Our dearly beloved editor put his liver on the line again to keep the BiE readers happy and, in his view, they delivered
Knock and smile. That’s what the sign said. I had absolutely no idea of what would follow and how BiE’s readers would answer the call with aplomb.
The evening began in a punk bar with the, legitmately, welcoming sign of ‘Nazis Fuck Off’ in th window. When the barmaid has clearly spent all of her wages in a tatto parlour and the beer costs less than €3 for a half lite (it was way closer to €2 but I have no idea how close) then you know you are off to a good start. Hardcore BiE readers know that a couple of days ago, roughly minutes aftr I landed in Berlin proprerly, I agreed to go to a play tonight. Well, it was great. Elmira was fantastic and her cast mates properly shook me. It was a piece combining the current regfugee crisis with historial actions by Kaiser Wilhelm during the First World War and the delivery was a shock to the system. In 70 minutes these folks really got in my head, including their interesting portrayal of how the media can be easily influenced. I don’t dispute this argumanet but offer the corrolary that we bite back hard and at least one basketball website has drunk pieces to keep everything in check. El Dsichard was fantastic and really got the night off to an emotional start.
After a brief stop back here to discuss the piece with Elimra, it was time to go check out Kreuzberg again. A PR woman from Dresden I know found out I am on Wrangle Strasse and raved hard about Schwarze Traube so I figured it was this site’s duty to check it out. Yeah, I get to the door and that knock and smile sign was there. It was too cool to just walk in. Here I was, in a University of Utah t-shirt that hadn’t seen love in a loooong time, trying to stroll into one of the most happening spots in Berlin. I got in the door and just sold the PR woman’s story. For all the tragically hip feel, these cats could make good cocktails. I had one of the nastiest old-fashioneds I’ve ever chugged and my boy Martyn back in Dublin has made me drink more than my fair share.
So that was grand and so was the stop in John Muirs where I bored the ear off an Aussie and Kiwi couple. That isn’t why I’m writing tonight. No, those of you who read my first drunk piece from here know where I was landing. I had loosely agreed to meet the barmaid tonight but she was called into work at late notice to help with unexpected demand.
Now y’all know I was the only soul in Bourbon Dogs on Wednesday and Thursday night but that I was selling it on you hard. Kids, did you ever deliver. I hit the entrance and it’s like a freaking homeconoming. The place was hopping. BiE’s readers had answered and a bnch of hoop heads had filled the place, properly filled, that both barmaid were overrun. It was a beautiful sight. Here is a pub that was great but wasn’t getting the love. One blog post on this site and boom, it’s taken off albeit just for one night so far. They put on AC/DC to celebrate because who doesn’t love some You Shook Me All Night Long followed by TNT. The two barmaids and I downed a pickleback, which is whiskey followed by pickle juice, and just enjoyed the moment. Like, this was a good enough day for BiE already with two award nominations but to see you folks respond like this moved me in a different but similarly powerful way to Elmira’s play. Thank you.
So in 12 hours I’m going to see the German Moses in the flesh for the first time ever. It’s going to be easy to focus just on the hoops and forget the last 3 days but I won’t let it. This city has an influence and I’m going to Elmira’s new play next Thursday night before I head to Lille. It’s important. Anyone can tell you what happened in the games, I’m trying to tell you about the life and y’all are clearly listening. I’ll write out Group D preview with a violent hangover and that’s fine with me. Right now, there’s only one way to cherish this night. I walked down Wrangle Strasse waking up who knows how many people belting this out…
Scorpions – Wind Of Change von hushhush112
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