Page 89 - Cosmopolitan - UK (April 2020)
P. 89
re a d
with an all-female door ensure no one tries to and eyeliner? Yes. In my
crew for the first time. “I sneak through them), I three-hour shift I watch
wanted to be one of them,” observe the queue that’s as Alina fires questions
she says, running her hand next to it, trying to guess at approaching punters.
through her cropped straw- who will get that elusive “German or English?” she
coloured hair. “I started “yes” Eli’s off tonight, but demands. “How are you?
.
practising martial arts and in her place is Alina – Have you been here before?
then a friend told me about whose T-shirt lists all the Do you know the name
a position opening up.” That weight-lifting competitions of tonight’s party?” If the
The dancefloor
in club Weekend was at ://aboutblank – once she’s participated in. She answer’s yes, she says: “It’s
an illegal club, now one of stands square on, in front of 13 Euros. You may enter
Berlin’s top destinations. the queue, and to her right one by one, but only when
It’s also the club where Eli is a bulky, shaven-headed I tell you so.” If it’s a no,
agrees to put me on shift, man who reports back to instead, a brief: “Not
to see the work for myself. her if anything – or anyone tonight.” Why do people
Eli is dubbed the club’s “Ice – seems suspicious. The line want in so badly? Why
Princess” – from her cold is an eclectic mix: one man are they willing to queue
and tough door manner, looks like Neo from The for hours when getting
which is, she admits, Matrix, while others have in is far from guaranteed?
downright unfriendly at a dishevelled look akin It’s because that sacred
times. “Especially at the to Stranger Things’ Chief atmosphere is unlike
beginning when I wasn’t Hopper. One woman has anything most clubbers
too confident and sure if a gigantic spider tattooed have experienced. Berlin’s
guests would accept me as on her chest, dreads to the venues usually open their
a woman. I think sometimes floor, and a leather cropped doors at midnight, and few
I was acting too strict or top and jeans. They all get people bother to show up
arrogant. Now I’m softer.” in. The group of late-teen before 2am. Party-goers are
as if they were state secrets. “You welcome and take boys swaying in a fog of dressed for dancing for at
There’s Saskia, who has the care of a lot more people aftershave? Nope. The single least six hours straight,
word “no” tattooed on her than you send away,” says guy with short yellow hair rather than to show off ›
left palm; Steffi-Lotta, the Steffi-Lotta, who chats to
bouncer of club Kater Blau me via a translator over a
and founder of “market- lemonade one day. She says
village” Holzmarkt25, who this looking straight into
prefers to be known as a my eyes without blinking
“concierge” rather than a – and I nod in agreement,
bouncer; Esther, known as knowing that her nickname
“mutti” (mum), who once (unprintable here) implies
caught two underage boys she’s one of the strictest to
climbing over the fence get past in the city. Despite
of her club and, instead of their reputations, all the
calling the police, called women I meet are funny,
their mothers to come and friendly and caring, yet I
pick them up. Then there’s know that they have also, at
Eli, who I chat to while times, been impossible to
inside the club simply get past. You just have to
called ://aboutblank. It’s a look at Saskia’s tattooed
Monday afternoon and the palm to see that.
club’s 24-hour monthly
queer party, Buttons, is still On shift
palpable in the musty air. Taking my position at the Eli, AK A
She became a bouncer 10 exit doors of ://aboutblank “Ice Princess”
years ago, after seeing a club (I have to watch closely to
COSMOPOLITAN · 89
