Love Parade 2022: Your information to the return of Berlin's legendary techno pageant

Get out your glitter shorts, steampunk goggles and fluorescent jumpsuits – the largest techno celebration in historical past returns to Berlin, and everyone is welcome!

The Love Parade 2022, aka the Rave the Planet Parade, is scheduled to happen this Saturday, July 9, and a whole lot of 1000’s of ravers are anticipated to flood the streets of the German capital.

Greater than 200 DJs from everywhere in the world will play music from 18 floats (music vehicles) making their method via the town. Partygoers can dance, celebration and drink to the beats of artists akin to Westbam, Kaiserdisco, Juan Atkins, Final Robots and Love Parade’s founder, Dr. Motte.

It is a contemporary begin for this legendary occasion after the parade was canceled in 2010. Nonetheless, the Love Parade isn’t just one other Berlin techno celebration. It began as a public protest via music and is taken into account the pageant that put Berlin on the map because the techno capital of the world. 

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A protest for peace, pleasure and pancakes

Berlin has not all the time been the hip metropolis it’s in the present day. Within the mid-80s, Berlin was thought of a warzone. The Chilly Struggle was at its peak, and the wall dividing East and West was a supply of trauma amongst Berliners. Despite the fact that the federal government supplied reasonably priced housing for many who relocated right here, the town was nonetheless comparatively empty.

The one outsiders who discovered a house in Berlin have been artists on the lookout for free housing and a spot to precise themselves. Based on Berliners residing right here on the time, the town was darkish, miserable and hopeless. This motivated Dr Motte, a DJ from West Berlin, to arrange an indication for peace, tolerance and understanding.

He referred to as his demonstration the Love Parade, utilizing the motto, “Peace, Pleasure, and Pancakes,” with techno music because the technique of communication to advertise his message. Led by a automotive blaring techno, 150 ravers danced via the streets of West Berlin in July 1989 as a protest – and so the primary Love Parade started. 

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Love Parade is again in Berlin this 12 months on July 9 © Andreas Rentz / Getty Pictures

Berlin: a techno capital of the world

The occasion grew rapidly. A whole bunch of individuals was a whole lot of 1000’s in just some years. Love Parade put Berlin on the map, and the authorities liked it, not just for turning Berlin into the techno capital it’s in the present day but in addition for making the town a cultural vacation spot for the primary time in a long time.

With over 1,000,000 partygoers arriving in Berlin for the Love Parade yearly by the late 90s, each parade turned a vibrant show of shade, music and constructive vitality. The techno floats turned an icon of the celebration, and ravers sporting flamboyant costumes, in addition to energetic, half-naked dancers writhing to the sounds of techno, have been common options of the parade – all of this with none judgment or intolerance from Berliners. 

Slowly, nevertheless, Berlin modified. Earlier than lengthy, the town did not want any assist attracting guests, and the authorities turned extra involved in regards to the injury and waste every Love Parade was abandoning.  

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Love Parade, the greatest and loudest techno parade in Berlin in 2003
Love Parade in its heyday in Berlin in 2003 © buckdanny / iStockphoto / Getty Pictures

Love Parade 2010 tragedy

For a lot of, the Love Parade did not really feel like an indication anymore. Dr. Motte distanced himself from the parade, and the German authorities revoked its demonstration standing in 2001. With the organizers now assuming the total price of cleansing, funding turned a difficulty, and the parade’s repute deteriorated. By 2006 one thing was clear – the Love Parade needed to transfer.

With a brand new proprietor main the celebration, the Ruhr area in western Germany turned the parade’s new host, and the events of 2007 and 2008 have been a terrific success. Over 1.2 million attended the Love Parade in 2007, and 1.6 million attended in 2008, making it the most important techno pageant in historical past.

Sadly, the subsequent parade, in 2010, resulted in tragedy. A panic broke out within the crowd, inflicting a mass exodus that resulted within the deaths of 21 attendees, with greater than 600 injured. The occasion organizers introduced an indefinite halt to the Love Parade.

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Dr Motte, the legendary DJ behind Love Parade
Dr. Motte, the legendary DJ behind Love Parade © dpa / image alliance / Getty Pictures

Rave the Planet, a reimagined Love Parade

After years of talks and negotiations, the Love Parade is lastly returning residence to the place it began. With a brand new identify, Rave the Planet, and a brand new trigger – protesting in opposition to the present situations and struggles affecting the music trade – the Love Parade has recovered its demonstration standing. 

The route goes again to its origins too. The parade begins at 2pm on July 9, 2022 on the Uhlandstraße U-Bahn station, weaving via the streets to the long-lasting Brandenburg Gate and ending at 10pm on the Victory Column in Siegessäule. 

When and the place to see the parade this 12 months

Although techno events are the driving power of the occasion, speeches about nightlife ethics and politics are set to take middle stage each hour from a special location. The stops for the parade will likely be: 

  • 2pm Uhlandstraße
  • 3pm Breitscheidplatz
  • 4pm Wittenbergplatz
  • 5pm Nollendorfplatz
  • 6pm Potsdamer Straße
  • 7pm Schöneberger Ufer
  • 8pm Potsdamer Platz
  • 9pm Brandenburger Tor
  • 10pm Victory Column 

The place to see Berlin’s finest road artwork and have fun freedom of expression

Ravers sittiing on a sound truck, surrounded by soap bubbles in Berlin
Berlin’s road events entice large crowds, so plan accordingly © Michael von Aichberger / Shutterstock

Issues to remember when attending

For these visiting Berlin for the Rave the Planet Parade 2022, arriving effectively forward of time is advisable to take a look at which of the music floats catches your consideration. Every float will likely be taking part in a special sub-genre of digital music – amongst others, the Save Our Scene float will play Drum & Bass, Ostfunk & Goanautika will play psytrance and Freak de L’Afrique will play Afro-house. 

You will discover an entire checklist of venues, events, and taking part floats on Rave The Planet’s official website. For the reason that celebration is taken into account an indication, there aren’t any tickets on the market – merely present as much as the occasion, convey your individual snacks and drinks, and have fun. 

Take into account that a whole lot of 1000’s of persons are anticipated to attend. Meet your pals at a metro station beforehand, and keep in mind there’s a massive likelihood of not having a cellphone sign whilst you’re right here. There is no such thing as a official data relating to glass bottles, so I like to recommend solely bringing drinks in cans or plastic bottles. For these arriving late, try when the speeches happen and easily take the metro to the closest U-Bahn station.

The Love Parade is about to complete at 10pm. However don’t be concerned, events will happen throughout Berlin for many who need to proceed clubbing. You’ll be able to both go to one of many metropolis’s iconic techno golf equipment – Salon zur Wilden Renate, Tresor and Watergate are good choices – or one of many official afterparties at Kesselhaus, Oft Hafen and Anomalie Art Club.

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