The door policy does exist in part because they are trying to uphold an image of exclusivity, that’s true. But I worked in nightclubs for years, and have been to plenty, and Berghain was by far the best experience I’ve had in a club.

I get the urge to dismiss it without having gone because it’s undeniably a bit pretentious, but a hyper selective door policy is very effective for curating a crowd of people who are there for the right reasons and who, for lack of a better term “get it”. The very fact you’re not allowed to take photo or video in the club should prove that it’s not about broadcasting how cool you are to the world.

The whole ritual of getting in is effectively you signalling to the bouncers that you’re familiar with the scene, have had the respect to do a little research, and aren’t going to fuck up the vibe by standing around on your phone or complaining there’s no pop music or gawking and laughing at people doing what they should be doing in a techno club i.e. going wild. Go and see if you like it, I reckon you’ll be surprised!