is transformed into extraterrestrial space.

Wanna go? We've got two tickets to give away. For a chance to win, simply Tweet @berlinerbeat about the event and let us know who you're most looking forward to seeing. [NC]

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Klaxons is bringing its vamped-up electronic spectacle of pop to Berlin this week when the band touches down at Kreuzberg's Lido on Wednesday. It's been seven years since the release of the seminal "Myths of the Near Future," a magical debut containing gems such as "Golden Skans" and "Gravity's Rainbow." The 2010 follow-up, "Surfing the Void," was a supercharged intergalactic voyage pumped with urgency and tinged with pending apocalypse.

Since then, the band has taken a rather different turn. The most recent record, this year's "Love Frequencies," is a clean-cut, slick offering of smooth harmonies and disco beats. The guitar fuzz is gone; Klaxons has, however, established a reputation as a fantastic live act, and this tour promises the same unbuckled energy that we've come to love from the band.

Not only has the band labelled this the world's first ever 3D-printed tour (the group will be playing 3D-printed instruments in conjunction with Customuse and the University of Sheffield), but the group is calling it the last-ever headline tour. It could well be your last chance to see Klaxons, so get in quick! [CM]

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Sleater-Kinney came into being 20 years ago when Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein formed the band as a side project, taking their name from a freeway exit sign on I-5. For the next 12 years, the band (which added Janet Weiss to the lineup in 1997) carved out a niche for itself as one of the cornerstones of the riot grrrl scene.

After putting out seven albums, the band called it quits in 2006, much to the dismay of fans and critics around the world. But that wouldn't be the last of the trio, as each of them went on to play in new projects. Then, just this month, Sleater-Kinney put out a limited edition box set featuring remastered versions of all of all seven albums. Hidden in that set was also a recording of a new song, "Bury Our Friends," which led listeners to speculate. Could Sleater-Kinney be making a comeback?

Within days, the news was announced: Sleater-Kinney has recorded a new album, "No Cities to Love," due out in January of 2015, and an international tour will follow.

Tickets for the European part of the tour went on sale this morning. So mark March 18 on your calendar and head over here to secure your spot when Sleater-Kinney comes to Berlin's Postbahnhof. [NC]

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The War on Drugs will unfold its gently petalled musical blossom at Huxleys Neue Welt next week. Sonic creation of the enigmatic Philadelphia-based Adam Granduciel, The War on Drugs is gathering an ever-growing root system of dedicated followers in the wake of recent release, "Lost in the Dream."

"Lost in the Dream" has been met with thunderous praise from all corners, and rightly so. The title cleverly captures the experience of listening to it. Beginning with the ambitious and stunning nine-minute opener “Under the Pressure,” Granduciel takes things up a notch from the understated, stroking purrs of "Slave Ambient" and "Future Weather." It’s as though he’s leapt up and flung the curtains open to let new bars of light in; and this is all the more rending considering his now outspoken struggle with anxiety during the writing and recording process.

"Lost in the Dream" leaks nostalgia from its corners like a milk carton of love and longing. Brooding yet hopeful piano melodies ebb in and out, creating ladders that invite us back to the soaring feeling that you get in your chest as a child on nighttime car journeys under starry skies. Just listen to “Red Eyes,” and you’ll remember what we mean. [CM]