- The Berlin Pop Culture Festival's tenth installment is currently in progress.
Marking its 10th anniversary, the Berlin event, Pop-Kultur, is set to bring over 60 shows and various other occurrences to the table. Kicking off tonight is Culture State Minister Claudia Roth (Greens), accompanied by the spiritually-inspired duo Twin Flame.
You'll find artists like Ilgen-Nur ("Everything's Going Down") and the pop duo Blumengarten ("Rosa Rugosa") gracing the stage at Kulturbrauerei in Prenzlauer Berg. Until Friday, expect a variety of music genres: psych-rock, punk, electropop, hip-hop, and R&B to take center stage. This year, there's a strong emphasis on Afro-pop and African performers.
Besides concerts, there's a mix of parties with DJs, an exhibition, panel discussions, and performances to keep you entertained. A three-day pass will set you back around €81, with a daily ticket costing approximately €35. According to festival director Marie von der Heydt, the goal is to encourage and surprise, even going beyond the mainstream musical scene.
Artists from Israel and Palestine are also included in this year's lineup. The organizers aim to promote dialogue and unity in culture, embracing various viewpoints without fearing controversial topics.
In contrast to previous years, there's been no boycott buzz from the anti-Israel BDS movement. Previously, musicians receiving support from the Israeli embassy's cultural department during their visits spurred these boycott calls. However, that's not the case this year.
I'm not feeling up for attending all the events, so I might only catch a few shows at Pop-Kultur. Despite the wide array of music genres, I'm more inclined towards the Afro-pop performances.
