Being the godless asshole that I am, the closest think I have to faith is in Techno. It’s not just a genre folder on my playlist, it’s all my playlists. I love the music across the Techno spectrum, but I love the culture that surrounds it even more. The unspoken, unwritten things you just know, like always wearing black, enjoying yourself the most when a 4-kick is blasting in your ears and of course, appreciating the genius of live Techno created on analog machines.

The below sets are an acquired taste, I admit. I doubt a person teleported here from 1960 would last more than a few minutes watching SNTS or Headless Horseman do their thing.

I love it though. The SNTS set is playing in the background as I write this. It’s what I’d want to listen to if I was a Sith Lord on my Devastator star destroyer. It’s what I imagine a cult of sentient robots would party to. It’s dark as fuck, and scary, and at times intimidating, but it’s also beautiful.

So, I hope you enjoy these Boiler Room sets by Headless Horseman, SNTS and Lady Starlight.

Headless Horseman

I remember Kelly saying Nur Jaber was playing at Tresor on a Friday, and taking the bus on Kopenickerstrasse all the way from Planterwald where I was living, to the massive 25-year-old legendary club. Nur played an awesome set, but after she was done, I had just barely started, and I remember loving the artist that came after her.

Tresor is dark and foggy, so it wasn’t till half an hour later that I could actually see the DJ booth, and what I saw was a black silhouette, head covered with a black hood and face covered with what appeared to be a black cloth. I called him “Kylo Ren” that night, a Techno Kylo Ren. It was one of the best nights I’ve had at Tresor, ever. Next day, I checked their website to see the lineup that weekend, and that’s when I realized I had just witnessed Headless Horseman live for the first time…

Imagine seeing the below, in a dark basement of a Berlin club, for the first time ever. Yes.

SNTS

I’ve never had the pleasure of witnessing SNTS live yet, but soon. Enjoy!

Lady Starlight

I remember Jan texting me he got us on the list for a Boiler Room session at Arena Club, just 5 minutes biking from my Berlin apartment. I gladly said, fuck yes, and met him in line in front of Arena. The last BR I had attended wasn’t exactly my cup of tea, with disco, housy vibes that just didn’t do much for me on a Tuesday after the pulling off a Kater-Sisy-Berghain hat trick the weekend before.

Boy, did that Arena Club Boiler Room make up for the one before at Badeschiff. The best act for me that afternoon was Lady Starlight, one of Lady Gaga’s best friends and a strong influence on her persona and music. Now, I know what you’re thinking, Gaga’s BFF and hard-hitting, Detroit Techno, live? Really? Well, that’s what I was thinking too, and wondering why the hell was she on the lineup… Then she started, and I shut up, and danced my long black socks off. It was unfortunate to see Konstantin be a racist douchebag towards her earlier this summer, and I’m glad he was punished by booting him off the Berghain lineup for his misogynistic comments. This set might be less dark and scary and the two above, but I feel it captures the early days of Detroit and Berlin Techno beautifully. I hope you enjoy this pleasant surprise as much as I did! Also, I was at that Boiler Room session, and