After 13 years at two different locations more or less across the street from each other, in the very heart of Berlin, The Maria am Ostbahnhof, regarded by many to be one of the most important and seminal subculture locations in Germany or indeed any where else, is getting ready for a three day long rave which will end with the club finally closing its doors, for the last time ! The ground where it stands has been sold, the building will be demolished and in 2012 work will start on erecting a new Hotel complex.
The founder of the club Ben Di Biel, and Corin Arnold ( ed2000 ), worked together in two previous locations before the Maria, both illegal hot spots in the immediate post “fall of the wall” Berlin, where they also lived in the same squat together. Due to a trust and respect built up between them over former years, Eds idea to stage a big event on the clubs first new years eve 98/99 , called “Tonight were gonna party like its 1999” was taken on board. Back then it was all about Big Beat and the emerging Nu Skool Breaks scene. No one else would host this sound. Ben Di Biel immediately said, “Lets Do It” !
The event blew up beyond any expectations. By the second try out in March 99, it was called Dangerous Drums, and when that night was also a runaway success Maria offered itself as a permanent homebase for the event. In April 99 Dj Vela came on board and put the whole show on the efficient and professional tip that set it up to run as it has until today !
Now 13 years later, dangerous Drums is Marias longest running event series, and has happened more than any other party in the club . The 50th time Dangerous Drums rocks the Maria will be on Thursday May 19, as the kickoff event to the final three day rave at this hallowed venue. For this very special night, there could only ever be one very special guest ! Mr Barry Ashworth of the Dub Pistols.
Barry is the most invited international headliner to Dangerous Drums in its 13 years. He is also the only non Berliner to have been taken onboard as a Resident. That is really saying something, when one considers that amongst the artists who got their first ever gigs in Berlin at Dangerous Drums, are Vini (RIP), Dj Icey, The Plump Djs, Soul of Man, Elite Force, Meat Katie, Rennie Pilgrem, Evil 9, Kode 9, Horsepower Productions, Ben and Lex, Lee Coombs, the list is very long !
And Barry can even take a large part of the credit for the party series having got further than its 40th event, when after a heavy giging schedule in the days and weeks before he went down with a serious case of total exhaustion, and still turned up to play as he had promised to. Without a doubt, at what was a tipping point for the whole Dangerous Drums project, without Barry the night could well have bombed, and we might not be where we are today , getting ready to host him for number 50, at what promises to be one of the true milestone events in the history of Berlin Club Life.
Maria is closing. For three days we will be celebrating what we have all achieved and experienced in over a decade of cutting edge party culture at this outstanding location, and on Thutsday May 19 Dangerous Drums will kick the whole thing of in fine style, with the perfect Headliner for such an auspicious occasion . The Dub Pistols front man Mr Barry Ashworth , together with Mc Sir Real. Theres still time to get a cheap flight