Love parade

Love parade is a popular one-weekend techno festival taking place in Berlin's Tiergarten[?] Park every summer since 1989.

Many people from Germany, Poland and other countries come to Berlin to take part in the Parade - over a million in years 1997-2000 and 800 thousands in 2001. The last number was significantly lower because the date of the parade was changed a few weeks before parade, and it caused a lot of mess.

Love parade is Techno's answer to woodstock. It roots back in 1989 in the spirit of a changing Europe and was celebrated first 4 month before the iron curtain came down in Berlin. It was started by the fresh berlin underground under the initiative of Matthias Roeingh aka "Dr. Motte". It was held as a political demonstration for peace and international understanding which could be only demonstrated through the international language of music, of course. Up to 1996 the parade was held on the famous berlin "Ku'damm", after that it moved to the "Straße des 17. Juni" which is practically the Tiergarten park in the center of Berlin right by the Brandenburg Gate.

It is the mother of all techno parades that exist today and still thrives. Techno means in this case mainly (Progressive)House, Techno and Schranz.Attempts to introduce music such as Hip Hop failed. Also Hardcore and Gabber used to be part of the parade in early years, were then forced out for mysterious reasons and are now celebrated separately on a counter demonstration called "fuck parade". One who wants to experience loveparade at the middle weekend of July should be aware of the fact that it is louder and more crowded than any concert. With its watercooled soundsystems on every truck the parade produces a soundfloor of many megawatt. The parade basically lives through those trucks. The trucks usually feature local or important clubs and their Djs. It has become a rule that only trucks are allowed which have sponsors from a techno related field such as clubs, lables or stores. It costs a lot of money to equip any truck, but once you see them you'll enjoy every cent spent on them. They are usually open on top and feature some delicious dancers. Their box-systems are mounted on the side or the rear and make your pants shake if you come too close. There are two tactics to choose from: Follow a truck that features a style that you like or have them all pass you so you can see more. The music lover will of course choose the first one.

On your way you will notice the huge amount of trash produced and the big problem of going to the bathroom. But hey, isn't it the same on all festivals? One famous picture from the love parade is people sitting on the street lanterns. Although it is not allowed, there is probably not a better way to see and be seen. The police of Berlin is usually quite tolerant when it comes to people being just themselves. You will be surprised seeing the cops celebrating and dancing along too. Usually the younger cops are doing their service on love parade weekend and after all there haven't been any major incidents in its over twelve years of history - if you don't count the high drug use and people passing out for several reasons.

The final of the demonstration is every year the so called "Abschlusskundgebung" which are half-hour sets of the world's leading top Djs such as Dj Rush, Hell, Westbam, Miss Djax, Chris Liebing to name a few. During this time all trucks (usually about 40) are connected to each other and set online to the statue of victory where the Turntables are. This is one of the few chances a Dj can ever have to play for a crowd of about one million people.

With the end of the parade the fun is far from over. Loveparade weekend in berlin is probably the only time and place worldwide where a whole city is practically turned into a club. Any good and respectable Dj on this planet is usually booked for one of the huge number of parties that are held before and after the parade. Parties range from clubs with some hundred, mostly exclusive guests to almost raves with several floors and some ten thousand folks. Many people today come to berlin only for the parties and miss the parade for sleeping reason. Or they enjoy it with other "ravers" in the park right next to the parade route.

One thing you surely will take home with is the impression of many open hearted women,guys and really glamorous people. Love parade is the place to exhibit and enjoy other people's exhibition tendencies. Some lamers of course still enjoy to carry around back-in-the-days toys such as suckers or face masks. But usually the crowd shows quite some fantasy in clothing and appearance.

Love parade may be a dinosaur and together with Mayday, Nature One and few others the left over of a rave culture that marked the beginning of the era of modern Techno music. If you really want to understand Techno, you have to have been to berlin at least once. For more information on love parade and photos go to:

• http://www.loveparade.net

h.u.

Last Love Parade was organized 21 July 2001 under the motto Join The Love Republic.

There are similar festivals in other cities like Zürich's Streetparade[?] and Love Parades in Newcastle, and Vienna.