In this BBC Documentary, The Real Cabaret, actor Alan Cumming sets out to explore the inspiration for Cabaret, the musical based on Christopher Isherwood’s book, Goodbye to Berlin. Christopher Isherwood moved to Weimar-era Berlin in 1929 – a city in flux, a heady mix of sexual freedom and political upheaval. Alan Cumming meets with Liza […]
Ohrwurm: The 1975 – Sex (and Chocolate)
The 1975 apparently caused quite a stir in 2012 but I’m only just hearing about them. And unfortunately for me, I discovered them just a couple of days too late because they played at Lido in Berlin on Wednesday – gutted. Formed at school in Manchester the band have been busy recording their debut album and will […]
Ohrwurm: Frightened Rabbit – The Woodpile
Named Zane Lowe’s Single of the Week with good reason, Frightened Rabbit – The Woodpile is a belter of a song just made to be played with the volume turned up. I was surprised to learn that the band has been together since 2003 and will release their fourth studio album, Pedestrian Verse, in February […]
Can 1 Second Everyday Tell The Story Of Your Life?
When I saw the headline ‘Can filming one second of every day change your life?’ on the BBC website I had to click on it, as I had recently seen a video compiled of a second a day for a year. The BBC introduces Cesar Kuriyama, who took a year off to spend more time […]
Berlin Ampel Style (Gangnam Style Parody)
When a video has had over 1 billion hits on YouTube it’s bound to have a spawned a multitude of parodies. I loved Eton Style by the posh boys of Eton but this Gangnam Style parody based on the Ampelmännchen (the East Berlin green and red men) with its video filmed in Berlin is obviously […]
Sunday Documentary: Children of Berlin
Today’s Sunday Documentary, Children of Berlin charts the development of the Berlin Techno scene after the fall of the wall. People involved in the vibrant world of Berlin Techno, including DJs, clubbers and club owners, discuss how the city’s divided past and the unique conditions created by its reunification helped to shape the scene. Children […]
Ohrwurm: Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers – I Can’t Go For That
I love this cover version of a Hall & Oates classic: Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers – I Can’t Go For That. I would recommend checking out more of the band’s ‘Van Sessions’ recorded on the road as they travelled between stops on their tour in an attempt to entertain themselves. I was first introduced […]
Sunday Documentary: Hitler’s Hidden City
Probably the best Berlin Documentary I’ve watched, Hitler’s Hidden City by National Geographic follows the work of Berliner Unterwelten (Berlin Underworld Association) – a group of researchers and explorers dedicated to uncovering underground bunkers and tunnels in Berlin. Amongst the most impressive discoveries are the train and car tunnels designed to carry traffic below Unter den […]
Ohrwurm: CHVRCHES – We Sink
Glasgow’s CHVRCHES is another band that I discovered thanks to the BBC Sound of 2013 longlist, which also introduced me to Palma Violets and Little Green Cars. This video is a live session for BBC Radio 1 at Maida Vale studios. CHVRCHES – We Sink [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UNhKpjlzNc?rel=0]
The 1 Reason I Don’t Miss Berlin – GEMA
GEMA (Gesellschaft für musikalische Aufführungs) is the music artists representative group in Germany and the iron fist with which it rules the music industry is the only thing I don’t miss about Berlin. Anyone who has spent any time in Germany will have experienced the frustration of trying to watch a video on YouTube only […]