Cultivated in 2009 and only sprouting, The Day They Call Wochenende is the fundamental secret spot in Berlin for authentic music appreciation, networking and talent exchanging.
Founded by Birmingham-born, vinyl authority DJ AlexisM - over six years, this very unique and intimate monthly event never stops to attract Berlin’s most avant-garde music industry experts, journalists, promoters and most dexterous DJs.
Additionally representing a distinctive selection of international talents as a booking agency as well as a Podcast; we felt that it was time to catch up with the founder to gain better insight into this unconventional recipe which still leaves many tastebuds asking for more!
Within Berlin’s excessive clubbing sphere, The Day They Call Wochenende proves to us all that networking and clubbing can truly exist in a non-superficial form. It can be playful just as much as it can be professional if in the right setting!
Could you tell us the story of how ‘The Day They Call Wochenende’ was established?
AlexisM: TDTCW was established in 2009 together with Michelle Owen (Australia) at Greenwich Bar in Berlin Mitte. Both Michelle and myself have been in the music & event business for over a decade and felt it was time to get all our contacts on "one page" on a regular basis. We invited friends from the industry (NI, Ableton, Resident Advisor, Beatport, etc) and our mates from the artist side. The night was the hot spot in Berlin for networking within the Berlin "expat" music scene every Thursday night. The night grew gradually and had to move on after closure of Greenwich Bar, so in the last 3 years TDTCW grew more and more at Friedrichshain’s club “Süß War Gestern" monthly, every last weekend. Now the night has moved again recently to "Trust" at Hackescher Markt in Mitte. Acts that played at TDTCW include: Michelle Owen, Matthew Burton, Moid, Blue MC, Luc Ringeisen, Scott Binder, La Fleur, Dj Jauche aka Robin Masters Orchestra, Sid, pm2am, Murat KILIC, Marvin Suggs aka Delfonic, Anthea, Little Mike, Samim, Javier Logares, Baby G, Norm De Plume, Alex Lindblad, Youandme Martin, Kristina Childs, Dave Vega, Johanna Knutsson, Miss Jools, Sebi Mono, Michael Klein, Guvibosch, Ericand many more.
Your DJ sets are 100% vinyl. Would you consider yourself a club music purist? Do you have some kind of emotional attachment to your played records?
AlexisM: Since my father showed me how to treat vinyl in the 70's - I was "hooked" and bewitched by its magic and the bands like Pink Floyd, Lou Reed, Neil Young, Nina Hage, etc. After I bought my first two records in 1979 - it was the KISS Alive Album and one of the first "The Tubes" Albums - my collection grew and by 1990 I became addicted by the Belgium EBM vinyl wave that hit us all and I slowly slipped into acid house and rave tunes that became stronger in the early 90’s and experiencing "Altern8" on Birmingham City Square on NYe in 1991. Playing vinyl means a lot to me - not only because of the analog sexiness - it is a special thing to play with vinyl - as it is like juggling with beautiful time capsules that inherit the most wonderful of all things. Music. So yes - I couldn't imagine myself playing anything else but vinyl to an audience. I don't want to stand in front of people and be distracted by technical equipment that stands between the crowd and me.
Would using another mixing method influence your performance?
It surely would. Any controllers or laptops, etc would make me feel uncomfortable. If you are a musician and you are playing your own stuff - it is quite obvious that you have to use computer or so nowadays. But hey - as a DJ? That's not me. A DJ should party with his crowd and enjoy the music with them together. When I go in a club today - I most of the time see guys looking at a screen 80% of the whole evening and missing the action plus the opportunity to fuel the party with his energy. Only through vinyl I have found my love to the music and as I am a very monogamous person - I will stick to my love.
What upcoming projects do you have in store for TDTCW?
The plan is to let TDTCW free. Let it loose and see where it goes, as there is no financial interest and all money that is raised goes 100% to the artists, the journey is not forseeable… In 2016 TDTCW is invited to host a party at Detroit’s ‘Movement' and introduce Artists from it's network to perform in the States and even combine it with a US tour. Right now TDTCW is on the lookout for sponsors and collaborators.
You are originally from Birmingham and now currently settled in Berlin. Historically, culturally or musically - do you see any relations between the two major cities?
Both are on one page when it comes down to the love of music, but then they are like cat and dog. Birmingham was my SKA epicentre and later the Acid House hub with excessive and intense illegal parties... Berlin is my true love for clubbing and losing the feel of time and space. My historical roots lie surely in Birmingham; all my favourite genres and bands have their roots in UK's motor city and that inspired me most. The German capital surprises me everyday with stuff I would've never thought of. Future Berlin. Past Birmingham. Loving both!
The post 'Clubbing in the form of Networking: Interview with TDTCW Founder DJ AlexisM’ appeared first on WAM.
